Hero_of_the_Day
Member
Convenience.
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Why the apprehension for titles not on Steam/Steamworks support?
- Thread starter entremet
- Start date
chickdigger802
Banned
Entitled is the word.
GMG is probably where I get most of my purchases these days because of sales (a lot are steam enabled so yay!).
EA also tends to have very generous deals for games a year+ old. GOG is also great for old shit.
So does amazon.
There really isn't '50 clients'. Amazon you just download. GOG has a small thing that I rarely have open (you don't even need it for launching stuff). So I pretty much just have Steam and Origin.
GMG is probably where I get most of my purchases these days because of sales (a lot are steam enabled so yay!).
EA also tends to have very generous deals for games a year+ old. GOG is also great for old shit.
So does amazon.
There really isn't '50 clients'. Amazon you just download. GOG has a small thing that I rarely have open (you don't even need it for launching stuff). So I pretty much just have Steam and Origin.
OmegaTreeFish
Banned
il buy from other sources but il get from steam if I can. I can just shortcut it to steam and at least keep the social function in place.
What I wont do is get EA games not on steam. EA have annoyed me enough and im not installing there crappy origin on my pc. I havn't bought ME3 for this reason. I cant even buy the disk version as you still need origin. I wont support that.
What I wont do is get EA games not on steam. EA have annoyed me enough and im not installing there crappy origin on my pc. I havn't bought ME3 for this reason. I cant even buy the disk version as you still need origin. I wont support that.
CecilRousso
Member
For me, it´s DRM free or Steamworks.
I´m not interested in games with any combination of GFWL, Securom, Origin, Solidshield, etc, and that´s since I want as future proof and hassle free purchases as possible. But as long as a game is DRM free, I´m prepared to buy it on any site.
I´m not interested in games with any combination of GFWL, Securom, Origin, Solidshield, etc, and that´s since I want as future proof and hassle free purchases as possible. But as long as a game is DRM free, I´m prepared to buy it on any site.
AdmiralSnackbar
Member
There is the issue of creating an account and giving credit card info to every proprietary developer store that pops up. Nobody had an account with square enix before ff7 PC and the deal just isn't sweet enough to justify the inconvenience.
Also things not on steam have a weird tendency to make up their own crap DRM.
Also things not on steam have a weird tendency to make up their own crap DRM.
Its a silly practice if you ask me, but I respect someones consumer choices. People like Steam, but thats rooted mostly in the fact that Steam had a foothold on the PC platform for awhile. That is no longer the case, you can get games often times for much cheaper off of Steam, which to me is the best decision.
I buy my groceries from the cheapest place. I buy my electronics from whomever has the best price online at the time and I buy my video games from the cheapest retailer as well. I don't buy all my groceries from one store... that would be silly.
But hey, people do silly things.
Agreed, and this right here is the absolute best option. I've bought at least 5-6 games off of Amazon or GMG that are activated on Steam. I get the Steam integration but I got a better price elsewhere.
I buy my groceries from the cheapest place. I buy my electronics from whomever has the best price online at the time and I buy my video games from the cheapest retailer as well. I don't buy all my groceries from one store... that would be silly.
But hey, people do silly things.
Agreed, and this right here is the absolute best option. I've bought at least 5-6 games off of Amazon or GMG that are activated on Steam. I get the Steam integration but I got a better price elsewhere.
CecilRousso
Member
I buy games as I buy anything else - from stores and retailers that I trust and want to support. If it costs a bit more, so be it. I can afford it (since I don´t need to buy every game that is release).
Stumpokapow
listen to the mad man
Can you give an example of innovation that has occurred outside Steam--all I can think of, substantially, is GMG's ability to trade back games. Which is basically a pricing innovation, rather than a featureset innovation.
Can you give an example of a non-Steam PC service that has driven that "coming a long way"? If not, might we argue that Valve has been improving the service irrespective of their competitors?
Ingueferroque
Banned
Because I don't want to launch 5 different services to find the exact game I want to launch.
Because Steam is the only service bothering with a Mac version.
Because.
Because Steam is the only service bothering with a Mac version.
Because.
Sure the program doesn't crash all the time but what about everything else? Features wise it's really REALLY poor when compared to steam. The interface is horrible (imo) and the store is completely ridiculous in my country (prices, games available, everything). And I think most of the hate comes from people (like me) that liked having all their games in one place and are now forced to use this inferior product because EA wants them to.
zephervack
Member
What exactly is wrong with Steam other than the gotcha when playing offline?
I have played my games in 4 computers (living room, basement, laptop and room) and I have never had any issues with Steam's DRM. And cloud saving in this environment is amazing.
The App store on Mac also has a lot of big titles. Though Steam is perhaps more competitively priced.
diffusionx
Gold Member
EA doesn't want to write giant checks to Valve to cover a service they can easily do themselves. That's understandable. Especially when you have a game like Battlefield 3 to advertise your platform.
The barrier to entry in this space is very low. EA can't set up a network of B&M stores so they rely on GameStop. Anyone can set up a digital storefront, though. Honestly it's a bit weird that so many companies just handed over this market to Steam. We should have seen way more competition. We are seeing it now.
...and some people do care about games, and like to see them benefit from the advantages of their preferred distribution platform. Good example for this thread, though: http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=481400
Just speaking personally, Steam is important, but not essential for me. The benefits of owning a game on Steam (which have been covered by others in this thread) are well worth holding off on, say, an Amazon sale for a non-Steamworks game, since it's inevitable that that same game will eventually go on sale on Steam. It's not like I don't have a buttload of games to hold me over in the meantime. The one exception I will make is in the rare case that a game releases simultaneously on GOG, like The Witcher 2 or Alan Wake's American Nightmare, since a DRM-free product ranks above all else.
When it comes to games that don't release on Steam at all, I certainly won't ignore them altogether, but it can effect when I get around to playing them, and the pricepoint I wait on before biting. It depends a lot on why the game isn't released on Steam. If working outside of Steam enables the developer to better handle their game, then I'm all for it, but if it's just about shoving an inferior client down our throats to make an extra buck, then I might hold off altogether.
FuKuy
Member
Because you know EXACTLY what to expect from a STEAMworks game. You know what kind of DRM do you have, what features can be supported, how multiplayer are handle, etc.
BUT a game not using STEAMworks means a lot of new questions for the buyer: what DRM is going to have? what features are going to support (achievements? cloud saving? leaderboards?), it is necessary to create and setup a new account? do I have to find and add my friends again? do I have to check a new website to see my stats? is the game automatically updated?
STEAMworks/STEAM is very convenient. There are no unwanted surprises. Everyone knows what to expect.
BUT a game not using STEAMworks means a lot of new questions for the buyer: what DRM is going to have? what features are going to support (achievements? cloud saving? leaderboards?), it is necessary to create and setup a new account? do I have to find and add my friends again? do I have to check a new website to see my stats? is the game automatically updated?
STEAMworks/STEAM is very convenient. There are no unwanted surprises. Everyone knows what to expect.
Steam has a majority dominance now that it seems silly not to use it - both gamers & developers consider it the go-to-platform:
PC gamers like it do it' being one of the best download clients out there with a library of games that outmatches anything else in the PC market.
Developers like it due to the fact of being a great platform to distribute their games, cutting costs of updates/server bandwidths.
PC gamers like it do it' being one of the best download clients out there with a library of games that outmatches anything else in the PC market.
Developers like it due to the fact of being a great platform to distribute their games, cutting costs of updates/server bandwidths.
I dont get this though. If you buy the disk version, Origin is used to download DLC, update your game with the latest patches, add people in your friend list or play multiplayer. Big deal. If you dont care about multiplayer or DLC or adding people in your friend list, Origin wont bother you at all except getting you the latest patch. That's it. It's not like you have to pay extra money to EA to install Origin or any crap like that.
This isn't always true, unless a game you buy on Steam isn't the same thing as Steamworks.
I installed Tribes: Ascend using Steam last week. Before I can play it extra installers are launched for requirements I don't have, then it uses its own patching system to update the game, before finally I have to create a new user rather than my Steam account to play the game.
entremet
Member
That's true. One can say that Valve didn't necessarily look at competitors when developing their vision for Steam.
overburning
Neo Member
I don't understand it either, Steam is getting dangerous close to being a monopoly. What baffles me the most is that why people attack Ubisoft's DRM so much (which I do as well) but seems to be completely ok with Steam.
I will always avoid Steam alternatives if it's at all possible. For many reasons, it's just much nicer to have everything on a single account, I don't need to worry about having things all over the place, and Steam is so popular, that if many games will eventually come to it, even if they don't initially, and at that point, I'd regret not having it on Steam.
That's completely different. Ubi's requires constant online, and even if your net does die while playing, it doesn't stop you. Steam has an offline mode too, although some people (myself included) have problems with it.
You don't understand how Ubisoft's DRM and Steam aren't the same thing?
Steam is far from a monopoly.
Prophane33
Member
I used to be a GoG + Steam or NOTHING kinda guy, then I started getting games that needed to be registered on Origin and/or from Amazon, then I started buying a ton of stuff on Gamersgate during their last holiday sale. Now, I don't really care too much where it's from as long as it's cheap. Though I can't say I'm in a hurry to buy anything from a service that isn't Steam,Gog, Gamersgate, or Amazon.
zephervack
Member
Because there were no competitors when Valve launched Steam, it has been evolving out of necessity, reminds me of when the original App store for Apple came out.
It is only until recently that other competitors have entered this market, im sure soon enough we will start to see others implementing innovations not in Steam, or at least I hope so.
OmegaTreeFish
Banned
Why should I have to install another program to then run in the background while I play this game just because EA refuse to use anyone else. I often chat to mates here and then on steam while I play. I cant like this as I have to use Origin. Even if you can somehow short cut it to steam (i dont know if you can with origin games) id then have to have both programs running at the same time. Offer you own store front all you want but don't force it on people. If the disk version allowed a stand alone install id by it. They don't there fore I wont buy it. The game isn't that important to me.
Its just annoying and inconvenient.
Zuhzuhzombie!!
Member
Petty console fanboyism that has spread to the PC beyond Nvidia/ATi/3DFX Intel/AMD hissy fits.
It's slightly worse than console fanboyism in that an exclusive for a console you don't own at least requires a financial investment. Digital titles, however, do not.
I certainly prefer Steam and will buy a game on Steam if it's the option, but I won't opt out of a good game simply because it doesn't run on my preferred software.
Palette Swap
Member
Theoretically I'd love for the PC digital market to offer more competition but in reality, Steam is my PC gaming go to app:
- Friend lists. That might seem shallow but at the end of the day, I can't see myself curating n lists. That would be an argument for GFWL if it wasn't so fucked up. That's the issue anyone trying to launch a social service in this day and age will face.
- Minimal effort whenever I want to use another PC/Windows install. That might seem shallow too but it's the underlying promise of DD services: ease of use/install whenever you change hardware.
- Shit differentiation from competitors: aside from GOG, I have found zero reason to buy non-Steam versions from competitors. Feature wise, this market is mostly a joke, everyone is catching up to Steam. The joke is that Steam itself could be improved in lots of ways and it's moving at a very slow pace but everyone's still lagging behind. Features/improvements I'd like: big screen mode, integrated video capture, offline messages, custom overlay bookmarks/shortcuts for each game, tabs on the store, custom names in the library, more library management options (improved filter/sort criteria).
- Friend lists. That might seem shallow but at the end of the day, I can't see myself curating n lists. That would be an argument for GFWL if it wasn't so fucked up. That's the issue anyone trying to launch a social service in this day and age will face.
- Minimal effort whenever I want to use another PC/Windows install. That might seem shallow too but it's the underlying promise of DD services: ease of use/install whenever you change hardware.
- Shit differentiation from competitors: aside from GOG, I have found zero reason to buy non-Steam versions from competitors. Feature wise, this market is mostly a joke, everyone is catching up to Steam. The joke is that Steam itself could be improved in lots of ways and it's moving at a very slow pace but everyone's still lagging behind. Features/improvements I'd like: big screen mode, integrated video capture, offline messages, custom overlay bookmarks/shortcuts for each game, tabs on the store, custom names in the library, more library management options (improved filter/sort criteria).
overburning
Neo Member
Yea, they are different in theory, but pretty similar in effect imo. The offline mode requires you to go online before going offline, which is no good if you are without a connection to start with.
We do have some competitions, but they are no where close to Steam in the digital market.
Danny Dudekisser
I paid good money for this Dynex!
Dunno... I kinda like when a game's not on Steam, cuz then I feel unique when I play it and my friends don't even know about it. Suckers.
Mr. B Natural
Member
Because gamers act overly loyal to inanimate things.
diffusionx
Gold Member
Sure they have, except the competitor is... Xbox Live. Achievements, matchmaking, and Steamworks all dropped after XBL, and provide XBL-esque features.
Hellsing321
Member
The piety of a Valvetarian is not measured buy the size of his steam account but by the numbers of hats they have in TF2.
No, they're very different. Yes, they both require the internet, but if you don't have the internet at any time, you probably shouldn't be buying games online. Steam isn't designed for the braindead amongst us. The point is a connection dropping out, kills a Ubi game, not a Steam one. That's a huge difference for people with peasant bandwidth.
A monopoly is primarily concerning market force, not share. If and when they require Steam exclusivity for all their digital products, we can start with the monopoly talk.
I don't have to be online for Steam games to work.
It's interesting how so many people have such little understanding of this topic, despite the fact that it pops up at least once a week on GAF. I guess they wouldn't be as entertaining without the drive-by trolls, though.
WAR recon zero
Banned
Gfwl has documented flaws, bugs and stories of save losses.
Origin has still ways to go to match steam.
Basically, Steam is the most complete and convenient one at this moment.
I buy blindly if it's steam, and with some precautions if it's origin, since some old keys are not easily activated
Origin has still ways to go to match steam.
Basically, Steam is the most complete and convenient one at this moment.
I buy blindly if it's steam, and with some precautions if it's origin, since some old keys are not easily activated
Zuhzuhzombie!!
Member
Seems to be about right.
If you absolutely refuse to play a game because it's not on Steam then you are putting brand loyalty above your hobby.
I can understand preferring to use Steam on multiplatform games. That's fine.
I also like being able to buy a retail copy of the game and end up with both a physical disc and the game on Steam.
Funny you'd say that, everytime my internet goes to shit and i lose my connection for like 20 minutes, the offline mode of Steam never works because...the error says "cannot connect" or something similar to that.
Stupid Steam.
Interfectum
Gold Member
I think those extreme cases are minimal, at best.
If I want a non-Steam game (diablo 3, swtor, etc) I'll buy it, no problem. If I'm on the fence about a game, Steamworks support does a lot to push me over the edge towards buying it.
Version 3.0
Member
I get why people like Steam, and I completely understand why you wouldn't want to have multiple inferior versions of these game clients in addition to Steam - I feel the same myself.
What I don't get is the attitude that Steam is preferable to nothing. Steam is DRM, yet I see people who are anti-DRM, yet still pro-Steam. I'd rather buy a game that I'll unquestionably still be able to play in 20 years, like all the rest of my collection.
So, I only buy Steam games if they're hugely discounted. Because I know that someday I'm going to lose access to at least some of those games and have to hack them to get them working again.
What I don't get is the attitude that Steam is preferable to nothing. Steam is DRM, yet I see people who are anti-DRM, yet still pro-Steam. I'd rather buy a game that I'll unquestionably still be able to play in 20 years, like all the rest of my collection.
So, I only buy Steam games if they're hugely discounted. Because I know that someday I'm going to lose access to at least some of those games and have to hack them to get them working again.
EternalGamer
Banned
Steam is not just a storefront, it is a social platform. It would be more akin to a game releasing on 360 but not using the Xbox Guide, Party Chat, etc. I don't particularly care whether I buy my Steam key from Amazon or Greenman Gaming or wherever, but I want to be able to activate my games on Steam.
Yes, if all else fails and it's not available, I can always add it as a "non-Steam game" but you are never sure about compatibility that way and you don't get the great feature of just knowing it is always in your steam library wherever you go and whever you log on. I will buy DRM free games on occasion if I can't get the same thing on Steam for a reasonably close price. For example, I bought Witcher 2 on GOG due to the pre-loading.
I also game on two different PCs--one desktop and one media PC hooked to a TV. I like games that feature Steam cloud, which makes it extremely easy to just game on whichever.
But by FAR the best feature on Steam is STEAM PLAY. The thing I hate most about PC games is when it is difficult to play with friends. I want to just be able to invite them to my game. The amount of hours I have spent trying to get them to port forward or looking up FAQs on some game that has shitty netcode is infuriating. Steam play gets rid of all that.
Version 3.0
Member
Yeah, you have to be online to get into offline mode, in my experience.
Sure they can (and did) move away from steam and set up their exclusive storefronts and clients. But as a consumer I expect a certain level of respect and quality when I buy something and Origin doesn't offer me either. Just the fact that their mandatory delivery service for their biggest franchises is still in beta (and without any improvements that I can see) after more than a year is ridiculous. It just shows how much they want more money but aren't really interested in putting in the effort to do something better than steam, something that would be an improvement to their costumers.