Steam Chat/Friends Improvements + API

[gsspider]

Ok, lets face it: The friends chat, as implemented at the moment, is "not very good".
In my opinion the biggest problems are:

1) No offline message support.
2) No history.
3) Steam is yet another chat application.


Now to explain the problems a little more in detail.

1)
I have a lot of friends who do not use ICQ anymore because of Steam (which, for the record, I think is stupid). Usually they have Steam running all the time so thats no big deal, but if they are offline, I can not reach them "for free" (I have to send an mms or call them).

2)
Sometimes a friend sends me a link to a website and every once in a while this link is important. The moment I close the chat window, the link is GONE (unless I saved it, but thats not the point). Or, I want to tell every one of my friends something important and can not remember who exactly I told it already. No problem with a history; with Steam I have to make a list or something (which I'd have to update manually).

3)
Since I use Trillian Astra, I have all my IM accounts in that program (AIM, Astra, Facebook, ICQ, MSN, Skype, Yahoo). Except Steam of course. Thats not good, because now I have two 'places' I have to go if I want to send a message to a friend.


Now problem (1) is a problem of the Steam chat protocol which Valve has to resolve. But problems (2) and (3) could simply be solved by providing an API (e.g. like Skype).


So, please Valve:

- introduce offline message support
- implement a chat history
- provide an API so other programs can use the Steam chat through Steam

[Midnitte1]

/sign

I think atleast the history suggestion is sorely needed and an API to allow external programs is greatly welcomed. =)

[DGMurdock]

bring back the game on steam chat

[Epsilon]

Problem with an API is that it makes writing a spam bot much easier. Not that it isn't possible now, but it would be a bunch easier. They'd probably have to write a lot more back-end code to quieten spammers.

[gsspider]

With an API you still have to run Steam to be able to use the chat. So they just have to detect 'inhuman' behavior (like writing 5 or more messages to different people in one second), which I assume they probably already do.

[Geister]

I do not entirely agree.

#1- Offline messaging can be useful, but there are emails for that. Also, I like not to be disturbed sometimes, hence why I go offline. Texting your friends when they are offline is the same as sending them an email, except that emails are generally free and you can send a lot more content. I must however admit it can be useful to send a message for your friends to read when they log on Steam, such as "The game is at 9, not 8." +1

#2- This can be useful, but just think of people who use Steam on multiple computers. A few IM clients do this already and sadly store all history on the computer. Therefore, I need to check all my computers to find the one on which the chat history is. Some IM clients store history on their servers, which I doubt is what Steam would like to do, since it requires to have server storage just for chat messages. As for programs like Skype, the clients exchange history between themselves, so both need to be online. If you gave a meeting place to your friend using your desktop computer, and you don't remember it and all you have is your laptop, you won't be able to get the history unless your friend is online, and if so, why not ask your friend again. However, I agree it is annoying that if you close the window, you lose all traces of what has just been said. +1

#3- Steam is a digital game distribution system, not a chat application. Also, you definitely don't want the chat protocol to have a public API, unless you want to get spammed to death by bots. I know for sure that with a public chat API, I can make a bot that will run on my Linux box and constantly spam people. (But I won't do it... hmm, maybe to annoy my friends for a day though...)
If you have Trillian and all your IM accounts on it, why would you need Steam? You have plenty of ways to contact your friends already, plenty of redundant ways. -0

That's a +1 for #1 and #2, but not #3.


With an API you still have to run Steam to be able to use the chat
Then what's the point in providing an API if you can't have a standalone client? Just use Steam's chat if you have to run Steam to be able to use it. =P

[gsspider]

1)
#3- [...]
If you have Trillian and all your IM accounts on it, why would you need Steam? You have plenty of ways to contact your friends already, plenty of redundant ways. -0
I have a lot of friends who do not use ICQ anymore because of Steam (which, for the record, I think is stupid).

2)
Then what's the point in providing an API if you can't have a standalone client?
Also, you definitely don't want the chat protocol to have a public API, unless you want to get spammed to death by bots. I know for sure that with a public chat API, I can make a bot that will run on my Linux box and constantly spam people.

3)
Just use Steam's chat if you have to run Steam to be able to use it. =P
No, I want to have one program for all my IM accounts (Steam included). I have to run Skype too, but still use the Trillian plugin to control it, because I like to have one common user interface.
Furthermore, it would give me a history for the Steam chat.
If you wouldn't use it, thats ok, but I'd really like to have this option.

[waymon]

Dear Steam Friends Programers,

Please can we have support for other clients to connect to the steam chat network. It blows that I can't talk to my steamfriends when I am on my OSX partition or a computer that doesn't have steam installed. Please make it so AIM and gchat and all the other popular chat systems already in place can talk with steam friends.

Sincerely,

One to many chat client user.

[Maledict21]

Then what's the point in providing an API if you can't have a standalone client?

Having a standalone API would really be nice, but phishers would have a field day. Right now people know that the only two places that they can trust with their login information is the Steam client and the community page (well most people :rolleyes:). If people were able to make stand alone clients you wouldn't have any way of knowing which ones were trustworthy. Valve would have to modify the entire account system.

[waymon]

Couldn't they just setup a new system that just fwds the message? I feel like there is a fix.

[Maledict21]

The API would have to be part of the Steam client then. On a related note it would be nice to see an overlay API too...

[ANEKi]

For the love of GOD, add smilies..

Also, why is STEAM so 'heavy'? Everytime I launch STEAM my PC almost has a heart attack trying to open it and everything bloody freezes for about 20 seconds.

[Marcel2097]

I do not entirely agree.

#1- Offline messaging can be useful, but there are emails for that.

So should I ask my 99 steam friends for their email address just because Valve is not in the mood to integrate offline messaging into Steam? Every Instant Messager I know has offline messaging and a contact history so why not Steam? And I dont see spamming as a real issue since I'm using AIM/ICQ/(MSN/Yahoo) since over 10 years and was never spammed by those evil robots.

Best Regards,
Marcel

[Marcel2097]

#3- Steam is a digital game distribution system, not a chat application.

There are people who never bought anything in the steam store and still use steam for chatting and playing games with their friends. So I guess Steam is not only a digital game distribution system.

In my opinion its mostly an application to start up your games, chat with your friends or join their games, not mainly to buy games all day :D
So since it already includes an Instant Messanger application why shouldnt it be up to par with the other IM Apps that are available?

Best Regards,
Marcel

[E_Surge]

somewhat hijacking but relates to 'friends list improvement'.

I'd like to see an 'appear offline' mode. This would really help out when trying to play a game (L4D1 & 2, COD:MW2) that requires you to be online on the steam friends and you just don't want to talk to people.

Basically, you can play your game, track the hours, but you won't be seen as playing a game or even online (applies to your friend's list and your community profile page)

[Marcel2097]

somewhat hijacking but relates to 'friends list improvement'.

I'd like to see an 'appear offline' mode. This would really help out when trying to play a game (L4D1 & 2, COD:MW2) that requires you to be online on the steam friends and you just don't want to talk to people.

You can set your status to "offline" which is comparable to the "appear offline" function in ICQ. You have to set your status to something else to have access to the friends list though(which is kind of idiotic).

Greetings,
Marcel

[E_Surge]

You can set your status to "offline" which is comparable to the "appear offline" function in ICQ. You have to set your status to something else to have access to the friends list though(which is kind of idiotic).

Greetings,
Marcel

Thanks for the reply, but ICQ's 'offline' mode is not what I want. It's more towards ICQ's 'privacy' mode. Where you are still online, but you are invisible to the public eye.

[Marcel2097]

Thanks for the reply, but ICQ's 'offline' mode is not what I want. It's more towards ICQ's 'privacy' mode. Where you are still online, but you are invisible to the public eye.

Yep an invisible/privacy mode would be nice.

[ravmahov]

Good ideas

[VirtualAlias]

somewhat hijacking but relates to 'friends list improvement'.

I'd like to see an 'appear offline' mode. This would really help out when trying to play a game (L4D1 & 2, COD:MW2) that requires you to be online on the steam friends and you just don't want to talk to people.

Basically, you can play your game, track the hours, but you won't be seen as playing a game or even online (applies to your friend's list and your community profile page)

Seconded. Of course, L4D2 doesn't allow you to join your friends in games unless you are logged into 'Friends', so I would suggest an "Appear Offline" and then a per user "Appear Online to <name>" Right-click functionality or whatever.

That way you can play with who you want, when you want and feelings aren't hurt when you don't invite certain people to your games.

[E_Surge]

Seconded. Of course, L4D2 doesn't allow you to join your friends in games unless you are logged into 'Friends', so I would suggest an "Appear Offline" and then a per user "Appear Online to <name>" Right-click functionality or whatever.

That way you can play with who you want, when you want and feelings aren't hurt when you don't invite certain people to your games.

Beautiful, I didn't think of the individual 'appear offline'. That's even better.

Now only if Valve can implement this soon.

[weatherman64]

What I could use much more than this is the opposite: I want the Steam chat to support the ICQ protocol...I hate alttabbing to windows all the time replying to people who just HAVE to start writing messages every time I'm trying to play something...

[ReBoot]

I second the suggestions. If not chat logs, but at least offline messages. Really. They're there in any other IM solution, just not in Steam.

[erifneerg]

I totally agree with OP. that is all. get with the times Valve. Flickr and Twitter where both build on API's. You have the money/resource. Make us happy!