Why does Steam insist on installing DirectX every time...

Malevolence · 25 Jan 2018 at 04:43

...you install a new (new to Steam) game?

I mean, who is gaming on Windows and doesn't already have DirectX installed? Surely the better option would be for the application to check first and then skip installing it. Same goes for it always installing some flavour of MS Visual C++ with games too.

Rifte · 25 Jan 2018 at 06:11

What operating system are you on?

I never have this.

d_brennen · 25 Jan 2018 at 06:12

The one time it doesn't and your DX install is borked or missing - "WHY YOU NO WORK STUPID STEAM!?!!1" :mad:

Rroff · 25 Jan 2018 at 06:18

Mine doesn't do it every time but probably a third of installs do - not really sure why with the DX runtimes - unfortunately with the C++ ones they are a bit of a mess and unless the game has access to the specific version it was built against you'll often get errors, etc. so there isn't really any choice but to install it every time with a game.

Malevolence · 25 Jan 2018 at 07:01

Rifte said:
What operating system are you on?

I never have this.

W10 (fully up to date).

Gimpymoo · 25 Jan 2018 at 08:29

Hardly a crime is it? Unless you are running a calculator?

Also, it is to ensure your "host" contains the same files as the ones the devs were working with otherwise in some instances, the game would not even start

A "version check" alone would not mean they had the same files, if that makes sense?

Glanza · 25 Jan 2018 at 09:01

It doesn't do a full install, it goes off and checks. You can run Steam Cleaner to recover the space the files use once it's done a install.

x-st · 25 Jan 2018 at 11:21

Pretty much happens to me to. You can free up a lot of redundant installation data by using this
https://github.com/jonathanlermitage/tikione-steam-cleaner

FlakGunna · 25 Jan 2018 at 14:52

This is very odd..

Duke · 25 Jan 2018 at 15:51

I believe it installs libraries required for that version and game it needs.

Gimpymoo · 25 Jan 2018 at 16:29

Even if the game was on DVD, the installer would go through the same process anyway because the developer has told it to do so, but it is not Steams fault.

Blame Microsoft or contact the developer

Flubble · 25 Jan 2018 at 16:48

same as mine on win7, well every retail game ever made whether online or disc wants to install dx from what i've witnessed

at least it's not as bad as the old days where you got asked if you want to install punkbuster and gamespy etc then a separate multi-player client after it did its dx install and end up with 15 icons on your desktop

weyland yutani · 25 Jan 2018 at 19:20

On my main steam drive in steamapps/common I recently noticed a new folder called "Steamworks Shared" and it only contains redistributables for direct x, c++ etc. Wonder if they are pooling these installers in one place now?

Malevolence · 25 Jan 2018 at 19:37

weyland yutani said:
On my main steam drive in steamapps/common I recently noticed a new folder called "Steamworks Shared" and it only contains redistributables for direct x, c++ etc. Wonder if they are pooling these installers in one place now?

Don't have that folder in my Steamapps/common.

smogsy · 25 Jan 2018 at 19:40

Malevolence said:
...you install a new (new to Steam) game?

I mean, who is gaming on Windows and doesn't already have DirectX installed? Surely the better option would be for the application to check first and then skip installing it. Same goes for it always installing some flavour of MS Visual C++ with games too.

it installs required libaries

Direct X is vast in size by default it installs what it required to run most applications. Some games use updated libraries that are not on your computer, which why they are installed. why install everything & bloat direct X & your OS?

Microsoft c++ libraries: Most games use c++ libraries provided by MS. each year MS improve these libraries with new features & can alter the way things are done. why do you need to install all not the latest? because

Games from Various years are built and complied on A particular library set. games developed in
2008 might use 2008 Library set
2011 might use 2010 Libary set.

The developer would need to edit their libraries links & re-test everything that makes a library call from the newer versions.

Also imagine if Libary set 2018 Broke support for X libary calls for a game developed in 2009. Developer is not going to fix what is not their fault.

Its Safer, Smart & potentially HDD saving, than Installing everything by default

ic1male · 25 Jan 2018 at 21:42

As above, there are many different builds of DirectX and games use different ones. The same with Visual C++. I have no less than 19 different entries in my uninstall programs window for Visual C++ redistributable.

bagleyboy · 25 Jan 2018 at 21:55

Mainly because the one time it doesn't do it, is when you need those files.