Why does Steam get such a bad rap?

RDM said:
For me the only complaint I have about it is that I have to pay more for a digital product than I can get the physical product for.
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I agree, the only game I paid more for on Steam than in the shops was HL2 and the Orange Box (IIRC you got something extra for buying the Steam version, can't even remember what, now).

I mostly pick up the weekend specials.

However, I noticed that FEAR2 was £24.99 through Steam when it launched this week and I couldn't find it cheaper online, so went with Steam.

I hope more titles match the shop prices at launch and I'll buy more of them through Steam... you don't need to store a box/CD/DVD and reinstallation on a new PC/build is a doddle (if a little download intensive these days with all the titles I own on Steam).
 
My personal complaint it that what you get from Steam is not a standard game, but a Steam version. It means for instance, if any expansions come out, you have to buy them from Steam or they won't work. You can't run the game without Steam (or so I understand it) etc.



M
 
Steam is brilliant.
Can not understand why more people don't use it to be honest, I think its one of the best ways to game personally.

I buy most of my games on Steam, but I agree it's expensive at times.
 
Only just started to use steam but I've had no problems with it,think its a great setup. I do agree that digital game downloads should be cheaper than retail boxed prodults. Only fault & this is'nt steams doing is it takes me ages to download a game, bloody BT:D
 
Steam is fantastic these days, although I still have two main gripes with it:

1. Software generally costs more via Steam download than it does to buy retail

2. All software available on Steam should allow you to fully integrate a retail copy of the same title with Steam for updates, as is the case with titles such as Left 4 Dead.
 
Vertigo1 said:
2. All software available on Steam should allow you to fully integrate a retail copy of the same title with Steam for updates, as is the case with titles such as Left 4 Dead.
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I think if Valve had their way this would be the case. they've made Steam Works free and a few devs seem to be using it (FEAR 2, Empire Total War) and UT3 is or will be compatible as well.
 
I first used steam for Half-Life 2 / Counter Strike, then stopped using it about 3years ago.

When I built my new system I decided I wanted to have another bash at hl2 so installed steam and downloaded the game. I never would have found the CD's had I bought it from a shop :D

Since then I've bought a few weekend specials and think its great!

I agree about the pricing though. I wouldn't pay £40-50 for something I can buy for £30 in the shop.
 
Steam is pretty good but i have had my fair share of problems with it ever since owning half life 2 on the first day of release, sometimes it wouldnt connect to my account, othertimes it wouldnt show my games etc etc. I reckon the positives well outweight the negatives of the program though.
 
Steam is generally OK, if a little expensive for non-Valve games. My only realy gripe with it has always been every time you fire it up it spends ages updating.
 
I think over the past few months since they introduced the £ into buying we have seen some great deals. I have never had any problems with it and some of the offiers like left4dead are amazing for weekend specials.

Never had any problems with updating to be honest. Takes a few seconds at most, maybe its the time of day you log in or your internet.
 
The only problem I have with Steam now is many of the games are quite a bit more expensive than their physical brothers and the download speeds seem to still be pretty slow :p
 
For me steam is a great idea but just too expensive. I know when you buy a boxed copy of a game, it's the production of the game you are primarily paying for rather than the disc and box but the distribution and retail must account for a good % of the cost. In short if a game cost £25 in a shop, I would only choose to buy the steam version if it was about £10. Maybe that doesn't work but that's the only way I would start using it.

I suppose they also have a duty to the retailers that support them, not to sell them a product with an RRP but offer the same product at a lesser cost by other means.
 
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As said it is from mostly back on it's original release where it kind of sucked.

Now it is a fine application, the only issue as stated is that some games are over priced compared to their retail counter parts.
 
Overpriced games is my main gripe with Steam. They have some good offers on there now and again. The frustrating thing is when you buy something you are in the position whereby it maybe cheaper that weekend so it would be good if they price matched or gave a schedule of offers.

I still don't get why digital download games are more expensive than the boxed copies. I'm not just talking for other publishers I'm also talking games like Left4Dead, Orange Box, etc.



M.
 
Everyone's main gripe seems to be grossly overpriced games, not any performance or application problems to speak off. Must be just some residual anger from when Steam didn't work too well in the early stages. I was starting to think I'm missing something very wrong with Steam.
 
I don't get why people go on about high prices. For me it's simple, if a game is cheaper on steam I buy it there otherwise I go to a shop. I'm fairly sure publishers do sell at different prices to digital retailers and shops because otherwise shops would complain.
 
Vertigo1 said:
Steam is fantastic these days, although I still have two main gripes with it:

1. Software generally costs more via Steam download than it does to buy retail

2. All software available on Steam should allow you to fully integrate a retail copy of the same title with Steam for updates, as is the case with titles such as Left 4 Dead.
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Whats the advantage for steam? Someone buys a retail copy of the game, adds it to steam and can then tie up shed loads of bandwidth installing / uninstalling.
 
Aloreth said:
Whats the advantage for steam? Someone buys a retail copy of the game, adds it to steam and can then tie up shed loads of bandwidth installing / uninstalling.
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That said, they recently allowed you to add your retail Unreal Tournament 3 CD-key into Steam and I was able to add my Dark Messiah cd-key, when I got it.
 
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