Make the Blotter useful and used (more ways to get notified, RSS maybe, etc...)

I love the Steam Community Blotter. But I never visit it because I can't be bothered to manually check it out.

It would be nice if the people who are behind the ideas of the Steam Community would improve this, as it's badly needed in my opinion.

Look at how Facebook notifications work, there is never a moment where you will not check your notifications if you know you have new ones.

I was thinking of adding of the following (including them all over time would be nice):
- RRS feed (although only used mainly by advanced or knowledged users, not used frequently by regular users and teenagers)
- Display the notifications through the Steam Facebook application in a non-obtrusive and neat way (that is installed upon linking your Facebook)
- Notifications within Steam itself

But the main concern is, it should not annoy people. It should very carefully be thought through or people will get really annoyed if Steam decides to overload them with unwanted information all of the sudden.

Due to the fact that the information on the Blotter can be quite extensive, you might want to begin by giving notifications if you have a new wall post, a new friend request, a new group request, if your name is tagged in a wall post on a group (make names tagable or linkable like you can within Facebook). Maybe even reconsider a redesign of the Blotter to make notifications more compact or easier to read and scroll through.

I wouldn't consider giving notifications like the way it is currently being done with friends or group requests, displaying it at the top of the friends list (which requires people to open a window to get there, which initially is the whole point of changing it as it requires you to manually visit your Blotter page to check notifications). I've noticed that some people don't even bother to look there, which is amazing as it's right there on the the spot, yet they still don't bother to give it attention.

Thins like this would turn the Steam Community into a social tool for gamers. The potential is there, and there are millions of users, but it's currently not being taken advantage of, and I don't know why nobody within Valve Corporation has even thought of this, because this would definitely lead to improved sales and fun (seeing friends own a new game, post screenshots of a game, and things like that which will lure interest).

Nobody has any input on this?

[PlumRiderOfDoom]

What's the blotter?

[fyrevortex]

Originally Posted by PlumRiderOfDoom

What's the blotter?

I'd like to second this as well. I have no idea what the Steam blotter is.

[thePyro_13]

Originally Posted by FredWPx

Look at how Facebook notifications work, there is never a moment where you will not check your notifications if you know you have new ones.

I leave my Facebook notifications to fester for ages before checking them(if ever).

many people just don't find these systems to be of any use to them.

NOTE: blotter is the community feed that appears when you click COMMUNITY in the steam client. It lists recent game purchases by your friends, and achievements they've gotten.

The Blotter is the first page you see when you visit the Steam Community after logging in. It even mentions the word Blotter on top of the list of notifications.

[DevilXXX210]

I agree - the RSS would be great. I don't mind open the page, login and then check - but I must know, that something is new.

[freddieouh]

Support this idea.

Also they need to add ability of removing entries, and hide specific entries from everyone. Basically like on facebook

[ASecondOpinion]

Originally Posted by freddieouh

and hide specific entries from everyone.

Y'mean like this?
http://i.imgur.com/egtkf.png

[freddieouh]

Originally Posted by ASecondOpinion

Y'mean like this?
http://i.imgur.com/egtkf.png

no, I meant hide our activities, like when we buy some game and don't want to show this to everyone.

something like that http://i.imgur.com/b6D9e.png