Steam on Linux - worth diving in?

[topper]

I had been wondering when this would come out, and now it's here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-21471974

This opens up a new world to me (I only run Linux desktops).

Even though I'm not sure I'll buy much new stuff, I've wanted Steam for a while in order to get updates for old games like the original Half-Life. But is there any reason to avoid Steam? DRM / whatever?

Put another way, is it generally considered "evil" vs boxed product?

[Golgo]

It's hugely convenient but probably not much less evil/invasive/controlling than the Windows against which Gabe is so 'heroically' campaigning with this Linux version of Steam.

[sj33]

There's obviously no getting around the fact that Steam is DRM (albeit, one that attempts to have 'added value' features and services).

But Steam has become an unavoidable reality for PC gaming, and Steam sales have probably resulted in me buying games that I wouldn't have previously bought. I use Steam on Windows, and also have the Linux client installed on my netbook (running Linux Mint 14) so I can access my Steam friendlist.

Steam for Linux is rather decent, identical to the Windows client but obviously with less games. All Linux games on Steam support something called Steam Play which means that your Linux purchases will also be available on Windows and Mac (and vice versa) as long as the game is available for that OS.

I'm very much against DRM, but I'd give it a go if I were you - an excuse to check out the Valve backcatalogue.

[topper]

Well, they seem not to support Debian, only Ubuntu (despite Debian being the rock on which Ubuntu is built), so I can't take advantage yet.

Sad when a dev tries to support Linux, but doesn't quite grok the ecosystem. It would be *trivial* for them to build a Debian release.

Also, why is it an unavoidable reality, given that physical product is still on sale, and hasn't gone away yet?

[sj33]

Also, why is it an unavoidable reality, given that physical product is still on sale, and hasn't gone away yet?

Because the vast majority of physical PC games these days actually use a middleware called Steamworks, which means that the game actually installs through Steam. For publishers, there are many advantages e.g. easier to release patches.

[topper]

To me that's shocking. I'm so out of the loop, and in a way I'm glad I am.

I swear, I'm going to complete my previous-gen collection (and current-gen when it becomes previous), and there will be enough gaming pleasure there to last me the rest of my life, without me being shoved around by big companies (excuse the exaggeration / poetic licence).

(Offtopic: I've been watching a great TV science series from the 80s - The Day the Universe Changed, and in the last episode I watched, James Burke talks about the time when the consumers and producers started to become separated, and now consumers can't look after their needs if they had to. This is how I feel about the above... Highly recommended viewing. )

[sj33]

I have a love-hate relationship with Steam. I hate DRM in all its forms, and certainly hate the gradual shift towards online-only gaming.

On the other hand, I've bought so many recent AAA games through Steam on sales for a couple of quid a pop.

[Brad]

Drm is bad but at least steam seems solid.

[speedlolita]

Steam is SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO much better than at launch, and even a few years after that. I've no reason not to be happy with it and I despise DRM.