Issues with Steam's execution

I am a proponent of the concept Steam embodies, but of it's execution? Well, no more.

Steam hasn't worked for days, doesn't work, and will never work on my PC again.

Reinstalling, Client Registry.blob, firewall settings, bla bla bla, I've tried it all. Everything. And even tried to upgrade my router's firmware which ended up screwing up the damn thing and putting me offline. I was lucky to have emergency spares for exactly that situation.

And in the end, still, "Updating Steam platform: 0%":

Right now, I am thinking that any program that requires so much manipulation to itself and to the modem doesn't fucking work.

So, to any of you that knows software programming, computer engineering, etc, what do you think? Is Steam a good stable program or just a thoroughly, fundamentally broken piece of shit?

I have Steam on two computers (XP Home and Vista Ultimate) and haven't had any significant problem with it.

"And as long as a sack of shit is not a good thing to be, chivalry will never die."

Same here, except Sovereign (my 7 machine) has Professional. I've never had a single problem with it running. Same goes for nearly every single person I know in NSW. Sounds like you might have just had a nasty case of bad luck.

Have you tried asking the Steam forums for help on this?

edited 15th Apr '11 1:50:20 AM by Legionnaire

Against all tyrants.

^ Only just 30 threads.

You made 30 threads?

I have a message from another time...

I think he meant that he asked in 30 different threads. I hope so.

And none of them gave you a method that worked?

Against all tyrants.

No, I meant I scoured like 30 threads. I tried to join, but unbelievably, I needed admin approval or something. Just stunning.

In other news, looks like Steam finally works again. Then again, it "finally worked" 2 times before, so this is most certainly a facade.

Oh, looks like I finally got approval there too.

Steam is indeed horrible, and a good example of why DRM is eviler than a cross between Satan, Hitler and Joe Piscopo.

I use steam just fine, the only DRM problems I've had with a game bought on steam were not from steam but the game itself.

Steam has fucked up on occasion for me too, one time I had to do a system restore just to make the damn thing work.

I think in your case it might have been some server downtime, my friend commented on his tf2 loadouts not showing up, nor his backpack. So it may have been a fault with the servers rather than Steam just being a bitch on your computer.

Never had a problem with Steam ever. I own a lot of games on it, reinstalled it several times, it even survived a rather brutish manual move from a 32-bit Win XP to a 64-bit Win7 and didn't mind much. Personal aura, mayhap?

Videogames do not make you a worse person... Than you already are.

I've never encountered a problem with steam.

edited 15th Apr '11 2:13:56 AM by SpellBlade

The thing is, if any other game distribution system goes down, you can still play your games. Steam intentionally makes sure you can only access your games through Steam. (And only when your internet connection is working.) To be honest, I can't imagine any feature that could possibly compensate for this loss of basic functionality.

My first impression of Steam about two years ago wasn't very good. Downloading the necessary patches to install Empire: Total War took 20 hours.

Since then, it's been a bit better, though I would still prefer to play games without it.

Open a ticket, that's what its for. The forum is pointless at its best and a giant idiot magnet at worst. I have over 250 games on Steam and had maybe 2 problems in its entire existence not related to me forgetting my password, all of which solved within 48 hours through their support.

Never had problem with the Steam

But DRM is a problem yes, indeed

http://steamcommunity.com/id/Xan-Xan/

"Never had a problem with X" is not a good reply and shows a lack of basic understanding on what bugs are. Please, avoid that in the future. PLEASE.

Well, there is a fundamental difference between "Never had a problem" and "Never had a problem SO YOU MUST BE STUPID LOL". One is a statement of personal experience, one is being an asshat.

Man, OP seems to have had some shitty luck, right there.

Not all of them and there ARE workarounds if you're crazy desperate. The usual DRM circumvention measures work just fine for any non-Steamworks (easy guide: does the DVD or CD version of the game require Steam to run? Steamworks!) and/or non-Source games, and since those make up the bulk of Steam's library (and my personal library in Steam, while we're at it), that means you still can play your games without it. Just not with multiplayer.

edited 15th Apr '11 3:46:51 AM by Noelemahc

Videogames do not make you a worse person... Than you already are.

@Ana: But a statement of experience is still kind of assholish when someone is asking for help. Admittedly, rereading the OP, I was kind of hasty in saying that, since I misinterpreted the topic's intention, but it's still something that I feel justified in saying since it's very very annoying and it's a habit that has spread fucking everywhere.

Never had a problem.

Given that the OP is stating a personal experience with the service and basing his opinion on that along with solisiting the opinions of others a reply of, "Never had a problem with it, I'm fine," is perfectly in line with what he's asking and is pretty much a concise version of what the OP said.

And in my opinion, I'm ambivalent towards it. Black Ops multiplayer is a total bitch some times as it requires a Steam check before I join every server. That said it's not so much Steam's fault as my IP's difficulty in opening new connections during heavy traffic times. Once I can get on I'm fine, but because of the delay in getting the Steam verification I can log into a server, select my load out, walk two steps and then get booted. If I could verify once and be done with it when I started the game it wouldn't be a problem. It's only the combination of constant verification plus a spotty connection at times that causes the issue.

The access Steam gives me to a huge library of even older games quickly and easily offsets that though as it's one pain in the ass out of many smooth and well handled games. DRM is something we're going to have to live with, even as often pointless and aggravating as it is. As DRM goes Steam isn't all that bad, and it offers some additional functionality so I can live with it.

"Tyyr's a necessary evil. " Spirit

I hever had a problem with Steam, but I'm not a fan of where you need to go through something or need internet access to play it. That's why I was so pissed when I installed F.E.A.R. 2 and it said it needed access to my Steam account.

Never trust anyone who uses "degenerate" as an insult.

You don't need internet access to play a game you have on Steam, I really don't know why this piece of misinformation is so persistent. You need internet access to download the game (duh) and multiplayer (duh), that's it. Switch to Offline Mode and there, done.