what is "steam"

[mike_mccue]

I just bought a license to the game.

But now I have to install "steam"?

What is steam?

I plan on using my laptop with the game... but I keep it very lean and clean. I already thought loading a game might put my work at risk and now I have to add another layer of stuff?

Are there any other options?

Thanks,
mike


edit to add:

I found this: http://store.steampowered.com/about/

Will I be able to turn off automatic updates?

[DirtTwister]

It's what Valve created for distributing games.  I like it.  I upgrade my PC just copy the Steam folder and away I go.  I have never had any issues with it. I have used it for years.  I don't know if you can turn off updates.  I've never worried about it or had it impact anything that I do and I have a ton of stuff installed.  It seems pretty self contained, compared to any other program.  My steam folder is 79 gig and my Games folder which contains steam is 202 Gig.

Visual Studio 2010
MyEclipse 8.10
PowerBasic
RealBasic
Visual Basic 6.0 (can't seem to get rid of it).
Office 2010
Paint Shop Pro X3
and on and on.

I wanted to try Reflex on my laptop and I just copied my Steam folder to it and fired it up (it didn't work on my laptop), but my other games did.

[mike_mccue]

Thanks Bruce,

I'll make a disk image before I go further.

I'm still not interested in the "cloud" or anything that updates automatically.

best regards,
mike

[DirtTwister]

I'm with you, but it seems that Steam only updates itself.  I always turn off automatic updates and avoid most things that don't give you the choice.  The last thing I need in the middle of a project is to have something change on me.

[RKipker]

I'm still not interested in the "cloud" or anything that updates automatically.

Hello Mike, it's been a while hope all is good!

With Steam I know from experience due to poor connection, you can run in offline mode (when not racing online of course) and manage the updates that way for games only.  When Steam is in offline mode it will not update the Steam Client... though once you return online you will have to update or you will not be able to get online.

Bruce is correct, though I leave Game Updates in Auto and they update when the develop releases updates.  This may not be a good idea if developing mod's!

Anyway, like Bruce I've never had a problem with Steam, not like other online game managers, even works smoother than Windows Live!

[Bulldog]

Mike,

You have the ability to turn on or off updates for every game in Steam in the game properties.  Just right click the game and select "Properties", then click the "Updates" tab and you will see an option to turn on or off automatic updates.

[Scawn7]

A neat little trick Steam can do is allow you to register games bought in the store. I am not 100% sure Reflex is supported in this way, but here's an example: I bought Unreal Tournament 3 on DVD from Best Buy. When I got home I started Steam and opened my library window. At the top I went to Games > Activate a Product on Steam. Then I entered the cd key that came with UT3 and Steam knew what it was right away and added it to my list of games. Once I knew it was in my library I was able to discard the DVD's and never worry about it again. Any time I want to install the game I can download it directly through Steam as if it was purchased through them. This may not be something for everyone, but I have such a bad habit of losing discs no matter how hard I try. This keeps my gaming library together no matter what computer I'm on and I never have to worry about the disc again.

[Fallguy]

 

[DirtTwister]

I wonder if I uncheck that enable steam cloud synchronization will let me muck around with my save game file and not have it reset?

[Bulldog]

OK.....Steam has now pissed me off a little bit.  Why don't they allow me to setup additional login accounts that can use the games that are installed with my account?  My son want's to play Reflex so I set up an account for him but he can't access the games that I have already paid for and installed on our computer.  I don't like this at all.  I would prefer he play with his own login for a couple reasons....

1) So that people don't think he is me when he is on-line
2) So that he can't access the store and purchase something (knowingly or accidentally) with my account.

[Scawn7]

@ Bruce: That may actually be worth a shot. I've always used cloud because it saved my settings such as control settings no matter what computer I used. I've never turned it off so it's worth a shot.

@ Bulldog: Yes, I can see where this would be annoying, but Xbox Live works the same way. If you purchase games through your account, you cannot log into someone else's account on the same Xbox and access those games. However, there is hope. First of all, I don't think he could accidentally purchase games. Even if you saved your credit card information within Steam, I believe you still have to manually enter your birthdate and security code. I've never let Steam save my information so I cannot verify this, but it sure would be a bad idea to allow people to purchase games without any need for some sort of confirmation. Secondly, you don't have to create a whole new account for your son to play. At any time you can right click your name in your friends list and choose "Change Profile Name...". What I would suggest is to select an easy name that he will remember so that you can switch back and forth. That way if he goes online and plays, people will see his name and not yours. You could even inform those on your friends list of your son's name so if they see that name on their friends list, they know it's your account but your son is at the helm. Then you can simply right click your name in the friends list and put it back to your own name. It may sound like alot, but it's actually easier than logging out and back in everytime you change who is playing.

[Bulldog]

Actually, on Xbox Live you can access the games that are purchased by another account that is on the same Xbox.  I purchase games for my son all the time with my account and then he plays them while logged into his account.  His account is set so that he cannot purchase anything.

[Scawn7]

I was not aware of that. I know when I had purchased all of the DLC for Reflex and my son logged in, it wouldn't let him access the content. I just assumed it was the same for all purchased / downloaded items.