Why do they force you to update?

[Xualepex]

Today's update that nobody asked for broke my Yakuza import and export model plugin, which left Blender unusable for working on mods... To top it off, once Steam detects the update, there's no way to open Blender without updating it.

[Cafe y osa]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GgLzbwQUZ3U

[Mark3]

they do NOT force you to update. It is YOU who chooses to update automatically. Just read the thread pinned to the top of this forum. Then just select the version you want, and turn off the option to update automatically.

[Arclite]

Originally posted by Mark3:

they do NOT force you to update. It is YOU who chooses to update automatically. Just read the thread pinned to the top of this forum. Then just select the version you want, and turn off the option to update automatically.

It will still update the program when you launch it through steam so you need to launch it from it's exe instead.

[Arclite]

You can also download older versions of things from Steam's repo through Steam's console. There's lots of sites that keep track of Steam's repo, so it shouldn't be hard to find an older version of blender.

[Gracey Face]

Originally posted by Mark3:

they do NOT force you to update. It is YOU who chooses to update automatically. Just read the thread pinned to the top of this forum. Then just select the version you want, and turn off the option to update automatically.

This isn't true. Steam used to allow you to opt out of automatic updates and play an unupdated game, but they removed that functionality about 10 years ago. Now if you opt out of automatic updates it won't let you launch a program (at least through the steam app, you can launch some through their actual executables and you can't launch others, depending on how heavily steam is intertwined) without updating it if you try opening through the steam application itself.

This is one of the worst changes in steam's history as it makes playing modded games much harder. But valve have just never reverted it for whatever reason.

[Mark3]

Originally posted by Gracey Face:

Originally posted by Mark3:

they do NOT force you to update. It is YOU who chooses to update automatically. Just read the thread pinned to the top of this forum. Then just select the version you want, and turn off the option to update automatically.

This isn't true. Steam used to allow you to opt out of automatic updates and play an unupdated game, but they removed that functionality about 10 years ago. Now if you opt out of automatic updates it won't let you launch a program (at least through the steam app, you can launch some through their actual executables and you can't launch others, depending on how heavily steam is intertwined) without updating it if you try opening through the steam application itself.

This is one of the worst changes in steam's history as it makes playing modded games much harder. But valve have just never reverted it for whatever reason.

So I'm lying? Except for the fact that I am somehow able to turn off updates by the simple expedient of disabling the "imaginary" Keep this game updated option. Who knew I was a magician? Perhaps you should spend one minute checking the options before posting? We aren't talking about games, we are talking about Blender. Blender allows you to specify a version, and yes, if you have any sense, you will run it directly from the exe rather than wasting machine resources by having Steam run in the background. There is absolutely no need to do run it through Steam whatsoever. If you are REALLY desperate for Blender not to to have the remotest possibility of updating, just install it from Blender.org. It isn't rocket science.

I ran 3.6 quite happily from when it came out by selecting that version rather than letting it update to 4.x, then when I decided to select 4.1 as my chosen version, I ran that until I decided to upgrade to 4.2. Ditto with 4.3. Maybe I imagined it? Steam did not force an upgrade.

I say again. Choose a version you want to stick with. using the complex method of just clicking on the blue Blender version Number and selecting the version from the beta dropdown, then using cunning & guile, shift your gaze to the left and up a bit, to search out the carefully hidden, Magage/Properties/Updates and turn off the Always Keep this game updated. I can assure you that your Blender will not update unless you decide to let it.

[Gracey Face]

Originally posted by Mark3:

So I'm lying?

You weren't lying before, you were just wrong. You are lying now though, and I have absolutely no idea why.

Your three options for anything on steam regarding updates are;

-Auto update
-Only update when I launch the game
-High priority update

There no longer is an option to not update. There was (I do not know when it was removed), but when you chose that it still acted like the "Only update when I launch game" option we currently have.

As I said earlier about 10 years ago it did actually just let you play games without updating them, but that is long gone.


That being said, why are you lying about this? What utility is there to lying in this situation?


Also the thing you mention later in your post is not disabling auto updates, what you are talking about is using the steam beta mode to use older versions (or alternate builds including betas) of the game. This is something a lot of devs do now for mod users specifically to get around steam forcing you to update.

[ezveri]

k downgrade
choose the version you want in the "beta" list

[Mark3]

Originally posted by Gracey Face:

Originally posted by Mark3:

So I'm lying?

You weren't lying before, you were just wrong. You are lying now though, and I have absolutely no idea why.

Right, so you are calling me a liar. Good for you. My lawyers will be in touch.

Oh Ok So Blender is a game, and doesn't allow you to select a beta version & stick with it then. You think that I memorized the exact wording of a dialog box while wriiting a comment? Seriousl? What can I tell you. I select a beta, and Blender (not BFV, not WoT, not WarThunder - but Blender), does not update unless I let it. You do what you do, have fun with that. Meanwhile where is that block button.

[Gracey Face]

Why are you doubling down on the lies rather than just saying "Oh hey, look, I was wrong."?

[Mark3]

Sorry. Libellous, anonymous, zero Steam activity trolls get blocked. Keep on commenting if you wan't I'm not going to see it.

[apchistuz]

you can download from the website instead of steam if you dont want updates

[Mark3]

That goes without saying, yet people just don't seem willing to spend time on a few mouse clicks, when they can come here and complain about it doing what it is designed to do on Steam... I get tired of telling people that Steam adds nothing to the mix other than NOT having to worry about manually updating. Yet there are still ways to have your steam version not update, but It seems as if, according to some, I imagined the whole thing. Frankly I'm too old to care any more.

[orbatos]

Gracey Facea

Originally posted by Gracey Face:

Originally posted by Mark3:

So I'm lying?

You weren't lying before, you were just wrong. You are lying now though, and I have absolutely no idea why.

Gracey Facea, you have no idea why because your assumption is incorrect. Mark3 is referring to a setting you can change, just maybe not the one you may be thinking of, as most games do not make use of it. Why? because many games essentially require constant updates to function, and Steam is mostly a game delivery platform. Production applications have entirely different requirements, and that means some adjustment on your part to how that works, as well as knowing when it's appropriate to do.

Either click on ⚙ icon in Blender's Steam page, or Right-click on Blender in your Library listing, then select "Properties". in the new window, select "Betas", and pick the version you want from the "Beta Participation" menu. If you have important work to do always use a stable LTS version, as they should only change to fix critical bugs. Never do projects using "daily" builds, you will regret it. The current stable LTS is 4.3, supported until July 2026. Blender 3.6 is available but will no longer be updated past June 2025, luckily most plugin developers have managed to make the jump to the 4.1 ecosystem, so your tooling should work in 4.3.

Currently this amounts to a PSA on how to use production application in Steam, as they are not games and shouldn't be treated the same as games in many respects, so I will elaborate:

If you have school work, paid labour, or even hobby projects, jumping to the latest version of the tools you rely on is nearly always a mistake. No game company does this, or rather they have regretted it when they have, which is why it's common to see AAA games released on 3 to 4 year old versions of a game engine, updates can break things in unexpected ways.

Further recommendations for Blender and production software in general:

• If you rely on plugins provided by 3rd party developers you can easily face situations requiring you to stay at least one major version behind, plan on doing this.
  
• For Blender plugins, make an accessible place to store linked folders for them, by version. This will allow you to easily recover from the situation that just happened, by simply making a new directory link into a new install.
  
• For any kind of long term project, go to Blender.org and directly download the (ideally LTS) version you plan on working with for the duration of that project. This won't be updated, and can be done alongside your Steam install, allowing for your stable work as well as access to the latest features or fixes.
  
• Make and maintain custom startup files. These will likely change somewhat between versions, but other reasons include customizing your render settings and linking asset libraries. You will thank yourself for the effort when your work is easier to set up and more consistent.
  
• Make and maintain your own asset libraries. This may seem like needless complication now, but they will drastically cut down startup time when building new projects and allow for you to access an increasing pool of resources by your own efforts. It will also prepare you for sharing data with others and keep larger projects organized.

There are many more things to be said on these topics, but they fill libraries of textbooks already. For now consider that when online always assume the people you are talking to are acting in good faith and at worst are misunderstanding you, or are literally ignorant of the situation. Do your best.

[orbatos]

Originally posted by Halo: Master Chef:

updates broke my Yakuza import and export model plugin, .....

I hope the post above helps, you are welcome to ask other questions and if I am around I will chip in.

As an aside, it wasn't an "update nobody asked for" either, 4.3 isn't a maintenance release and such changes break plugins. Take a look at the changes they are listed in full on the web site.