overlay IRC client

[beef42]

So you guys put in a web browser and it's awesome.

Obviously the next step is an IRC client. It does not need to be a full-featured IRC client (like irssi, mIRC, etc) but it should connect me to the network(s) and channel(s) I want automatically on startup.

A lot of people in multiplayer FPS communities use IRC to arrange games. Being able to IRC from within the game would be awesome.

[Widdit]

I wouldn't call that "obviously the next step" since I never use IRC, but sure.

Aren't there ways to access IRC through the in-game browser though?

[pavel3]

That would be pretty cool.

[richard.eid]

I still don't understand why Steam Community groups haven't been used more for purposes like arranging games. In SC chat rooms, you can use links like:

steam://connect/1.1.1.1:27015

Steam will automatically detect the game based on the IP and fire up accordingly.

IRC is definitely not needed in Steam. If there are specific IRC features you'd like to see added to Steam, you should create a thread making those suggestions, but adding in IRC support just seems unnecessary given what you can already accomplish through the Steam Community.

[Forbizzle]

IRC is definitely not needed in Steam. If there are specific IRC features you'd like to see added to Steam, you should create a thread making those suggestions, but adding in IRC support just seems unnecessary given what you can already accomplish through the Steam Community.Here's the problem about developing social software. You can develop something that's feature rich, and "better" on paper, but will still fail to a competitor for mysterious reasons.

I think it's time for Valve to recognize chat isn't being adopted. Believe me, I wish that people would have dropped IRC years ago, but it's just not going to happen. But right now you have competitive players and communities communicating with an outside technology, and people aren't using the real power of the steam community.

What's amazing is that IRC is a protocol not a client, and that we're not dealing with something like "integrate with MSN/AIM" that could bring logistical and legal headaches.

If Steam were to introduce a lite version of IRC to start. Something to allow players to connect to servers and join channels is all that's really needed to start. I'm sure some of the less used features of steam would just start exploding in popularity.

HL2 is notoriously bad for alt-tab problems, just being able to idle without tabbing would be enough to sell most steam users to use it as their main IRC client.

If the service showed some popularity, it could be expanded so that Valve could host a server. Automatically handle user authorization and admin rights via steam-friends/community pages. Allow users to send files to each other over IRC protocols.

There are a lot of people out there that still just idle with an IRC client and chat all day. Think of the extra audience you could gain by getting some of those people to use Steam as their client. Maybe they'll install it so that they can talk to their friends during spectator lulls in Counter-Strike, but then transition to using it as their main client when they're not gaming. And when they open up their client without the current intent to game, they may see a notice that some Civ4 expansion or World of Goo type indie game catches their eye.

The people that use IRC, are the people that buy the types of games that steam publishes. I think it's been long enough, there's no attach rate to Steam chat. Throw in the towel, adopt the standard protocol, and reap the benefits. A small investment in a simple application could greatly increase your user base and publishing sales.

[Widdit]

I think it's time for Valve to recognize chat isn't being adopted. Believe me, I wish that people would have dropped IRC years ago, but it's just not going to happen. But right now you have competitive players and communities communicating with an outside technology, and people aren't using the real power of the steam community.

Really? I could have sworn I used Steam Friends all the time and never use IRC.

[Forbizzle]

Really? I could have sworn I used Steam Friends all the time and never use IRC.When was the last time you used Steam group chat? I'm not talking about the IM, which has had a strong adoption, but chat's that include multiple people.

[Widdit]

When was the last time you used Steam group chat? I'm not talking about the IM, which has had a strong adoption, but chat's that include multiple people.

Um, about a week ago.

[Forbizzle]

Fine you might be one of the rare individuals that uses the community chat via steam. And you may not use IRC. But the fact remains that the majority of competitive players are forced to use IRC for leagues, find scrims/ringers or pugs.

And I'm sure Valve can do their own metrics to see the use of group chat rooms, but for my own curiosity what group are you a member of that idles in Steam chat?

[beef42]

This is mostly a bump so perhaps more people see this. I'm quite certain a lot of people would use this feature, if it was introduced.

Please bump this thread if you'd like ingame IRC too.

[richard.eid]

Instead of bumping, maybe check out the following thread:

Tutorial: Increase the use of the overlay (IRC anyone?) (http://forums.steampowered.com/forums/showthread.php?t=799902)

[SilentbobSC]

Seems to me that IRC would prove to be quite a significant security issue, as there are a metric ton of script kiddies out there... then again I have't started up mIRC in ages.

[Akasazh]

This is exactly what im looking for. I use irc a lot to arrange matches/join pickups/just chat. Bu if I want to use mat_queue_mode 2 for instance I'm crippeled becouse I can't alt-tab.

In-steam Irc would be awesome.

Also... keep bumping

[richard.eid]

You already can. See my post two up and follow the link.

[luckyluke304]

i use both IRC and Steam friends A LOT but i guess you do not realize how hard it is to have chat etc with 140+ people in multiple channels on multiple servers this would be a great feature for steam so i can just DUMP mIRC and use Steam as the ultimate package :D