Cloud Server as Game Storage

[Zielloos]

I've been thinking, might seem a bit unrealistic, yet I think could be possible, I might be wrong. Steam should provide an online storage allowing users to install their games without requiring storage directly from your PC. Storage size being what you can afford based on the options give as a subscription on Steam connected to the Steam Account.

As example, say I want to install GTAV but my PC has only 500GB with the storage on my PC being almost full from software that are not games such as work applications for varies jobs, movies, videos, etc. When I want to install a game to play on my PC, there should be the option of installing the game to a steam cloud as storage for the game itself, instead of installing the game onto the PC.

Basically having an online space for installing your games without effecting your storage could be beneficial to those that want to keep buying games without having to worry of purchasing a license for authority to play streamed games from clouds because if every game was in a cloud for streaming then there won't be an offline option anymore for any games that are offline single player because then you'll need constant internet to play even the games meant to be played offline, and most people cannot afford paying for good internet anymore because the cost of having internet can be expensive.

Yes, streaming games and owning a cloud server as game storage both would need internet, but only a cloud server for streaming games will need the internet to constantly play the games because the storage access to the games you already installed will only need internet access for the games you're going to install from a server to the cloud but once they are installed you can just play the installed games with an offline mode for accessing the steam cloud offline to play what's already in the steam online that has been installed.

Even better, being able to access it from your steam app will allow anyone on their steam app to download their games to their steam cloud then just enough internet to update the steam cloud on their PC for access to the game without need to download the game to the PC with access to offline mode available and no fear of high traffic from other players like when playing a streamed game since each player will have their own steam cloud library of their games.

This whole idea is basically to make the games you own require no storage on any computer using Steam.

[Leonardo Da Pinchi]

Originally posted by Mad Scientist:

Originally posted by Leonardo Da Pinchi:

20 years in IT, like I said. What you want, doesn't exist and cannot exist.

If you want something like this, set up a server rack in your home with local host/connection capabilities. Or, set up a second computer with extended storage, and stream through it onto a second PC like many content creators do.

At that point it would still be so much cheaper for them just to install a large HDD. Heck, they could even use a consumer grade NAS but it would likely not perform well compared to a direct-connected HDD if they want to play games from it.

Sometimes the main issue is people want to over-complicate simple solutions, often spending more with numerous things than one single thing.

Yeah, but a large HDD doesn't give the features OP wants. The cheapest/best option, would just install another HDD or use a large external.

[Leonardo Da Pinchi]

Originally posted by Zielloos:

Originally posted by Leonardo Da Pinchi:

You. Need. Internet. To. Access. The. Cloud. Those cloud files on your PC are originally on your PC first, then backed up ON the cloud.

No, they're not. The game files are originally in their publishers servers which you download to your PC, but with this method, the games you own on the account that you own are getting backed up from the games publisher's servers. Example Call of Duty's files are originally in the publishers servers, which can be backed up to steam's cloud if the game is owned on the account.

...just tell us you don't know how Cloud storage works without telling us.

You literally cannot play a game off a cloud host, without that host having the ability to actually PLAY those games.

At that point, you're just Streaming.

[Zielloos]

Originally posted by Mad Scientist:

Originally posted by Leonardo Da Pinchi:

20 years in IT, like I said. What you want, doesn't exist and cannot exist.

If you want something like this, set up a server rack in your home with local host/connection capabilities. Or, set up a second computer with extended storage, and stream through it onto a second PC like many content creators do.

At that point it would still be so much cheaper for them just to install a large HDD. Heck, they could even use a consumer grade NAS but it would likely not perform well compared to a direct-connected HDD if they want to play games from it.

Sometimes the main issue is people want to over-complicate simple solutions, often spending more with numerous things than one single thing.

A storage upgrade only reaches so far, and now you're attempting to insult me in my discussion when you didn't have to come into my discussion, if you didn't agree then you never needed to come into my discussion. I find it interesting that you're trying to argue with a stranger about having their own ideas.

[Leonardo Da Pinchi]

Originally posted by Zielloos:

Originally posted by Mad Scientist:

At that point it would still be so much cheaper for them just to install a large HDD. Heck, they could even use a consumer grade NAS but it would likely not perform well compared to a direct-connected HDD if they want to play games from it.

Sometimes the main issue is people want to over-complicate simple solutions, often spending more with numerous things than one single thing.

A storage upgrade only reaches so far, and now you're attempting to insult me in my discussion when you didn't have to come into my discussion, if you didn't agree then you never needed to come into my discussion. I find it interested that you're trying to argue with a stranger about having their own ideas.

I find it interesting you're trying to argue how tech works, while not actually knowing how it works.

[Mad Scientist]

Originally posted by Leonardo Da Pinchi:

Originally posted by Mad Scientist:

At that point it would still be so much cheaper for them just to install a large HDD. Heck, they could even use a consumer grade NAS but it would likely not perform well compared to a direct-connected HDD if they want to play games from it.

Sometimes the main issue is people want to over-complicate simple solutions, often spending more with numerous things than one single thing.

Yeah, but a large HDD doesn't give the features OP wants. The cheapest/best option, would just install another HDD or use a large external.

Comes down to often what's wanted not being a good solution. Most likely they have an available bay and sata connector.

They can still buy an HDD and get an enclosure for it that would connect to the network port or multiple UBS ports, depending on which they have available. Hopefully they don't intend on using WiFi.

[Zielloos]

Originally posted by Leonardo Da Pinchi:

Originally posted by Zielloos:

No, they're not. The game files are originally in their publishers servers which you download to your PC, but with this method, the games you own on the account that you own are getting backed up from the games publisher's servers. Example Call of Duty's files are originally in the publishers servers, which can be backed up to steam's cloud if the game is owned on the account.

...just tell us you don't know how Cloud storage works without telling us.

You literally cannot play a game off a cloud host, without that host having the ability to actually PLAY those games.

At that point, you're just Streaming.

At this point you're just trying to argue with me in my own discussion. The mature thing to do was just say your one opinion then unsubscribe to the discussion, being you are just attempting to escalate a discussion into an argument, you're going to be blocked and reported. Have a nice day.

[Ben Lubar]

Originally posted by Leonardo Da Pinchi:

Originally posted by Zielloos:

No, they're not. The game files are originally in their publishers servers which you download to your PC, but with this method, the games you own on the account that you own are getting backed up from the games publisher's servers. Example Call of Duty's files are originally in the publishers servers, which can be backed up to steam's cloud if the game is owned on the account.

...just tell us you don't know how Cloud storage works without telling us.

You literally cannot play a game off a cloud host, without that host having the ability to actually PLAY those games.

At that point, you're just Streaming.

You can run a game off a network file share. Won't be a very good experience, though.

[Leonardo Da Pinchi]

Originally posted by Zielloos:

Originally posted by Leonardo Da Pinchi:

...just tell us you don't know how Cloud storage works without telling us.

You literally cannot play a game off a cloud host, without that host having the ability to actually PLAY those games.

At that point, you're just Streaming.

At this point you're just trying to argue with me in my own discussion. The mature thing to do was just say your one opinion then unsubscribe to the discussion, being you are just attempting to escalate a discussion into an argument, you're going to be blocked and reported. Have a nice day.

It's not opinion, it's fact. The tech you want to exist, doesn't. The mature thing to do, was stop trying to propose ideas in which technology does not exist to facilitate it.

[Leonardo Da Pinchi]

Originally posted by Ben Lubar:

Originally posted by Leonardo Da Pinchi:

...just tell us you don't know how Cloud storage works without telling us.

You literally cannot play a game off a cloud host, without that host having the ability to actually PLAY those games.

At that point, you're just Streaming.

You can run a game off a network file share. Won't be a very good experience, though.

Which is why streaming from a secondary host pc would be the better option, or, simply using GeForce Now.

[Zielloos]

Originally posted by Mad Scientist:

Originally posted by Leonardo Da Pinchi:

Yeah, but a large HDD doesn't give the features OP wants. The cheapest/best option, would just install another HDD or use a large external.

Comes down to often what's wanted not being a good solution. Most likely they have an available bay and sata connector.

They can still buy an HDD and get an enclosure for it that would connect to the network port or multiple UBS ports, depending on which they have available. Hopefully they don't intend on using WiFi.

Originally posted by Mad Scientist:

Originally posted by Leonardo Da Pinchi:

Yeah, but a large HDD doesn't give the features OP wants. The cheapest/best option, would just install another HDD or use a large external.

Comes down to often what's wanted not being a good solution. Most likely they have an available bay and sata connector.

They can still buy an HDD and get an enclosure for it that would connect to the network port or multiple UBS ports, depending on which they have available. Hopefully they don't intend on using WiFi.

I actually have an SSD and HDD, I'm running at 1.25TB, before creating assumptions about the specs of a person's computer understand the discussion at hand. It's not difficult to understand that it is possible to make it so you're streaming games with the exception those games you own and have an offline method of playing them.

[Leonardo Da Pinchi]

Originally posted by Zielloos:

Originally posted by Mad Scientist:

Comes down to often what's wanted not being a good solution. Most likely they have an available bay and sata connector.

They can still buy an HDD and get an enclosure for it that would connect to the network port or multiple UBS ports, depending on which they have available. Hopefully they don't intend on using WiFi.

Originally posted by Mad Scientist:

Comes down to often what's wanted not being a good solution. Most likely they have an available bay and sata connector.

They can still buy an HDD and get an enclosure for it that would connect to the network port or multiple UBS ports, depending on which they have available. Hopefully they don't intend on using WiFi.

I actually have an SSD and HDD, I'm running at 1.25TB, before creating assumptions about the specs of a person's computer understand the discussion at hand. It's not difficult to understand that it is possible to make it so you're streaming games with the exception those games you own and have an offline method of playing them.

GeForce Now + Steam Offline Mode exist.

You're violating your third tenant.

[Mad Scientist]

Originally posted by Zielloos:

A storage upgrade only reaches so far, and now you're attempting to insult me in my discussion when you didn't have to come into my discussion, if you didn't agree then you never needed to come into my discussion. I find it interesting that you're trying to argue with a stranger about having their own ideas.

The upgrade is the best thing you can do if you want a lot of overall storage without having to worry about how large the next game is.

Remember that this is a public user forum where anyone can be involved in the discussion.

Originally posted by Zielloos:

At this point you're just trying to argue with me in my own discussion. The mature thing to do was just say your one opinion then unsubscribe to the discussion, being you are just attempting to escalate a discussion into an argument, you're going to be blocked and reported. Have a nice day.

They are allowed to give opinions and other information. The client is meant for you to install to the current machine, like most clients tend to be, for the best performance. You may run any non protected game off of a NAS or any other remote connection, just don't expect good performance if there's too much of a delay or not enough data transfer.

Always have more processing power & storage than you need, factoring in for the type of games you want. The standard for a long time is SSD/NVME for OS & most important apps, and mass storage drive or drives for everything else.

Originally posted by Zielloos:

I actually have an SSD and HDD, I'm running at 1.25TB, before creating assumptions about the specs of a person's computer understand the discussion at hand. It's not difficult to understand that it is possible to make it so you're streaming games with the exception those games you own and have an offline method of playing them.

It's safe to make educated guesses based upon a suggestion which in itself suggests a total lack of storage. For example, I have 20TB+ of Storage, as I know what's best for current & future uses for my system, and to rely on my own processing power without additional unnecessary and costly equipment.

Just because you can try to stream, doesn't mean you should. The best & cheapest solution is to add another drive directly to the system, the second cheapest is a NAS drive plug-n-play. Anything else would be a gross waste of resources & power.

[Leonardo Da Pinchi]

Fact of the matter is, playing a game from cloud storage = Streaming. Also, you're more than capable of playing Steam games offline that you've already downloaded to your PC via Offline Mode.

[Zielloos]

My idea is similar to Netflix, the difference is you own the content being used and it is about games instead of Movies or TV Shows. A video game is just software and as a game designer, I will know this. You can have your games inside a steam cloud, which is backed up by the game publishers depending on which games you own in your library.

[Leonardo Da Pinchi]

Originally posted by Zielloos:

My idea is similar to Netflix, the difference is you own the content being used and it is about games instead of Movies or TV Shows. A video game is just software and as a game designer, I will know this. You can have your games inside a steam cloud, which is backed up by the game publishers depending on which games you own in your library.

Streaming. Plain and simple. Go look at GeForce Now.