Would you like to see this released via Steam?

[Don Maddox]

Would Steam be a good way to release Armed-Assault when it is ready?

[RobAPol]

I have used steam in the past when I purchased Half Life 2 (a great game I might add). However, I found steam to be way too intrusive. Why is it loaded into memory when I'm not playing HL2? Why is it using bandwidth that I pay for when I start my OS? Why did it seem like I was downloading most of the half life game when I had a legitimate DVD in my mits?

I know this post might attract criticism, but from what I have seen every 'secure' system gets hacked - eventually, whether they are Steam or Starforce. There is a professional criminal element out there that have both the skills and resources to do this.

Unfortunatley this leaves the legitimate user in a position where the pirated version is actually easier to use than the real version because the security has been removed.

All my games are legit. Some of my games like SuperBikes 2001 won't run nowadays unless the security is removed by a nocd patch. Other games seem to perform noticably better without security. Some games (GT Legends) would crash to desktop because of their security software (that was until the security firm in question released a patch).

The bottom line is that neferous users seem to be getting a better, easier to use and more stable product than a legit user who has paid money. What kind of message does this send? Steal and get a better product?

It saddens me that to get the most out of my games I have to risk going to sites offering CD hacks to 'improve' them.

Recently I bought Galactic Civilizations II from StarDock. It had no copy protection whatsoever. The licence even said that if I had a secondary machine like a laptop I could legitmatley copy it there. This was a godsend. To top it off the game shows evidence of very good quality control and coding ability.

Would I buy from StarDock again? Hell Yes. Its nice not to be treated as a criminal when buying software. I regularly check their site looking for other products they do simply because I know I'm going to be treated like an adult when I buy. Would I buy Half Life 3 or anything else from steam? Nope. I run a tight ship when it comes to configuring my OS and I don't want any software like steam on my system stealing bandwidth, memory and CPU cycles especially when I'm not running a steam based game.

Oh and before anybody asks. I am a senior software developer IRL and work as a software architect for a well known company. So this isn't the diatribe of some kid off the street.

RobP

[Patrocles]

yeah, I voted "no" for the time being...though my opinion might change.

I still need to find out some more info about STEAM:
Game back up? Steam has a backup option but I've read many posts that it doesn't work (at least for the Red Orchestra game).
Can I sell my "copy" of the game?


I haven't been too hardpressed to find answers to these questions because I'm enjoying ROOST so much!

[Malm]

Never had any success with the steam thing and therefor never had played HL2. In the furture I will never buy a game using it. Its like throwing money out the window. For those gamers that had thouble with it there were little or no help to get - they were mostly ignored. Will rather option for the dongle stuff and pay the mere price :(

Oh btw. the StarDock way rocks!

[Nichols]

What is steam?

[Dr. Gonzo]

I love Steam, Gamer's Gate and Direct to Drive. Don't have to store CD's (unless you want to make a back-up) and you don't have to have the CD in the drive to play.

[Aries]

I buy games the Matrix Games way, through digital download, and that's the end of it.

They can release through Steam if it floats their boat, but I don't buy products through online means unless it comes the Matrix Games method.

I want a file, that is activated by a serial I was given at point of purchase, and then thereafter, I want to be able to install it any way I damn well want, as often as I feel like, and if the parent company were to go belly up, I wouldn't need to even give a damn (beyond the obvious, they wouldn't be be selling games any more eh).

If the file isn't just some data I can burn to disk, as often as I want, chances are it is not relevant what the game is, how great it might be, or what the price tag is. When I buy the game, I want that to be my last required contact with the vendor. Any required patches also must be offered as just a data file I can download and store at my leisure.

There are also other methods in use out there as well that I don't support along with the method Steam uses. And I show my lack of support, with a lack of access to my wallet.

[SgtStahler]

I have used steam in the past when I purchased Half Life 2 (a great game I might add). However, I found steam to be way too intrusive. Why is it loaded into memory when I'm not playing HL2? Why is it using bandwidth that I pay for when I start my OS? Why did it seem like I was downloading most of the half life game when I had a legitimate DVD in my mits?

Yeah, up to this point, you had me, and I would have to agree basically... The Steam engine *is* cool, and has some awesome features, but it can be summed up (for me) with the one question: Why does a game engine load on windows start when I am not even playing a game based on that engine? Huh? I mean screw bandwidth... Why are you stealing my compute cycles?? I mean that is the main reason *I* personally am not drawn to steam, but the rest of what you say in the first paragraph is basically on target. After that, I think you lose me... Honestly (and not trying to hijack the thread or anything) I am (having *not* ever played Far Cry, but now having tried the Crysis demo) completely hooked on the Crytek engine. Much more beautiful, and if map levels, #players are equivalent, who would pick that over Steam? Not that HL2 and (especially) Portal are not fantastic, fun games. Just not as fond of that engine. From a player's perspective..? Tell me again why I want it when I am not playing something that needs it? Random comment. Cheers! S

[Don Maddox]

Why does a game engine load on windows start when I am not even playing a game based on that engine? Huh? I mean screw bandwidth... Why are you stealing my compute cycles??

Well, lots of computer programs do this. In fact, it's so common it can really get to be a problem after you have installed a lot of software.

But there is an easy fix for this. Simply remove these items from your startup menu, that way they will only start when you tell them to start. I do this with Steam because I don't like it running all the time and slowing down my bootup. I do the same thing with the EA Games auto-updater and similar programs.