Steam - The Definitive Gaming Platform7477446
Gaming has redefined itself constantly more than the years, pushing boundaries never believed possible - Not just technically, but socially, economically and even spiritually.
Computer gaming has usually been at the forefront of such advancement, although lately our beloved platform of option has been frequently overlooked in favour of a much more casual gaming audience - That of the common Console owner. Don't get me incorrect, consoles are great in what they can achieve and also have their fair share of enthusiast titles. The underlining issue is that the core gaming market is made primarily of casual gamers or the media's perception of what defines a core gamer. Nintendo's wii is a testament to how popular casual gaming has become.
Blizzard have been able to capitalise on the Computer as the premier MMORPG platform for its WOW franchise. Making full use of a PC's capability to establish multiple social networking services to compliment a game has certainly helped make WOW a huge success. Real Time Technique and to some extent, First Individual Shooters are nonetheless each premier Pc gaming examples, although the benefit the Computer Gamer has in these areas is slowly evaporating.
Taking MMORPG's out of the image, the state of Pc gaming is at a bit of a crossroads. Console Port after port, Infinite versions of The Sims, Poor retail sales for large Computer Franchises, It all seems rather ominous. Or does it?
Valve on numerous occasions have publicly embraced the Computer as their platform of option. Pushing the boundaries of modern gaming and gaining acceptance in the enthusiast community has not usually been an simple task.* Early implementations of Steam had been met with fierce opposition. Individuals by their very nature do not like change, I am just glad Valve had been persistent, pushing previous the various bugs, bad press and competitors, making the Steam platform as it is today.
First we require to establish what Steam is in the first location. Valve defines Steam as the Nexus of Pc Gaming, and they are probably correct. Absolutely nothing comes close in terms of functionality, appeal and usefulness to Pc gamers.
Merely place, Steam is an advanced digital distribution platform which allows gamers to download games, play online, create and participate in multiple distinctive gaming communities all with the ability to auto update itself and any Steam supported game you have.
The seminal update capability and the way it has been implemented by Valve is most likely the most distinctive and evolutionary aspect of the Steam platform. The Source engine has been in a position to continually evolve, powering games such as Group Fortress 2: A ideal example of how a game can be influenced by the gaming community and continue to develop beyond the original implementation. This is all thanks to the Steam idea and the hardware it runs on.
