Valve - Please fix how you handle downloads whilst in-game

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It's ridiculous. When you launch a game steam will automatically suspend all downloads. The pause/unpause button won't unsuspended the download, it will pause it and only then will it allow you to resume. That doesn't sound so bad until you actually try it, it's extremely buggy. It was a five minute battle to get Bioshock to download in the background whilst I played DA:O, and it still periodically decides to suspend itself again.

Couldn't you add a simple checkbox on the download page allowing you to toggle download suspension on or off, or at least fix the pause/suspended problem?

[Skoltnik]

I approve. Im pretty sure this fix will come in time though. We are not the only ones that want this

[nano....]

I think it goes to suspend when the servers are busy or unavailable.

What I would like to see is an interface in the overlay to access downloads. Getting Steam to pause downloads while in game is still a useful function, but the user simply needs more control over it.

[doomtack]

Agreed, i'm looking forward to this being fixed.
The entire download and update section has many bugs (Which i'm sure you all are aware of).
It'd be great if they were fixed.

[Phil128]

It's ridiculous. When you launch a game steam will automatically suspend all downloads. The pause/unpause button won't unsuspended the download, it will pause it and only then will it allow you to resume. That doesn't sound so bad until you actually try it, it's extremely buggy. It was a five minute battle to get Bioshock to download in the background whilst I played DA:O, and it still periodically decides to suspend itself again.

Couldn't you add a simple checkbox on the download page allowing you to toggle download suspension on or off, or at least fix the pause/suspended problem?

I know how to fix this. Run your game that you want to play, then alt-tab and select the game your currently downloading, and click play!

I do that alot, works a treat.

I think they do it, just incase you play online and end up lagging other people.

[TheBogStandardU]

I know how to fix this. Run your game that you want to play, then alt-tab and select the game your currently downloading, and click play!

I do that alot, works a treat.

I think they do it, just incase you play online and end up lagging other people.

it would be smarter to have an option in the overlay to pause/resume downloads instead of steams method.