Planned Keep a Steam-Free Option

[kiraen]

You can turn the friends list, auto-updates, and overlay off.
I may not like steam, but most of what you are complaining about is optional.

 

[Blaza612]

You can turn the friends list, auto-updates, and overlay off.
I may not like steam, but most of what you are complaining about is optional.

And also useful. I can get the not wanting to jump through hoops thing, but the hoop is on the ground, padded with pillows and large enough for a truck to drive through. I honestly really like Steam. I don't understand why most of the things you complain about are bad. An overlay in-game is guten, as you can very easily talk to friends via it, or just look at shit while a game loads. Being able to talk to friends is guten (because who doesn't want to talk to their friends? </notsarcasm>), and auto-updates, CAN be guten. Of course, auto-updates can be annoying if internet budget is tight, but other than that it's useful. And my second biggest pet-peeve in existence...

What the fuck is the problem with your friends knowing what game your playing at x moment? Seriously! What the fuck is the big deal!? Same with Steam "spying" on you, which is just gathering basic statistics for various studies and/or improving services. What is so bad, that a group can see that you play x game y frequently!? Everyone blows up about corporations and governments "spying" on us, when they simply gather statistics because for whatever reason it may be. I remember that people made a big deal about the fact that MS can see how many photos you've viewed in the Windows 10 photo viewer thingy. The people that knew were beyond pissed, but why? WHO GIVES A SHIT!? It's a number, that can be in no way harmful, therefore, the reactions that this got were ridiculous. And no, this isn't desensitizing us to actual "spying", because if we learn that they're listening to our phone calls, it wont be a "Oh, who cares." situation. It'll be the biggest backlash that x company gets. The NSA barely does this shit (only tracking conversations/messages with VERY specific phrases) and people STILL go up their asses about it daily.

Now to the OP, I agree. While Steam certainly isn't horrible, it's always a good thing to have a copy of the game for those who still don't wish to use steam. I'm not gonna get into an argument about whether it's guten or not, as Edymnion is entitled to his opinion and that's fine, but I needed to put this rant here for those who may actually read it and take it into consideration. :p

 

[Reilly Reese]

What is so bad, that a group can see that you play x game y frequently!?

Well perhaps you are playing a game you feel uncomfortable letting others know you play? xD

 

[Tydeth]

And you don't get ads for whatever game they have on sale whenever you open Steam? I can't open the thing without it blasting me with their deals on games I don't want in the first place.

Steam -> Settings -> Interface
"[ ] Notify me about additions or changes to my games, new releases, or upcoming releases."

Uncheck that. Should make those things go away forever. The only annoying pop-up from Steam I get is "I updated! Reboot me? Here're my patch notes."

Also set "Favorite window" to Library, and Steam will boot to games list instead of the store.

Combined, you will never see an ad, unless a game gets a DLC and Steam shows its picture in the installed DLC list or the news for that game posts "I'm on Steam Sale!" or "New DLC/expansion/sequel is coming soon, for sale, or on sale." They're easily ignorable, though.

 

[Blaza612]

Well perhaps you are playing a game you feel uncomfortable letting others know you play

Ooz Ja. ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

 

[Edymnion]

So apparently the best defense of Steam is "turn off everything", which brings up "Why do I ever want or need to have it if everything is disabled?"

Which brings us back to "Its DRM, and you can't keep it in offline mode forever, it randomly switches back and forces you to update it".

You all can defend it all you want, but I hate Steam. I will actively avoid any but the absolute best games of the decade if they are on Steam. And even then, I try to find pirate copies after I buy the real ones that hack Steam connectivity out of them entirely whenever I can (yes, I will buy a copy of a game, and then run a pirate copy).

I acknowledge that at this point it is semi-irrational, but I don't care. I don't like steam, I don't WANT to like steam, and I would rather just not play a Steam game than have to put up with it.

 

[DukeofRealms]

In the end, Steam provides vital services for game development companies. Distribution, marketing tools, content delivery, and a purchasing system. With Steam, a developer never has to worry about having to shut down its content systems or purchase system due to lack of funds or any other reason. Steam is one of if not the biggest reason for allowing independent video game companies to get their content to the public. Some game companies restrict their games to Steam as a way to protect against piracy. We will not be using this method. Instead, we will rely on the Citizen's Registry to authenticate users playing online. Of course, you could still technically play the game offline or on servers with no authentication if you had the files.

For the user, Steam is a centralised system for purchasing games and providing social infrastructure through their overlay, friends list, voice call, achievements, etc. A game released on Steam is reviewed by Valve first, the process requires the developer to provide sufficient documentation and the Steam testing team to go through the game to ensure it meets their standards. Developers and publishers are forced to comply with Valve's strict content policies, meaning that the customer only has to rely on the reputation of Valve/Steam when purchasing (to a certain extent). A customer who purchases a game on Steam knows they have a certain amount of security. Purchasing from an external vendor that might have no reputation does not provide the same security. Steam also provides a rating system, allowing customers to voice their opinions. A potential buyer will not have to worry about the developer/publisher modifying the ratings to suit them.

Supporting Steam and other digital distribution platforms is positive for the indie game community, it's popularity has allowed games like ours to get our product on a distribution platform (without a publisher).

You don't have to use Steam if you don't want to, but know that some games simply could not exist without it.

 

[Erth Paradine]

Steam's overlay function causes all sorts of issues for me, and the ads are just annoying. I'd prefer a non-steam option for as long as possible.

 

[Zyrr]

(Zyrr unblock me pls)

No.

 

[Master_Artificer]

No.

Where is the 'sad' rating button when you need it...

 

[Wolverines527]

I might not care for the adds i find them to be a minor nuisance but i do find their services 2nd to non and they are much better then other company's who charge you so and so a month for said services

 

[The Judge]

I hope you realize you could've gotten the game directly off the site.

 

[jstenholt]

Advertising, in steam? Now, I've been using Steam for six years, and I honestly cannot remember encountering a single advertisement that I didn't willing expose myself to. This really sounds like a non-issue. So you have to go out of your way to get rid of the useful stuff you don't want.

And I think I can guess as to why you don't want everybody seeing what you're up to. ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

Spoiler: Caution: Quality German Engineering

Panzermadels: Tank Dating Simulator on Steam

 

[Edymnion]

I hope you realize you could've gotten the game directly off the site.

I've had the game since before it went on Steam, so yeah, I realize that.

 

[Valck]

Something I came across yesterday. I'll just leave it here because I think it's relevant and addresses part of the problem:

Apart from immediately obvious private information like email addresses and credit card info, Steam is gathering data about your system hard- and software, your gaming habits and interests, your social network and habits, and only they know what else, which in combination with "accidents" such as that mentioned in the video, may become more than just a data point on some trend chart.

 

[ZektorSK]

What is wrong with steam ?
And where did you see ads ?

 

[Edymnion]

And where did you see ads ?

Here, I let Steam go into Online mode.

As soon as Steam loaded, this popped up.


See? Soon as it loads, advertisements.

Oh, and you can also see I wasn't kidding about not using Steam for anything but big titles like Civ and Skyrim, those and Starmade are literally the only games on my list there (but I use the stand alone launcher for Starmade).

 

[kiraen]

It's an ad.

advertisement

1. a paid announcement, as of goods for sale, in newspapers or magazines, on radio or television, etc.
2. a public notice, especially in print.
3. the action of making generally known; a calling to the attention of the public

ZektorSK, just because you claim it's 2nd definition doesn't change that it is an ad.