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Is Steam any good??

B

bigpoppamac31

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Aug 16, 2007
2,462
447
Canada
I've been a Mac user all my life but am new to the Mac in terms of games. I finally have a Mac that can decently handle games (2011 MBP 15") and am wondering if it's any good. I've heard a bit about it and have gone to their website. I'm no hardcore gamer by any means but I'd like to put my shiny new MBP to the test. ;) Any thoughts or suggestions?
 
Steam is a great service and used by a lot of people out there both PC and Mac gamers. It's got a very good reputation. Whilst the selection of Mac games is not as big as the PC ones there is a good selection. Also any game that can be played on both platforms gives you access to both when you buy them. There are a selection of games on there that ask for different levels of system requirements. There are also a few free games plus they often have limited time sales and deals where they take a big chink of the normal price. I would definitely recommend them.
 
aziatiklover said:
Steam is just awesome I don't have to go to any stores to pick up my games and plus I can get them cheaper.
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Are you just playing the Mac games or do you have Windows so you can play any or all of the games? I don't think i want to spend my money and energy putting Windows on my Mac but I wish some of the Windows only titles would be available on the Mac as well.
 
miles01110 said:
Then it wouldn't be a Windows-only title. Even so it doesn't really matter; usually if there are versions for OS X and Windows and you buy one you can download it in the other OS for free.

However, if you want to play Windows games you'll need Windows.
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LOL Yes i know. I'm just saying it would be cool if those Windows only games were ported over to the Mac side. I'd rather not fuss with Windows but if I did go down that road could I install Windows on an "opti-bay" hard drive using bootcamp?
 
Mr.C said:
That's strange. Mine always install in the applications folder.
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I don't have steam on this Mac, but I'm pretty sure they're basically just shortcuts that launch the program which is installed your Application Support folder. But then I may be wrong since I haven't used Steam for months and months since my only Intel Mac died...
 
Jethryn Freyman said:
I don't have steam on this Mac, but I'm pretty sure they're basically just shortcuts that launch the program which is installed your Application Support folder. But then I may be wrong since I haven't used Steam for months and months since my only Intel Mac died...
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I suspect you might be right and I may have assumed that because they showed up in the Apps folder that's where they were installed. I guess it's not something I've thought about.
 
aziatiklover said:
Mac and most games that I like are on both platforms! :D
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Fair enough. There are some games I wish they would make for both like the Need For Speed series, NBA 2K series and there's a game called Cities XL 2011 which to me looks really good. But all those are Windows only unless I get them on the PS3 which I only have cause my friend left his with me while he is away.
 
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Let's not overlook the saga of installing updates for Steam itself (see my posts in the other topics in this forum).

My problem finally fixed itself spontaneously after I had repeated the same process about 20 times without variation. WTF.

Steam is great when it works. I like the concept and it enhances Mac gaming. But, my God, it can **** you to tears...:mad:
 
Unlike the previous poster, I've never had an install problem with Steam. Just show's that everyone's experience is different.

As other's have mentioned, overall Steam is a great service. Easy to use, keeps track of your library, stats, statistics, online friends, and much more.

Someone pointed out cheap games through sales. Literally, there is always some promotion when games (or a series) go on sale. Every day!
Plus, there's the dreaded Steam sales (one around Christmas, other at the beginning of summer), when game publishers offer stellar discounts via Steam.
 
I've been using it since 2003/4 and I've never had a problem with it. There are loads of things I'd change - like reducing the number of additional DirectX installs (version+filechecks should render those unnecessary) on Windows, and it could be easier to install, defrag and check multiple games.

Brilliant delivery platform, certainly the best available (thank you Steamworks!).
 
Jethryn Freyman said:
It's excellent, although I don't like how it stores installed games in your home directory instead of in the Applications folder...
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The Steam Folder that holds Steam games can be put anywhere you want...
See Steaming Your Mac MacRumors Guide or go straight to the MacRumors Symbolic Link (Moving Steam Content).

If you can accept the control that Valve exerts over Steam, then it is ok. Sometime you can have offline/online issues and no Steam games (Valve games or Steam downloaded games) can be resold as used.
 
Yup.

And you don't have to buy Windows games and Mac games separately. If you, say, buy VVVVVV on your Mac, you also have the Windows version.

Your games (or shortcuts to games at least) are installed at your ~/Applications folder (The Applications folder in your home directory, not your root). Double-click any game at that directory, and it will open Steam, triggering to start the game as if you clicked on a game at your Steam games library.

All games go through Steam, kinda a DRM, but all the sales make up for it!

Just a few days ago, RIFT, down from 20 euros to 5 euros (75%!). Just a daily deal, only available 24 hours. You'll get more of those things happening once in a while...
 
It would be nice if all the games were played within Steam. Then it wouldn't matter if it was for Windows or Mac. They would just run within the Steam app and I could download and play whatever game I wanted and I wouldn't; have to buy Windows to get those games.
 
I got it after seeing the CNet thing here for Portal1 for free. It runs pretty nicely, seems to be a cool concept. Not sure if I'll start buying games because of it, but who knows.
 
bigpoppamac31 said:
It would be nice if all the games were played within Steam. Then it wouldn't matter if it was for Windows or Mac. They would just run within the Steam app and I could download and play whatever game I wanted and I wouldn't; have to buy Windows to get those games.
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Steam is like a game central, but it's up to the individual developers to make the game pc, mac, or pc/mac compatible. Most Mac users don't want to have anything to do with Windows, but some are willing to deal with it to expand their gaming horizons. I'm of the latter. :)
 
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