2014 Steam Summer Sale Thread

[KingstonU]

Darn people voted for the wrong one again. I guess like another poster above said, it's all dictated by 1 very popular game :\

 

[obidamnkenobi]

Making badges increases your Steam level and during the sale it gets you a Summer Sale card (that you can sell).

If you get to Steam level 8, then for 3 votes for Community's Choice you also get a Summer Sale card (that you can sell). Last Summer Sale you had to be at least Steam level 5 to get the cards for voting.

Also, when you get to Steam level 10, your booster pack card drops rate increase with 20% (and with 40% at level 20 and so on, up to 100% at level 50). You can sell booster packs unopened sometimes for more than $1 (depending on which game is the booster pack for).

Wow that sounds like a PIA. I think I'll keep selling cards as soon as I get them. $0.10 is better than nothing, for no work. At least it has netted me $3 or something so far.

 

[Dankk]

What didn't you like about RE5 specifically?

RE5 wasn't a bad game per se; but it never reached the level of excellence RE4 had, for a few reasons.

The biggest reason though is the fact that Shinji Mikami, the mastermind and the creator behind most of the Resident Evil games, ended up leaving the company after making RE4. The atmosphere, environments, enemies, animations, and soundtrack were pretty much all amazing because of his creative direction. RE5 was not as good in any of those aspects. (Mikami is currently working on a new horror game called "The Evil Within", which is supposed to be a proper spiritual successor to RE4. Look it up.)

That, combined with the fact that RE5 ditched out even more heavily on horror in favor of being an action game instead; it contained a forced co-op mechanic that Capcom would continue to use for the rest of their games; the inventory system was simplified and dumbed-down from the dynamic, grid-based "attache" system used in RE4; and there's probably a few other things that I can't think of right now.

The combat and movement mechanics, generally speaking, were the same in RE5 as they were in RE4, and that's good. But RE5 was overall a little more cheesy, and there were no memorable moments that genuinely freaked me out, or made me go "shit shit shit". By comparison, RE4 is chalk full of memorable moments. These moments range from mildly unsettling to completely terrifying. And it's all very well-written, varied, and spaced-out.

I find it interesting that one of your complaints about RE5 is the "weird environment/people". Really? That was one of the things they did right with RE5: The unique setting. I don't know about you, but being stranded out in a remote village somewhere in central Africa where the people are mentally ill and want to kill you is a pretty damn creepy scenario. If anything, it's way more interesting and creative than a generic American setting with generic American zombies.

Bonus points because a big chunk of the game takes place in broad daylight. I praise horror games that don't rely on darkness as a crutch to scare you. If I can be standing in a big, outdoor open area with lots of light and still be scared, that's a big achievement.

The RE games have been doing a pretty great job with using unique locations (RE6 takes place in China and Eastern Europe). As I said earlier, RE4 takes place in Spain, and the environments range from creepy little run-down rural villages, to beautiful stone castles and cathedrals.

Short version if you don't want to read my wall of text: RE4 is a lot better than RE5. Basically.

 

[pmv]

I don't understand why I'm buying Tropico 4 when I bought Tropico 3 in some other sale ages and ages ago and have still not played it. Sigh.
(I did play the original, a long, long, time ago)

 

[Schfifty Five]

OMG, Age of Mythology EX? I had no idea they did a enhanced version of it.

Damn, it's so expensive though for a steam sale. I loved that game.

 

[Schfifty Five]

I don't understand why I'm buying Tropico 4 when I bought Tropico 3 in some other sale ages and ages ago and have still not played it. Sigh.
(I did play the original, a long, long, time ago)

Part of the fun of these Steam Sales is the act of buying games and not the actual gameplay.

There's something satisfying about buying a game for like $2.49 even though you aren't going to play it anytime soon. It's the feeling of getting a game for a great deal.

 

[sze5003]

Part of the fun of these Steam Sales is the act of buying games and not the actual gameplay.

There's something satisfying about buying a game for like $2.49 even though you aren't going to play it anytime soon. It's the feeling of getting a game for a great deal.

Is it an interesting game?

 

[pmv]

Part of the fun of these Steam Sales is the act of buying games and not the actual gameplay.

There's something satisfying about buying a game for like $2.49 even though you aren't going to play it anytime soon. It's the feeling of getting a game for a great deal.

Steam's approach is clever, I think, in that it plays on a kind of anxiety - you know the price will go back up again and don't know when it will come down again, so you think 'what's a couple of bucks just to grab it, because it would be so irritating if you later decide you _do_ want it and then the price has gone back up again?'. Then you end up with loads of games that you never get round to ever playing!

I think they are smart in that they seemed to be the first to realise the rather simple point that people will buy a lot more games if you cut the price - even to the point of buying far more than they will ever actually play. They've twigged that demand is very responsive to price.

Though I suppose its digital distribution that makes that possible, because you don't have all the per-unit costs of actually delivering the product, so a sale at a low price is still worthwhile if its compared to not selling at all.

 

[pmv]

Is it an interesting game?

I liked the original Tropico, that's all I can say!

 

[voodoo7817]

I've only played Tropico 3 and I liked it. If you like city-builder/strategy type games then I recommend picking one up but I think it's very reasonable to skip an iteration as there aren't a ton of differences from year to year. I'll probably pick up Tropico 5 when it drops to $5.

 

[Mutilator]

Patience paid off... I knew one way or another I'd get Assetto Corsa for 50% off.

Steam sales are kinda like the weather... if you don't like what's currently on sale wait 8 hours. And then 8 more. And 8 more...

 

[SMOGZINN]

I think they are smart in that they seemed to be the first to realise the rather simple point that people will buy a lot more games if you cut the price - even to the point of buying far more than they will ever actually play. They've twigged that demand is very responsive to price.

Once of the things they also are doing is betting on the fact that a game gets 90% of it's sales in the first 6 months of release. After that sales drop to near zero. So, if they can put what was a popular game a year ago on deep discount all those people that never got around to it will buy it just to give it a try.

 

[sze5003]

Does tropico 4 have a good tutorial? I never played anything more than age of empires. I think I already have age of empires 2.

 

[Pheran]

For the love of god, buy it. I still maintain that Resident Evil 4 is the pinnacle of the RE/Biohazard series, and has remained as such for almost a decade. All of the mechanics, enemy design, level design, and general "flow" of the gameplay is so perfectly executed, that I'll be damned if it isn't one of the greatest video games of all time.

I'm going to post a dissenting view just so you have one more perspective. First, know that I never played any Resident Evil game until I played RE4 on Xbox 360 about 6 months ago. To summarize, I was extremely underwhelmed. It wasn't a terrible game, but I absolutely hated the control scheme (it does turning/aiming with the left stick unlike every other game) and it had a few very annoying QTE sequences. I thought the plot was mediocre. I finished the game, but after that I lost interest in playing any more of the RE series.

 

[Schfifty Five]

Is it an interesting game?

Is what an interesting game?

 

[sze5003]

Is what an interesting game?

I meant tropico 4. I will pretty much end up buying it, deus ex, and the gta iv complete edition with the liberty city stories.

 

[KentState]

I meant tropico 4. I will pretty much end up buying it, deus ex, and the gta iv complete edition with the liberty city stories.

Just be prepared for Games for Windows crap with GTA 4. I picked it up today and have been on Google quite a bit trying to get it to work correctly. T

Two links that I recommend:

http://www.xbox.com/en-US/LIVE/PC/DownloadClient

http://forums.steampowered.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1801519

Specifically, I added -nomemrestrict -norestrictions to the launch arguments in Steam.

 

[sze5003]

Just be prepared for Games for Windows crap with GTA 4. I picked it up today and have been on Google quite a bit trying to get it to work correctly. T

Two links that I recommend:

http://www.xbox.com/en-US/LIVE/PC/DownloadClient

http://forums.steampowered.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1801519

Specifically, I added -nomemrestrict -norestrictions to the launch arguments in Steam.

I ended up getting just deus me ex after reading about Windows live stuff. Are there graphics mods to make it look better or will it look nice enough ?

I have it on ps3 but never finished it and I don't use the ps3 anymore since the controller half works.

 

[Craig234]

If I wanted to try 1 or 2 Assassin's Creed games, any suggestions? I don't like twitchy.

 

[Bateluer]

If I wanted to try 1 or 2 Assassin's Creed games, any suggestions? I don't like twitchy.

AC1 is on GoG, no DRM or UPlay BS there.

I've been mulling AC2 and 3 from Steam, but they both use Uplay. :/

 

[KentState]

I ended up getting just deus me ex after reading about Windows live stuff. Are there graphics mods to make it look better or will it look nice enough ?

I have it on ps3 but never finished it and I don't use the ps3 anymore since the controller half works.

I believe there are mods also. I originally got it on the PS3 at launch, but for the price, it was cheaper than getting the DLC, plus I don't use the PS3 much anymore.

 

[sze5003]

I read some article about a steam info breach. I got a call from my bank and they blocked and closed my bank card because apparently someone was authorizing purchases at a bed bath and beyond for $400 bucks or so. Now I have no access to my bank account so I guess I need to use credit cards until they can get me a new one. Not sure if it was related to the article I read but they called me right after I purchased these games.

Normally I get emails from my bank if large debits are made and usually if its my car payment I don't bother calling in since I know I authorized it.

 

[shortylickens]

I didnt accuse Clovis Galletta of lying. Apparently, that was the wrong thing.


Looks like a lot of murderers in L.A. are gonna walk free.

 

[werepossum]

I read some article about a steam info breach. I got a call from my bank and they blocked and closed my bank card because apparently someone was authorizing purchases at a bed bath and beyond for $400 bucks or so. Now I have no access to my bank account so I guess I need to use credit cards until they can get me a new one. Not sure if it was related to the article I read but they called me right after I purchased these games.

Normally I get emails from my bank if large debits are made and usually if its my car payment I don't bother calling in since I know I authorized it.

I would never, ever put a debit card into Steam, or for that matter use it in most places. I used to, but the bank has much less obligation to make you whole for debit card fraud. Plus I think they'll fight harder to recover their money than my money.

 

[Topweasel]

I read some article about a steam info breach. I got a call from my bank and they blocked and closed my bank card because apparently someone was authorizing purchases at a bed bath and beyond for $400 bucks or so. Now I have no access to my bank account so I guess I need to use credit cards until they can get me a new one. Not sure if it was related to the article I read but they called me right after I purchased these games.

Normally I get emails from my bank if large debits are made and usually if its my car payment I don't bother calling in since I know I authorized it.

Just checked and as far as I can tell that there isn't an issue. I have had my card on record for a long time, though I have steam guard turned on, with no issue. Apparently there is a fishing attack that requires you to install a file into the steam directory for it to work, but that wouldn't help them get your card info just miss use the account. Usually there isn't a quick turn around on using the hacked information either. Usually they collect the information and then use it a lot later to minimize recognition on where the information was collected from.