Steam Library

solops · October 30, 2024, 11:28:26 PM

My Steam Library is ridiculous. I have so many games that I have never played, GOOD games that I would probably like. Even though I am retired and spend a lot of time gaming I doubt that I will ever get to many of them. And even though I have an embarrassing number of games, I know that many, many of you are even more loaded down than I am!

What a First World problem! I am considering changing up my will, giving everything to the heir that comes closest to guessing the number of games in my library that have 15 minutes or less playing time on them.

JasonPratt · October 31, 2024, 07:27:34 AM

Ah, but how many unplayed games (good games etc) do you have on GoG?

On Gamersgate? (Which aren't Steam codes? Or are but for games no longer sold on Steam?)

Or Matrix (not with codes on Steam)?

Or just around your home on discs?

Or "and" for any ors?

Tripoli · October 31, 2024, 08:01:10 AM

Does this count DLCs to the base game you have never played? If so, "I'm Steve, and I'm a gameaholic"

Sir Slash · October 31, 2024, 10:22:42 AM

I blame the Industry. It's their fault for making so many good games they KNOW we don't have time to play. And then then make them hard to win, dammit. It can't be our fault for buying them after all. We don't have a problem...they do. Now, where'd I leave my credit card, there's a sale somewhere I need to check-out?

ArizonaTank · October 31, 2024, 12:46:04 PM

Quote from: solops on October 30, 2024, 11:28:26 PMMy Steam Library is ridiculous. I have so many games that I have never played, GOOD games that I would probably like. Even though I am retired and spend a lot of time gaming I doubt that I will ever get to many of them. And even though I have an embarrassing number of games, I know that many, many of you are even more loaded down than I am!

What a First World problem! I am considering changing up my will, giving everything to the heir that comes closest to guessing the number of games in my library that have 15 minutes or less playing time on them.

James Dunnigan, the legendary board based wargame designer, was asked once about why wargamers would have more games on their shelf than they could possibly play. I can't find the quote now, but his response was about the "possibility" or "potential" of playing the games.

You buy a game because someday you might want to play it. If one evening, you suddenly want to play a game about the Franco-Prussian War for example, it is nice to know you have a few options already on your game shelf.

Of course, that argument falls flat in the digital download age with computer games. Physical board games might take me a few weeks to acquire...long after the impulse to play a specific type of game fades. But for computer games, Steam will give me near instant gratification. I can have the game from Steam (or Matrix, WDS or GOG) as fast as my eager fingers can type in my over-burdened credit card number.

Oh I know this is a spin...and this does help somewhat to explain my physical board-based wargame library. But for my Steam library, it is just a desperate attempt to rationalize the crazy size...

Skoop · October 31, 2024, 01:16:26 PM

I've actually stopped buying them unless they drop to 5 dollars, but then I still never play them. I've resorted to just watching a few lets play YouTubes and I get my fill of that game. So many good choices and so little time.

Phantom · October 31, 2024, 01:44:12 PM

I have about 30/40 Steam games, probably about half unplayed or played very little. I play PC games less now & have moved more into boardgaming. To try & stop any similar "loss of control" I have tried to research games a lot more (this in itself is fun) and restrict myself to what I feel is the "definitive" game of that type/era etc. Thus I looked at a load of Space games & settled on High Frontier, a lot of NFL games & settled on 4th Street Football etc. - It doesn't always work - Roman games I own 2 (Pax Romana & Republic of Rome) I justify this as they are very different aspects of the same era, likewise with my two WW2 bomber games (Bomber Command & B17 leader). I consider my self discipline reasonably successful as I only own about 15/20 board games. The good thing is board games are always visible & take up space, so less easy to forget you have something and an actual physical storage problem if you go over-board (pun intended

)
So my tip to Steam control is ditch the bits & buy boxes instead.

Redwolf · October 31, 2024, 03:07:24 PM

Look

You already wasted the money on these games.

Why would you waste your time, too?

Father Ted · October 31, 2024, 04:43:42 PM

Quote from: solops on October 30, 2024, 11:28:26 PMMy Steam Library is ridiculous. I have so many games that I have never played, GOOD games that I would probably like.

Clever retailing is the cause I reckon. They stick them on a steep discount and, like I said about No Man's Sky, I'll buy them because I might play them. The upshot is that, by making a deep discount, Steam gets a sale it wouldn't have had otherwise, which some algorithm has calculated to be worth taking 75% off the RRP every so often.

For me the regret is not so much the games I haven't played (though I've yet to crack open FoG: Kingdoms despite wanting it from announcement, and buying at day one, and that niggles at me) and more those that I've peeked at and can see that there's a ton of gameplay there, and don't play. Or even those that I've more than peeked at, have seen what I like, and still ignore, yet still buy more games.

Old TImer · October 31, 2024, 05:44:46 PM

"want to play a game about the Franco-Prussian War"

I really do! Did I miss something? Other than TOAW4, I don't know of any Franco-Prussian War games. I'd love to see even SGS do something on that subject.
Nevermind the Austro-Prussian War and the Schleswig-Holstein episode.
I don't have enough games so I have to imagine games I wish existed.....
(looks at his way out of control Steam library).

CaptainKoloth · November 01, 2024, 01:32:22 AM

I have great consternation about this problem. Assuming that I have a finite time left on this Earth (which, you know let's not throw around wild assumptions, but for sake of argument), and at the rate at which I've been finishing games lately, I calculated I'd complete MAYBE a quarter of the games I own, assuming no new ones are released for the rest of my life that I want to play. And those annoying family people want me to do OTHER STUFF than game. It's a tough life.

In all seriousness it does cause me some irritation knowing that probably buried in that massive backlog is a number of gems any one of which might become one of my favorite and most fondly remembered experiences ever. But I'll never get to them. I just don't have time.

JasonPratt · November 01, 2024, 07:55:28 AM

^ this ^

"The age! It burrrnnnsss!" has long since become my favorite self-critical quip.

(....."long since"... sigh.)

JasonPratt · November 01, 2024, 07:58:42 AM

Quote from: Old TImer on October 31, 2024, 05:44:46 PM"want to play a game about the Franco-Prussian War"

I really do! Did I miss something? Other than TOAW4, I don't know of any Franco-Prussian War games.

Notably, I think he was speaking in terms of boardgames.

In computer game terms, my brain seems to recall Ageod having something along this line though? Of course there are things like the Victoria series which cover the time period but not really that war in itself, though something-like-that-war might break out. (Which in the Paradox game engine(s) might include Paraguay and Laos, but y'know you take what you can get.)

ArizonaTank · November 01, 2024, 09:04:40 AM

Quote from: JasonPratt on November 01, 2024, 07:58:42 AM
Quote from: Old TImer on October 31, 2024, 05:44:46 PM"want to play a game about the Franco-Prussian War"

I really do! Did I miss something? Other than TOAW4, I don't know of any Franco-Prussian War games.

Notably, I think he was speaking in terms of boardgames.

In computer game terms, my brain seems to recall Ageod having something along this line though? Of course there are things like the Victoria series which cover the time period but not really that war in itself, though something-like-that-war might break out. (Which in the Paradox game engine(s) might include Paraguay and Laos, but y'know you take what you can get.)

Yes, Jason is right.

There are some great board game options for the Franco-Prussian War. I could write a few pages singing praises to them.

However, for computers, I can't remember a dedicated title. However, a smattering of computer games have scenarios.

For tactical coverage probably the best of these, IMHO, is the old SSI classic "Age of Rifles," resurrected a few years back and now available on Steam and GOG. It has a few of the battles, like Gravelotte, and even a campaign.

For strategic coverage, Slitherine's "Strategic Command: American Civil War" has a DLC with a nice "Blood and Iron" Franco-Prussian War strategic campaign scenario.

Strangely, in my copy of TOAW, I couldn't find a Franco-Prussian War scenario, but I could almost swear I played one somewhere along the way. I bet a little digging online could dredge one up.

For grins, here are some Franco-Prussian War board game recommendations:

"At Any Cost: Metz", grand tactical game covering Mars-La-Tour and Gravelotte. A Hermann Luttmann design, published by GMT. The game gives great insight into why the French lost.

"On To Paris", a strategic game covering the entire war. Based on the old Victory Games "Civil War" game. Published by Compass Games.

And not really Franco-Prussian War, but close:
"1866 The Struggle for Supremacy in Germany", a nice strategic card driven game (like Paths of Glory), covering the Austro-Prussian War. Published by Compass Games.

JasonPratt · November 01, 2024, 02:26:16 PM

Dangit, what was that Ageod(?) game set in the Vicky time period which had DLC including the American Civil War? There was even a multiplayer DAR for it here once upon a time (though it didn't get very far). I feel like that had a DLC for the Franco-Prussian war, but I can't find the main game anywhere to check!