# Steam?



## Saeltari (Apr 10, 2009)

Thinking about joining and using Steam, especially after reading this article,
-> Steam Update 'Makes DRM Obsolete' | Game | Life from Wired.com

Is Steam a good idea? Have you used it a lot and do you like it?

I have used D2D but think Steam might be more convenient with the way they have the stuff set up.

Any opinions would be appreciated.


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## Urlik (Apr 10, 2009)

I have a steam account
it's great and can also save you loads of money if you live outside the US and the exchange rate is favourable (when it was almost $2=£1, I made some huge savings with some of the complete collections)


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## Shadow Trooper (Apr 10, 2009)

I also have a steam account. 

I am always concerned when something other than the game I bought needs to be put on my machine but to be honest it's not been too bad at all.

It was installed when I bought Dawn of War 2 and was used again when I purchased Empire Total War. 
In both cases I have had a problem with the message regarding installation (ie it looks as though it's downloaded, but then says ready for download(!?). I found if you just close Steam down, then reload, you find the program has indeed loaded).

I have not purchased anything from Steam but have purchased 'Sins of a Solar Empire - Entrenchment' from Impulse*, another like utility, with no problems.  *Many thanks to Overread*


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## Lenny (Apr 11, 2009)

The Steam system is a very intelligent way to go about things. Rather than the fascist DRM regime companies like EA are part of (though they have dropped it for Sims 3, I think), you just need a Steam account. Yes, you can only have a game linked to one account, but you can play that game anywhere, and even download and install it when you don't have the disc.

It's also an incredibly powerful platform over which anything can be distributed - news, demos, trailers, DLC and mods. For all their failings, Valve have hit upon something brilliant in Steam.


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## Somni (Apr 11, 2009)

I have a steam account and have had no trouble (though only have one game).  My brother uses his a lot and has not had any trouble either.  It lets him download games cheaper and when he updated his computer and wiped the drives to load vista he just downloaded all the games again.  I have not heard anything bad about Steam, but check the web.


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## Saeltari (Apr 11, 2009)

Thank you all for the information!

I went ahead and got an account and it seems simple and easy so far. I got two games to start and we'll see how that works. 

I am on Vista and the only problem I had was that one of the games wouldn't work, kept crashing, but it was an easy fix. I just set the game to play in compatibility mode for xp and then things were great!

I did notice that Steam doesn't have the same games as D2D, also it seems to me that D2D has fewer games than it used to or is that just me? 

I was actually looking for NWN2 and expansions on Steam but couldn't find it, although D2D had it.


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## Somni (Apr 12, 2009)

Hmm, Steam will only have games from Valve and associated companies.  Other manufacturers have their own distribution methods, though I have heard a rumour that some of the big game companies are interested in links due to the current popularity of steam.


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## Urlik (Apr 15, 2009)

there are loads of games on steam that aren't from Valve.
M2TW for example
the complete ID back catalogue up to and including Doom3 for another (few) example(s)


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## Rahl Windsong (Apr 19, 2009)

Saeltari said:


> Thank you all for the information!
> 
> I went ahead and got an account and it seems simple and easy so far. I got two games to start and we'll see how that works.
> 
> ...


 
The reason there is no NWN2 on Steam is because the publisher, Atari, is not onboard with Steam and they are the publisher of NWN and NWN2, from Bioware and Obsidian Entertainment. If you notice now that Bioware is owned by EA all their most recent games are on Steam, like Mass Effect for instance.

Atari is the most disorganized publisher there is, no doubt about that in my mind, and therefore they don't see the benefits that Steam could provide for them. How they have survived this long as a publisher is a almost a complete mystery to me because with just about every single decision they make, they end up shooting themselves in the foot.

Basically the only reason Atari has survived this long is that they own the rights to publish anything from the D&D platform, or Wizards of the Coast. D&D is very popular but it could be a thousand times more popular if only a publisher who knows something about the gaming industry owned the rights to publish games with the D&D rule set.

The gaming industry would be far better off if Atari went away and someone else owned the rights to publish Dungeons and Dragons.


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## Saeltari (May 10, 2009)

Thought I'd let you know there are rumors flying around on the NWN2 boards that Steam will be getting the games soon. 

I certainly hope so!


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