Couple of features that would be awesome

[Die Finsternis]

1. A clock (I know it has been asked for 1000 times, but I'll asked 1001 times in hopes it will be implemented)

2. A screenshot program and video recorder (so we no longer say ":o DAMN IT!!!!!! I FORGOT TO TURN ON FRAPS or XFIRE!!!!!!!!!) I say that a lot.

3. (don't know how realistic this one is) A music player; I thought of this when I saw my brother playing his xbox and he put on music while playing Gears of War. The music player would turn off the music of the game (if it has one) and play whatever music you pick. The sound effect stay on, of course.

4. Keep up the good work!

[Dr. Ha]

For number 2, there are Demos, which you can then record later into different formats. And press print screen to take a screenshot (look in your options to change to a different key).

And music players have been asked thousands of times too :P.

[PuddingWagon]

I think all Source games have F5 as their screenshot key. Change the quality with jpeg_quality (iirc), 0->100.

For 3, you can use Winamp or any media player with global shortcut keys (or media keyboard). Then just mute or decrease the volume of the in-game music.

[spets-invidika]

Or just hit 'printscreen' and it'll copy the screen to the Windows clipboard. Works in 99% of games.

[Die Finsternis]

I think all Source games have F5 as their screenshot key. Change the quality with jpeg_quality (iirc), 0->100.

For 3, you can use Winamp or any media player with global shortcut keys (or media keyboard). Then just mute or decrease the volume of the in-game music.

Source games, yes. Non-source game, not necessarily.

As for the music, the point of having a Steam music player would be that you wouldn't need put down the volume manually (Steam would do it for you). That way, if you want to play the game with its own music, you don't have to go back to controls and put it back on.

In the example of my brother's xbox, the in-game music muted itself when he turned on the music player.

For number 2, there are Demos, which you can then record later into different formats. And press print screen to take a screenshot (look in your options to change to a different key).

And music players have been asked thousands of times too :P.

Demos? What do you mean?

Or just hit 'printscreen' and it'll copy the screen to the Windows clipboard. Works in 99% of games.

Yeah, but you can only take one. You take one, then you have to exit the game, then paste it somewhere else, then go back in game and do the same. That is annoying and impossible for multiplayer games.

Also, there are some games that that does not work on (it give you back a black screen).

@all:

I know there are programs out there that do this, the point is that it would be awesome if Steam had this so that I don't have to go around remembering to turn on this programs.

[Dr. Ha]

Demos? What do you mean?

Open up console in game and type - "record namehere"
and when you want to finish type "stop"

To watch them type "playdemo namehere". This usually (at least for me) keeps your FPS higher, as FRAPS can lower it quite a bit. You can then record the demos with FRAPS or your favorite recorder.

[SulpherDragon]

Do research first
bind F12 jpeg
record demoname
Map some binds to the volume and global keys to an external player

[leveller]

Did the OP mean any game to be recorded or just Valve games?

Seeing as the definition for PC gaming is - "Steam" - it wouldn't be such a bad thing if a movie recorder was included to enable recording demos.

[hmmwhatsthisdo]

There is an MP3 player that's based in the Source Engine (idk if it's in the OB version), under the console cmd "mp3". It'll only play a few sampling rates, and it's pretty unstable, but it works. I dropped it long ago for iTunes and the media keys on my keyboard.

[mastahx]

I agree, the screenshots and video would be awesome. print screen is a pain.

[leveller]

One thing I'd like to change right now is where Source records demos and screenshots. I would much prefer they go in the My Documents/Games or even Steam created two new directories My Documents/Source Demos and My Documents/Source Screenshots. Not only for my benefit but also for anyone new to the games who don't get off on searching directories for their media.