Steam - The Definitive Gaming Platform9211594
Gaming has redefined itself constantly more than the years, pushing boundaries by no means thought possible - Not just technically, but socially, economically and even spiritually.
Computer gaming has always been at the forefront of such advancement, although recently our beloved platform of option has been frequently overlooked in favour of a more casual gaming audience - That of the common Console owner. Do not get me incorrect, consoles are great in what they can accomplish and also have their fair share of enthusiast titles. The underlining problem 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 in a position to capitalise on the Pc 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 definitely helped make WOW a massive achievement. Real Time Technique and to some extent, First Individual Shooters are still both premier Pc gaming examples, though the benefit the Computer Gamer has in these areas is slowly evaporating.
Taking MMORPG's out of the picture, 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 big Computer Franchises, It all seems rather ominous. Or does it?
Valve on many 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 always been an simple task.* Early implementations of Steam were met with fierce opposition. Individuals by their very nature do not like change, I am just glad Valve had been persistent, pushing past the numerous bugs, poor press and competition, 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 Computer Gaming, and they are probably right. Nothing comes close in terms of functionality, appeal and usefulness to Computer gamers.
Merely put, Steam is an sophisticated digital distribution platform which allows gamers to download games, play online, produce and participate in numerous unique gaming communities all with the capability to auto update itself and any Steam supported game you have.
The seminal update ability and the way it has been implemented by Valve is probably the most unique and evolutionary aspect of the Steam platform. The Supply engine has been in a position to continually evolve, powering games such as Group Fortress 2: A ideal instance 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 concept and the hardware it runs on.
