Video chat on steam?

[Nom Nom Shark]

How awsome would it be if steam incorperated a video/multi user video chat?

[Fox]

Originally posted by Mariko:

How awsome would it be if steam incorperated a video/multi user video chat?

Into the negatives, but that's just me.

I can't really see the point, because Steam chat is only meant for when you're playing a game (it integrates into the overlay, and such). While audio chat allows you to basically stop pausing the game to answer your friend, I don't see any good in the video chat, except for your friend's face which you won't bother to see if you're playing a game, whether it's only in the overlay or integrated akin to Skype.

Not mentoning, of course, the heavy strain of thousands of video streams with the Steam servers (remember that every pixel of a video must be sent and received, before being resized client-side).

So, I disagree.

[DarkCrystalMethod]

What if more than two people wanted to video chat? What if one person had multliple cameras? Would they do the mixing first on another machine?(not quite live, but close enough)
What if someone decided to show more than whats coming through their cameras... (movies, ear-bleeding noises, etc).
Other than those negatives (which are huge) if Valve can get the bandwidth and quality right considering the logicstics involved I'd be for it, but I don't demand it.

[clades]

Or something that would be cool is having an easy way to screen share to your friends integrated into steam.

[Laptop]

This would bring strain on Steam's servers. There's already Skype, you're not going to be waving at the camera while playing a game, are you?

[Nom Nom Shark]

no one ever said steam chat was purely for in game enjoyment. i use it just to talk to friends sometimes. Also windows 8 users run into a block with skype due to it running as an app and not in your desktop. this requires it to take up a portion of your screen and will cut out if a fullscreen game is run.

[Nessy103]

It would be awesome! Steam would probably branch out to more than just gaming tho.

[FOXX5]

Originally posted by Laptop65:

This would bring strain on Steam's servers. There's already Skype, you're not going to be waving at the camera while playing a game, are you?

* puts hand down

[Fox]

Originally posted by Mariko:

no one ever said steam chat was purely for in game enjoyment. i use it just to talk to friends sometimes. Also windows 8 users run into a block with skype due to it running as an app and not in your desktop. this requires it to take up a portion of your screen and will cut out if a fullscreen game is run.

The Desktop Skype (which launches in your desktop) retains the compatibility with Windows 8. You're better off using this than this less-than-subpar app. Then, your problems are solved, as Skype will handle the video-chat for you.

[DarkCrystalMethod]

Complete screen sharing would reveal your [e-mail] username, unless there was an option to hide it.

[Laptop]

Originally posted by DarkCrystalMethod:

Complete screen sharing would reveal your [e-mail] username, unless there was an option to hide it.

I think he meant webcams, not screen-sharing. There's no need for that, TeamViewer already exists.

[CxP]

Originally posted by Laptop65:

Originally posted by DarkCrystalMethod:

Complete screen sharing would reveal your [e-mail] username, unless there was an option to hide it.

I think he meant webcams, not screen-sharing. There's no need for that, TeamViewer already exists.

But It would be call to not have to download external software

[Laptop]

Originally posted by Not TotalBiscuit:

But It would be call to not have to download external software

Steam is not a screen-sharing service. It's primary purpose is to allow people to be able to play games and connect with each other at the same time. Screen-sharing is hardly related to gaming. I only ever screen-share someone when they want something fixed on their computer, which is nothing to do with games.

TeamViewer already exists for this.

[Roxor128]

I don't see the point. If you're playing a game, you're not going to have time to look at your friend's face. Audio, sure, if you can actually concentrate on talking and playing.

Want your friend to see what's on your screen? Install VNC clients and servers on each other's machines.