Ulrich

Why a dedicated backup server instead of just backing up to a local file that can then be backed up to a service of choice?

Also for profiles, it would make more sense to use Bluetooth to detect a vehicle or WiFi to detect when you’re home vs. Geofencing or Android Auto or speed. How can it tell when you leave the geofence if the GPS is off?

in the Linux world, 8GB is fine

Yeahhhhh no

It doesn’t matter if you prefer offline or not or that you CAN play solo, it is online coop.

Of course it does?

Hence it begs the question whether it’s the platform’s fault per se.

There is no question. GOG is proof that you can do it. Therefore if others don’t do it, it’s their fault.

Once again, all of this is beside the point. The point is that those games are effectively gone.

Why would you think another company doing it better makes Valve not responsible? I don’t understand the logic.

As BL2 offers online-coop, and is also the major selling point of that game, a fragmented market is impossible.

…no? It’s not. You don’t have to play it online.

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”.

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.

1. GOG already does this and it’s not a problem.
2. 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. Besides, the how or why do not matter, the point is the games are gone.

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.

So it’s the fault of the delivery-device?

…yeah? Of course it is.

Why didn’t you make a backup of an older version just in case?

I pay Steam to do that.

Besides, last time I checked, you can. With a bit more hassle.

Not interested.

All not the case for a “live” online-game. Which borderlands wants to be.

That’s exactly the problem.

And since Steam won’t let you play older versions, those games are effectively dead.

That is what firewalls and sinkholes are for. Stupid telemetry.

That shouldn’t be necessary and is beside the point.

The whole industry goes to shit, but it’s not steam’s fault.

1. Steam has the clout to fight back against this
2. As I already mentioned, it is partially because they don’t allow you to run older versions of games.

The most recent ones I’ve noticed are Riders Republic and Borderlands 2. Helldivers also introduced a bunch of new microtransactions years after it’s launch.

Oh well if you haven’t experienced it, it must not exist then 🤷

You 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.

I mean maybe if YT said that? The only thing they said is that it’s “harmful” somehow. And they won’t elaborate anymore than that.