Valve Announces Steam Cloud

panic! · #1 (**permalink**) 05-30-2008, 12:04 PM

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Valve today announced Steam Cloud, a free Steam system that will retain users' saved games and configuration files indefinitely.

Half-Life and Half-Life 2 will be the first games to support the service. User key mappings will also be saved in Counter-Strike, and Left 4 Dead will ship with the feature.

If players are offline, the service will store the data and then add it to the network on the next connection. According to Valve, saved games and configurations will be stored forever.
Valve further noted that the service will be freely available to developers, and is set to launch in the "near future."
The company also detailed plans for several new Steam systems, including a driver auto-updater and calendar functionality.

Another feature in development is a system-requirement checker. The program will analyze your hardware and compare it to multiple games, estimating your performance and recommending upgrades.

Valve is also considering storing replay videos and kill-cam screens from games such as Team Fortress 2 and Day of Defeat: Source.

Dukefrukem · #2 (**permalink**) 05-30-2008, 12:05 PM

*thanks Y2

Fischig · #3 (**permalink**) 05-30-2008, 12:07 PM

This will be sweet! Especially if they do the replays and Kill cams.

Tulkas · #4 (**permalink**) 05-30-2008, 12:12 PM

this sounds interesting...maybe they could handle all my screenshots too

Cipher · #5 (**permalink**) 05-30-2008, 12:15 PM

Why does it seem as though Valve is trying to monopolize PC gaming? More and more cool features, but what might be the cost in the long run?

Dukefrukem · #6 (**permalink**) 05-30-2008, 12:19 PM

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Originally Posted by Cipher

Why does it seem as though Valve is trying to monopolize PC gaming? More and more cool features, but what might be the cost in the long run?

The cost? No more DVDs/CDs?

Fischig · #7 (**permalink**) 05-30-2008, 12:21 PM

It's Valve. Its a win-win situation.

Dukefrukem · #8 (**permalink**) 05-30-2008, 12:24 PM

Valve and Google are probably the two most beloved companies right now.

The two most hated? EA and Micrososft with a close third Sony.

CoffeeShark · #9 (**permalink**) 05-30-2008, 12:29 PM

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Originally Posted by Cipher

Why does it seem as though Valve is trying to monopolize PC gaming? More and more cool features, but what might be the cost in the long run?

People don't mind monopolies when they love the products. They like monopolies when it conveniences them.

I like the Steam Cloud, smart idea, and hope Valve keeps innovating and dominating the PC downloading market.

I also hear they're going to movies and music soon?

Dukefrukem · #10 (**permalink**) 05-30-2008, 12:31 PM

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Originally Posted by CoffeeShark

I also hear they're going to movies and music soon?

Yup. they announced that earlier in the year. I'm not too sure I'd use it for that much... HOWEVER, it would be pretty fucking cool to look @ your steam account and see you're watching; 'Showgirls' for the past 5 hours straight.