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Steam expanding beyond games, adding "software" on Sept. 5

C

ClovingWestbrook

Banned
Chinner said:
i wonder if steam is stalling to fail under the pressure of origin, gfwl etc? valve has been shrouded in controversy all of this year and have fallen from the stars sort of speak. i wonder if there revenue has dropped so they have to resort to selling other software?
Click to expand...

That is what I put my money on.
 
G

GotEmRunnin

Member
somuchwater said:
It's bad news because instead of an open market, you'll instead have three - if not way more - competing ecosystems: Windows Store, Mac Store and Steam.

Edit: and I mean three non-compatible ecosystems. That's the problem.
Click to expand...

How will it be non compatible? You'll still need a Windows PC or Mac to run steam
at least until they roll out the steam box
Or are you considering steam some sort of marketplace/OS hybrid?
 
M

MRORANGE

Member
So Steam finally has an excuse to be installed at the workplace.

me "yeah just been using dreamweaver on steam to get the project done"
boss " your Steam profile shows that you've only been using tf2 for 30 hours for the past week "
me "................."
 
C

CosmicQueso

Member
Wickerbasket said:
Will I own the license to the software I purchase off Steam? Or will I still be 'renting' it?
Click to expand...

I doubt it will be any different than any other EULA for Office, iTunes or any other software... it's cute that some of you think you "own" anything in the digital world.

In other news... STEAM ACHIEVEMENTS FOR MS WORD? HELLZ YEAH. I know I would knock off all the Excel achievements in a week.
 
Z

zephervack

Member
Where is big picture mode and hl3? Why do they keep using their time towards non-gaming stuff :( I guess they forgot about their core audience.
 
S

Stallion Free

Cock Encumbered
Is Steam looking for exclusivity for distributing these programs? Or will there still be the usual plethora of options for purchase that there always has been?
 
C

crimsonheadGCN

Banned
zephervack said:
Where is big picture mode and hl3? Why do they keep using their time towards non-gaming stuff :( I guess they forgot about their core audience.
Click to expand...

I wouldn't be surprised if Valve is having some complications with Big Picture Mode and these complications have to do with what controller button would be used to access the Steam overlay. It's also the reason why I think Valve is creating their own controller.

And your acting like the company has all 300 employees working on Steam when that isn't even close to being the case.
 
I

inm8num2

Member
I can't wait to have achievements for creativity and productivity software.

Also, having to run Steam before opening my word processor is going to make the word processor experience better!

/light sarcasm, nobody get offended
 
D

Delusibeta

Banned
Chinner said:
valve has been shrouded in controversy all of this year and have fallen from the stars sort of speak.
Click to expand...
All year? More like all week. GAF's just decided to start bitching about Steam this week have actually read that Steam Subscriber Agreement and failing to realise that every EULA has a "you own jack" clause (and if the company is in America, a "no class action" clause as well).
 
J

JaseC

gave away the keys to the kingdom.
Stallion Free said:
Is Steam looking for exclusivity for distributing these programs? Or will there still be the usual plethora of options for purchase that there always has been?
Click to expand...

Even Steamworks games are able to be sold outside of Steam, so I can't imagine Valve would request otherwise here.
 
G

Gaz Pwnage

Member
HoosTrax said:
Just what I need. Steam achievements for using GIMP or OpenOffice.

32815893.png
Click to expand...

But thats 2 easy, id only have to type 4 words
 
S

Stallion Free

Cock Encumbered
CosmicQueso said:
No games are exclusive, so why would software be?

Wow, FUD is up in this house in a BIG way right now.
Click to expand...

So then why are people flipping out and calling Valve hypocritical? Weren't there criticisms of Windows 8 that it would become increasingly difficult to sell outside of the Windows store, cutting off all previous options people had?

Some of the responses in this thread are downright bizarre. It's not like current options are going to suddenly disappear with this.
 
D

Deadstar

Member
crimsonheadGCN said:
I wouldn't be surprised if Valve is having some complications with Big Picture Mode and these complications have to do with what controller button would be used to access the Steam overlay. It's also the reason why I think Valve is creating their own controller.
Click to expand...

Easy fix. Instead of a button press, use a button hold. Hold Select/Back for 3 seconds to bring up the overlay. You could do the same with Start. Have it automatically pause the game. It's not a huge issue.
 
W

Wickerbasket

Member
CosmicQueso said:
I doubt it will be any different than any other EULA for Office, iTunes or any other software... it's cute that some of you think you "own" anything in the digital world.

In other news... STEAM ACHIEVEMENTS FOR MS WORD? HELLZ YEAH. I know I would knock off all the Excel achievements in a week.
Click to expand...
Well usually, when I 'own' something like Office I don't lose access to it if I dispute a purchase of another product somewhere down the line.

I don't like the idea that Valve can restrict my access to ALL my licenses if we have a disagreement over a completely separate product. It just reeks of bullying.
 
C

crimsonheadGCN

Banned
Wickerbasket said:
Well usually, when I 'own' something like Office I don't lose access to it if I dispute a purchase of another product somewhere down the line.

I don't like the idea that Valve can restrict my access to ALL my licenses if we have a disagreement over a completely separate product. It just reeks of bullying.
Click to expand...

Losing access over a purchase dispute doesn't happen anymore. Valve changed it late last year and now the only thing you lose is the ability to purchase anything on the store, activate new cd keys, and play online.
 
E

Exuro

Member
crimsonheadGCN said:
I wouldn't be surprised if Valve is having some complications with Big Picture Mode and these complications have to do with what controller button would be used to access the Steam overlay. It's also the reason why I think Valve is creating their own controller.
Click to expand...
Even then they would still need to do some overhauling to the system to add in features like on screen keyboards and such. There's a lot to the current steam UI that can't work on controllers so I'm sure they've got quite the task ahead(or at least did).
 
O

Orayn

Member
Years ago, I had Windows Explorer crash on me and decided to make Steam fullscreen and add shortcuts to programs like my web browser and text editor of choice as a joke. Little did I know, my LAN party antics were part of a great prohpecy...
 
K

kevm3

Member
CosmicQueso said:
No games are exclusive, so why would software be?

Wow, FUD is up in this house in a BIG way right now.
Click to expand...

That's not FUD. That's a VALID concern. What does anyone look like paying $300 for a program only to have the ability to not use it if you can't connect to the internet first or just have steam up and take away your ability to use software that you've paid a mint for. Screw that. I like steam for the sales and buying cheap games, but software I'll purchase separately. Don't need DRM overlaying painter.
 
W

Wickerbasket

Member
crimsonheadGCN said:
Losing access if you dispute a purchase doesn't happen anymore. This was changed a while ago and the only thing you lose access to is the ability to buy any more software.
Click to expand...
That's definitely a step in the right direction if true; I don't dare attempt a charge back on any mistaken purchases.

Now if only they'd let me access my games without having to accept the new terms and conditions.
 
A

alexandros

Banned
This is fantastic news! I hope that cross-platform compatibility with Windows, Mac and Linux will be actively pursued, it would be great to see well-known Windows programs reach Penguinland via Steam.
 
Interfectum

Interfectum

Member
alexandros said:
This is fantastic news! I hope that cross-platform compatibility with Windows, Mac and Linux will be actively pursued, it would be great to see well-known Windows progrms reach Penguinland via Steam.
Click to expand...

With your work saved to the cloud... that would be crazy.
 
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