Play games we own? You heretic!
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Changes in Steam and your future platform of choice
- Thread starter LuchaShaq
- Start date
Play games we own? You heretic!
It always saddens me when I hear about people not getting into PC gaming until recent years, or those who view PC gaming strictly as Steam-only. You've missed out on so much, and most will likely never look back on any of the classics.
It equally saddens me when there are people who refuse to acknowledge console gaming as well. It's really just a shame.
It equally saddens me when there are people who refuse to acknowledge console gaming as well. It's really just a shame.
I agree (and I've spent a lot of time lamenting the Steam-only view before), but at least Steam offering a much broader selection will mitigate some of that.
CecilRousso
Member
More publishers are beginning to bring over their GOG catalogues, which is nice to see. Atari most recently jumped on the bandwagon in the form of the first two Rollercoaster Tycoon games (I'd have preferred the Blood games myself, but I'm sure they'll come in good time)... although it really ought to have reinstated Riddick's store page, too.
Yeah but the onus is on Valve to implement it an organised fashion, with quality control. Steam is the dominant market place when it comes to digital PC gaming, just because we demand more games doesn't meant we're asking them to circumvent quality control and the ability to provide a decent way of discovering games. Valve is to blame for this, not the consumer who asked for more games.
Canis lupus
Member
I never dig too deep into steam because of all the shovelware, unfortunately the shovelware sometimes comes out on top without digging for it.
Pretty much this as well.
I stopped caring about this since Steam opened the flood gates. Is it too late to fix that? I don't know, only time will tell.
The more games, the merrier, of course. However, i'd like to see everything well arranged by genre or type of games.
You can't put a game of 2004 in the ''New Releases'' tab.
I'd argue stuff like Mutant Mudds is exactly the kind of crap I'm talking about that shouldn't be getting pushed onto the service along with the million day Z and minecraft rip offs. The steam store front is barely better than the 360 indie games page at this point.
I'm basically waiting for steam to fix their shit before building a new gaming PC.
But I guess I'm just in the VAST minority.
Thanks.
I'm basically waiting for steam to fix their shit before building a new gaming PC.
.... In the past it wouldn't be on Steam to begin with. It languished on Greenlight for a long time before they made it less restrictive.
Edit: Sorry, misread, thought you meant it shouldn't get pushed off the frontpage by worse games. But that's kind of odd seeing how it's also out for just about every console.
I still, in all honesty, don't get the argument for having access to fewer games, especially on an enthusiast forum.
Then again, I never just "browsed" the Steam store. I go there to buy a specific game I already know about, or I use the search function with very specific terms/categories/tags. The latter (tags) make this use case much more functional than it used to be, by the way. And of course, it's nice to get 10+ results for a specific search instead of 1 or 2, simply because of the increased selection.
Then again, I never just "browsed" the Steam store. I go there to buy a specific game I already know about, or I use the search function with very specific terms/categories/tags. The latter (tags) make this use case much more functional than it used to be, by the way. And of course, it's nice to get 10+ results for a specific search instead of 1 or 2, simply because of the increased selection.
This. I didn't even know about the "Topseller" or "New releases" thingies on the front page for the longest time. I buy stuff when it gets cheap on my kinda too long wishlist, and I know of new releases through the Steam thread and my friends feed on the Steam Community.
Quite right.
The PC gaming library of choice has always been vast. It seems ludicrous to decry a popular DRM platform like Steam just because the powers that be have relaxed on what is released or not.
I've been playing on PCs for nearly 3 decades and it's never dawned on me to be bothered by the amount of shovelware available on PC. If it did, I would've stopped with the C64. Freedom of choice in videogame selection is a beautiful thing.
Please don't burn me!
I really do agree with you, though. Steam has done great things for pc gaming, but it seems like we sometimes focus too much on collecting games instead of playing them. It's not necessarily bad for the business of gaming, but I think we're very close to a saturation point - daily deals, bundles, etc. Buying bundles for peanuts in the hope that the games get Greenlight and provide steam keys. Hope for trading cards, too, so you can potentially net a profit in $0.35 in wallet funds!
I wonder how the hell these indie developers even make money. They might sell a few thousand copies of a game in a cheap bundle, and they have to give those buyers steam keys. Enter the steam market in which you're competing against hundreds or more of similar indie games.
I'm not at all saying Steam is bad - I love it. However, that saturation and dilution just seem like a vicious and unsustainable cycle.
Sorry for digressing a bit. The idea of playing games and worrying less about collecting them reminds of all the above.
The amount of quality releases hasn't declined because of this, it's increased. Limiting choice is not the way to go about this, the sterile choreography of console storefronts is what drove me to the PC in the first place. They do need a revamp of the store to increase discoverablility and tailored games though. A dynamic storefront, something different.
schragnasher
Neo Member
I think we can all agree that the steam front page and searching had been lacking. They are trying to change that with their community tagging and greenlight. Obviously this isn't great but they are trying. If they aren't allowed to try and fail than how will we find the best solution? I don't understand the freakout give it time.
I love Mutant Mudds and don't get why you disliking it, should prevent it from being on the store? Should the games I dislike also be removed? Pretty soon we'd be left with a very narrow selection of games and genres.
Seriously? Mutants Mudds is a good, well-made game. I honestly don't think you understand what you're complaining about. There's an argument for dilution that indie developers have to be wary of, but as a consumer you're just asking for Valve to screw you over voluntarily. If that's your mindset then by all means stick to consoles, this is by far the weakest excuse to not get into PC gaming.
If he doesn't like the game, nobody should get to like the game.
paging coldfoot
Mugatu
Member
Greenlight is there because of people complaining about Steam being crap because indie games couldn't get on - now Steam is crap because it's easy for indie games to get on.
No offense but I think the root of the problem is the exaggerated complaints like this thread that make it sound like the platform is completely unusable now, like there's some crisis that cannot be overcome without a radical redesign.
What exactly is Valve supposed to do? Hire people to play every game submitted multiple times before approving?
No offense but I think the root of the problem is the exaggerated complaints like this thread that make it sound like the platform is completely unusable now, like there's some crisis that cannot be overcome without a radical redesign.
What exactly is Valve supposed to do? Hire people to play every game submitted multiple times before approving?
My top requested features:
- Assign infinite number of categories per title.
- Filter Steam re-releases from the New Releases lists.
- Ability to search for games by multiple tags (Search -> Search by tags -> input whatever tags you want -> get results of games that each were tagged with those tags).
- Ability to see what tags your friends used on games you\they owned (a tool to surface helpful but unconventional tags).
- Assign infinite number of categories per title.
- Filter Steam re-releases from the New Releases lists.
- Ability to search for games by multiple tags (Search -> Search by tags -> input whatever tags you want -> get results of games that each were tagged with those tags).
- Ability to see what tags your friends used on games you\they owned (a tool to surface helpful but unconventional tags).
UselessNinja
Banned
the iOS & Google app store is what I point to when you have a storefront thats completely open. I don't want that, nor can I understand why anyone would want that.
I used to just randomly search through the steam store and see if there was anything interesting, and I've made a few purchases that way and actually enjoyed said games. Now? not so much, too much garbage gets on the storefront these days.
I used to just randomly search through the steam store and see if there was anything interesting, and I've made a few purchases that way and actually enjoyed said games. Now? not so much, too much garbage gets on the storefront these days.
While I agree that Steam needs to keep working on improving discoverability options, I'm still not seeing many convincing arguments apart from "It makes me less likely to get a good game when I pick a game at random and make no effort to research it."
Valve is supposed to have OP play the games to make sure that detestable vile FILTH like Mutant Mudds isn't allowed onto the once-proud service that is Steam, obviously.
Valve is supposed to have OP play the games to make sure that detestable vile FILTH like Mutant Mudds isn't allowed onto the once-proud service that is Steam, obviously.
What the fuck. If this is how you think, stay the hell away from PC gaming. It's not for you, at all. Also Valve will not "fix" this, because there is nothing to fix. At most they will make the storefront more versatile and customizable.
old manatee
Banned
It's a digital storefront with unlimited space, why not let everyone in? It beats going to gamestop and seeing a wall filled with 80 copies of 3 identical games.
And since when is Mutant Mudds shovelware? I'm not even crazy about it, but it's obviously a quality game.
And since when is Mutant Mudds shovelware? I'm not even crazy about it, but it's obviously a quality game.
Bad games need love, too! They just need to be cheap enough first.
Stallion Free
Cock Encumbered
Nailed it as usual.
Sgt.Pepper
Banned
I think the only people who can/might/should complain about this situation are devs themselves. If anyone is familiar with the App Store, you should know that many, MANY, devs fight a lot to get relevant and make profit.
I can't really compare them though. The fact that mobile gaming is cheaper most of the time and over $5 is considered like "premium" price is quite different from the $59.99 and below on Steam.
I can't really compare them though. The fact that mobile gaming is cheaper most of the time and over $5 is considered like "premium" price is quite different from the $59.99 and below on Steam.
Guys, Amazon really needs to fix their shit. Look at all the terrible crap I can buy on it! I'm going to do all of my shopping in brick and mortar stores until they take care of this nightmare, because it is totally unacceptable for the internet's premiere digital storefront.
Haunted
Member
Think about this: there are more good games releasing on Steam these days than ever before. In that sense, making an argument for how the games library on Steam that is relevant to you, the consumer who wants to play good games has worsened, is pretty hard to maintain.
That said, the lack of a (meticulously) curated storefront means that you can't just browse the new releases and buy games without much thought anymore, trusting in their quality just by virtue of them being allowed on the Steam store. So in that sense, I agree that the Steam storefront has become a worse place for you to select your games to buy on compared to the past... which is a pretty weak argument in the first place, since the only time I go on the Steam storefront is to actually complete a transaction.
The selection and decision-making process never took place on the Steam storefront, but on gaming sites, watching trailers, reading GAF threads. So... nothing's really changed and the Steam library that is relevant to me (i.e. the amount of good games) is, objectively, better than ever.
Sgt.Pepper
Banned
Okay, honestly, do you think oversaturation isn't a bad thing also?
Valve just needs to reorganize the display lists to give more useful information. Just having a 'new releases' and 'top sellers' option means good games are getting buried under mountains of trash.
I generally learn about good games from GAF impressions, but many people don't have that kind of luxury. There is data to show that being on the front page of Steam increases sales by a wide margin, not to mention visibility of a lesser-known title.
This hardly translates into a worse gaming platform. The games are just there, the problem lies in finding them which is mostly handled through GAF impressions anyways.
I generally learn about good games from GAF impressions, but many people don't have that kind of luxury. There is data to show that being on the front page of Steam increases sales by a wide margin, not to mention visibility of a lesser-known title.
This hardly translates into a worse gaming platform. The games are just there, the problem lies in finding them which is mostly handled through GAF impressions anyways.
Thank you for linking to that website good sir. I've been laughing for a solid half hour.
But yeah, I want all my games to be on Steam. Even the crappy ones. Sometimes I feel like MST3King something and not watching a movie.
7DollarHagane
Banned
Yeah the steam new releases page is pretty useless now. I used to always check it but Now its an app store kind of garbage dump.
I have no problems with Steam and how it involved (could use a better layout/design tho). If i see a game that i might buy, i will do what i always do:
- Check If the game is good.
- Check If the version is at least, decent and functional.
Besides, PC is the platform, not Steam.
On the other hand, at the moment there´s nothing i want to play on PS4/XBOX1. Except for Project Beast of course. Maybe i'll get a Wii U to play some Nintendo games, but that´s it.
- Check If the game is good.
- Check If the version is at least, decent and functional.
Besides, PC is the platform, not Steam.
On the other hand, at the moment there´s nothing i want to play on PS4/XBOX1. Except for Project Beast of course. Maybe i'll get a Wii U to play some Nintendo games, but that´s it.
-MD-
Member
Spot on lol.
BinaryPork2737
Unconfirmed Member
Well, you're not a wackjob, but I do think you might need to broaden your tastes if you think Mutant Mudds is crap. From what I've seen of the game, it certainly doesn't look like an objectively bad game like Paintbrawl Extreme or Big Rigs: Over the Road Racing; at least it seems functional. I would also argue that the Steam store remains far better than the XBLA indie games page. If it's really that hard to find good games on Steam, you're just not looking hard enough.
I've given it a lot of thought, and I think that opening the floodgates is a potentially bad idea, but at this point I think it's nearly unavoidable. If it means the death of Greenlight in favor of getting games like Air Control on Steam, I'll gladly take the latter option. Because while you will get games that look like Air Control and broken games like Earth: Year 2066, you'll get good games too, some of which have long lingered in the depths of Greenlight, like The Sea Will Claim Everything. And it's not like AAA releases aren't available either, ones that are subjectively good to some. Plus, you don't have to buy the games you think are terrible.
Look at Always Sometimes Monsters, for instance. I personally think it's a great game that has a lot of potential, but when you look at the Steam tags, you'll see stuff like "RPGMaker Garbage," "SJW Garbage," and "Get off steam." When I see things like that I get disappointed by the community, because it's actively working to curb the diversity of releases on Steam simply because of the style of the game itself, not because it's an objectively bad game.
What I'm rambling on about, I suppose, is that games are subjective; even if you think it's crap, someone else will really like it. I could go to the new releases section right now and point out a few games that look great or seem like they have a lot of potential. For example, of the current games in the new releases tab, Labyrinthine Dreams, Distant Worlds: Universe, They Breathe, and Showtime! all look like they could already be good games or have the potential to be good games. There's such a wealth of content on Steam, and the PC platform in general, that it's easy to find good games, and it's cheap as well.
There are a ton of resources to find out whether games are good or not, including right here on Gaf. You just have to put effort into it and actually want to find good games and experiment rather than having good games spoon fed to you.
I welcome the opened floodgate with open arms.
I look everyday at the frontpage to search the new releases. And I am happy for those games, that were great in the 90`s and 2000`s an were rereleased on steam. I am even purchasing some of those games or put them on my Wishlist, to buy them at a Discount. Sure, I will propably never play most of these games mor than 5 Minutes, if I even install them, but now I have them as a digital Download and my CD/DVD Collection of these games can sit at the wall. I am double dipping my old games *shrug* its easier to download and install a game, optimized for the last available OS. I wouldnt even trust a CD Game from 2008 to work on my current machine.
I purchased Port Royale 2 some days ago, just for completion sake. but I played it 10 hours the last days.
The next Game I am looking for is Z, thats a 90`s game! I wouldnt even begin to know where to search for a playable Version of this game! GoG.com doesnt have it.
So yeah, let the open floogates open. I know what I want, and i discover enough with Youtube and Gaf to cover all angles.
(and let the japanes games on the Store Valve, Agarest war and the Xseed games is not enough!)
I look everyday at the frontpage to search the new releases. And I am happy for those games, that were great in the 90`s and 2000`s an were rereleased on steam. I am even purchasing some of those games or put them on my Wishlist, to buy them at a Discount. Sure, I will propably never play most of these games mor than 5 Minutes, if I even install them, but now I have them as a digital Download and my CD/DVD Collection of these games can sit at the wall. I am double dipping my old games *shrug* its easier to download and install a game, optimized for the last available OS. I wouldnt even trust a CD Game from 2008 to work on my current machine.
I purchased Port Royale 2 some days ago, just for completion sake. but I played it 10 hours the last days.
The next Game I am looking for is Z, thats a 90`s game! I wouldnt even begin to know where to search for a playable Version of this game! GoG.com doesnt have it.
So yeah, let the open floogates open. I know what I want, and i discover enough with Youtube and Gaf to cover all angles.
(and let the japanes games on the Store Valve, Agarest war and the Xseed games is not enough!)
LOL, that website is pretty good.
Oh it's a troll thread?
Steam probably does need to have a dedicated "old school" section. But what would be the line defining "old school"?
Any game that's 10 years old or older? Any game designed for operating systems earlier than Windows XP? Or just any game originally released somewhere else before coming out on Steam?
Wiktor
Member
I like lack of curration. Picking only the top titles would be good, if Steam would have at most 10% of DD market. But currently it's uncomfortably big in this area. And for indie devs being on Steam is often a matter of survival. Thus heavy curration would essentially undermine the whole point of being indie developer, with Valve becoming just another publisher devs have to suck up to and as a whole heavily damage the entire platform.
What Steam needs is better filtering and recomendation mechanism, so that people can sort through the releases better. At the very least Valve should steal Goodreads' mechanism of rating games and using this data to generate recomendation.
What Steam needs is better filtering and recomendation mechanism, so that people can sort through the releases better. At the very least Valve should steal Goodreads' mechanism of rating games and using this data to generate recomendation.