Steam

Does anybody use Steam to launch their games? I only recently started using it and I only have one friend.

I made a group for Stonewall: http://steamcommunity.com/groups/stonewallgamingnetwork

Join it so I can watch your gaming habits :)

I have steam. I play Dragon Age Origins with it, but I really don't know much about it. I didn't realize you can launch games through it. :/

Honestly I dont know what you mean about using steam to play games .. I did buy one once and download but I launch that game normally ..... to me I thought it was just a way to buy a game and download virtually not sure what ya mean about wanting to see our gaming habits ... cause after I bought something I eradicated steam .. it was a ways to an end for me ...

When you buy a game from Steam you can open it from the "Steam" program from the library tab. Doing so will mean that Steam will log things like how long you've been playing and what accomplishments you have .. accomplished. This is all information your friends can see :)

You can add games that aren't bought from Steam to the "library" by clicking the "add a game" button which is located at the bottom left and going to "add a none-steam game". When launching a game this way from steam you'll keep the social aspects. Like when Yezar launches Guild Wars 2 it flashes up on my screen "Yezar is playing Guild Wars 2".

I don't think it however logs statistics like times played :( Which I kind of hoped it would.

It also has chat systems like that group I made has a built in chat system which you can use while playing whatever game you opened from Steam (without alt-tabbing!). This would be amazing from cross-game communication if it was widely used.

I always window shop on Steam :)

I love steam!

There are constantly ridiculous sales on games (I've gotten great games at up to 90% off). There are sales basically everyday on SOMETHING, "weekend deals" - including being able to play some games free for a weekend, which is a great way to try before you buy. They also cool week or more sales events around twice/year - the christmas time holidays in particular.

The social elements are cool too. It's fun to see what my friends have been playing, when they are online (also has a chat program). I even use it in place of something like ventrilo for coop playing with a friend in SF even for games that aren't on steam. (Though steam has a way to link in non-steam games for social stuff and ease of game launch).

When I got a new PC last year, it was really easy to reinstall games on the new PC and only the ones I wanted. You control which you download and install, etc. and don't have to worry about discs and stuff. All your games are available "forever".

Oh, and it's a very easy way to get game demos.

The only down side is I own a silly number of games because I bought them so cheap. :)

I think I may be a fanboy.

I have steam and use it to chat directly with friends. Feel free to add me if you dont mind that im silly/childish!

http://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561198037883047/

Yep, I love putting silly pics. Im not comfortable putting my irl pic.

Feel free to send me a friend request on the website too, dont worry I accept everyone! :)

add me - elquinmagus

Steam is a very bad habit for me lol, all these to-die-for games for cheap and my IRL social life goes out the window. My one complaint is that you require an internet connection to play the games you buy. Sometimes I like having good old fashioned, non-MMO PC games on my laptop so that I can play something even when there's no WiFi and steam doesn't really let you do that.

Quote by Jacien

Steam is a very bad habit for me lol, all these to-die-for games for cheap and my IRL social life goes out the window. My one complaint is that you require an internet connection to play the games you buy. Sometimes I like having good old fashioned, non-MMO PC games on my laptop so that I can play something even when there's no WiFi and steam doesn't really let you do that.

Yes, that really annoys me too. One day the internet was out where I live so I decided just to sit down and play some DAO, but Steam wouldn't let me. :( I was not a happy boy. They have an Offline mode, but you have to go online first to enable it!

I was curious about the offline thing. So, I turned off my network adapter (to simulate a lose of connection to the Internet) When I started Steam, it gave me this message:



I was able to access my games in offline mode with no apparent issues. From my limited research, you have to have all files uptodate in order to do it though.

I have to say that it's become an addiction for me too. I've almost turned into a junkie looking for decent games to play that are on sale. :lol:

That's really odd! I tried over and over to connect to mine and it wouldn't let me. :(

Have you tried it since getting back online? I did put Steam into offline mode while online and then back into online mode. Then I turned off the network adapter and tried it. Maybe that had something to do with it.

I joined the Steam group and it seems it no longer shows how much time members have spent in certain games, which is a good thing because then you'd see the obscene amounts of time I've spent with certain games.

Ive JOINED!!! Yay! You know you love this stranger :P

I also joined

Joined!

And Nick, the only games you should need a connection for are games that handle multiplayer through Steam, like Team Fortress 2. In addition to the "start offline" when you don't have a connection, you can pick "go offline" from the menu even with a connection.

I think the only exceptions are some cases pertaining to Steam Guard (e.g. the first time you log in from a new machine, maybe a periodic login thereafter?) and actually downloading stuff from their servers. I do think that specific publishers can set stricter standards for their games.

I just joined in order to snag Sims 3 super-cheap on a holiday sale. (That's why I've been out of STO the past couple of days, trying to figure out ways around the bugs....)

Is there a way to chat with folks on Steam in-game? The thing I hate most about Sims 3 is that I don't have anyone to talk with, and having someone to talk with is one of the main reasons I play games.