By using this site, you agree to our Privacy Policy and our Terms of Use. Close

Forums - Gaming - Why Steam is Awesome, and How You Can Make Live Free

Rainbird on 05 December 2010
Alby_da_Wolf said:
Rainbird said:
Alby_da_Wolf said:

Well, this without any doubt. The share of 360 users that subscribe to Gold is really huge. But the fact that it's necessary even for just playing online multiplayer obviously helps it a lot.

Of course, but if it was such a bad thing, people wouldn't be doing it regardless.

If they like to play online XB exclusives, have they any choice? But yes, the whole package, XB360 plus its multiplayer best seller exclusives plus XBL Gold, is obviously liked a lot by a lot of people. I'd say, though, that multiplayer exclusives are the key factor of this success, not additional premium services. Halo did for MS what even Windows couldn't.

Agreed. But I think the additional services are definitely sweetening the package for those who cannot justify buying it for gaming alone. If there wasn't anything but gaming in it, I certainly wouldn't be praising it as much, but I think Microsoft has done a great job of making it a service that is easy to and has many perks, and I don't mind telling them that with my wallet, even if others do some of the same things for free.



Around the Network
Foamer on 05 December 2010
CDiablo said:
Antabus said:

What is steam?

Steam is a form of DRM, which is made because greedy publishers don't want the consumers to be able to sell the games they have bought with their hard earned money.


QFT. Steam is also a way of locking a game to one user, so if there are 2 people in the same household that would like seperate Modern Warfare 2 profiles(perks) they have to buy a second copy of the game.

You need to speak to Mr Kotick about that. If you honestly think that Activision would have done things any differently had they used GfWL rather than Steamworks, you're very deluded.



ameratsu on 05 December 2010
Antabus said:

What is steam?

Steam is a form of DRM, which is made because greedy publishers don't want the consumers to be able to sell the games they have bought with their hard earned money.


True, but this is also the case for all other major digital distribution services such as Virtual Console/WiiWare, PSN, XBLA, appStore, Zynga, etc.  I agree that it sucks to lose the ability to resell games, but I wonder if your issue isn't with digital distribution in general than with Steam specifically. 



Demon's Souls Official Thread  | Currently playing: Left 4 Dead 2, LittleBigPlanet 2, Magicka

makingmusic476 on 05 December 2010
FaRmLaNd said:

Why does it boggle your mind that Valve releases games on consoles?

They sell millions of games on consoles, so its really a question of why not?

 

Rainbird said:

Also, you don't understand why Valve releases games on consoles? You of all people should know better MM, these guys are making a lot of money from the console versions and they're not holding the PC/Mac versions back in any way. The stupidest thing they could possibly do would be to stop developing console versions. And it's not like they're bringing all their games to consoles. DOTA 2 is decidedly a PC game with its focus on community and its gameplay, and so there won't be a console version. L4D, Portal and what have you, does not suffer from being brought to consoles by any stretch of the imagination.

I simply feel it's bad marketing.  How do you get Steam into more people's homes?  Buy selling more games that require Steamworks.  When every major game that requires Steamworks is also on consoles, it does little to expand Steam beyond its current install base.

It'd be like Microsoft releasing Halo on PS3.  Yes, they'll be making another 5 million in sales, but they'll only be hurting their core business in the long run.

This is why I appreciate the Witcher 2.  It seems like it'll be the first real "system seller" for Steam since Half-life 2.

Edit:  Also, I spent less than $500 upgrading my PC to top of the line (though not bleeding edge) back in May.  Athlon X2 635, ATI Radeon 5750, and 4gb DDR3, plus all the other necessary components.  The myth of incredibly expensive PC hardware died long ago, especially in today's age when the only game you have to worry about maxing is Crysis.

I max L4D2 at 1080p with 8xAA and still get a great framerate.  Current PCs easily trump consoles in terms of IQ, at the very least, and even the lowest end new PCs can keep up with console visuals these days, assuming the games were optimized for PC properly.

Hell, i was playing the first L4D at 1680x1050 (>720p) on a rig I built in 2006.



Rainbird on 05 December 2010
makingmusic476 said:

I simply feel it's bad marketing.  How do you get Steam into more people's homes?  Buy selling more games that require Steamworks.  When every major game that requires Steamworks is also on consoles, it does little to expand Steam beyond its current install base.

It'd be like Microsoft releasing Halo on PS3.  Yes, they'll be making another 5 million in sales, but they'll only be hurting their core business in the long run.

This is why I appreciate the Witcher 2.  It seems like it'll be the first real "system seller" for Steam since Half-life 2.

I'm going to go make a wild guess here, but I'm guessing that maybe Valve don't want you to buy into a new platform in order to buy and play their games. They want you to play it on your platform of choice, and they'll do their best to provide the best game they can.

That's why they're bring Steamworks functionality to the PS3 version of Portal 2. So they can make sure PS3 owners get access to the high quality service Valve likes to reply, without requiring you to buy into new hardware. Same reason why they've been nagging about how closed Xbox Live is lately. They can't bring Steam functionality to it, and so their games have to suffer for it.

They don't want you to switch platform, they want to bring their platform to you.



Around the Network
thranx on 05 December 2010
makingmusic476 said:
FaRmLaNd said:

Why does it boggle your mind that Valve releases games on consoles?

They sell millions of games on consoles, so its really a question of why not?

 

Rainbird said:

Also, you don't understand why Valve releases games on consoles? You of all people should know better MM, these guys are making a lot of money from the console versions and they're not holding the PC/Mac versions back in any way. The stupidest thing they could possibly do would be to stop developing console versions. And it's not like they're bringing all their games to consoles. DOTA 2 is decidedly a PC game with its focus on community and its gameplay, and so there won't be a console version. L4D, Portal and what have you, does not suffer from being brought to consoles by any stretch of the imagination.

I simply feel it's bad marketing.  How do you get Steam into more people's homes?  Buy selling more games that require Steamworks.  When every major game that requires Steamworks is also on consoles, it does little to expand Steam beyond its current install base.

It'd be like Microsoft releasing Halo on PS3.  Yes, they'll be making another 5 million in sales, but they'll only be hurting their core business in the long run.

This is why I appreciate the Witcher 2.  It seems like it'll be the first real "system seller" for Steam since Half-life 2.

Most console gamers would just go with out said games in my opinion. All the console gamers I know in real life only play games on consoles. Tehy would just go with out those games. I do not see steam turning console gamers into computer gamers. They are two different kinds of consumers, and I think valve does it right by marketing to both. Its not the same kind of thing as ps3 and xbox.



Rainbird on 05 December 2010
makingmusic476 said:

Edit:  Also, I spent less than $500 upgrading my PC to top of the line (though not bleeding edge) back in May.  Athlon X2 635, ATI Radeon 5750, and 4gb DDR3, plus all the other necessary components.  The myth of incredibly expensive PC hardware died long ago, especially in today's age when the only game you have to worry about maxing is Crysis.

I max L4D2 at 1080p with 8xAA and still get a great framerate.  Current PCs easily trump consoles in terms of IQ, at the very least, and even the lowest end new PCs can keep up with console visuals these days, assuming the games were optimized for PC properly.

Hell, i was playing the first L4D at 1680x1050 (>720p) on a rig I built in 2006.

True, can't say I've been paying much attention to pricing lately, but a console is still cheaper, and the cost of making a game look good is still rising the better you want it to be. If developers saw much point in pushing the PC, I'm sure you would see it happening more.



Mr Puggsly on 05 December 2010
Alby_da_Wolf said:
Mr Puggsly said:
Alby_da_Wolf said:

Despite what MS would wish, people perceive the difference from paying for things that are usually free.

Perhaps, but that doesn't stop people from paying apparently. Look at CoD Black Ops for example. People could go play it free on the PS3 and PC. Yet more people choose to pay Live fees to play online on the 360.

Paying for use, if the fee is modest, helps acceptance amongst people not playing too often, while a flat rate may be better for heavy gamers.

It all depends on the price difference of by the hour vs unlimited. I doubt the masses spend many hours playing online, so paying a small fee by the hour could be ideal for many.

 

Flexibility is of the essence, and it's a well known quality of Chinese businesspeople. MS OTOH has this old flaw of its of trying to force its business model on people by its sheer power.

This is just bullshit. You should have just left this out.



Not. MS tried more than once to switch from license to yearly subscription also for Windows and Office, most companies refused, as they often preferred to use their internal IT department or third parties for the additional services that MS offered (and more and better taylored ones too) and as they didn't find appealing to be able to always upgrade to the latest MS SW, that was the main selling point of subscription. Transforming its current rich business model in an even richer one based on fees generating a constant stream of money also from existing customers is the old MS dream.

Considering Windows and Office are some of the most pirated programs in the world, I don't blame them from considering going that route. Anyhow, come to terms with MS being is a business and they are always looking for ways to make money.

 

The fact that they include in the pay version of Live subscription even the minimum vital service of basic online multiplayer that is free everywhere else, is a clear demonstration that MS wants to force this model on users whenever it can.

What's your point? MS found a way to charge for online play and others will likely follow. PSN Plus for example is just a stepping stone for Sony to do the same.

By the way, the 360 does have popular exclusives you can't play free anywhere else. I feel like people forget this.

 

Unless you show me that 360 gamers just wanting basic online multiplayer and nothing else can get it for free like every other gamer.

That's not what MS offers. Don't like it? Go somewhere else. Simple as that.





Recently Completed: 
River City: Rival Showdown for 3DS (3/5) - River City: Tokyo Rumble for 3DS (4/5) - Zelda: BotW for Wii U (5/5) - Zelda: BotW for Switch (5/5) - Zelda: Link's Awakening for Switch (4/5) - Rage 2 for X1X (4/5) - Rage for 360 (3/5) - Streets of Rage 4 for X1/PC (4/5) - Gears 5 for X1X (5/5) - Mortal Kombat 11 for X1X (5/5) - Doom 64 for N64 (emulator) (3/5) - Crackdown 3 for X1S/X1X (4/5) - Infinity Blade III - for iPad 4 (3/5) - Infinity Blade II - for iPad 4 (4/5) - Infinity Blade - for iPad 4 (4/5) - Wolfenstein: The Old Blood for X1 (3/5) - Assassin's Creed: Origins for X1 (3/5) - Uncharted: Lost Legacy for PS4 (4/5) - EA UFC 3 for X1 (4/5) - Doom for X1 (4/5) - Titanfall 2 for X1 (4/5) - Super Mario 3D World for Wii U (4/5) - South Park: The Stick of Truth for X1 BC (4/5) - Call of Duty: WWII for X1 (4/5) -Wolfenstein II for X1 - (4/5) - Dead or Alive: Dimensions for 3DS (4/5) - Marvel vs Capcom: Infinite for X1 (3/5) - Halo Wars 2 for X1/PC (4/5) - Halo Wars: DE for X1 (4/5) - Tekken 7 for X1 (4/5) - Injustice 2 for X1 (4/5) - Yakuza 5 for PS3 (3/5) - Battlefield 1 (Campaign) for X1 (3/5) - Assassin's Creed: Syndicate for X1 (4/5) - Call of Duty: Infinite Warfare for X1 (4/5) - Call of Duty: MW Remastered for X1 (4/5) - Donkey Kong Country Returns for 3DS (4/5) - Forza Horizon 3 for X1 (5/5)

Antabus on 05 December 2010

I don't get why some people complain when MS makes money... are you worried about something or what?



Rainbird on 05 December 2010
Antabus said:

I don't get why some people complain when MS makes money... are you worried about something or what?

Is anyone complaining about MS making money? I see people who thinks it is unreasonable that Xbox Live is a paid service, when Steam is free and has more features than Xbox Live.

Not the same thing.