Curse

Lonesamurai · Apr 23, 2009, 10:42 AM // 10:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hissy

Aha. Well then, how do they stop a single purchase being played by multiple people in "offline" mode?

I didn't know about the Offline mode, but whenever I boot up my laptop and steam logs in and I'm on a game on my desktop, the game stops and turns off

fb2000 · Apr 23, 2009, 10:44 AM // 10:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hissy

Aha. Well then, how do they stop a single purchase being played by multiple people in "offline" mode?

What do you think is worse, 1 guy buying, possibly 2-3 playing, or 0 guys buying, 5000 playing

.
Developers are starting to realize all those hillariously complex and supposedly secure protection methods arent really working out. Every single game out there has been cracked (unless purely online ofc, so no access to server). IN the end, adding more useless stuff to "protect" the game only ends up being a huge pain in the butt for the people that legally bought the game.

Riot Narita · Apr 23, 2009, 10:48 AM // 10:48

Furthermore, if I am mid-game and my connectivity to Steam goes down (Steam blows up, my ISP is FUBAR, or anything in-between)... is that an instant Game Over? It sounds cool and all, but is it adding a possible extra point of failure for my online games?

Edit:

Quote:

Originally Posted by fb2000

What do you think is worse, 1 guy buying, possibly 2-3 playing, or 0 guys buying, 5000 playing

.
Developers are starting to realize all those hillariously complex and supposedly secure protection methods arent really working out. Every single game out there has been cracked (unless purely online ofc, so no access to server). IN the end, adding more useless stuff to "protect" the game only ends up being a huge pain in the butt for the people that legally bought the game.

Well exactly. They must have some protection in there - I am interested to know what it is, and whether it has any effect on me. If there are negatives, I want to know what they are - they may affect where I choose to buy.

Lonesamurai · Apr 23, 2009, 10:53 AM // 10:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hissy

Furthermore, if I am mid-game and my connectivity to Steam goes down (Steam blows up, my ISP is FUBAR, or anything in-between)... is that an instant Game Over? It sounds cool and all, but is it adding a possible extra point of failure for my online games?

Nope

ONLY happens if your steam account activates elsewhere, like it does for me when I load up on my laptop

Dzjudz · Apr 23, 2009, 11:07 AM // 11:07

Hissy: it's basically like Guildwars: you can download the client (Guildwars or Steam) on any computer, but you can only log in on one at a time. So for example: me and my friend can both download Guildwars and play on the same account, but we can't play simultaneously on the same account. Same thing with Steam. (This was an example, I do not actually share my accounts with anyone). I'm not sure about the Offline mode. Maybe you can go offline on one PC and log in on another to play a game on more than one PC, but you wouldn't be able to play online games in any case.

Ebeneezersquid · Apr 23, 2009, 11:08 AM // 11:08

Personally, I think that the best thing that could come with this, for those of us already playing GW, is Steam's Voice chat system.
It's pretty relatively high quality, and if we are lucky, it will become the default VC instead of the melange of Ventrilo/Teamspeak/Xfire/Skype that people are running now. (And yes, I have seen people use Skype for gaming, believe it or not).
I also think it's relatively low bandwidth, since it is usually used for FPSs which are pretty hectic and unforgiving of lag. (L4D FTW. I'm still cursing that the Birthday and Survival Mode updates are so close together).

MajorTomG · Apr 23, 2009, 11:25 AM // 11:25

Offline mode does indeed allow you to log into the same account on more than one PC. It is very limited however as obviously you can't access the friend network, the store, any updates. So keeping more than one PCs that are regularly used for the steam account, logged into it and able to play games would be hard work. On the other hand offline mode is very useful if you are the only person trying to use it and because you are genuinely just not able to get online.

If you are logged in as default with online access you get the lot and it's bloody marvelous

Because all games on steam still have a game directory all to themselves within the steam folder, this means mods still work. This is very important to PC gaming obviously and Valve know this better than anyone.

Handy tools such as the ability to defragment just a single game on your hard disk allow you to keep things running smoothly.

If you think you have messed up a game folder through tinkering around (most people won't even look in the folder though as you don't need to) you can use the 'verify integrity of game cache' option. This looks at your folder, then looks online to see how it should be. It then fixes what is broken and downloads anything that's missing or needs replacing.

All in all it's a very user friendly, open application that is very efficient at what it does, support independent developers and has a vast, helpful community.

And the new addition of achievements (although blatantly xbox live's idea originally) is very well implemented with many new games supporting them.

BenjZee · Apr 23, 2009, 12:16 PM // 12:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ebeneezersquid

Personally, I think that the best thing that could come with this, for those of us already playing GW, is Steam's Voice chat system.
It's pretty relatively high quality, and if we are lucky, it will become the default VC instead of the melange of Ventrilo/Teamspeak/Xfire/Skype that people are running now. (And yes, I have seen people use Skype for gaming, believe it or not).
I also think it's relatively low bandwidth, since it is usually used for FPSs which are pretty hectic and unforgiving of lag. (L4D FTW. I'm still cursing that the Birthday and Survival Mode updates are so close together).

I'm sorry but is the steam overlay on this game too? that is awesome....we now have voice chat?

I may have to invest in another account just so i can run gw from steam

Sarevok Thordin · Apr 23, 2009, 12:27 PM // 12:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by SmithyBen

I'm sorry but is the steam overlay on this game too? that is awesome....we now have voice chat?

I may have to invest in another account just so i can run gw from steam

The overlay can be placed in the game anyway using "add non-steam game". But I'm thinking if it's integrated they might have additional features added.

Like community page stuff.

Tullzinski · Apr 23, 2009, 01:29 PM // 13:29

I will take steam any day over the horrible EA Downloader. Steam had alot of issues when it first came out but it is much better now.

DarkWasp · Apr 23, 2009, 01:46 PM // 13:46

Steam messenger is beautiful, and they keep updating the community features so they may end up making something like xfire. Though I find steam to be a wee bit more accessable.

Using steam can possibly take a lot of the load off the Anet servers durring updates, they should have done this sooner. Provided they use the steam servers for updates that is. I think it's faster too.

SpiritThief · Apr 23, 2009, 01:55 PM // 13:55

THe only issue i have with steam is loading seems to take longer then it should on SOURCE games at least. But I think that's just source. I'm not sure I'd want to put GWs on steam if given the choice, tho I do love steam, great St*d*eals, they support their modders and the voicechat.

I'd still want boxes for GW2, but they could easily make it add to by key I'm sure. Be nice if they could do it with old accounts now but I doubt it.

I"ll get me a second account now on steam when one of them is put on the weekend steal. XTH farm

MajorTomG · Apr 23, 2009, 02:02 PM // 14:02

Steam has no effects on loading time. Sounds like you just think the source engine could load faster. Source loads like crazy on mine

Damn efficient engine for what it can produce even if it is starting to show it's age.

Bring on a GW sale on steam

that will be ace.

yes if they add steamworks to GW2 so that we can buy with a box and add to our accounts that will be spot on.

Skuld · Apr 23, 2009, 02:48 PM // 14:48

3rd party games are rarely well integrated into steam. I'm sure all this is is the ability to pay for & download the game through steam.

immortius · Apr 23, 2009, 03:08 PM // 15:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lonesamurai

Nope

ONLY happens if your steam account activates elsewhere, like it does for me when I load up on my laptop

I know Dawn of War 2 boots you out of multiplayer games if steam disconnect (even momentarily). Not usually a big problem though, and Dawn of War 2 is some horrible hybrid of Steam, Microsoft Games for Windows Live and who knows what else.

Overall Steam is very good, and is one of the few digital distributors that has sales, which is definitely a plus.

One thing, it is possible for non-valve games to allow CD-key entry for registration (Unreal Tournament 3 is a prime example), but it is rare and probably doesn't make sense in Guild War's case.

Ec]-[oMaN · Apr 23, 2009, 03:52 PM // 15:52

Can't you just go to the My Games tab, then activate a product on Steam using the GW cd keys?

FoxBat · Apr 23, 2009, 03:58 PM // 15:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ec]-[oMaN

Can't you just go to the My Games tab, then activate a product on Steam using the GW cd keys?

Actually tried this, nope.

Ec]-[oMaN · Apr 23, 2009, 04:11 PM // 16:11

Quote:

Originally Posted by FoxBat

Actually tried this, nope.

Hmm probably because all of the retail CD keys from GW haven't been inputed in the database, which leads to what, only if you've purchased GW on steam can you activate it through Steam?

I don't really see any benefit to having it linked directed in Steam, other than the fact that Anet and NCSoft have another outlet to make the game known about. You could always just have Steam running and using it's features while you play with your friends logged in, but you can do the same with XFire.

Sort of a side rant about Steam and games now becoming purely streamed online for download.

Long download times
I like CDs!!!!!
If you lose account info to Steam the main app which has all info tied to the games oh boy.
Currently at least in Canada the big ISP are really starting to hamper down on unlimited bandwidth offers, virtually trying to take it away and going the tiered or per gig pay methods for the month. They want to control these aspects because they are all trying to gain ground in their media/TV outlets. Have you pay for limited internet bandwidth so you don't stream or download what they are offering in their own TV packages.

If one day I have to reformat or buy a new PC how are the users going to be able to download 20+ games on a platform that offers it online requiring bandwidth? Hell I'd hit my BW cap in a few days and then be forced to pay over usage charges.

Steam and things like it sound good in theory, bad in practice though. Or maybe it's the backwards approach here in Canada relating to ISPs, then again they want to control every aspect available in order to make money.

Longasc · Apr 23, 2009, 04:24 PM // 16:24

There is STEAM...
There is IMPULSE...
There is BATTLE.NET...
... there are some more digital distribution platforms.

They games there do not have Securom/Safedisc protections, as they are all tied to your Steam/Impulse/xxx account. You also download all patches from there. The advantages of the system. The system is also a very good copy protection in itself.

"Empire: Total War" was released over Steam recently, a fairly huge game, several GBs download. Even people with fast connections had problems, as Steam could just not handle so many downloaders. But this does not happen too often.

I actually prefer to have different accounts for different games.
Having to register for more and more different digital distributions platforms to download, online activate and run games, I personally do not like it.

Besides that general dislike of the system, all these systems still have issues that are not yet ironed out, like the mentioned $ / EUR / whatever conversion of Steam.

ceolstan · Apr 24, 2009, 08:36 PM // 20:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by MajorTomG

What this should mean, at least, is that we will see GW2 distributed through Steam.

I agree. In fact, I was incredibly excited that Guild Wars is now available on Steam for many reasons.

Steam is traditionally tied into the FPS/Team Shooter demographic. Guild Wars was envisioned as a PvP endgame with minimal preparation, but the release version of the game included a significant amount of grind. Since release, grind to have an optimal, PvP character has been greatly eliminated, which would possibly entice the team shooter players to take a first look.
Steam runs weekend specials that make it easy for players to fork over money for games they may have heard about, but haven't yet purchased, by offering some great sales. Steam sales enticed me to buy World of Goo, Mount and Blade, and Assassin's Creed.
Steam is also an efficient content delivery system. I remember hearing all sorts of bad things about Steam in about 2004, but I've been a fan of Steam ever since I bought Half Life 2.
Steam has some interesting potential for grouping that can potentially overcome some of the inherent deficiencies in GW's own social infrastructure. For example, I belong to a PvX guild. We're fairly active in all areas of GW, but even so, it's sometimes hard to get a team going for an ad hoc GvG match (i.e. for the Zaishen Quest). We all have PvPers on our friends lists, but we have very inefficient ways of determining who's online at any given time. Steam, though, would allow us to belong to multiple Steam groups. We could be in our own guilds, but also belong to a HA Steam Group, a GvG sub Steam Group, etc. Steam allows for in-game announcements of group activities, so it'd be easy to advertise for players needed for a randomway or pug activity.

I agree that it is likely GW2 would also be a Steam game, and given that Valve makes Steamworks available to developers at no cost, it's possible that GW2 could have other Steam-related features built into it. Outside of the social networking possibilities that would allow players to connect with like-minded players outside of their own guilds/alliances, Steam also has player matching features (Left4Dead's Lobby, for example). For those players interested in different achievements, Steam has those available, too. Other players visiting your profile can see which achievements you've unlocked.

Overall, I'm very pleased by the availability of Guild Wars on Steam. I'm very much interested in seeing how much this development is a harbinger of things to come with respect to Guild Wars 2.

--ceolstan