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Comment on Yep, I actually own 7,255 games on Steam. I’ve played 23% of my library. I regret nothing.

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Ulrich@feddit.org ⁨3⁩ ⁨days⁩ 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.

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Dyskolos@lemmy.zip ⁨3⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago
Gog does it, but Gog only offers a mere fraction of what Steam has. Also your example of BL2 is not on gog either. For that reason.

Sure, Valve could enforce that, but…as said…why? They already offer the option for different versions. If the devs don’t use that, they will have their reasons. The biggest one i mentioned before: Fragmentation and the resulting nightmare of customer-support. On steam’s AND the dev’s side. Look at the Android or Windows-market. Someone complaining “my windows sucks”, but still uses Windows Vista. Or people screaming for support because “my favourite app doesn’t work” and use android 10.

Don’t get me wrong, personally I’d value the freedom of choice. But the vast majority of people are clueless (and still use those devices) and need to be “guided”. Every system gets dumbed down to the lowest common denominator. That’s why apple does so well (besides the “brand”-shit ofc).

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- Ulrich@feddit.org ⁨3⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago
  
  Gog does it, but Gog only offers a mere fraction of what Steam has.
  
  And that matters for the purposes of this conversation why?
  
  Sure, Valve could enforce that, but…as said…why?
  
  I explained why in my first comment. It’s why we’re talking in the first place.
  
  Fragmentation and the resulting nightmare of customer-support. On steam’s AND the dev’s side.
  
  I don’t see it. Neither of them have to support old versions.
  
  But the vast majority of people are clueless (and still use those devices) and need to be “guided”.
  
  No they don’t. If people are clueless, they don’t need to utilize this feature. It’s call an “option”.
  
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  - Dyskolos@lemmy.zip ⁨2⁩ ⁨days⁩ ago
    Just because YOU don’t see why support on both sides hate fragmentation, doesn’t matter. They do nonetheless for very obvious reasons unless you are very alien to tech.
    
    And yes, people do need guidance. If they’re not forced to update, they rarely do. And then they complain shit’s not working. People don’t read manuals, FAQs, guidelines and also they don’t update unless forced to (or strooongly motivated or just nagged to death). I’ve been in this industry for nearly 4 decades now. From all sides. The average Joe or Jane is the worst.
    
    And yeah sure, it doesn’t matter at all for some games. You play the version you want and it’s all fine. But either you offer this option (which steam does BTW, as mentioned before) or you don’t. If you don’t, maaaany devs would be going to use another platform. Maybe fucking EPIC. That’d be grand.
    
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