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Steam set to become app store

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iphigenie:
IMHO a slightly worrying development - the Steam servers barely cope with what they are doing now without adding loads of cloud-based app type stuff.

I have no problems with the internet at all but I frequently get 'Cannot connect to steam' on first attempt to open Steam when it is trying to login - and when opening pages in the Steam browser windows I could sometimes go and make a cup of coffee in the time I wait for the page to actually appear. (They never open immediately and the Steam browser make IE look positively whizzo - which is strange because as far as I can tell it is an IE shell ???)

The other issue is that when Steam feels the need to update stuff they never ask your permission and unless you have a very fast broadband (and Steam in a good mood) you could easily find yourself waiting for a couple of hours (or even days) bfor you can open an app depending on the size of download. (I have a customer whose son plays Steam games and on average it takes him between 7 to 10 days to get new games installed - even when he buys it it on DVD). Of course you can't amuse yourself in the meantime by playing another game because that suspends the download!
-Carol Haynes (August 12, 2012, 02:15 PM)
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I've had lots of gripes with Steam but never seen unable to connect unless I am fully offline.

I think the "pause downloads while you play" is configurable somewhere

I used to buy a lot on Impulse but it now rarely offers much that is not US-only. So I migrated to buying on gamersgate at least as often as on steam, based on price and idealism, far less fancy social features but downloads are totally separated from playing and playing never requires online (except in cases where the game originally used lame DRM, like Assassin's Creed 2. I buy *these* on steam). There even is a chat/screenshot overlay if one is so inclined, one that uses normal chat). It's in part because I like diversity and competition, and in part because it doesn't matter what I do, when I am offline I rarely can play steam, there's always some reason or other why it wont let me start offline.

I also often buy from the developer, even when it is a little more expensive than Steam or Gamersgate.

And I have games on Desura and gog.com too - what i lack isnt games, its time to play :)

Carol Haynes:
Just went to my Steam Workshop page to look at Portal 2 maps I uploaded and all my maps have disappeared. They are still listed publicly if you have the direct links but my profile is bare!!!

Yeah - I am going to trust Steam with cloud data.

Just to say I regularly get can't connect on first attempt to steam - second attempt is usually fine - but I di have it set to start with windows so maybe there is a connection issue sometimes at startup.

Deozaan:
Steam's first set of non-game software have arrived:

http://store.steampowered.com/software

It includes Game Maker Studio (free), which you can use to make games and publish them straight to the Steam Workshop!

40hz:
Yeah - I am going to trust Steam with cloud data.

-Carol Haynes (August 15, 2012, 07:36 AM)
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Had similar problems (on and off) with my account at Steam. :-\

I don't really like them. I have maybe six games? I hardly ever log on any more.

I'll just stick with GoG for my gaming experience. GoG "gets it." :Thmbsup:

iphigenie:
I'm curious whether they will make the software sold via steam able to run without running steam. If not, you're buying software that you can only rely on when you have access to a connection, which is inadequate imo.

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