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SteamGAF, Should A PC Game User Run EVERY Game Through Steam?

HUELEN10

HUELEN10

Member
I just got an assload of old discs from my folks' house that I wanna install and have some non-steam games, and emulators might also strike my fancy. Apparently, Steam has had an add non-Steam game feature for a while now, but besides having everything in one launcher, are there any other advantages? Any little talked about disadvantages?

And what about Windows Store games? Do they play friendly with Steam? I am so out of the loop on this.
 
If you want to use the Steam Controller or talk with someone over Steam message. I don't see too much reason otherwise to run them ALL through it, though I guess there's also broadcasting to the world what you're playing.
 
It's convenient if you want all your games in a single list and/or use the Steam overlay a lot. Not essential by any means.

Most games are okay with being launched through Steam, though it can get a little finicky for stuff that also uses another launcher like Battle.net or what have you.
 
I think the only advantages are the steam overlay + organization. I don't personally do it cause I don't really use the overlay but I can see how it might be useful.
 
Gotta use it for full Steam Controller support. Otherwise, it's just there for convenience and the in-game overlay.
 
I do that sometimes, especially for mmos.
I usually launch my mmos through steam, so I can take screenshots through the overlay and upload them in one go. It's convenient.
 
Should? No.

There's a few convenience factors I will take into consideration:

1. Do I want Steam Overlay on so I can Shift Tab out to talk to someone.
2. Do I want my Steam friends to see I'm playing something so we can play MP together.
3. Do I want to use Steam Controller or Steam streaming (at least, I think you can stream non-steam games this way, don't quote me). Or other community features like screenshots.
4. Sometimes it's easier to launch from if I don't want to search through my desktop for the icons. I will often not bother with this for a big recent release but for GOG titles or a variety of small things I will add them, as just typing their name into the library is faster than normal Windows searches often.
 
I often forget about games not in my Steam library to the point where I try to get everything on there.

But personally, there aren't really any advantages to running non-steam games through Steam other than for sharing screenshots. Usually it's not even worth that hassle.
 
Steam messages can be distracting (just like second monitor use), and that's a big deal to me, but it's a convenient screen shot tool and FPS counter these days.

There's plenty I don't run through it.

While we're on the subject, though, I'll use this as yet another chance to mention that I would love keyboard to gamepad mapping functionality in Steam for "normal" gamepads. I don't expect this to happen.
 
I don't run non-Steam games through Steam, but that's generally because I have my main group of friends already added on BattleNet and Origin.
 
Completely up to you and the uses you have. Personally I have the non-steam games I play regularly and for long periods, on steam as non-steam games.

I do a lot of chat via Steam, I like the usefulness of the overlay while I'm in game, and most importantly Big Picture mode for when I am away from a desk. Now I have a Steam Controller, which I am loving for practically everything other than the most frantic of RTS, when a mouse and keyboard is too inconvenient, and the Steam Controller works best with the games as non-steam games for access of Big Picture Mode and its UI.

For everything that is small or one off or not needing BPM or with no intention of using the Steam Controller, there really isn't a point.
 
Frankly, it's just built-in chat and screenshots (with cloud upload) outside of the "one launcher" thing. I can live without either, but it's nice to have, I guess.
 
Steam messages, screenshots? This is all so new to me.

OT: Darmon Ttols Lite is 4 bucks? I could have sworn it was more!
 
Eusis said:
If you want to use the Steam Controller or talk with someone over Steam message. I don't see too much reason otherwise to run them ALL through it, though I guess there's also broadcasting to the world what you're playing.
Click to expand...

Running anything through steam - not just games but even windows components like WMP or external programs like Kodi - gives you access to the steam overlay. This means a pop up webbrowser on any program, a popup keyboard on any program, party voice chat across the entire windows experience, a friends list that follows you, etc.

EDIT: This is how I use steam: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3nYFc9_5DjQ
 
Yes

If you want me to elaborate, I want everything in 1 place. It's why I want the most pc ports as possible. Well the pc part is a deeper issue because with consoles, when I get a new console, the old one goes in the shelf never to be used again, but a pc, I'll always have a pc.

And with Steam, I'll always have the one place where everything is ready at the click of a button. You could argue that multiple clients don't change that, but then you get into weird territories of the collection aspect of it.

Efit: wait you mean non-steam games and applications, I misunderstood. Then not really :/
 
I use it for Steam Streaming. Currently using a tablet and a controller for the most part, but I plan on getting either a Chinese gaming tablet or Nvidia Shield mobile specifically for this purpose.

Edit: OK well I confused Nvidia LimeLight or whatever its called for the latter. I do use Steam in house streaming on my tablet, though.
 
The only two advantages I could think of:

- Steam overlay, which for me mostly means to be able to take screenshots of non-Steam games with the same shortcut I use on Steam, and if needed to upload them to my Steam gallery

- Big Picture works well as a front-end for emulation (thanks to Ice), even tho it can make the Steam library super cumbersome to navigate, if you have too many roms
 
I wish there was some program that could interface with all your libraries and list all your owned games, i keep forgetting that i have games on GOG that aren't already installed for example.
 
Steam overlay and messaging features are a big draw for me personally. Otherwise I get people trying to talk to me and all I hear is *blip* *blip*.
 
No, I see no reason for that.

Unless you have a specific use-case which makes it more convenient, like running exclusively big picture mode on a dedicated gaming system.

PC is all about options.
 
I've added all of my emulator stuff to Steam in one neat category, but I'm not about to do the same for every new individual game on my system which uses gog or battle net or whatever.

That said, I try not to have too many individual clients on my PC in the first place. For legacy titles that you return to time and time again, it's probably useful to have everything in the same place.


edit: in that sense, Steam is basically that small catch-all bowl in the apartment for me, the one in which you always put your keys and other little shit, so you know where to look for them at all times.
 
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