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this post was submitted on 19 Aug 2023
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Meanwhile, Valve: Here's how you can rip apart our handheld computer, we don't recommend it, but it's yours so who gives a shit?
Also, here's our distribution platform where you can buy your games but have no physical medium, so if the game gets pulled you could lose access to it even though you won't get your money back.
Valve might be better, but they are far from perfect.
If your favorite game gets pulled, so long as it's not a requirement to be connected to the internet to use it, just pirate it. There is no better option if you purchased a game and it gets removed than to just flat out pirate it instead of buying a new copy, if you ask me. Just save your money in that case instead of going to another platform selling it.
Yes, but that misses the point. Mine was a criticism against the illusion of property Steam (and other platforms) create. I know i can pirate stuff, but still Valve has the power to delist or remove stuff from their platform at any time, without need to reimburse.
It ain't digital property, it's just long term online renting.
You're not wrong. But... these tough moments are where I tend to lean on Voltaire's, "don't let perfect be the enemy of good" to paraphrase
Didn't see any insulting part of either of your messages, so... All good I guess?
Anyway, that saying doesn't mean where things are should remain acceptable. You're right that corporations (being made up of supposed humans) don't like to improve or change once they're making profit, we'll collectively need to keep pushing for better. But that's a given, and based on history, has always been the case.
Still, I agree that pushing binary around beats physical media in theory. I don't like the lack of control once you've got it, but as with all things, a company builds a taller wall, someone builds a taller ladder for lulz.
valve might be better, but are you actually whining about digital distribution? it's saving gigatons of co2 emissions on physical delivery alone.
PAY ATTENTION: PUTTING 1s AND 0s ON PLASTIC DISKS SO THEY CAN GO TO A STORE AND SIT ON A SHELF FOR MONTHS BEFORE SOMEONE BUYS THEM AND DRIVES THEM HOME IS A MIND NUMBINGLY STUPID WAY TO DISTRIBUTE 1s AND 0s.
You want a physical copy? Kickstart the physical edition. Complaining that valve setup a digital distribution system that actually works is so fucking dumb it makes my brain hurt.
You’re not wrong, but they also don’t make it easy to print those 1’s and 0’s to physical media once you have them.
Has a game on steam ever been withdrawn from people who have bought it? I've certainly heard of cases where a game gets pulled from the store and people can no longer buy it, but never where already purchased things have been revoked.
In addition there are games on steam that you can just copy to make a backup of it and it will run fine (I know kerbal space program was like this for example). In those cases you have exactly the same amount of control as you would have for owning a disc, but with all the benefits of digital distribution.
In my experience this happened with a game called Rochard. It’s no longer for sale, but I can download it from Steam whenever I want.
Steam games gets pulled all the time which is perfectly fine. They were talking about cases where the people who bought it would lose access to it, which I haven't heard of either so I don't really see why some are bashing steam for something they could do but haven't done yet.
They've already stated that if they were to ever go out of business they would remove the DRM from their games so you can just download them and have them.
They stopped carrying a few games to buy but because I own them I can still get them.
Ah yes the games that I have stored on my PC that mostly don't have DRM and that I can play in offline mode even while running another game on a different PC. Yep those are the ones that I can lose access to?
Do you have any games from Steam which you can play without Steam installed?
Steam has DRM free games
I'm wondering if they, or you, happen to know some examples.
https://store.steampowered.com/curator/38523697-DRM-FREE-GAMES/
https://steam.fandom.com/wiki/List_of_DRM-free_games
https://www.pcgamingwiki.com/wiki/List_of_DRM-free_games_on_Steam
Pick your poison
Thanks
Yup. Plenty. I haven't proven it for every game I own but I know it works for Titan quest and other random ones I've tried.
That's cool to know, thanks.
I already wanted a Steam Deck, but was saving up for one of the higher tiers. Then I found out how relatively easy it is to buy the cheap one and add an nvme drive. So, now my savings goal is a lot closer.
EDIT: Fixed some typos
Damn right, I haven't bought a console since the PS1 but I bought a Steam Deck just because of its hackability. I have plans for it beyond just gaming. Robotics control and FPV streaming is one thing I have in mind.
Also Valve: we'll make some proprietary components that have major failure points, and then not offer replacements for sale (and if we do, at exhorborant prices).
I'm talking about their VR headsets.
Don't get me wrong, I love them as a company. But while they're pushing new industries, hardware is an after thought.
ridiculously stupid take. There are no open standards and commodity components for new inventions to adopt because the damned tech is new.
absurd.
Where did I say I was complaining that they use proprietary components? My complaint is about the availability of said components, which is made much worse by how badly they wear.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_Source_Virtual_Reality
There's been open source VR hardware/software since at least 2015. Development is slow, but still active.