Chat API and 3rd party chat client

[Duncan]

(Copied from a support ticket that was instantly closed with a note about this not being a technical issue)

Yes I know this is on purpose and not a bug. However it is a major problem for me and I would like to request that the change be reverted.

When the chat api was first released I was very happy, I use a multi-chat client (pidgin). I want to have all my communication protocols in one program. I added my steam account to the client and it worked perfectly for several months.

Then one day I could not log into steam anymore. The error said that I was already logged in from another location. I have to go into my chat client and disable steam chat before I can play games.

Why?

The way I see it it is in the best interests of valve, steam, the community and myself if people are constantly online in the steam community, and use it as one of their primary communication systems.

Please allow api chat connections to be ignored when logging in to the steam client.



Seeing as this is a discussion forum, here is something to reply to if anyone cares -

How do people with smartphones deal with this? If you are logged into steam chat on your phone does the main steam client refuse to connect?

[aiusepsi]

I'm reasonably sure there isn't a public chat API. There are reverse-engineered reimplementations of the protocol that the Steam client uses to talk to the back end, but not an API as such.

And to answer your question, you can use the mobile app and the Steam client simultaneously.

[Cy]

The problem with "openness" of software (e.g. Steam Chat client) is that the developer (e.g. Valve) has to think long term and can't afford other people mingling in their maintenance plans. Being specific, multiple interfaces exist that a common user or web developer has no idea about and will misuse, yet are crucial for basic functionality, e.g. seamless integration of games and Steam client.

[Black Blade]

And for any case.. i think now it changes and you can login from as many places as you like in the same time (even that i may be wrong as i only try 3 PCs in my house + mobile)

[Duncan]

Well then something is wrong just for me, I am trying on the same PC to log in with one chat program, and the steam client. I get an error that says 'you are already logged in from another location'.
If I am reading these answers correctly this should be possible. This would suggest that it is a problem perhaps with the chat program and not with the steam server.

Should this be possible?

[Black Blade]

Originally posted by Duncan:

Well then something is wrong just for me, I am trying on the same PC to log in with one chat program, and the steam client. I get an error that says 'you are already logged in from another location'.
If I am reading these answers correctly this should be possible. This would suggest that it is a problem perhaps with the chat program and not with the steam server.

Should this be possible?

Yes but what program are you using? (i have Evolve and Overwolf and it works fine)

[Cy]

He said he's using Pidgin IM. Didn't it have the same issue with Google Talk accounts connected via Pidgin and web client?

[Duncan]

So I have made some progress. In the account settings in the pidgin steam plugin there is an option to 'use console instance'. This stops pidgin from kicking off the main steam client if it is already logged in. This still does not enable me to have both going at the same time, but I can have chat log in to steam at OS startup, and still log in to the steam client when I want to play.

No I have not had any issues with google talk and pidgin.

[Duncan]

So reading around on the pidgin bug tracker I found that steam as repeatedly changed the API without telling anyone. The pidgin guys are patching each time to catch up. I installed the newer version of the steam plugin, but now it seems that I am getting the error "Error verifying humanity". This is because steam is asking for a captcha, which my pidgin client isn't filling out.

Bottom line is, valve don't want me to use a third party chat client, or at least don't care enough to make it easy.

[Black Blade]

Originally posted by Duncan:

So reading around on the pidgin bug tracker I found that steam as repeatedly changed the API without telling anyone. The pidgin guys are patching each time to catch up. I installed the newer version of the steam plugin, but now it seems that I am getting the error "Error verifying humanity". This is because steam is asking for a captcha, which my pidgin client isn't filling out.

Bottom line is, valve don't want me to use a third party chat client, or at least don't care enough to make it easy.

Well do not know abut you.. i use 2 pogroms with Steam chat and they work just fine.. so i do not know what is up with your pidgin

[Duncan]

Neither do I. What programs do you use? The other decent multi chat app is miranda and that has no steam support at all.

I would be curious if anyone who uses a third party chat program for steamchat could list which programs they use, it would be nice to know what works.

[Scutterman]

I used to use MirandaIM, then I switched to MirandaNG. If I was still using it, I would make a Steam chat plugin for it, but no-one I know uses IM except Facebook chat and Steam, so it's easier to just use Steam rather than a third party client.

[Black Blade]

Originally posted by Duncan:

Neither do I. What programs do you use? The other decent multi chat app is miranda and that has no steam support at all.

I would be curious if anyone who uses a third party chat program for steamchat could list which programs they use, it would be nice to know what works.

I use Evolve[www.evolvehq.com] and also Overwolf[www.overwolf.com] two of them do not seem to have any problem so far...