Why do I play all these games? Because it’s important that they’re played.

Because every game is a story, a world, a moment in time crafted by someone who cared enough to create it.

Because each one teaches me something new—about design, about culture, about myself.

Because in a sea of pixels, there’s magic waiting to be found.

And because, honestly? Sometimes I just want to escape, explore, and lose myself in different worlds.

So yeah. I own thousands of games, and I’ll keep playing them.

  • Ulrich@feddit.orgEnglish
    3·
    10 months ago

    That is what firewalls and sinkholes are for. Stupid telemetry.

    That shouldn’t be necessary and is beside the point.

    The whole industry goes to shit, but it’s not steam’s fault.

    1. Steam has the clout to fight back against this
    2. As I already mentioned, it is partially because they don’t allow you to run older versions of games.
    • skulblaka@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
      1·
      10 months ago

      […] because they don’t allow you to run older versions of games.

      They do if the dev makes it available, I’m looking at four different versions of Terraria in the beta menu right now that stretch back four major versions. I’m pretty sure a couple games in my library somewhere have their entire update history in there, though I can’t think of one to name off the top of my head right now, that’s not a feature I use very often. [Edit: Rift Wizard is one that does precisely this, I knew I had at least one in here]

      This is not true of all games, but it could be, either directly by game devs without Valve even having to care, or via pressure by Valve by just making older versions available whether the devs want it or not. I think the latter option is probably the better move, but there’s technically nothing stopping the former other than the game devs themselves.

      There’s also a valid argument that making downpatching very easy would be a huge boon to piracy. This is a reasonable talking point no matter which side of that fence you sit on. It would also probably benefit modding as well, which I think is a more objective good but some game developers or more likely publishers would probably disagree.

      • Ulrich@feddit.orgEnglish
        1·
        10 months ago

        They do if the dev makes it available

        That shouldn’t be their decision.

        I’m looking at four different versions of Terraria

        Literally never seen that before. I think I see if the dev pushing their 4th update that day and now I have to wait a half an hour to play the damn game.

        downpatching very easy would be a huge boon to piracy.

        Not my problem. Guess I’d better just pirate the game instead.

      • Ulrich@feddit.orgEnglish
        1·
        10 months ago

        Firewalls and especially sinkholes are VERY necessary

        You misread my comment. I didn’t say they weren’t necessary.

        Imagine 1 million clueless gamers running an older version of their game because they’re too lazy too update.

        1. GOG already does this and it’s not a problem.
        2. It updates automatically but you can choose to roll it back at any time.

        how should online games work if every Joe and Jane got their “own” favorite version?

        Not talking about online games. Besides, the how or why do not matter, the point is the games are gone.

        Also, you can install an older version. Just with more hassles.

        I pay Steam to deal with the hassles. I am not a software engineer.

        But, of course, only indie devs do that.

        Valve has the power to enforce this system-wide.

          • Ulrich@feddit.orgEnglish
            1·
            10 months ago

            Gog does it, but Gog only offers a mere fraction of what Steam has.

            And that matters for the purposes of this conversation why?

            Sure, Valve could enforce that, but…as said…why?

            I explained why in my first comment. It’s why we’re talking in the first place.

            Fragmentation and the resulting nightmare of customer-support. On steam’s AND the dev’s side.

            I don’t see it. Neither of them have to support old versions.

            But the vast majority of people are clueless (and still use those devices) and need to be “guided”.

            No they don’t. If people are clueless, they don’t need to utilize this feature. It’s call an “option”.