Sign up for STEAM beta

[the8thark]

Thanks. Your description helped a lot.

Another nice thing is that it makes your games universally accessible. So, if you have 5 PCs and bought one game, that one game can be played on any one system at a time (depending on which one you sign into using your Steam credentials).

But this bit confused me a little. I get what you mean. But to access a game from multiple computers, is it like the World of Warcraft system? As in totally playable from any computer but you need the game client installed on any machine you want to play the game from? Or is it done in an other way?

 

[cwa107]

Thanks. Your description helped a lot.


But this bit confused me a little. I get what you mean. But to access a game from multiple computers, is it like the World of Warcraft system? As in totally playable from any computer but you need the game client installed on any machine you want to play the game from? Or is it done in an other way?

Steam is a software package in-and-of itself. When you install it on a brand new PC, you'll sign in with your Steam account. It will then show you all of the games linked to your account (even if they aren't installed on that machine). When you launch it, it will automatically download and install the game and you can start playing it immediately. So, the games follow your account and you have a license to play them anywhere, so long as you sign into a machine that has the Steam client.

 

[Nethfel]

You install the steam client, and when you log into your steam account, it gives you a list of games you've purchased thru steam (or registered thru steam - ie: Left 4 Dead DVD purchase). Once logged into steam - if the game is not on the system you're currently sitting at, you can download it and install it within steam (keeping in mind that large games can take hours or days to download depending on your bandwidth).

You can also keep a copy of your steamapps and cache folders and use that to copy your games from one system to another (makes it easier if you have some huge games) but the way the licensing works - if say you copy your folders over to a friends install of steam - they won't have access to be able to play the games unless they have purchased their own license (otherwise - the only thing copying the game does is make it so if you own the license you can play it there without downloading it, and if they get a license they can play it without having to download a huge amount of data to install the game).

But, as CWA mentioned - you can only be logged in with your account on a single machine at a single time.

As more games get migrated to OSX, it'll be really nice as many games are sold really cheap or with discount packages (which is how I built my steam game collection so fast - they had a lot of sales during the holidays last year for huge packages)

ps - once again I couldn't type fast enough lol - I was still typing my reply when CWA replied

 

[the8thark]

Thanks I understand now. But I have one last question.

Once you have purchased a licence for a game can you download the game as many times as you want. Or is there a limit and I'd have to then burn the game to dvd?

And when I buy a licence and download a game from there, do I actually own the game I am downloading? or am I just buying a licence to rent the file from steam? I know spore had the dumb "only renting it" clause in their Terms Of Service. And I would like to know is Steam is the same.

 

[Nethfel]

As many times as you want/need. Technically, any software license - you don't really "own" the software, you're licensing it's use and the software vendor can revoke the license. But, it's not like you're being given a limit on downloads or time that you can use the software (unless you download a demo). Now, if you play online, and you get caught cheating, I'm not sure how Valve/Steam would handle that.

In all honesty, I'd still backup if you could tho as let's face it, many games these days are LARGE, and I know I don't like downloading 2-16gigs per game (granted, yes, i do own some games that are <100 meg, but very few; and most games I play often are >1gig) every time I turn around should I want to play on a different computer or should I have a hard drive failure.

 

[blackmac11]

The first time I tried to sign up I got a 404. But I went back to the home page, made a steam account, then signed up for the beta, and it worked fine. Pretty excited! Now poor old PC users have absolutely nothing on us

 

[Village Idiot]

The first time I tried to sign up I got a 404. But I went back to the home page, made a steam account, then signed up for the beta, and it worked fine. Pretty excited! Now poor old PC users have absolutely nothing on us

Except my overclocked quadcore CPU with 6GB or RAM and a 1.8GB GPU that I can easily upgrade to 12GB of RAM and 3 1.8GB GPUs. Or a new mobo, or a new CPU, or a new wifi card, or a new sound card, or 10 new HDDs, or...

Other than those little things.

;D

 

[the8thark]

They do get to watch Steve Ballmer's heafty phiseque everytime he does a keynote presentation. And also watch him pant and puff and dance like a total looney. .

 

[blackmac11]

Except my overclocked quadcore CPU with 6GB or RAM and a 1.8GB GPU that I can easily upgrade to 12GB of RAM and 3 1.8GB GPUs. Or a new mobo, or a new CPU, or a new wifi card, or a new sound card, or 10 new HDDs, or...

Other than those little things.

;D

Mac Pro??

And why are you on mac forums if your so in love with PC's???

 

[the8thark]

Except my overclocked quadcore CPU with 6GB or RAM and a 1.8GB GPU that I can easily upgrade to 12GB of RAM and 3 1.8GB GPUs. Or a new mobo, or a new CPU, or a new wifi card, or a new sound card, or 10 new HDDs, or...

And you're still stuck with Windows. An OS that can not make full utalisation of the hardware you have.

 

[cwa107]

Mac Pro??

And why are you on mac forums if your so in love with PC's???

I think the point he's trying to make is that you have a lot more flexibility in terms of gaming upgrades with a homebrew gaming rig. Even though the Mac Pro has upgradeable graphics cards, they're still somewhat proprietary, as are the motherboards, and other various parts.

And it's an excellent point. The availability of Steam on the Mac is certainly a great improvement for gaming prospects on the Mac. But ultimately generic PCs are a better platform for customization and upgrades.

 

[the8thark]

If you want to play latest release games at ultra quality then sure the above is correct. A generic PC works very well and is easily customisable.

But Macs win in the low end of the spectrum. There is many a game I have played with Macs less with less specs then the minimum on the box. And sure I don't get best quality from them but they play not too shabby. WC3 + expansion one big example. It wants 400 mhz minimum but my old G3 333mhz played it very well.

I have yet to see any PC worse then the min spec on a game's box actually make the said game playable.

 

[cwa107]

If you want to play latest release games at ultra quality then sure the above is correct. A generic PC works very well and is easily customisable.

But Macs win in the low end of the spectrum. There is many a game I have played with Macs less with less specs then the minimum on the box. And sure I don't get best quality from them but they play not too shabby. WC3 + expansion one big example. It wants 400 mhz minimum but my old G3 333mhz played it very well.

I have yet to see any PC worse then the min spec on a game's box actually make the said game playable.

I agree and that's a fair point as well. For casual gaming, this addition certainly makes the Mac a more solid choice. As much as the diversity of hardware on the Windows side is a strength in some sense, it's also a liability in another since there is no way you can test and tune your game to run very well on an infinite number of different hardware configurations. Obviously the pool is a lot smaller and in some ways can be easier to develop for. Technologies like DX9/10/11 go a long way to evening the playing field, but even then, you can isolate your audience tuning to one particular version.

 

[Village Idiot]

Mac Pro??

And why are you on mac forums if your so in love with PC's???

Still doesn't offer the options.

Because I own a mac. But I work with all kinds of different flavors of OS's and computer hardware.

And you're still stuck with Windows. An OS that can not make full utalisation of the hardware you have.

We're not allowed to talk about what I'm going to do with the gaming rig on here.

 

[Village Idiot]

I think the point he's trying to make is that you have a lot more flexibility in terms of gaming upgrades with a homebrew gaming rig. Even though the Mac Pro has upgradeable graphics cards, they're still somewhat proprietary, as are the motherboards, and other various parts.

And it's an excellent point. The availability of Steam on the Mac is certainly a great improvement for gaming prospects on the Mac. But ultimately generic PCs are a better platform for customization and upgrades.

If you want to play latest release games at ultra quality then sure the above is correct. A generic PC works very well and is easily customisable.

But Macs win in the low end of the spectrum. There is many a game I have played with Macs less with less specs then the minimum on the box. And sure I don't get best quality from them but they play not too shabby. WC3 + expansion one big example. It wants 400 mhz minimum but my old G3 333mhz played it very well.

I have yet to see any PC worse then the min spec on a game's box actually make the said game playable.

With Apple finally putting decent GPUs in their computers and the fact that newer gen cards aren't leaps and bounds ahead of the old releases, I think that Apple gaming may eventually see a new light. I recently installed EVE-online onto my MBP. It's awesome to be able to play it natively through OS X (except for the tiny 15" MBP screen...makes me think about going with a 17" MBP next time around).

And with Steam still using the source engine and many other newer games coming out that can be run on older GPUs without taking too big of a performance dump, things are looking up.

I remember putting WOW on the first C2D MBP with the x1600 ATI card in it. It was almost unbearable trying to play it after moving from a desktop I built for gaming where I could run it at nearly max specs.

 

[the8thark]

I remember putting WOW on the first C2D MBP with the x1600 ATI card in it. It was almost unbearable trying to play it after moving from a desktop I built for gaming where I could run it at nearly max specs.

I dunno about your MBP. But my current imac with the same x1600 ATI card in it can get 30-60 frames in WoW of medium settings. It plays very well. I don't feel any major issues when I play WoW.

 

[blackmac11]

It's awesome to be able to play it natively through OS X (except for the tiny 15" MBP screen...makes me think about going with a 17" MBP next time around)

Just a suggestion, but I think it would be worth getting an external monitor. That way you can save some money by buying a less expensive laptop, but have a bigger screen.

 

[Village Idiot]

Just a suggestion, but I think it would be worth getting an external monitor. That way you can save some money by buying a less expensive laptop, but have a bigger screen.

My gaming/soon to be photo/video processing machine has a 30" monitor, but it's a desktop and it's in my room. I like having something I can use while lounging in the basement and watching TV.

 

[blackmac11]

My gaming/soon to be photo/video processing machine has a 30" monitor, but it's a desktop and it's in my room. I like having something I can use while lounging in the basement and watching TV.

ahh I see