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 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.
//credit for the op contents goes to the ever classy
@TychoCelchuuu.
Posts
I bought all the Civ DLC on a whim. It it just me or did China get nerfed? I though they had crazy population growth or something, carrying over from Mao in Civ Rev.
Also, I met the Viking ruler, and he's like "hey! we should spar sometime!" Goddamn Vikings
Sword in my hand, axe on my side
Valhall awaits, soon I will die
Bear skin on my back, Wolf's jaw on my head
Valhall awaits me, when I'm dead[/NOOOOOOOOORRRRDS]
Classy begets classy. Thank you for your gift of seriousness and sam.
That said, playing Bastion for a while has sold me on the soundtrack and am tempted to get it now for less than a fiver. Anyone else has it and can comment on it?
And, taking advantage of this new threadness, a few more hours left:
I have been thinking about this for a while, and I decided on not posting a tally.
It's not because I'm lazy, I'm keeping a list anyways, so I don't get confused, so posting it would be a matter of mere copy&paste.
However, I fear that if I post the full list of all the games that I have been gifted on my birthday and during the sale as a whole, it would most certainly lead to me being banned for life here, for being the most successful moocher of all time
People have been so incredibly generous to me, that it humbled me over and over again. One of my resolutions for the new year is getting back at each and every single one of you, to even out my gifting karma
I have given thanks in the thread for every gift I received, and most of the time I additionally thanked the person in question in the chat, if I managed to catch them online.
To everybody who gave me a gift: You know who you are, and I bow my head in recognition of the class that oozes from every corner of this thread
That being said, I have the utmost respect for all the people who frequent these forums, no matter if they gave me a gift or not, or if they received one from me. One of the things I enjoyed most was doing my little giveaway, which got more entries than I expected I'm also a bit (more than that, actually) sad that the sale comes to a close, because I thoroughly enjoyed the activity it has caused for this thread. I hope we can keep at least some of it up after the sale is over!
TL;DR:
Twitter: busfahrer -- Quake Live: busfahrer -- StarCraft II: busfahrer.184 (EU)
2008, 2012, 2014 D&D "Rare With No Sauce" League Fantasy Football Champion!
I'm not fussed enough about Singularity to buy it with my 66% off coupon but if it were half price and I could then get 66% off that I'd probably go for it.
So... March sale?
For Steam January 2nd only starts at 16:00 pm in Brazil, which is -3:00 GMT, for example.
When the winter sale clock reach 0:00 you all will probably be able to use your coupons.
2008, 2012, 2014 D&D "Rare With No Sauce" League Fantasy Football Champion!
Kind of late now, but focus more on getting a combo string going (them liking the first price you offer) than milking them for as much as possible. You'll level up faster, and making money will become easier.
I've done this since the 2010 Thanksgiving sale. It's always called "Steam Damage.xls"
I discovered that the best way to combat my steam sales purchases is to make sure I already own everything
that or everyone owns it now.
Read somewhere that some sales listed to be valid till 20 Jan. (eg. Fallout new vegas). See if it could be stacked with the coupons?
But this will only bring down to the daily sales price even if you have a -50% coupon lol
Have you tried changing your region? Typically when the US area is hammered I try somewhere in the Euro area like Portugal, and if it's still persists I hit Asia around Taiwan. Eventually I find somewhere that has a slot or two open.
Get a combo going, get an idea of what price various customers will go for, and keep your combo at all costs until you get to a relatively high level. Your merchant level increases both the value of items you can purchase to later sell, and the budgets of your customers.
Also, if you are about to fail a payment spend all your money on shit to sell, and then just keep at it until you fail the payment. You'll then start over with all your levels and items, but no money... but if you invested all your money in stuff to sell, you'll be sitting pretty and able to make it all the way this time. I had to loop once on my first playthough, so don't feel bad about it!
also everyones favorite classy german bus driver just gave me some AI:war DLC, thanks @busfahrer
Merchant level doesn't directly affect peoples' budgets. Their budgets increase when they get 'ideal' deals, which is different for each customer. When you see hearts over their head, their budget just increased. This is important to do because if you don't, they'll never be able to afford your good stuff, even at favorable prices.
If I remember right, 112% markup was the magic number that made almost everyone happy. The key thing that has been mentioned is that the game lies to you. You don't want to squeeze all your customers for each penny, you want them happy and increasing their budget.
Are the DLC packs for Arkham City really that good?
You mean for an NPC to live in?
I haven't played since 1.04, but the requirements were always:
- Enclosed with wood or better for ceiling, left and right walls, and floor (though I'm not sure if the floor could be dirt or not; you might be able to get away with that).
- At least one supporter (such as a table).
- At least one chair.
- At least one light source (such as a torch).
- A door.
- The entire background wall needs to be complete for the area the house encloses.
Also, I think the inside needs to be 5x7 or something at bare minimum but I am probably misremembering because that seems fairly small.
There's a tool to identify why certain things are not a house now. Open up your inventory and click on the House icon and then use the Housing Query command. It should tell you what you're missing.
Oh really? Sweet. I should fire it up again.
EDIT: Never mind, turns out google is a better amazon search than amazon search.
edit - I'm new to the PA Steam group. Add me on Steam if you need another buddy for games! Bunny1248
My Digital Pin Lanyard || PAX East '13, '14, '15, '19 | PAX South '15
-I have two coupons for $5 off anything on [url=http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html/?docId=1000728511[/url]this list[/url] of Amazon's best sellers. This equates to a bunch of games at $5 and GTAIV literally for free.
-50% valve
-25% GSC games
-50% spacechem
-50% F1 2011
-50% space pirates and zombies
-50% hitman collection
-25% bethesda
-50% X3 gold
-50% nimbus
-25% atari
If you're a reasonably active PA dude who's been around for a while you're welcome to any of these, just pm me or hit me up on steam.
Where is the chat group?
PSN: Beltaine-77 | Steam: beltane77 | Battle.net BadHaggis#1433
Double click on the Penny Arcade group in your Steam Friend's List to join the chat. Not many people around now though.
I mean just pressing the right damn buttons. I know what I need, but I'm still not sure why somethings happen when I press a button.
Son of a bitch! I knew I forgot someone! I'm sorry @Vegan! I'm thanking you for your gift from Disneyworld! What is wrong with meeee?
Steam ID: Good Life
- 1 33%-off Valve coupon
- 1 25%-off Assassin's Creed: Revelations coupon
- 2 extra lumps of coal (if there's any use for that stuff now)