Valve Steam Can’t Follow Simple Commands
Valve’s Steam software is one of the few programs that allows you to download games online and play right on your computer. Downloading to play with unlimited redownloads makes perfect sense. Why kill trees and make paper boxes with plastic discs you’re just going to lose next time you move anyhow? Downloading is the only acceptable distribution model for bytes in the 21st century. Unfortunately, Valve’s Steam software sucks.
I’m not even talking about the customer hostile DRM or the constant calling home annoyance. No, it’s the program’s basic functionality I have got a problem with. Today I booted up Windows for the first time in months to try to get an hour of Fallout 3 before going to bed, something well deserved after a long work day. Alas, it was not to be. Without asking me Steam began downloading an enormous update for Fallout the moment I started the computer.
I checked online and found out that there were no updates to Fallout 3 I needed. The most recent update did fix a few bugs, but nothing critical enough that it couldn’t wait until next time I played.
So naturally I right clicked the update in Steam and selected “Pause update”. That didn’t seem to work too well – Steam showed me a permanent “Download stopping…” indicator while in the background it continued to download the update anyhow.
I clicked “Launch Game”. Got a popup saying the game will be ready to play in “approximately 40 minutes”. Apparently Steam didn’t get the message when I paused the update. Okay, so I thought I would be a little more clear. I right clicked the game and selected “Properties” and then turned off automatic updates for the game. That froze the software. I killed it and restarted it. The setting had saved when I checked in properties again but the download continued anyhow.
So in my infinite patience I went into “Offline” mode. Surely it would give up on the idea of downloading updates if it wasn’t even online. I restarted. Tried to launch the game and it told me the game couldn’t be run.
I opened up the Steam folder and deleted a random “AppUpdateStats” file. No dice. Steam still refused to start the game.
At the end of the day all I got to do was to write an angry blog posting instead of getting to play even a minute – the update still isn’t done – because of an update I don’t even want and ultimately because Valve has managed to create the first downloader program in history without a working cancel button.
As a user I have to say it’s enormously frustrating when a computer program does not do what I tell it to. As a software developer I have to say I’m disappointed that a program that could have been such a natural success and fit right into the 21st century is being developed with so little common sense. How hard is it to write a downloader?
You know, Bethesda Softworks did an ok job at creating a game of the year without doing much work. But technology like the Source engine and Steam digital distributive service belongs to Valve, and other companies don’t go an extra mile in working with Valve to release updates, companies like Bethesda Softworks and Activision with large games like Fallout 3 and Call of Duty: World at War. As a steam user you have to utilize that privilege by taking all the advantages like the Steam Community, and the Steam Forums 90% of the time you can find the solution to the common problems with Steam.
While I’m still waiting for my game to update for the last 2 hours ( slow connection), I still cannot believe steam will not allow me to play the friggin (paid-for and registered) game until all updates are installed and happy. Your s.o.l. if you dont have internet or slow connection. It still wont work in offline mode. Whats worse is all I see is valid complaints about steam sine 2003 or some shit like that. year upon year of complaints. WTF??. this is my fist and last steam enabled game. no-more bullshit. All other aspects of steam maybe just really really great and peachy for net users or what ever—but if you cannot play the paid-for game when ever you damn please, updated or not , whats the friggin point.??? How is it possible that this has been going on for so long? Its a fundamental issue !!! Not a bug. Dont tell me a hight-speed internet connection is required to play. The box only says activation required through steam. been there done that. bottom line their is no way arount this issue—offline–updates disabled–bla bla it still doesn’t work- Year after year Steam Sucks.
Steam fine. I have never encouterd 1 Problem. This is the FIRST Time i have seen somthing negitive about it. Its fine, Great and easy to use.
STEAM is anti consumer. it sucks.