Switch between released game versions

[Hiro]

Why are users not able to switch between released game versions?

This is specially useful for single-player games, since some updates can break saves, degrade performance, break mods, etc.

Also, I should be able to hold an update and keep playing what I already have installed and working until I'm ready to update (or not, this should be the gamer choice).


Please!
Make so that we can choose which version to install and we can choose when to update installed games.

[Seretti]

It's already possible, no? That the devs choose not to make use of that feature is on them, not Valve.

[Hiro]

Originally posted by Seretti:

It's already possible, no? That the devs choose not to make use of that feature is on them, not Valve.

It is not. devs can make use of "beta" branches.
What I'm asking is similar, but for the "public" branches.

I would prefer not to rely on developers to do that either.
It would be another burden on them.

Best option would be to have every update as an option to switch to.
This process would be, ideally, automated.

[Brian9824]

Originally posted by Hiro:

Originally posted by Seretti:

It's already possible, no? That the devs choose not to make use of that feature is on them, not Valve.

It is not. devs can make use of "beta" branches.
What I'm asking is similar, but for the "public" branches.

I would prefer not to rely on developers to do that either.
It would be another burden on them.

Best option would be to have every update as an option to switch to.
This process would be, ideally, automated.

It's not steam's software, so steam isn't going to make every version available. There can be major bugs or reasons why developers don't want versions available and there are too many games for steam to manage this.

Hence why its the developers choice. Steam is just a distribution center, the software is still controlled by the developer. Not to mention the amount of storage required would be astronomical if steam archived and made available every single update ever.

[Hiro]

Originally posted by brian9824:

There can be major bugs or reasons why developers don't want versions available and there are too many games for steam to manage this.

Still, it should be the user choice to update or not.
Maybe I want to speedrun the game? for example.

Originally posted by brian9824:

Hence why its the developers choice. Steam is just a distribution center, the software is still controlled by the developer.

Software control is still on hands of the developer.
This is not modifying their software in any way.

Originally posted by brian9824:

Not to mention the amount of storage required would be astronomical if steam archived and made available every single update ever.

That is not true.
Using steam CLI one can download any version of the game already.
All the files are on the Steam Depots and this make "every single update ever" available to download.

However the Steam Client will force the update when you go online.
I would be happy by using the command line to download a version if I can disable updates completely.


I really believe that this is a feature worth having.
or at least have an option to keep installed games outdated.

[Aachen]

Valve surely doesn’t seem to think mandatory availability of past versions for all software is so worthwhile; they’ve never yet extended the system beyond giving those developers who want such an option the choice.

[Brian9824]

Originally posted by Hiro:

Software control is still on hands of the developer.
This is not modifying their software in any way.

You are asking for Steam to make available versions of their software the developer does not wish to be available. Steam does not have the ability to do so.


You will never have that, the developer chooses what they want to be available, the last thing that would be good for users is to have builds floating around with critical bugs that destroy saves and wipe all progress all because some users want every version ever made.

[Hiro]

Originally posted by brian9824:

the last thing that would be good for users is to have builds floating around with critical bugs that destroy saves and wipe all progress all because some users want every version ever made.

This does not need to be used by everyone.

I understand what you are saying.
Not asking this to be forced on every user of the platform.
I'm asking to have an option to play the buggy version and put my saves at risk if I wish.

[Hiro]

Originally posted by Aachen:

Valve surely doesn’t seem to think mandatory availability of past versions for all software is so worthwhile; they’ve never yet extended the system beyond giving those developers who want such an option the choice.

It is already available on the Steam depots.
Their system is already able to handle the download of most versions published to the public branches (this is the released version branch).

I'm just asking for a way to select one of these labels or at least to keep a game outdated.
Then I can download it through the CLI and not update when I launch the desktop client.

[Brian9824]

Originally posted by Hiro:

Originally posted by brian9824:

the last thing that would be good for users is to have builds floating around with critical bugs that destroy saves and wipe all progress all because some users want every version ever made.

This does not need to be used by everyone.

I understand what you are saying.
Not asking this to be forced on every user of the platform.
I'm asking to have an option to play the buggy version and put my saves at risk if I wish.

Which again, the developer is the one with the power to do that, its their game, their choice. If the developer doesn't want to allow it steam is not going to over-rule the developer on their own game. That would make steam liable for any damages that might occur if a game had an RCE exploit, or other problem that led to damage to a person's PC.

Steam gives the developers the tools, the developer has the right for THEIR products to choose which are available. Not to mention there are many cases where doing what you suggest would literally violate the law, and steam would not be in a position to know, but would become liable to lawsuits if they implemented your ideas.

[Aachen]

Originally posted by Hiro:

It is already available on the Steam depots.
Their system is already able to handle the download of most versions published to the public branches (this is the released version branch).

I'm just asking for a way to select one of these labels or at least to keep a game outdated.
Then I can download it through the CLI and not update when I launch the desktop client.

Is “the software is there, available for download” equally a valid argument, to you, that it should be freely available to any user?

[Start_Running]

Originally posted by Hiro:

Originally posted by Seretti:

It's already possible, no? That the devs choose not to make use of that feature is on them, not Valve.

It is not. devs can make use of "beta" branches.
What I'm asking is similar, but for the "public" branches.

The name means nothing. The functionality is still the same. The feature already exists and is used by some devs.

Originally posted by Hiro:

I would prefer not to rely on developers to do that either.
It would be another burden on them.

It's their product. Their job.

Originally posted by Hiro:

Best option would be to have every update as an option to switch to.
This process would be, ideally, automated.

Yeah see what you're saying oplaces the same level of burden on devs as the current system m8. plus the fact that they have to deal with the logistics of supporting the old versions.

So much for your concerns re the devs

[KalGimpa]

Originally posted by Hiro:

Originally posted by brian9824:

the last thing that would be good for users is to have builds floating around with critical bugs that destroy saves and wipe all progress all because some users want every version ever made.

This does not need to be used by everyone.

I understand what you are saying.
Not asking this to be forced on every user of the platform.
I'm asking to have an option to play the buggy version and put my saves at risk if I wish.

would you want versions of your game that are full of bugs floating around?

i use a lot of mods and the like that sometimes get broken when updates happen

so i get it

but what you want to do is force a dev/pub to keep versions live that they do not want to

there are games that are just released and never touched again

if you buy a game that is getting updates, it is what you gamble on

it is one of those catch 22's that we created

[Hiro]

Originally posted by brian9824:

Which again, the developer is the one with the power to do that, its their game, their choice. If the developer doesn't want to allow it steam is not going to over-rule the developer on their own game.

Not asking to over-rule the developer.
I'm asking the freedom to keep an older released version.
I'm asking choice.

Originally posted by brian9824:

That would make steam liable for any damages that might occur if a game had an RCE exploit, or other problem that led to damage to a person's PC.

I find it really hard to make the connection between a distribution platform and a RCE exploit.
Still, they could provide a "EULA"-like for these cases and the user would be blamed.

Originally posted by brian9824:

Not to mention there are many cases where doing what you suggest would literally violate the law

Could you provide sources where making previously released versions of a software (in this case games) available violating the law?

[Start_Running]

Originally posted by Hiro:

Originally posted by brian9824:

Which again, the developer is the one with the power to do that, its their game, their choice. If the developer doesn't want to allow it steam is not going to over-rule the developer on their own game.

Not asking to over-rule the developer.
I'm asking the freedom to keep an older released version.
I'm asking choice.

And when your choice conflicts with the desires of the dev/pub?

[Hiro]

Originally posted by Aachen:

Is “the software is there, available for download” equally a valid argument, to you, that it should be freely available to any user?

Yes, I believe that I should have the choice.
If not a choice I still need an way to keep the outdated version if I wish.

Steam force updates when you go online.