Does everyone have a Steam account?

Ripper · October 9, 2015

I'd like to see if it's safe to assume that virtually everyone on a gaming site like this has a Steam account.

I'm thinking about ways to block spammers and trolls from a forum. It's possible now to use the Steam API to allow people to log into a forum using their Steam ID, and it's also possible to lookup public information about their account. It would be possible to restrict forum access to only Steam members who have purchased games in their accounts (or at least put certain restrictions on members without Steam purchases, until they prove themselves as legit contributors).

This would make life very difficult for spammers and troll sock puppets, but it obviously risks excluding people too. I'd like to see how many people would have a problem.

EDIT:

Just to make it extra clear, I'm not proposing this for RPGWatch, and the chances of them listening to me if I did are zero. Please don't panic or form a disorderly mob.

wiretripped · October 9, 2015

I actually didn't have one for a very long time (because I am opposed to third party tools that take control away from me), but I've caved. The deals just were too good...

Then again, I've been leaning more and more toward GOG again with their Galaxy client (preferring them over Steam whenever I can), mostly because I support their no-DRM policy and because I absolutely hate not being able to turn off updates in Steam (major pet peeve warning).

Deleted member 18181 · October 9, 2015

well valve made some changes last year i think that only if you purchase something you can add friends and stuff like that, just to stop the millions of bots
…and since so many free steamkeys are floating around in the last years and with the million bundles, yeah pretty sure everyone has a steam account :lol:
...im not that old to steam, started using it around christmas 2011

joxer · October 9, 2015

Actually steam trolls with fake accounts exist.
The rule #1 in replying on steam is ignore posts from level 0 private accounts.

I don't think accounts on any 3rd party platform can be used to weed out bots and etc on this forum.

And yes, I have Steam acc.

lackblogger · October 9, 2015

Wow, the OP comes across as somewhat hostile to non-Steam users. I guess I better make some kind of post to say it's ok to not have a Steam account otherwise people might feel too pressured to be honest!

Wisdom · October 9, 2015

lackblogger said:
Wow, the OP comes across as somewhat hostile to non-Steam users. I guess I better make some kind of post to say it's ok to not have a Steam account otherwise people might feel too pressured to be honest!

Yes, hate to make therapists even richer when people are getting their feelings hurt online.

Wisdom · October 9, 2015

I wouldn't sign in here if it was connected to Steam.

DArtagnan · October 9, 2015

I'm pretty sure we have a few fanatical no-no'ers around here

The thing about having a principle is that it makes you stupid.

Wisdom · October 9, 2015

DArtagnan said:
I'm pretty sure we have a few fanatical no-no'ers around here

The thing about having a principle is that it makes you stupid.

Your principle on not having principles is stupid.

DArtagnan · October 9, 2015

I have no principles that I'm aware of, and if you can give me a good reason to acquire one - I'll consider it

I used to have them, but then I wised up.

Rather, I thought I had them - but I obviously didn't.

To me, the smart thing to do is remain open-minded and accept that you could be wrong. If not, you're effectively closed-minded and that makes you stupid.

Note that I'm not saying you have principles, though you do seem the type

Moriendor · October 9, 2015

I have a Steam account but I am not ever going to link it to some forum account.

pibbur who · October 9, 2015

lackblogger said:
Wow, the OP comes across as somewhat hostile to non-Steam users. I guess I better make some kind of post to say it's ok to not have a Steam account otherwise people might feel too pressured to be honest!

I can't say I see any hostility in Rippers post. It's an interesting idea, with side-effects which he also addresses.

However, I don't think it's a feasible solution here, since we have non-steam users, even if they are few. I find spam bots annoying, but not overly so, since it doesn't take long before they succumb to the wrath of the ordina.. eh ... moderators.

pibbur who btw is a Steam usere and proud of… eh not exactly .. finds it useful.

Eye · October 9, 2015

Nope.

I think restrictions are a bad idea. I would like RPGWatch to be a place where people familiarize themselves with RPGs. A place where newbies feel welcome and get enthusiastic to try different games. A place where beginners turn into aficionados. Please, low thresholds.

Ripper · October 9, 2015

Yes, I wasn't necessarily thinking of it as a solution for the Watch - I would anticipate a poor reception for that idea, and, as mentioned, the problem is nowhere near big enough to justify it here.

And, no, I'm not "hostile to non-Steam users."

I'm not even particularly fond of Steam, but I would guess that very few gamers avoid it these days, and I'm just trying to confirm or refute that assumption.

Thanks for the votes, BTW. Bear in mind that I'm not asking for votes of approval for implementing the idea here - I'm just after Steam usage rates in the community. That said, strong resistance to the idea in general, like Moriendor and Wisdom, is also interesting.

forgottenlor · October 9, 2015

I also have a Steam account and would probably continue to visit RPGWatch if it was linked to Steam, but for the record I wouldn't appreciate the bother and would much prefer things stay as they are.

DArtagnan · October 9, 2015

Personally, I don't have a big problem with the spammers - though I do think some of them are so obvious that I have to wonder why they're not "taken care of" sooner

But since I don't do any of the work, I don't feel comfortable complaining.

Also, I wasn't a fan of a "cleaner" approach when Couch/Fluent/Aub were trying to manipulate the Watch in that direction, and I'm still not big on cutting people off.

Ripper · October 9, 2015

forgottenlor said:
I also have a Steam account and would probably continue to visit RPGWatch if it was linked to Steam, but for the record I wouldn't appreciate the bother and would much prefer things stay as they are.

When you mention the bother, how do you mean?

What I'm suggesting is using your Steam login to access another forum, without even having to register separately on that forum. The login is handled by Steam, and the third party forum has no access to your credentials, it just decides whether to allow that Steam user in. I would have thought that reduces the bother from the user's point of view?

These sites use it, for example:

http://www.steamgifts.com/

http://www.tf2outpost.com/

Nyx · October 9, 2015

It's not safe to assume everyone has a steam account. Just like facebook there will be those who just simply aren't interested and those who act like steam is some kind of religious propaganda come to devour us all and break humanity into little pieces. We have both of those these forums. The last mentioned ones do make for a good laugh though

My own steam account I use daily and I try to keep most of my digital games on there if I can.

txa1265 · October 9, 2015

I have had a Steam account since 2003 when it was first available ... but that isn't surprising since I abandoned vinyl for CD, desktop for laptop, CD for MP3, film for digital and book for ebook very early.

I didn't read any hostility, and think that perhaps some people spend too much time searching out ulterior motives that don't exist and creating unnecessary drama as a result.

Want a Steam account? Great - millions of people have one. Don't want one? Fine, your choice is just that - yours. There is no 'right answer'.

I love games, and have always found D2D, Steam, GoG, GamersGate, the various App Stores, and so on to be good ways for me to get them.

Arkadia7 · October 9, 2015

I do have one, but don't understand why you would need one to log into rpg watch. Bad idea (like someone else already mentioned). To be honest, it just feels like a weird request, like, would you want my facebook account too? (I know the answer is no, but this is just an example) Let's say a website wanted you to give them your facebook account just to post on their forums, this is the feeling I get from it. (To try and explain why I think it's weird)

If the goal is to make it harder for spammers, maybe the sign up process can be made more difficult.

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