Steam Greenlight coming soon(ish)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bUo1PgKksgw
STEλM SUMMER SλLE FλQ
How do I know what to buy?
Check the flowchart.
Are there any crazy achievement things like last time?
Not really. You can check your Steam Profile to see your new Steam Badges, including one for the Summer Sale, but none of it is linked to free games or anything like that.
What's up with this voting stuff?
It looks like more or less each day, everyone gets to vote for what game is going to go on sale that day. We're not sure about the timeline yet. You get a choice of three games.
Are the Publisher Packs going to drop in price?
Probably not. They're basically all $50 and there are some great deals there.
What is this "daily" everyone is talking about?
A daily deal is one that is one sale that day for a special price (listed as "Today's Deal" on Steam's front page, generally). These are as low as any game is likely going to drop during the sale, so if you see something you want that's part of the daily sale, grab it, like the flowchart says.
What about Flash Sales? What are those?
These are sales that last for about 10 hours. They're super cheap and basically they're like short dailies, so if you see anything you want as a flash sale, DEFINITELY grab it.
Steam is super broken and it won't let me buy anything!
Yeah, Steam is like the videogame store equivalent of the Pope showing up in town. Stuff gets pretty... overwhelmed.
Adult Swim + Valve
Coping with Steam: Artistic Commentary on Our Shared Affliction
Most Frequently Asked Questions
1. Steam's search tool is cumbersome and not very informative. Is there a website, other than Steam's, I can go to find out what's on sale?
2. Can I register this copy of (Insert Game Here) on Steam?
Here's a list of games you can register on Steam. You can always add a non-Steam game to your Steam games list, so that people can see you playing it. You can also use this to add your own shortcuts with fake names to your Steam games list to make it look like you're playing Episode 3. Hilarious, right?
3. If I buy a game pack that already includes a game I own, can I gift that game?
Not usually. You're welcome to ask in this thread, although if you Google it it'll probably be answered even faster. Valve games are typically the only packs that let you do this, and even then it sometimes doesn't work.
4. Why isn't {Insert Game Here} available in my horrible little corner of the earth?
Many Steam games might be unavailable in your country if you have the temerity to live outside of the United States. This is not Steam's fault. Regional game availability is determined solely by the publisher, who should be the source of your ire. Gifting works regardless of region so you might find some helpful person in North America who can gift you the game. This very thread is a great place to ask!
5. How do I get an invite to the Penny Arcade Steam group?
The most convenient way is to just post a link to your Steam profile page (getting one of the swank signatures described below makes it easy) and ask for an invite. Just as a word of advice, we tend to prefer that you be a regular contributor to get an invite to the group. The rule of thumb is 6 months of activity on the forums. We are well known for our generosity, and like to make sure any new additions are here for the good of the community, and not to leech during sales. That said, we're a friendly group, so make yourself at home and start posting and you'll be there in no time!
Some Words on Gifting
If you receive a game or pack via a gift or a contest,
remember to thank that person either through a PM or by announcing it in the thread.
This is not optional. We are classy gentlemen and will act as such.
Steam's new gifting features allow you to store up games in your gift bank when you purchase them, instead of having to email yourself the gift link. It'll be an option during checkout.
A few things to remember as a giftee:
1. Make it possible to track you from PA Forums to Steam. A link directly to your steam ID is usually the most convenient. Remember, your Steam ID is different than your steam name. If you just include text to your steam name, we have to search and scroll through 5 pages to find you (and we may not find you if you're not using the same name/avatar combo!).
2. Make it possible to track you from Steam to PA Forums. Best bet is using similar avatar/name. Understandably, some people don't want to do that. In that case, you should have "I'm ______ on Penny Arcade Forums!" in your profile blurb.
Generally speaking, if you're selected for a gift from a stranger on here it will be, usually, one of two ways:
You will either post in the thread (so they will go to your profile to friend you and then to the store to send a gift.
—or—
Someone will want to gift a certain game and go to the store page where you can see everyone who has it on their wishlist.
Also, remember that a gifter can see when you added a game to your wishlist. If you add it on the day of the sale, you might have a smaller chance of being gifted it than someone who has been interested in it since release. Gifters should also make sure they are identifiable from Steam to PA Forums. Some people are shy and are too nervous to message a gifter and say "hey thanks, I have no idea who you are on forums!"
An Important Word on Contests
If you decide to run or participate in a giveaway contest for gift copies of games, please remember that all entry submissions must now be made via PM. The forum mods have stated that pages of the thread being filled with pictures, videos, etc. submitted as contest entries will lead to such contests being banned. So please, for the sake of the thread – take it to PMs.
Helpful Stuff
Steam Mover
Does your Steam library have 800 games? Do you wish you could move some of those games to different hard drives instead of deleting them entirely and then downloading them again when you want to play them?
Steam Mover is here for you.
Steam Price Guide
Do you have the misfortune to live somewhere other than America? Steam hates you! Luckily,
this cool website with prices for Steam games all around the world is here to help, so you can know if you want to ask an American friend to buy the game for you or not. Hint: you probably do.
AussiesYou need this program.
It reconfigures your Windows IPSEC settings (run it as an admin) to block out all but the servers which don't count towards your download quota on Steam. Now supports a bunch of ISPs through a graphical interface.
Basically guarantees you won't add to your download quota with Steam.
Also: Download TCPview:
TCPView
Then, use TCPview to close all Steam TCP servers (this is important, NOT the UDP ones, just the TCP ones). Steam will then reconnect to a different server, which will hopefully get you a better speed. If you don't go faster in a couple of seconds, retry until you get a speed you like.
I've also been told you Aussies might want to try
Angus Wolfcastle's SteamManager. Setting it up is easy is you follow the instructions
here. If you find you're still being charged for your steam downloads, try changing the setting like in
this link here.
Cool Community Add-Ons
Steam Signatures
With such a cool service, someone must have done some extra things to build on it. The forums have one such man, who made some super cool Steam signatures.
Suds is his name and killing is his game. Except for the killing. The signatures automatically use backgrounds for the games and the correct icon. Pretty neat, and they're 100% free!
Sample signature:
Steam CleanerSteam Cleaner is a handy little tool to remove all those .NET installers and DirectX installers and so on that every Steam game downloads because it's apparently 1927 in computer years and nobody has figured out how to let you install a Steam game without going through a 12 step process to reinstall a bunch of stuff you installed yesterday when you played another Steam game.
Steam Calculator
You can also use a script on
his Steam Calculator page to see how much your Steam account would be worth if you had taken advantage of some obscure, arcane combination of special deals that nobody could ever have taken advantage of. Or something sort of like that.
Steam Roulette
Having trouble picking a game out of your burgeoning [strike]backlog[/strike] gamebank to play? Let VicWhiten's
Steam Roulette decide! Just type in your Steam community ID (easier if you set up a custom URL on your Steam profile page), and Steam Roulette will read your library and randomly pick one game every time you hit "Spin the Wheel!" It even connects to Steam to allow you to install or start the game with a single click.
What's All This About "Serving the Newell?"
It started with this comic:
And now it is our unofficial official motto.
Oh, and remember:
//
@HiT BiT made the crab because he is our God-King
Posts
I was gonna say though... After a few games of Dota last night where, much to the dismay of the geese on my teams who just wanted to give up and feed, I helped lead teams that weren't doing too well to victory, I had partied up with some of the people I was playing with and it went a lot better. The other teams still yelled at us a lot, but we were winning and more importantly having fun, so it worked out well.
Couldn't you have bought it at Greenmangaming for 35 percent off?
http://www.greenmangaming.com/s/us/en/pc/games/strategy/sid-meiers-civilization-v-gods-kings/
...I didn't know about that...
Well, until we're blowing through 2 threads a day in raw classiness.
That gets difficult to keep up with.
I'm in the middle of moving to a new house. Everything is still in boxes, etc. Accordingly, I have no intarwebs at home. Moreover, starting tomorrow, we're taking our annual vacation to MiddleOfNowhere, Missouri (one of potentially two times a year we see my parents...a big deal to me, an even bigger deal to my kids and parents). I have no iPhone, and even if I did, reception out there is "spotty" at best.
I am completely out of Steam until ~7/8/12.
Don't tell the Newell. Please. I fear what fate would befall me if he learned that I will likely miss The Sale.
steam://friends/joinchat/103582791429521528
AniList
Because if I could set up myself to auto-join, I'd do it, but I always, always forget to log into any of the PA chats of my own accord.
Super classy giveaway needs to be in the new thread. Entered for Batman!
It's starting Monday. Not sure why people have ever thought otherwise. July 4th is only two days later, and the sales always coincide with major US holidays.
I think this works. Found it on another forum. I personally just bookmarked the chat link.
"Auto Join Chat
-Make a shortcut of Steam.exe
-Put this in the target:
"c:\Program Files\Steam\Steam.exe" steam://friends/joinchat/103582791429521528
-click the shortcut
And if you want to auto join on Windows startup:
-Put the shortcut in your Windows Startup folder (it's on the start menu)
-Uncheck 'run steam when windows starts' in Setttings>interface"
AniList
Make sure your wishlist is updated before you leave. No one misses the sale.
http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=317580&page=240
Lot of good Steamable deals in there.
Try this instead:
http://www.cheapassgamer.com/forums/showpost.php?p=9741800&postcount=4800
Alternatively here it is spoilered in text form:
1. Max Payne 3 - $29.99 (50% off) – This is the Steam version. 50% runs 7/1-7/4 (end of day 7/4) and will then be 33% off through 7/14
2. Spec Ops: The Line - $24.99 (50% off) – Steam activate-able – this will run from 7/1-7/14
3. Syndicate - $14.99 – Origin activate-able – this will run from 7/1-7/14
4. Bioshock Dual Pack (Bioshock 1 + 2) – $7.49 Steam activate-able – this will run from 7/1-7/14
5. X-Com Complete Pack – $2.99 - Steam activate-able – this will run from 7/1-7/14
6. The Darkness II - $12.49 – Steam activate-able – this will run from 7/1-7/14
7. Rockstar Classics Pack - $14.99 – Steam activate-able – this will run from 7/1-7/14
8. Crusader Kings II - $9.99 – Steam activate-able – this will run from 7/1-7/14
9.Plethora of Paradox Games - $19.99 containing (all Steam activateable) runs 7/1-7/7 still building page:
a. Crusader Kings II [Download]
b. Crusader Kings II: Dynasty Shields DLC Pack
c. Crusader Kings II: Mongols DLC Pack
d. Crusader Kings II: Ruler Designer DLC
e. Crusader Kings II: Songs of Albion DLC
f. Crusader Kings II: Songs of Faith DLC
g. Crusader Kings II: Songs of the Holy Land DLC
h. Magicka Collection [Download]
i. Magicka: The Stars Are Left DLC [Online Game Code]
j. Majesty Gold [Online Game Code]
k. Majesty 2 Collection
l. Victoria II [Online Game Code]
m.Warlock: Master of the Arcane [Download]
10. Plentiful Paradox Package - $12.49 (all are Steam activate-able) runs 7/1-7/7 contains:
a. Crusader Kings II [Download]
b. Magicka Collection [Download]
c. Magicka: The Stars Are Left DLC [Online Game Code]
d. Sword of the Stars - Complete Collection
e. Sword of the Stars II: Lords of Winter [Download]
f. Victoria II [Online Game Code]
11.Pint Sized Paradox bundle $7.49 (all steam activate-able) runs 7/1-7/7:
a. Crusader Kings II: Dynasty Shields DLC Pack
b. Crusader Kings II: Mongols DLC Pack
c. Crusader Kings II: Ruler Designer DLC
d. Crusader Kings II: Songs of Albion DLC
e. Crusader Kings II: Songs of Faith DLC
f. Crusader Kings II: Songs of the Holy Land DLC
g. Majesty Gold [Online Game Code]
h. Warlock: Master of the Arcane [Download]
i. Majesty 2 Collection
12.Borderlands: Game of the Year Edition - $7.49 (Steam activate-able) runs 7/1-7/14
13.Duke Nukem Complete Pack $7.99 (Steam activate-able) runs 7/1-7/14:
a.The base game - Duke Nukem Forever
b.The DLC Pack - Duke Nukem Forever Hail to the Icons Parody Pack DLC
c.And the DLC Pack - The Doctor Who Cloned Me DLC Pack
14. 2K Strategy Pack - $19.99 – runs 7/1-7/14
a. Sid Meier's Civilization V: Game of the Year Edition
b.Sid Meiers Civilization IV: The Complete Edition
c.The Stronghold Collection [Download]
15.2K Shooter Pack - $19.99 – runs 7/1-7/14
a.BioShock 2 [Download]
b.BioShock [Download]
c.Borderlands Game of the Year Edition [Download]
d.Duke Nukem Forever Complete Pack [Download]
16.2K Mega Pack - $39.99 – runs 7/1-7/14
a.BioShock 2 [Download]
b.BioShock [Download]
c.Borderlands Game of the Year Edition [Download]
d.CivCity: Rome [Download]
e.Duke Nukem Forever Complete Pack [Download]
f.Mafia II [Download]
g.Sid Meier's Civilization V: Game of the Year Edition [Download]
h.Sid Meiers Civilization IV: The Complete Edition [Download]
i. The Stronghold Collection [Download]
17.Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 - $29.99 (50% off Steam activate-able) – runs 7/1-7/14
I think Spec Ops and MP3 are probably the slickest of deals right now but there are some other killer ones in there as well. We'll also roll out deals from other publishers (hopefully!) throughout the month of July.
Cheers,
Tony
2008, 2012, 2014 D&D "Rare With No Sauce" League Fantasy Football Champion!
http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2012/06/29/hero-academy-opening-on-steam-august-8th/#more-114104
Steam profile.
Getting started with BATTLETECH: Part 1 / Part 2
PM giveaways are as follows.
Ys Origin
Lego Batman 2: DC Super Heroes
Magic: The Gathering - Duels of the Planeswalkers 2013
Penny Arcade's On On the Rain-Slick Precipice of Darkness Episode 3
New Editions...(Feel free to update your PM conversation)
SpaceChem
Avernum Bundle
Krater
Enter for whatever you want, screw being guilty. Must be an active member of the PA forums. Must not already own the game. Must eat pancakes for breakfast tomorrow. (Pics of pancake eating via PM welcome)
Or you could just use your *ahem* American beach-house address...
Damn it, a window just popped up with @Blackbird SR-71C just happening to hear about my troubles and I assume his logic was to send a Speace mehreeeeen electrician my way.
Which brings me to my next point, me complaining about things doesn't necessarily mean I need video games given to me. Although a fridge would be nice. I think I'm gonna grill a lot of food in that fridge today, grillable or not.
WOW!
that is amazing
Because the summer sale has started the last Thursday in June the past 2 years.
The last time I tried that I got an annoyed email from Amazon US asking me please not to take the piss. They did not like my non-US card - or rather, the non-US card billing address. That said, other people said it worked for them, so your mileage may vary.
That said, having some Amazon credit in my back pocket, I am now eyeing that Plentiful Paradox package, and hoping it will let me spend my money on it. That larger bundle, with the CK II DLC looks interesting, but includes Warlock, which I know nothing about, and doesn't include SoTS 2, which I hear is now somewhat better than before...anyone know anything about either?
Goodreads
SF&F Reviews blog
Oo\ Ironsizide
It definitely will. 2k games always has sales.
(on a side note, for some reason, lately, instead of clicking the quote button I click the report button. don't know what's happening to me.)
It's the same frontend. You can select the original campaign from the menu.
(meant to edit my previous post, I am dumb)
Because both previous summer sales started on the last Thursday of June?