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[JakeD]

people say the only real difference is offline mode, and maybe thats true

but the lack of offline mode is the dealbreaker for me. theoretically i can install all my single player games, run them each once, put steam in offline mode, and play it until my pc breaks (then do it again with my new pc). that feels a lot more like game "ownership" to me.

sure some steam games still have crippling DRM, but the worst of the worst has been patched out. are there any single player games that still require constant internet?

 

[lenovox1]

Atleast I know I can play off line. Metro or no metro.

and there are start menu add-ons =D


and still play a game that was made in 1998

The photo means: "Let's go from one Microsoft product to another! Yeah! That'll show 'em!"

It's a silly, empty statement.

 

[SolidusDave]

Personally, I still don't see any strong points made to differentiate the two, sorry.

Steam isn't a closed platform. You don't need a particular box to use it.
- Steam works on any PC or laptop, long after a generation of new hardware, even two, or three.

Who says this won't happen for the XB1? All that is needed is BC capabilities in future consoles (and the "simple" hardware promotes this) or maybe gaming will even shift to streaming services so you will also just have to log in with your Xbox account and have all the games available like on Steam.

- Steam allows you to download the game an unlimited number of times on any number of computers.

The XB1 doesn't? In both cases you only need your account.

- Steam has far superior prices and sales.
- The basic RRP for a PC game is less than that of a console game, with Steam, usually cheaper.

Steam didn't have those kind of sales back then. Apart from that, that's more a PC vs. console issue as console games are generally more expensive due to the license fees of each platform holder. Hardware is subsidized though.

- Steam is primarily a digital download service, with less emphasis on actual physical retail discs

Even if true, games you buy in retail (which often have better deals ) have to be connected to your account, you need internet for the activation and you can't sell the games as the disc becomes basically worthless. You also can't buy used.
Not to mention that the consoles will also reach a point of no retail / almost only digital focus.

- Steam allows for complete offline play. No check ins at all once a game is downloaded.

Isn't there a 30 day check or whatever? Still, this is good and the XB1 should get rid of the daily checks. Even worse are the check every HOUR if you play your game at your friend's console...

 

[Rebel Leader]

The photo means: "Let's go from one Microsoft product to another! Yeah! That'll show 'em!"

It's a silly, empty statement.

I didn't see it as that but I noticed it

Isn't it a 30 day check or whatever? Still, this is good and the XB1 should get rid of the daily checks. Even worse are the check every HOUR if you play your game at your friend's console.

I haven't been on steam for months and I just started it up and it ran fire (turned of wifi on the laptop)

 

[zychi]

Yes. lets go from drms and and crappy used game program to drms and no used games what so ever.

The joke is that you're still giving Microsoft money.

Nothing about DRMs

 

[Orca]

I run all my non Steam games (like Minecraft) through Steam.

That's not getting it on Steam, that's just using Steam to launch it. Getting your game on the store - which is a closed service - is difficult. I believe it was chubigans who kept trying to get his game on Steam and having it denied, with no real explanation as to why. I think he eventually gave up.

 

[DaBuddaDa]

Saw this on reddit:

Ok maybe now I understand why these threads keep getting locked.

 

[Kade]

I run all my non Steam games (like Minecraft) through Steam.

I think he was talking about having your games integrated into the Steam service and storefront presence.

 

[Puppet Shadow]

From IGN "Xbox One will also allow you to give up to 10 family members access to "log in and play from your shared games library on any Xbox One." Similar to Xbox 360, "a family member can play your copy of Forza Motorsport at a friend’s house. Only now, they will see not just Forza, but all of your shared games. You can always play your games, and any one of your family members can be playing from your shared library at a given time." So this is also a positive.Also I don't know if steam allows you to gift your old game to a friend.This could also be a positive.

Is this the thing that limits you to one hour?

If people keep having to point out Steam policies, imagine in the future the confusion over Microsoft's (and Sony's) policies.

I think he was talking about having your games integrated into the Steam service and storefront presence.

Ah, fair enough then.

 

[pixlexic]

it's a sad state of affairs that this thread is necessary.

Not thread whining here- just that this particular talking point (it's just the same as steam! so it's OK!) has become ridiculously common almost overnight, and it's completely nonsensical.

That is not whats going here. Its people trying to say same steam isn't anything like the xbox one when in fact they share a lot similarities.

Basically people trying not to look like hypocrites for championing steam all these years then saying all the things xbone is doing is horrible.

The one thing that makes me think the xbone wont be so bad IS because steam has been so good for the past years. If it was not for steam I would probably not have a wait and see attitude towards the xbox one that I have.

 

[LukasTaves]

- Steam isn't a closed platform.
Thats wrong.

- Steam works on any PC or laptop, long after a generation of new hardware, even two, or three.
- Steam has far superior prices and sales.
- The basic RRP for a PC game is less than that of a console game, with Steam, usually cheaper.
And what that has anything to do with the policies from each platform?

- Steam allows you to download the game an unlimited number of times on any number of computers.
Isn't this what Ms is promising too? Ms even hinted that you can purchase in one place and let all your consoles download the game even when turned of.

- Steam allows for complete offline play. No check ins at all once a game is downloaded.
That's the only thing you mentioned regarding policies that are actually superior on steam. To each it's own, but I believe sharing games and being able to sell your games, even with restrictions more than make up for the online requirements.

 

[npm0925]

Saw this on reddit:

With PC gaming you are buying the OS from Microsoft. The hardware and software come from other sources. With Xbox One everything comes from Microsoft. Microsoft has shown that it will monetize the fuck out of hardware (Xbox 360 HDD) and software (paywall on Xbox Live, high game prices through Xbox online store).

 

[quickwhips]

Offline Mode
What is Steam's Offline Mode and how do I use it?
Important:
The Steam client application's files must be updated to allow for the use of Offline Mode. If your game's status is "100% - Ready" but you receive the message "This game cannot be started in Offline Mode" when attempting to play offline, the Steam client application's files need to be updated.
Firewall settings preventing Steam from updating itself are the most common cause for this problem. Please see the Troubleshooting Network Connectivity topic for instructions to configure your network so Steam may update if you encounter any difficulties with Offline Mode.
What is Offline Mode?
Offline Mode allows you to play games through Steam without reconnecting to the Steam Network every time you wish to play - this is particularly useful if you do not plan on playing over the internet and would prefer not to download new updates for your single-player games.
Please note that you must connect to the Steam Network and test each of the games you would like to use in Offline Mode at least once to set up your account and configure Offline Mode on your machine.

Using Offline Mode on a PC.
Please follow the instructions below to configure Offline Mode on your PC:
Start Steam online - make sure the Remember my password box on the login window is checked
Verify that all game files are completely updated - you can see the update status for a game under the Library section (when the game shows as 100% - Ready it is ready to be played in Offline Mode)
Launch the game you would like to play offline to verify that there are no further updates to download - shut down the game and return to Steam once you have confirmed that the game can be played
Go to Steam > Settings to ensure the Don't save account credentials on this computer option is not selected
From the main Steam window, go to the Steam menu and select Go Offline
Click Restart in Offline Mode to restart Steam in Offline Mode

https://support.steampowered.com/kb_article.php?ref=3160-AGCB-2555

So basical offline modes only works if you know in advance that your going offline and then you have to active offline mode on each game. Yeah guys that's way easy and will work really great in a last minute network outage. Guys need to chill with saying offline mode will save people when they have a network outage because your in the same boat as X1 users. Except they will have 24 hours and you wont.

 

[schuey7]

Is this the thing that limits you to one hour?

If people keep having to point out Steam policies, imagine in the future the confusion over Microsoft's (and Sony's) policies.


Ah, fair enough then.

I think playing your games on your friends console limits you to hourly checks,so yes.

 

[Servbot24]

You should add that Steam allows for much better graphics than One.

 

[vg260]

Xbone is physical, Steam is digital. That's why everyone is pissed at the weird restrictions on the Xbone.

I think people need to drop the idea of Xbox One being "physical", because it's clearly not how it was designed. The thing people can't accept is that a physical disc for Xbox One is just a delivery mechanism. It's a big shift in thinking, and I understand the disconnect.

It's effectively digital and that's done and probably not going to change. You can buy Steam games at retail too. So technically they both offer the same two forms of content delivery options. One is as "digital" as the other, regardless of availability of the disc versions at retail. If there were more retail Steam games in the store, it would not change the functionality of the service.

Xbox One offers some sort of trading system, which Steam doesn't even do, so that's a check for them, but it comes at the cost of the terribly oppressive online checks, so that a much bigger check for Steam.

 

[nib95]

- Steam has far superior prices and sales.
- The basic RRP for a PC game is less than that of a console game, with Steam, usually cheaper.[/B]
And what that has anything to do with the policies from each platform?

Because it adds value proposition. It's also essentially permanent backwards compatibility, which I doubt will be the case with the XO in a few generations time since the games are running on closed platform hardware, unlike PC games. But I suppose it remains to be seen.

 

[I am Michael Bolton]

holy crap you are wrong on almost all accounts.


- steam is a close service. You cant put your game on it unless approved like any other digital service


- Your XBL account works on your pc ..windows phone .. and xbox one and 360.

- you can log into any xbox 360 or xbox one and download your games.

- most new games on steam are full price.. $50 - $60 for big titles.

- we have yet to see if steam type sales will appear.

- xbox one is digital download service.. i am not sure what you are getting at here.

- steam allows offline play to certain titles dictated by the publisher and only if you enable the feature and have logged in recently on the same pc.


this is getting to be ridiculous.

Most new games on Steam are full price except many of them offer preorder bonuses and discounts that you don't get on XBL. Also, Steamworks games as already pointed out can be preordered routinely for 25%. Many Steamworks games that are $50 can be found for $35 or less on release day.

Steam allows offline play for ALL single player games and there is no time limit that you can be offline for. You can be offline without having to sign back on for months at a time.

Simply, you're wrong.

 

[hemtae]

- Steam works on any PC or laptop, long after a generation of new hardware, even two, or three.
- Steam has far superior prices and sales.
- The basic RRP for a PC game is less than that of a console game, with Steam, usually cheaper.
And what that has anything to do with the policies from each platform?

How does that not have anything to do with policy? Pricing is definitely policy related and I doubt the Xbox One will have anything remotely analogous to the fact that I can run steam on my windows PC and then my Macbook when I'm somewhere else.

 

[Marty Chinn]

How does that not have anything to do with policy? Pricing is definitely policy related and I doubt the Xbox One will have anything remotely analogous to the fact that I can run steam on my windows PC and then my Macbook when I'm somewhere else.

Wow all my Steam games work on the Mac? I need to check this out!

 

[Puppet Shadow]

That is not whats going here. Its people trying to say same steam isn't anything like the xbox one when in fact they share a lot similarities.

Basically people trying not to look like hypocrites for championing steam all these years then saying all the things xbone is doing is horrible.

The one thing that makes me think the xbone wont be so bad IS because steam has been so good for the past years. If it was not for steam I would probably not have a wait and see attitude towards the xbox one that I have.

This is a great post.

I've been on Steam since 2004, absolutely hated it for the first few years and didn't use it. And I was the king of It's my fucking game, I should be able to do with it what I want! I thought anyone that would buy a digital product that might disappear one day was an idiot. Over the years, Steam got better and I ended up today appreciating having a single game client to the point where I repurchased all my boxed games for this convenience. In other words, I totally sold out, but am glad I did.

Years ago I was an audio engineer/producer and insisted on having nothing but top end equipment to enjoy music. Now I only play MP3's. I kinda see it as the same thing. Make something attractive enough, and I'll go along with it.

 

[hemtae]

Wow all my Steam games work on the Mac? I need to check this out!

I'm not entirely sure what point your trying make and I don't think you know what point I'm trying to make.