Rumor: id to go with Steam [update 1]
by Ross Miller 
{ Aug 3rd 2007 at 1:57PM }
Update: This news has been confirmed.The latest murmurings from this weekend's QuakeCon suggest that id Software will be announcing a deal with Valve to distribute titles via Steam. Quakecon is currently going strong and lasts until August 5.
Should such a deal surface, it'd be interesting to see game engine competitors working together for distribution. However, since Half-Life was developed using a modified version of id's Quake engine, it's as if the Circle of Life is coming together.
Other rumors from QuakeCon include a return to the Commander Keen franchise as a flagpole for their id Tech 5 engine ... okay, we just made that up, but we can dream, right?
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
copa @ Aug 3rd 2007 2:01PM
With all of the discontent that some third-pary developers are voicing about Unreal Engine, why isn't ID a player in the console market to offer a competitive alternative?
Word of the street. @ Aug 3rd 2007 3:47PM
I wonder that too,Isnt time for ID to develop a new engine?.I loved the Quake engine back in the time.
Eric B @ Aug 3rd 2007 2:01PM
Ew. I understand Steam but the idea was executed so poorly. 3.6GB just so I can INSTALL games that are 2GB each? That's just stupid.
g0atbutt @ Aug 3rd 2007 2:08PM
Eric B, I don't think you know what you're talking about.
Sure steam has its quirks, but it's actually quite nice to use.
E.J. @ Aug 3rd 2007 2:14PM
Why must you tease us with things we can't have, Rosco? A new-gen Commander Keen would be a dream come true!
Heck, if they trickle-released the episodes on XBLA/PSN, I'd be all over it!
kevinski @ Aug 3rd 2007 2:17PM
I like Steam, but I wish that it allowed me to register other games that're sold through the service and not necessarily made by Valve. It's a shame that I can't register my Call of Duty games through Steam so I can simply pack my installation discs away.
By the way, I'm feeling a bit cheated with Steam after having signed up for GameTap. Some of the games that're sold at full price on Steam are available on GameTap. And I'm actually finding that GameTap is a much better value, especially with all of Capcom's arcade fighting games that're available.
Commander Keen @ Aug 3rd 2007 2:21PM
Fuck Steam!
ZippyDSMlee @ Aug 3rd 2007 2:34PM
ID=crappy dev
Steam=Crappy DRM Digi distro
they somehow fit well together.
Word of the street. @ Aug 3rd 2007 3:46PM
Since when ID is a crappy DEV?.Doom 3 kicked ass.
I like ID and Steam toghether they could be my Bread and butter or in the worst case Dead skunk and Dog shit.
Commander Keen @ Aug 3rd 2007 4:17PM
Agreed
Like i said before, Fuck Steam! and now Fuck iTunes!
Shagittarius @ Aug 3rd 2007 2:31PM
Fuck Digital Distribution...Although I do like that after I have the box edition in my hand and registered that I can download the game from anywhere.
Megaqwerty @ Aug 3rd 2007 2:39PM
You must be pretty fond of floppies, eh?
Steam, while not actually, uh, streamlined, is definitely helping the industry, showing that digital distribution is not only viable, but the future: it's cheaper for them and it's, ultimately, cheaper for you.
Charron @ Aug 3rd 2007 3:48PM
And, it lets old games get a second wind. Psychonauts, for a classic example, is out of print. They're done making CDs, it's not going to show up on shelves. But you can still buy it on Steam or GameTap. Not only is it cheaper for the developers, it lets their games continue to sell ad nauseum. Really, the only party that theoretically loses out is publishers, but they've got their own categories on Steam, so they're not at a complete loss. (And retailers, but start selling Steam Prepaid Cards or something and they're back in the game.)
Shagittarius @ Aug 3rd 2007 4:40PM
Sorry I happen to like packaging and all the goodies that come in a box product. I dread the day that digital distribution is the norm. I will probably buy less games when that happens beacuse it will no longer be 'collecting' them.
Shawn D @ Aug 3rd 2007 2:41PM
Some of you people are nuckin futs I tell you!!
STEAM is great and hands down the best delivery system in gaming period. With the new community update, STEAM hopefully looks to steamroll over MS's Live service, which needs to happen at least in the PC side of things.
With STEAM, it's just so convenient being able to have all your games under one account. The only thing the games are tied to is your username, not your hardware, so I fail to see how STEAM is using DRM, which it isn't. I use my STEAM account on three separate computers, all having the same games on them under one account, that's flippin awsome. fuck all the haters.
I'm glad Id is signing with STEAM, I welcome it.
Nathan M @ Aug 3rd 2007 6:01PM
Actually, I wouldn't be surprised if Steam was using DRM, but they've got a superior DRM scheme that actually allows for fair use.
brokenscope @ Aug 4th 2007 8:29AM
Steam is no more DRM then WON was.
You can trick it to play your games in single player, but in the end you have to authenticate to play online.
ZippyDSMlee @ Aug 4th 2007 8:33PM
I dunno using online to to make the game fully playable is a DRM,you can crack steam games like any other to get them to kinda work in SP mode but in order to get updates or fixes or anything you have to join.
Jose @ Aug 3rd 2007 3:06PM
I was going to say something, but Shawn D already said it all.
Also, the Steam community is going to work in all Steam games, whether Valve's first party or 3rd party games like whatever Id or Eidos might offer. Steam will only get more popular, so some competition is needed to keep them in check. Gametap is the only thing keeping Steam (somewhat) honest.
tcc3 @ Aug 3rd 2007 3:13PM
Don't tease me with new Commander Keen. I'd love to fie up the "Bean with Bacon Mega Rocket" for a new 3-d adventure.
Hell I'd take a high falutin, pretty graphics 2-d adventure.
Sam @ Aug 3rd 2007 3:21PM
In my experience, most of the people who "hate Steam" just don't understand it, and they're making a lot of negative assumptions about how it works. These are the most common misconceptions:
1. On Steam you don't really "own" the game, if you delete it, it's gone.
Wrong. The games you buy are permanently tied to your Steam account. You can download your games as many times as you want to as many computers as you want. And each time you do it, the game is downloaded, installed, and patched automatically. It's much less hassle than changing disks and looking for patches.
2. With Steam you can't "hold the game in your hand" like you can with the store bought version.
Wrong. Steam lets you back up your game files so you can burn them to disk.
3. You have to be signed into Steam to play your Steam-bought games.
Wrong. The program always prompts you to login, but you can bypass that and still play your games offline. There's also a "Go Offline" option in the menus.
4. You don't get a manual with Steam games.
Yes and no. For most of the games I've purchased I have an option to call up a full digital manual, so long as I'm in online mode. I wish that Valve enforced full manuals with every game, and made them part of the game download.
Anam @ Aug 3rd 2007 3:34PM
I admit to not understanding Steam, but the problem I had with it (which may or may not be my own fault) is that it wouldn't shut off once I installed it. It was interferring with other programs and there seemed to be no way to quit the program.
I just got rid of it altogether and haven't messed around with it since (I have a Mac now, so I don't even have a choice anyway).
Please feel free to enlighten me if I was just not doing it right or something.
Sam @ Aug 3rd 2007 3:40PM
It will run in the Windows system tray by default. If you right-click the tray icon and choose "Exit", it will close. I could see how that would be annoying if you didn't know.
Anam @ Aug 3rd 2007 3:43PM
Hmm... it seems like I would have tried that, but this was over a year ago, so I don't remember.
Anyway, thanks for pointing it out.
Shagittarius @ Aug 3rd 2007 4:45PM
1. On Steam you don't really "own" the game, if you delete it, it's gone.
Wrong. The games you buy are permanently tied to your Steam account. You can download your games as many times as you want to as many computers as you want. And each time you do it, the game is downloaded, installed, and patched automatically. It's much less hassle than changing disks and looking for patches.
**1 - Wrong once the company removes those games from the server you can no longer download them.
2. With Steam you can't "hold the game in your hand" like you can with the store bought version.
Wrong. Steam lets you back up your game files so you can burn them to disk.
**2 - Wrong. People are talking about a real box product not a fucking burned DVD.
3. You have to be signed into Steam to play your Steam-bought games.
Wrong. The program always prompts you to login, but you can bypass that and still play your games offline. There's also a "Go Offline" option in the menus.
**3 - Wrong. You do have to be singed in to play online.
4. You don't get a manual with Steam games.
Yes and no. For most of the games I've purchased I have an option to call up a full digital manual, so long as I'm in online mode. I wish that Valve enforced full manuals with every game, and made them part of the game download.
Wrong and Fucking Wrong. I don't want a digitally distributed manual.
tcc3 @ Aug 3rd 2007 10:55PM
Damn Shag, you have to sign in to play online? What a burden.
When are lazy/evil developers going to let you play online, except offline?
Its all a scam i tell you. The voices I hear on the radio in my teeth told me.
Daylon Schindler @ Aug 3rd 2007 3:30PM
Ha, that' awesome for me, as I own a LAN center with a license to have all Steam games for the same subscription price no matter what. =]
ZippyDSMlee @ Aug 3rd 2007 3:45PM
The main reason why steam fails is because the net is required to install/play and because of that I refuse to touch it if they sold games at 50% of retail I could see it eing worth while but in fact they want retail price or more most of the time this is unacceptable I dislike the notion of disposable games D2D is much better value no DRM once you download it you can put it on any media and play the games without the net.
Now until they make steam be fully off line with no registration to download or retail games I will boyycot it,as I do not own the game I am only allowed to have it for as long as they wish I have it.
Commander Keen @ Aug 3rd 2007 4:32PM
Good for you Shawn Dick, oh i mean Shawn D,sorry. So you love using steam, Awwwwwwwwwww! that's great. (Happy thoughts)
As for me, Fuck Steam! Pure Shit!
ZippyDSMlee @ Aug 3rd 2007 4:39PM
Word of the street.
Ya? Look at Doom 3 and tell me its better than doom all it is is a freaking horror flick its not even a game the way they made it the level design is poor and the weapon design realistic and bland.
Quake 4 is the same, level design that sets gaming back a decade and bland realistic weapons,hell if you compare Q2 and Q4 ,Q2 is more advanced (item belt,level design,enemy design)for christ sake WTF are devs doing,there is only so much pandering to mainstream I can handle before I say tilt,even prey and HL2 are mediocre compared to HL,Unreal and Unding and even Duke3d and blood ,where is the complex level design of the late 90s where is the innovative gameplay and fun weapons designs?
ID much like epic and value has sold out and there games show it they are bland(sin) incomplete(HL2) mediocre(Q4) mainstreamed(UT03-04) games that are shallow compared to the games they use to make.
If you are happy with cheaply made shallow 50$ games then by all means support them, some of us think they can do better.
Jose @ Aug 3rd 2007 6:56PM
I think you can do better with your punctuation and grammar.
ZippyDSMlee @ Aug 3rd 2007 7:04PM
Jose
zippy needs bwwaaiinnssss :P
Yes my grammar sucks my points might be OTT to,but I dislike weak watered down mainstream games so much >>