Steam Release
criticaI
Join Date: 2003-04-07 Member: 15269Banned, Constellation
Join Date: 2003-04-07 Member: 15269Banned, Constellation
<div class="IPBDescription">discuss here</div> <a href='http://www.steampowered.com' target='_blank'>http://www.steampowered.com</a>
<!--QuoteBegin--"Steampowered website"+--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> ("Steampowered website")</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Alfred, of Valve Software, has sent out important news to alert everyone about Steam's official release:
quote:
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Timeline:
We will be releasing the dedicated server binaries later today. Tomorrow we will be releasing the client. In a couple of weeks we will make this update mandatory.
What is it:
This release is converting all users to Steam. When you install the client you will need to have a valid HL or CStrike CD-Key. Dedicated servers will need to create accounts but will NOT need to enter a cd-key. At no point will anyone have to enter credit card details. In the future there will be the option to purchase the "Platinum Pack" via Steam if you don't currently own a copy.
This release consists of:
Counter-Strike 1.6, Half-Life, TeamFortress Classic, DMC, Ricochet and Day-of-Defeat 1.0.
What changed:
Linux Dedicated Server
Dedicated Server
Team Fortress Classic
Counter-Strike
Steam Issues:
Q: Can I use Steam with a modem?
A: Yes, steam will work for modem users.
Q: Is WON going away?
A: Yes, once we have completed the rollover we will slowly remove parts of the WON system as they become obsolete.
Q: Has the net code been changed since the beta?
A: No, apart from small bug fixes.
Q: Will my existing 3rd party programs work (i.e Admin Mod, CDeath, ...).
A: In general yes, all existing 3rd party programs can still work under Steam. The individual authors of each program will need to inform their users of any install directory or configuration changes.
Q: Do I need to alter my firewall setup?
A: Steam requires some extra ports to be opened for outgoing access, read this page for details.
Q: What happens to my current banlist?
A: Everyone will be getting assigned a new Steam ID and it will not be possible to convert old banlists.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Post how it goes when you download it tommorow and hopefully this post will be helpful for people who don't understand the Steam conversion.
<!--QuoteBegin--"Steampowered website"+--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> ("Steampowered website")</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Alfred, of Valve Software, has sent out important news to alert everyone about Steam's official release:
quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Timeline:
We will be releasing the dedicated server binaries later today. Tomorrow we will be releasing the client. In a couple of weeks we will make this update mandatory.
What is it:
This release is converting all users to Steam. When you install the client you will need to have a valid HL or CStrike CD-Key. Dedicated servers will need to create accounts but will NOT need to enter a cd-key. At no point will anyone have to enter credit card details. In the future there will be the option to purchase the "Platinum Pack" via Steam if you don't currently own a copy.
This release consists of:
Counter-Strike 1.6, Half-Life, TeamFortress Classic, DMC, Ricochet and Day-of-Defeat 1.0.
What changed:
Linux Dedicated Server
Dedicated Server
Team Fortress Classic
Counter-Strike
Steam Issues:
Q: Can I use Steam with a modem?
A: Yes, steam will work for modem users.
Q: Is WON going away?
A: Yes, once we have completed the rollover we will slowly remove parts of the WON system as they become obsolete.
Q: Has the net code been changed since the beta?
A: No, apart from small bug fixes.
Q: Will my existing 3rd party programs work (i.e Admin Mod, CDeath, ...).
A: In general yes, all existing 3rd party programs can still work under Steam. The individual authors of each program will need to inform their users of any install directory or configuration changes.
Q: Do I need to alter my firewall setup?
A: Steam requires some extra ports to be opened for outgoing access, read this page for details.
Q: What happens to my current banlist?
A: Everyone will be getting assigned a new Steam ID and it will not be possible to convert old banlists.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Post how it goes when you download it tommorow and hopefully this post will be helpful for people who don't understand the Steam conversion.
This discussion has been closed.
Comments
A: Everyone will be getting assigned a new Steam ID and it will not be possible to convert old banlists.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
God damn it.
DMC = death match classic, its a mod that you get with one of the HL patches.
Its my prair that the NS dev team "stopped" the 2.1 release with the steam release in mind, and have been working towards this goal. So that in about 2 weeks when WON gets shut down. Its posible to play NS with steam.
Another thing thats not in alfreds FAQ, that server admins should know. The steam network and WON is not connected ( Confirmed only by someone in #steam-hangout ). So after you update your player that still havent cannot connect to you server.
Now, I do understand it brings a certain level of controversy within the non-valve based mods, but I doubt it'll kill NS. I mean, lets look at the
Pro's:
+Player Buddy Lists ( FIND YER CLAN MATES! )
+No more "losing sound because your **** GF IM'd you in the middle of killing the marine base"
+Much sleeker interface
+Freaking checkers.
+NO MORE SIERRA - this alone does it for me. I mean, how many times have you 'failed' won auth? Was it becase you did something wrong? Nope, it's because Sierra sucks.
+Easy access to HL2 - I'm fairly sure it'll be available through Steam, so why not DL it the second it comes out?
Con's:
-It comes with CS ( ew )
-Controversy with wonID based functions - constellation icons, bans, etc
-It may be a hassle right off ( Steam servers will be overloaded. )
Since we cant change it, lets try to find the good in it, eh?
which is nice. thats why it came out before i'm guessing
Unfortunatly with Steam comes a frew problems... 1. You must have an active internet connection to play ANYTHING on it, which means LAN parties are pretty much done for since most of them are hosted in old Halls where internet access isn't available. 2. It doesn't support custom models so you can't customize your Counter-Strike game at all, your stuck with VAVLe's low poly models. 3. Currently it doesn't support dial-up connections (although there are rumors it will have support later on, once everything is up and running and the conjestion is a little better). 4. You can't use third party software to connect to games, you are forced to use VALVe's connection software which is EXTREMELY lacking. 5. At launch it will not support ANY Half-Life mods other than the ones VALVe owns. Other than those things is a very nice package.
Yes, all the current bans are being removed. I don't know if they will fix teh problem or not but anyone who has been banned from that now knows not to use it and they can play again.
;<
I think I'm gonna like steam already as long as it doesn't kill my ping XD
I can see the lan party thingy being a sore point but lets face it, you could just play those with the non-steam version right? ...right? ^^;
i will lose my precious wonid: 333383
However, it won't last very long. Not more than a few weeks maximum.
i wont install steam... even if i have to play tetris or minesweeper
good bye ns and cs
Just like all of the other changes and upgrades to the game, to the mod, and everything else, a lot of people are jumping the gun and whining, complaining, and kvetching BEFORE they've actually done anything.
Remember all those pre-2.0 posts? "OMG!!!1 They're nerfing teh ______ ?!?!?! I'll never play NS 2.0!!! Skru you guy0z, I'm leaving!!!!!!!11one"
Well, same here. "OMG!!!1 They're switching to teh Steam?!?!?! I'll never play on Steam!!! Skru you guy0z, I'm leaving!!!!!!!11one"
Yeah... how about we all wait until we actually get the product, and then evaluate it then.
Anyhoo, that's my opinion.
We now return you to your previously scheduled preemptive complaining...
*right now* yes... but how about in 3 months time when you *have* to have hl 3.1.1.2 (or whatever) in order to run DoD 1.2 retail and it's steam dependant and therefore not playable on LAN?
I love the idea of Steam, but in practise VALVe are treading on thin ice.
o) Disabling 3rd party query tools - Anti Monopoly suit anyone?
o) No LAN support? Fatal!
o) No wonid->steamid conversion - Server Ops have to rebuild their banlists, adminmod(et al) userlists etc? This is *terrible* for any large scale GSP's who have spent years building up banlists to build the community that they want playing on their servers. All those muppets just come flooding back all over again. It puts us all back at stage 1 basically. Woeful.
o) Linux Steam = HLDS 3.1.1.1 = BAD! - I presume if you're running HL based servers off linux steam then you're going to be stuck with HLDS 3.1.1.1 - the build that performs 3 times worse than it's predecessor and also, ironically, 3 times worse than it's Win32 equivalent.... I haven't seen the news item about Microsoft buying out VALVe to help beat back their main server OS compeditor, but it must be around somewhere...
o) No concurrency for wonid/steamid once you move to a 'steam' server - For server ops this is painfully bad.. you have to either (a) switch and hope your user base comes with you or (b) wait a bit and hope your userbase waits with you... either way it's a loose loose situation for server ops.. I guarantee that they will loose player-base because of it.
o) Poor performance for modem users. - I wonder why Steam doesn't check to see if you already have HL etc installed and copy the local ones into the cache, then compare that with the online one and only patch/download changes instead of the 'full download of products'. Maybe this is one of the 'secret' things they've been holdin back for release... but it hasn't even been attempted in any beta's that I've been in so I wouldn't hold my breath.... That means gigs of data to be downloaded by everyone to play on steam... stupid and completely unnecessary and something that's just going to cause the bulk of the modem userbase to switch to other games. (I stand to be corrected on this as I haven't really played with the last Beta)
As I said before.. I love the concept... the implementation that I've seen in any of the beta's I've been involved in has been less than stellar.
joev.
Aside from that, I like this new change <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->
btw, the beta didn't import the HL directory, but the final version does.
ps: if my english was better I'd probably write more about it <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif'><!--endemo-->
And I only had a few problems with WON over the years ;/