Additional benefit: less energy required to manufacture/ship the product -- no box and CD/DVD-ROM

(only a benefit if you give a shit about humanity -- admittedly, I give less of a shit than I once may have)

Heck, I might buy all my games on Steam from now on. It's more convenient AND it pisses off Riley.

There's another benefit too, for those of us who have parents, girlfriends, or spouses (the latter in my case) who like to give us a hard time about buying games. With Steam (and other electronic distribution programs), it's easier to hide the fact that you just bought a new game - there's no box to hide.

This comment was edited on Aug 30, 15:35.

I don't debate you because you are clinically insane and I only respond to you to get a rise out of you and keep you going for comic relief. In other words, I don't feel like wasting my time debating with a crazy person. Just watching you implode online is all I need.
You are such a sad, pathetic little man, sir. I almost pity you. Almost.

That's like a perfect sig...


-----------------------------------------------------
Bioshock: "You're soon beset by deranged flappers and dandies, like Jay Gatsby's party guests gone feral."

Ooh. Riley called me a fool and a sheep. AND he says he doesn't care about me. Now my life is ruined...

I wonder if somewhere in the recesses of your wee little brain that you realize what a sociopath you are. I don't debate you because "I know you're right?" Gee, if I knew you were right, wouldn't I just agree with you? I don't debate you because you are clinically insane and I only respond to you to get a rise out of you and keep you going for comic relief. In other words, I don't feel like wasting my time debating with a crazy person. Just watching you implode online is all I need.
You are such a sad, pathetic little man, sir. I almost pity you. Almost.


This comment was edited on Aug 29, 23:46.

Have a look at the majority of EA games with a widescreen resolution and you will notice the image is often stretched to fit the 16:10 aspect ratio.

Here is a games company with millions upon millions to spend in development and yet they take blatant shortcuts with widescreen implementation.

This is Riley we're talking about... he has to attack everything that is popular

I'm sure you already realize this, but I was being sarcastic

Pointing out his ridiculous hypocrisy, that he accused us of in the past few days without wasting time picking apart his posts line by line.

----------------------------------------------------
Currently playing Everquest 2 (heard it's become a really good game...we'll see)

Being able to see significantly more onscreen than other players is a bigger advantage that any of those other things.

But having a bigger screen means it's easier for you to sport enemies; and 5.1 surround sound makes it easier to pinpoint people; and people that turn up the gamma or render games in DX7 mode have an advantage.

It simply means that Valve doesn't care if it gives those players an advantage.

Nor does Epic Games, Crytek, Raven Software, Splash Damage... fuck, the entire industry apart from EA. Your arguement just doesn't hold water. Widescreen is the new accepted standard and it is people with 4:3 or 5:4 that are missing out, not 16:10 people that are gaining. Again you simply twist everything to attack Valve but this time it simply doesn't work - it is EA that are the odd ones out. If the most competitive FPS game in the world can support widescreen then that says it is legitimate. So EA have accounced they are lazy and don't want to incorporate it because of the effort - everyone else has thoroughly playtested and balanced their games and decided widescreen is acceptable.

EA and Even Balance simply feel differently on the issue.

Actually, EA has said it will support widescreen once there is a large enough userbase. Plus Even Balance has absolutely no opinion on widescreen... it just supports whatever the game developers want and kicks everyone else. A developer could insist everyone have a physics card and be able to solve a Sudoku puzzle in 13 seconds and Even Balance would happily enforce that policy.

It's been awhile since I last played a Steam game online so some games may have an internal one too, but I remember that some of them like Sin 1 only use the server browser in the Steam client.

Only Valve games and their modifications use the Steam browser - other games use their own systems.

I never saw any such problems with the Half-Life 1 engine games on WON, and I played those games online a lot all the way up until Valve pulled the plug on its Won support.

I never said there was a problem... I said Steam was an improvement.

So keep it up. I simply laugh at you for it, and you will no doubt think of me and curse my name every time you have a problem with Steam.

I've never had a problem with Steam, actually. Vista is a completely different matter, as Microsoft accused me of having illegal software and I had to activate it by phone at 3am... THAT is bad software protection.

Does this mean you are anti widescreen now too? I mean, shouldn't the users have the choice to play widescreen or 4:3?

This is Riley we're talking about... he has to attack everything that is popular.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Founder of the "I Hate Smiley Fitz" society

Remember: Riley has autism. He has trouble communicating, and in an overstimulating
environment, he can get frightened and run away, leaving his parents frantic. - Auburn

Being able to see significantly more onscreen than other players is a bigger advantage that any of those other things.

Does this mean you are anti widescreen now too? I mean, shouldn't the users have the choice to play widescreen or 4:3? Why should the screen ratio be dictated by the developer/publisher or even 3rd party software like Punkbuster? You are all about letting the user have "choice"...right?





----------------------------------------------------
Currently playing Everquest 2 (heard it's become a really good game...we'll see)

Heck, I might buy all my games on Steam from now on. It's more convenient AND it pisses off Riley.

It doesn't piss me off when YOU patronize Steam because it means you are simply wasting your money. Quite frankly I wish you would give all of your money to Valve so you would be too poor to afford Internet service.

So keep it up. I simply laugh at you for it, and you will no doubt think of me and curse my name every time you have a problem with Steam.

This comment was edited on Aug 29, 14:47.

Yeah, just like people with dual-core processors, 2000DPI mice and faster graphics cards.

Being able to see significantly more onscreen than other players is a bigger advantage that any of those other things.

I think it speaks volumes that Valve supports it in the most played online FPS: CS:Source

It simply means that Valve doesn't care if it gives those players an advantage. EA and Even Balance simply feel differently on the issue.

If Punkbuster can't handle widescreen games then it doesn't deserve to used by developers.

I don't disagree because I think Punkbuster shouldn't be used at all due to many other significant reasons. However I am simply stating Even Balance's position on the subject.

The Steam server browser works BOTH inside and outside of the game.

It's been awhile since I last played a Steam game online so some games may have an internal one too, but I remember that some of them like Sin 1 only use the server browser in the Steam client.

The quality of the results is better than anything WON offered and it responds much faster.

I never saw any such problems with the Half-Life 1 engine games on WON, and I played those games online a lot all the way up until Valve pulled the plug on its Won support. I always got back way more server results than I ever needed anyway.

This comment was edited on Aug 29, 14:42.

Assley Putz has to stomp his foot and cry like a little girl, that's what he does.

Actually you are the one who is constantly crying over me, fool, so much so that you use that pathetic epithet for my username that sounds like something a small child would come up with.

he has to keep creating new accounts just to get noticed.

I obviously don't have to create new accounts to get noticed by you because you continually whine about me regardless.

Lastly, I know it pisses you off, which is all the more reason for me to like it.

It doesn't piss me off at all because I don't give a damn about you. There will always be plenty of fools in the world, and you just happen to be one of them.

Steam and D2D and like programs are destined to become the way of the gaming world

That will only be true so long as there are more fools and sheep and like you than there are informed and intelligent consumers like me.

Everyone here is aware of your irrational and overblown hatred of Valve and D2D

Nothing I have written here about Steam or Direct2Drive is irrational or overblown. If you think you can debate me on the specific points and problems I raise about them then do it. However you know you can't so instead you simply mischaracterize and demonize my posts with your own irrational and overblown hyperbole because you know I am right and don't want to be reminded of your mistake in patronizing those companies.

If you haven't convinced us by now, after all of your bickering and posturing, you never will.

It's not all about YOU, you egotistical fool. I have no doubt that you are too much of a sheep to change your ways. Someone else might wise up and listen though.

This comment was edited on Aug 29, 15:03.

Everyone here is aware of your irrational and overblown hatred of Valve and D2D; aware of it and sick and tired of hearing about it. If you haven't convinced us by now, after all of your bickering and posturing, you never will.

Assley Putz has to stomp his foot and cry like a little girl, that's what he does.

And as you've seen Prez, it shows everyone here what a dumb fuck he really is...so much so that he has to keep creating new accounts just to get noticed.



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Bioshock: "You're soon beset by deranged flappers and dandies, like Jay Gatsby's party guests gone feral."

I find these exchanges entertaining. The more Riley gets annoyed the more I enjoy it. In fact it was because he kept reminding me about Steam that I ended up ordering Bioshock, Civ4 and Civ4:BTS on it - it's more convenient and I can keep most of my games in one place. Before I'd only used Steam for Valve games but Riley's irrational hatred of Valve prompted me to check the Steam store for other games.

Heck, I might buy all my games on Steam from now on. It's more convenient AND it pisses off Riley. Not only does that make his ranting and raving worthless but it actually makes it counterproductive. Ah, how I love internet feuds.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Founder of the "I Hate Smiley Fitz" society

Remember: Riley has autism. He has trouble communicating, and in an overstimulating
environment, he can get frightened and run away, leaving his parents frantic. - Auburn

Battlefield 2 is a multiplayer game and that feature would give an unfair advantage to those players.

Yeah, just like people with dual-core processors, 2000DPI mice and faster graphics cards. I think it speaks volumes that Valve supports it in the most played online FPS: CS:Source - most laptops are widescreen and a lot of computers from Dell now sport widescreen monitors. This is not something they can simply ignore - that was an excuse they put out early on.

Plus it would be banned by Punkbuster anyway.

If Punkbuster can't handle widescreen games then it doesn't deserve to used by developers.

Steam does NOT provide better service unless by "better" you mean "more restrictive and less reliable."

Surprisingly enough that isn't what I meant.

I liked the server browser better when it was integrated in the game itself. The Steam versions of Valve's games put the server browser outside the game in the Steam client which sucks and should not be needed simply to run the game.

The Steam server browser works BOTH inside and outside of the game. The quality of the results is better than anything WON offered and it responds much faster.

Now that you mention it, Valve really shouldn't still require CD keys for a game as old and successful as Half-Life is. It's not like Valve needs the revenue from it.

It's more to prevent an influx of cheating pre-teens that would start up dozens of accounts and ruin the experience of people that still play it.

You people think it is the devil and criticize it for crap that is as bad or worse than what other publishers like Valve do.

I don't think EA is the worst company, though I do think the support they offer for many games is substandard. They have done plenty of good titles and they can afford to push titles that otherwise might not be published (The Sims, Spore). Support for Battlefield has been shit but I'm not going to hate EA just because of one poorly supported game.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Founder of the "I Hate Smiley Fitz" society

Remember: Riley has autism. He has trouble communicating, and in an overstimulating
environment, he can get frightened and run away, leaving his parents frantic. - Auburn

I thought I'd let you know, >U/JD/Riley, that I have come to like Steam more than I used to over the whole time you've been railing against it.

It sucked in the beginning, but it has grown much more useable. I love the convenience of the one-stop shopping, I have NEVER not been able to play my games on it, and it has quite a few robust features that have been added that I find most agreeable. Lastly, I know it pisses you off, which is all the more reason for me to like it.

Business models like steam are more of a sign of the times than the indication of corporate tyrrany that you claim. Like it or not, Steam and D2D and like programs are destined to become the way of the gaming world. The choice we all have is whether to learn to deal with it and keep playing new releases, or quit gaming, or at least stick to playing our older titles from our rosy gaming past.

Me, I'm a gamer. Always have been, always will be. If that means I have to put up with the nuisances that come with such business models, and they are there, no doubt, so be it. That's my choice. But please for the love of all that is holy, give it a rest. Everyone here is aware of your irrational and overblown hatred of Valve and D2D; aware of it and sick and tired of hearing about it. If you haven't convinced us by now, after all of your bickering and posturing, you never will.


This comment was edited on Aug 29, 00:10.

Never mind your own hypocrisy.

Yes, never mind it because it doesn't exist. I am not being hypocritical here. I don't bash Valve and then praise EA for the same thing.

I defend EA only to point out your collective hypocrisy.

Never mind your own hypocrisy.

----------------------------------------------------
Currently playing WoW - Burning Crusade

So Battlefield is an example of EA providing GOOD support?

I never claimed it was good. It just isn't "extremely poor" as Dagok claimed. EA did provide multiple updates and additional free content for Battlefield 2 after its release.

They still refuse to support widescreen monitors

Battlefield 2 is a multiplayer game and that feature would give an unfair advantage to those players. Plus it would be banned by Punkbuster anyway.

Battlefield 2 still has bugs that should have been simple to fix and the game is hugely unbalanced.

No game is ever perfect to every player. EA did provide additional updates and content for the game. That is better than some games from other publishers so I don't consider that "extremely poor" support. To me extremely poor support means no updates, and some games that have needed updating have gotten none.

Valve REPLACED WON with Steam

Valve should never have done that for older titles. WON support should have been left in place for those who didn't want to be force-fed Steam. But, Valve wrote Half-Life 1 so that when it pulled the plug on WON, multiplayer over the Internet would not function at all. So, it is either use Steam or don't play online.

it provides a better service

Steam does NOT provide better service unless by "better" you mean "more restrictive and less reliable."

You CANNOT come in here and say that EA offers good support

EA offers better than "extremely poor" support. Its customer service is better than average in my personal experience. Its long-term support of a game is average at best although it doesn't cripple its games by design to be able to deactivate them totally when it drops support as Valve has done.

(with a shit server browser)

I liked the server browser better when it was integrated in the game itself. The Steam versions of Valve's games put the server browser outside the game in the Steam client which sucks and should not be needed simply to run the game. A game doesn't need Steam to have a decent server browser in any case.

better update support.

Steam's update support is NOT better because it forces updates on the user whether he wants them or not. If a Counterstrike user doesn't the newer version with the in-game ads, it's tough shit for him because Steam forces the update on him. That is NOT "better" update support. At least EA did not force BF2142's in-game ads and tracking on BF2 users as Valve would have done because it could through forced updates.

So you post shit until no-one will even read your posts

If noone reads my posts, then why the hell do so many of you fools respond to them? It's like that hypocritical idiot NIN who claims he filters me out, yet somehow manages to read my posts enough to know common phrases I use.

If you needed a replacement key from Valve you would have been moaning your fucking ass off about how you shouldn't even need one in the first place

Now that you mention it, Valve really shouldn't still require CD keys for a game as old and successful as Half-Life is. It's not like Valve needs the revenue from it. But Valve is the company that still charges $10 for Ricochet on Steam, so I am not surprised.

You defend companies everyone here despise, like EA,

I defend EA only to point out your collective hypocrisy. I find EA to be an average publisher overall with above average customer service and good-to-great retail bundles of older game titles. You people think it is the devil and criticize it for crap that is as bad or worse than what other publishers like Valve do.

This comment was edited on Aug 28, 23:02.

I am no fan of EA, but that is a sweeping generalization that isn't accurate. EA does still update some of its games even years after release such as the Battlefield series.

So Battlefield is an example of EA providing GOOD support? They still refuse to support widescreen monitors, even though most other games do - Valve offer great widescreen support for even their old games. Battlefield 2 still has bugs that should have been simple to fix and the game is hugely unbalanced.

That is certainly better than what Valve did with its older games when it stopped WON support.

Valve REPLACED WON with Steam - it provides a better service and still gives people access to their games. You CANNOT come in here and say that EA offers good support and then criticise Valve for replacing an older system (with a shit server browser) with Steam with a great server browser and better update support. You're a fucking hypocrite and will use anything and everything to "prove" that Valve are evil and out to destroy the industry.

No, I do it to watch dogs like you chase your tail. And you never cease to disappoint.

So you post shit until no-one will even read your posts and then you start up a new username to do it again... then it's US that are chasing our tails? Nice logic there - I suppose you're a Vulcan in your spare time? Perhaps it's time you grow up and run back to that shemale whore of a mother you have.

I have had EA issue me replacement media and CD keys for older games without nearly the hassle that some other publishers give like Valve.

And you've personally experienced problems with Valve's replacement system or have you just been traulling the web looking for anything that fits your arguement? If you needed a replacement key from Valve you would have been moaning your fucking ass off about how you shouldn't even need one in the first place and yet with EA you use it as a PLUS point... hypocrite. You defend companies everyone here despise, like EA, and then moan about decent companies everyone likes, like Valve. It's interesting how a Bioshock topic jumps out to you as a good place to criticise Valve.

Why do you even post here? All you do is piss people off... do you get some sort of perverted kick out of annoying other people? I just find you funny - you don't actually annoy me because you're just so over-the-top it's hilarious. You'd make a perfect villain in a West End show. NEway, no-one likes you Smiley so why don't you just piss off and have some anal fun with a rusty pole? Oh... and I raped your grandma the other night.

My name is Riley I'm a big cockflap that likes to talk bollocks.

Finally something we agree on.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Founder of the "I Hate Smiley Fitz" society

Remember: Riley has autism. He has trouble communicating, and in an overstimulating
environment, he can get frightened and run away, leaving his parents frantic. - Auburn