FYI if seems you can access older versions of Steam games, it’s just a bit hacky
Comment on Yep, I actually own 7,255 games on Steam. I’ve played 23% of my library. I regret nothing.
Ulrich@feddit.org 3 weeks agoYou can still play it but increasingly games are becoming very different from what you bought.
I’ve started noticing a disturbing trend. More and more games that are older being sold at steep discounts or “free to play” and simultaneously jampacked with invasive telemetry and/or ads/microtransactions. And since Steam won’t let you play older versions, those games are effectively dead.
smeg@feddit.uk 3 weeks ago
Ulrich@feddit.org 3 weeks ago
If I want hacky, I’ll go pirate the game. I pay for them so I don’t need a computer science degree to play them.
Dyskolos@lemmy.zip 3 weeks ago
That is what firewalls and sinkholes are for. Stupid telemetry.
Yet I never noticed such a “trend” in direct combination with steam. The whole industry goes to shit, but it’s not steam’s fault.
Ulrich@feddit.org 3 weeks ago
The whole industry goes to shit, but it’s not steam’s fault.
- Steam has the clout to fight back against this
- As I already mentioned, it is partially because they don’t allow you to run older versions of games.
Dyskolos@lemmy.zip 3 weeks ago
Firewalls and especially sinkholes are VERY necessary, far beyond silly game telemetry.
They don’t allow this for a good reason. Imagine 1 million clueless gamers running an older version of their game because they’re too lazy too update. And, of course, then complain about a buggy game and the tech-support will drown even more and review would end up more badly. nothing worse than a fragmented game-world. how should online games work if every Joe and Jane got their “own” favorite version? the average user is a total clueless (pc-wise) person.
Also, you can install an older version. Just with more hassles. Also you could by GUI with many games IF the Dev wants you to be able to. Like a select few versions, if you’d prefer an older state. But, of course, only indie devs do that.
Ulrich@feddit.org 3 weeks 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.
- GOG already does this and it’s not a problem.
- 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.
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.
skulblaka@sh.itjust.works 3 weeks 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.
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.org 3 weeks 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.
atomicpoet@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
Out of the thousands of games I have, not once have I noticed anything like you describe.
Ulrich@feddit.org 3 weeks ago
Oh well if you haven’t experienced it, it must not exist then 🤷
atomicpoet@lemmy.world 3 weeks ago
I mean, if it’s a trend, you’d think I would have noticed it by now.
Ulrich@feddit.org 3 weeks ago
And I suppose my experience doesn’t count? Or you think I’m making this up?
Hadriscus@jlai.lu 3 weeks ago
hmmm that doesn’t ring a bell here either. Which games do this ?
Ulrich@feddit.org 3 weeks ago
The most recent ones I’ve noticed are Riders Republic and Borderlands 2