Tracking of non steam games??

[mcdgray129]

I pretty much use steam as front end launcher for all my games and i think it would be a great idea if you added play time tracking to non steam games and allow them to be showed on users profiles too.

[Black Blade]

Was ask a few times.. but as you can rename a game to what ever you want i think it will not be so good to be added...

[mcdgray129]

Yeah but id imagine if they added it they would make it so no matter what you renamed it to steam would only keep track of the original games .exe play time and if you renamed that then you lose the play time and start again as steam would act like its a new .exe.

[p o y o]

Since its a persoanl non-steam game, it shouldnt matter how many hours youve racked, id be nice to have it yknow? who cares if you change the launch? There are more important things to be worrying about tho...

Edit: It pretty much stops at having to get a disclaimer to every 3rd party program, too much work for too little payout.

[Cybersquirt]

3rd party info in an online environment -- shocking!

[germality]

Couldn't they do something like what Raptr does? You don't even buy games from Raptr but that can track time played. =)

[Black Blade]

Originally posted by Germaximus:

Couldn't they do something like what Raptr does? You don't even buy games from Raptr but that can track time played. =)

it tracks game play from Steam or Origin or what ever... also that is all they do Steam needs to do much more then it.. so its less in the focus

[Τhe Rolling Cheese Wheel]

Steam is built to track steam games, raptr is build as in all in one client. They would have to recode steam to support third party software tracking, not quite worth the time or money.

[mcdgray129]

I dont see really how it would be that hard a thing to add. Really all they would need to have is a way of tracking how long whatever .exe file is open for the is lots of 3rd party apps that can do this already really it wouldnt be such a hard thing to add. and yes we could just use them other 3rd party programs (and i do use Raptr) but it be much better if steam could do it too.

[Τhe Rolling Cheese Wheel]

Originally posted by Zero129 -VGC:

I dont see really how it would be that hard a thing to add. Really all they would need to have is a way of tracking how long whatever .exe file is open for the is lots of 3rd party apps that can do this already really it wouldnt be such a hard thing to add. and yes we could just use them other 3rd party programs (and i do use Raptr) but it be much better if steam could do it too.

What would be the point of that?

[p o y o]

Originally posted by Τhe Rolling Cheese Wheel:

Originally posted by Zero129 -VGC:

I dont see really how it would be that hard a thing to add. Really all they would need to have is a way of tracking how long whatever .exe file is open for the is lots of 3rd party apps that can do this already really it wouldnt be such a hard thing to add. and yes we could just use them other 3rd party programs (and i do use Raptr) but it be much better if steam could do it too.

What would be the point of that?

I dont mean to asnwer for OP but, its a personal thing I myself (& many others) would greatly enjoy.

[mcdgray129]

Originally posted by Τhe Rolling Cheese Wheel:

Originally posted by Zero129 -VGC:

I dont see really how it would be that hard a thing to add. Really all they would need to have is a way of tracking how long whatever .exe file is open for the is lots of 3rd party apps that can do this already really it wouldnt be such a hard thing to add. and yes we could just use them other 3rd party programs (and i do use Raptr) but it be much better if steam could do it too.

What would be the point of that?

Ease of not having to use other 3rd party software to do it?, being able to see how long you have spend on other games within steam i know it might not seem like such a usefull thing to you but im sure the is many others like myself that would find such an option very useful.

[Black Blade]

I do understand why you want it and all... the problem is most of these 3rd party know what game it is.. Steam dose not... it just run it as a name... so any one can just place 10000000 names of games that may not be... or just spam names or things like that...

Rapter/Eveolve/OverWolf know what game it is... as that is more or less there main part of there job in it Valve dose not have that.. and have mush to do that i do not think its worth it

[mcdgray129]

Except you can only add .exe files to games for instance if you want to add Battlefield 3 to steam you would click add non steam game then look for the Battlefield 3.exe and add that. Now once that is added it would be very easy for steam to track how much time you have played it and if you change the name of battlefield 3 then your stats get reset or else it just keeps track of the original .exe's playtime, no reason people would need to try abuse this as they would gain nothing from doing so as it would really only be useful for people like me who likes to keep track of how much time i spend gaming.

[Black Blade]

Originally posted by Zero129 -VGC:

Except you can only add .exe files to games for instance if you want to add Battlefield 3 to steam you would click add non steam game then look for the Battlefield 3.exe and add that. Now once that is added it would be very easy for steam to track how much time you have played it and if you change the name of battlefield 3 then your stats get reset or else it just keeps track of the original .exe's playtime, no reason people would need to try abuse this as they would gain nothing from doing so as it would really only be useful for people like me who likes to keep track of how much time i spend gaming.

I can make my note card a non-Steam game.... and then name it **** *** ***** then what?

Also i think the main reason you have it at all is to help Valve sale games.. by showing you enjoy playing them (and how much you play) and if the game is not on steam...

[p o y o]

Originally posted by Black Blade:

Originally posted by Zero129 -VGC:

Except you can only add .exe files to games for instance if you want to add Battlefield 3 to steam you would click add non steam game then look for the Battlefield 3.exe and add that. Now once that is added it would be very easy for steam to track how much time you have played it and if you change the name of battlefield 3 then your stats get reset or else it just keeps track of the original .exe's playtime, no reason people would need to try abuse this as they would gain nothing from doing so as it would really only be useful for people like me who likes to keep track of how much time i spend gaming.

I can make my note card a non-Steam game.... and then name it **** *** ***** then what?
Also i think the main reason you have it at all is to help Valve sale games.. by showing you enjoy playing them (and how much you play) and if the game is not on steam...

Obviously the name wouldnt change for other ppl just your personal library...even tho im kindof against nicknaming games (cuz i think a drag n drop would do the trick)