Poll regarding Steam users

[Erkki]

Originally Posted by leggit

LMAO.....you guys crack me up... I guess if the result showed people hated steam it would have been a accurate indication of the player base.

How many examples has Il-2 sold? Have a guess? Granted, some lost souls used Ubi lobby and some even Xfire, but guess how many unique users HL has?

Vast majority plays single player or max single player + occasionally LAN/private server with a few friends.

They dont need Steam's "awesome multiplayer matchmaking and anti cheat VAC, player ranking" etc etc.

[TheGrunch]

So you don't want the game to have a server browser by default/want Oleg and team to waste time programming one when they could just use Steam instead?

[Erkki]

Originally Posted by TheGrunch

So you don't want the game to have a server browser by default/want Oleg and team to waste time programming one when they could just use Steam instead?

I see no reason to force to use Steam. An option would be nice. Not surprised on Ubisoft not providing an MP lobby, though.

[TheGrunch]

Originally Posted by Erkki

I see no reason to force to use Steam. An option would be nice. Not surprised on Ubisoft not providing an MP lobby, though.

Well hey, remember how well their last attempt went. I'd rather use Steam because I expect it'll be around for a long time. Can you imagine how long Ubi would support such an option? They hit the headlines recently for closing a game's official servers less than a year after release.

[Thee_oddball]

Originally Posted by TheGrunch

So you don't want the game to have a server browser by default/want Oleg and team to waste time programming one when they could just use Steam instead?

just to play devils advocate i dont think the server browser issue is a valid argument FOR steam, oleg is in the gaming buisness and should know that having an ingame browser is statusquo...htyperlobby is a private one man volunteer effort as far as i know so what stops oleg from doing the same?
I dont remember the last time i got a game that did not have its own server browser..oleg and company have been working on this game for years and to not put in a server browser is illogical.
You mentioned UBI puling the plug on server's for some game that was only a year old...im sure the game developer is real happy about that... .that is one of the problems with relying on a third party...you have no control over them.
So do i think this will happen with steam? i very much doubt it but my point is still valid (the more moving parts the more togo wrong) If HL can be done on a free and volunteer basis there is no reason oleg can not do the same and this apply's to updates aswell

[TheGrunch]

Originally Posted by Thee_oddball

If HL can be done on a free and volunteer basis there is no reason oleg can not do the same and this apply's to updates aswell

This is true, but from a developer's point of view, why bother? If you know Steam can do it, and better than you can, what need is there to waste time on it? I bet using Steam has been the plan all along.
Blackdog, I would ask what evidence you have that the decision to use Steam is a *recent* one? Just because we didn't know about it until recently, and indeed just because the work wasn't done until recently doesn't mean the decision wasn't made. After all, Steam integration is not likely to be particularly difficult, Hyperlobby acted as a server browser without any intervention code-wise from Maddox Games at all in the case of Il-2.

[ElAurens]

I have been doing homework on Steam since this mess started.

Been asking folks I know personally that are involved in I.T. gaming, computer repair, and related businesses.

It's the only way to find clear, calm, and reasoned answers to my questions and concerns, as certainly none of the fan boys on either side that are constantly posting on the three main forums are capable of adult discussion.

So far I am pretty much hearing the same thing from all of them.

1. Never install Steam on a computer that is used for financial information work/storage that is not encrypted. QuickBooks came up a lot in this area.

2. Do not install Steam on any computer that you use to store any important personal information of any kind. Financial records, business transaction records, credit card transaction records, etc... or anything that is of deep personal value to you.

3. As a gaming resource it isn't a bad thing in and of itself. But, like any open port to the greater net, it can be used in a nefarious manner.

4. It is not a huge resouce hog, but it does "phone home" and there is additional network traffic because of it.

5. Never make direct credit card purchases for games on Steam. Buy Steam points at a brick and mortar store and use those online.

6. Be careful and it is not going to bite you.


OK.

That's where I'm at for now.

[TheGrunch]

Originally Posted by ElAurens

6. Be careful and it is not going to bite you.

That is pretty much it in a nutshell, but then you could say that about any piece of software that accesses the internet. If you login once, then enable offline mode on a permanent basis and block it in your firewall - if you're that kind of paranoid do remember to do that, I've heard that it can phone home even when it's technically in offline mode if there's still an internet connection, indeed I saw it do so at least in older versions - it cannot possibly compromise your personal information or computer security after that.

[Feuerfalke]

Been asking folks I know personally that are involved in I.T. gaming, computer repair, and related businesses.

That's the cross-section of our forum

1. Never install Steam on a computer that is used for financial information work/storage that is not encrypted. QuickBooks came up a lot in this area.

2. Do not install Steam on any computer that you use to store any important personal information of any kind. Financial records, business transaction records, credit card transaction records, etc... or anything that is of deep personal value to you.

You should never put any of these things on a PC connected to the internet. At least not without a decent firewall.

3. As a gaming resource it isn't a bad thing in and of itself. But, like any open port to the greater net, it can be used in a nefarious manner.

Any open port can. Closed ports as well, if they are not protected.

It is not a huge resouce hog, but it does "phone home" and there is additional network traffic because of it.

From a reasonable friend in the IT-branche I'd expected a number instead of an opinion. Let me give you one: In "standby" that 4 Bit/s down, intermittently > 1 Bit/s up. Assuming you a running a 16k-Modem via phone-line, that's what? >0,1% of your bandwidth?

5. Never make direct credit card purchases for games on Steam. Buy Steam points at a brick and mortar store and use those online.

Why not? Just keep changing your password and don't fall for phishing-mails. Problem solved. Or you want 100% safety? Good luck.

6. Be careful and it is not going to bite you.

Yeah. The same is true for my toaster.

[Extreme_One]

Originally Posted by ElAurens

I have been doing homework on Steam since this mess started.

Been asking folks I know personally that are involved in I.T. gaming, computer repair, and related businesses.

It's the only way to find clear, calm, and reasoned answers to my questions and concerns, as certainly none of the fan boys on either side that are constantly posting on the three main forums are capable of adult discussion.

So far I am pretty much hearing the same thing from all of them.

1. Never install Steam on a computer that is used for financial information work/storage that is not encrypted. QuickBooks came up a lot in this area.

2. Do not install Steam on any computer that you use to store any important personal information of any kind. Financial records, business transaction records, credit card transaction records, etc... or anything that is of deep personal value to you.

3. As a gaming resource it isn't a bad thing in and of itself. But, like any open port to the greater net, it can be used in a nefarious manner.

4. It is not a huge resouce hog, but it does "phone home" and there is additional network traffic because of it.

5. Never make direct credit card purchases for games on Steam. Buy Steam points at a brick and mortar store and use those online.

6. Be careful and it is not going to bite you.


OK.

That's where I'm at for now.

I'm curious about what your sources think will happen if you run Steam and do any of the above?

Do they believe Steam to be able to somehow intercept your personal data?

Steam is run by a multi-million dollar company not some fly-by-night scamming outfit looking to empty your bank account (unless you purchase so many games as to empty your bank account).

Do they believe that buying games directly through Steam is somehow any less secure that buying through any other Web Portal?

I have paid for games directly through Steam with Paypal, Click-And-Buy and credit/debit cards and have never experienced anything untoward.

I'd be more wary of buying from eBay than Steam.

Oh and the bandwidth thing ... it doesn't consume bandwidth when you need it, ie when you're playing a game. It will not update a game when you are currently playing one.
It does consume bandwidth when it updates your games (automatically or when you choose if you disable automatic updates) and when it updates itself (as long as you're not currently in a game)

Look I don't want to start an argument, I have no vested interest in protecting Steam's reputation but I have been using it for several years on two different PCs and no bad has ever come of it.

I just feel it's reasonable to point out that I have experienced no negatives, only positives.

Oh and most of the "computer repair professionals" and corporate IT admins I have ever met know far less about PCs than any PC gamer / hardware enthusiast worth their salt.