About the ''SAM'' program!

[Governor Mojo]

Hello all steam people!

Hope you all having a nice day and hope had good christmass and new year!!

I have some question (sorry for my english) about this SAM i see alot of people using in games.

I have a friend on my steam, who use this SAM in every game he is getting and open them all in same time (i can see in hes profil, same date and time and year)
Why does people like him not getting ban/vac ban for doing it?

Even a friend of mine told me he used this program for like 9+ years ago and he shame himself for doing it, because its not the way to earn it and its called ''achive'' because you have to earn it. But he is sometimes afried to get a ''banned'' even its still over 9+ years ago he used it and never used it since, should he still be afried one day he will get a ban for something he did for so many years ago?

- I have been part of steam 16 years - And the best way to earn stuff, is to work hard to get it.!

Again i am so sorry if my english is not so good, i am really trying my best at the moment to explain!

Have a wonderfull day

Your friend
Mojo

[FOXDUDE69]

In a perfect world, all these SAM users would have all achievement related features deleted from their profiles so that a good competitive achievement scene would form on Steam as it has on consoles.

[cinedine]

Publicado originalmente por Gallifrey - CSSC Gaming Founder:

There's a point that achievements aren't worthless to game developers. If correctly set up they can show how many people have played the game (available elsewhere) but also how they're playing it - if there are any sudden cliffs beyond which few players pass etc.

Given that basically every engine today has a telemetry service, relying on achievements is not necessary. It's also not that helpful. Knowing that most players give up in chapter five doesn't tell you why or where exactly. Is it because that one wave fight is too hard? Is it because the story just hasn't picked up until then? Is it because you need to grind your heart out for it to pass? Or is it just passed the two hour mark and people rather refund it.
That's nothing you can tell from achievments. You get better results from just monitoring forums.

[DMG Henryetha]

Alternatively you can use astats for competing on steam achievements. They ban/disable SAM users.

[FOXDUDE69]

Publicado originalmente por DMG Henryetha:

Alternatively you can use astats for competing on steam achievements. They ban/disable SAM users.

This is my question.
How can they tell if someone is a SAM user? And if they can, why doesn't Steam use the same process?

[Roday]

Publicado originalmente por Foxdude:

Publicado originalmente por DMG Henryetha:

Alternatively you can use astats for competing on steam achievements. They ban/disable SAM users.

This is my question.
How can they tell if someone is a SAM user? And if they can, why doesn't Steam use the same process?

There's no way to detect it
U can try to 'manually' check but it will be just like what happened with payday 2's controversy

Also,SAM is not the only way to unlock achievements,its the fastest way but not the only way

[crunchyfrog]

Publicado originalmente por Foxdude:

Publicado originalmente por DMG Henryetha:

Alternatively you can use astats for competing on steam achievements. They ban/disable SAM users.

This is my question.
How can they tell if someone is a SAM user? And if they can, why doesn't Steam use the same process?

There's the rub.

They cannot. THat's why I consisitently point out my challenge when people say the old "but cheating devalues achievments" myth.

I cheated on some Killing Floor achievements, a very small amount - if anyone thinks they can tell, have at it and point it out. The fact they cannot demonstrates it can't be told, and neither could Valve either.

The ONLY ways this could be a thing would be if first of all, the achievements were impossiblly unlocked (Such as achievements unlocked in the wrong order) or unlokced all together. And even then that's not certain as some games unlcok weirdly - Binding of Isaac unlocks previous achievements next time you boot the game up.

The onyl other way is if the devs looked at the variables used to determine the unlocks for acheivements and cross checked them.

And I can't see anyone doing this because, for one, it's it a waste of time and effort, and two they legally cannot.