Future proof old Steam games.

[Memorex]

I am not developer nor software engineer, but I think very smart people work at Valve.
Can valve employees secure future proof old Steam games? I mean some old games from 2003-2006 dont work properly on Window 11.

And maybe even more wont work on Windows 12 or whatever next thing is.
So my question can Steam make somekind Steam emulator that no matter what windows future will release, old games will be safe and work properly ?

What are your ideas ?

[Crazy Tiger]

It's not Valves job to "future proof" games not made by Valve. They have never done that, they're not going to do that.

GoG is the store that was specialised in making older games work on newer hardware and OS. I say was, because they have lost that focus (likely because it isn't as profitable as people want it to be).

Different stores get operated differently. And that's fine.

[✨Saint✨]

An educated Google search will usually tell you if a game is compatible with a certain OS.
With a little "tinkering" you can make virtually any game "future proof".

[Haruspex]

Publicado originalmente por BlightTide:

I am not developer nor software engineer, but I think very smart people work at Valve.
Can valve employees secure future proof old Steam games? I mean some old games from 2003-2006 dont work properly on Window 11.

And maybe even more wont work on Windows 12 or whatever next thing is.
So my question can Steam make somekind Steam emulator that no matter what windows future will release, old games will be safe and work properly ?

What are your ideas ?

Valve won't. It's not their responsibility, though with Proton there is sometimes the interesting side effect that some old Windows games run better under Linux than they do under newer version of Windows.

As long as there are games worth playing though, someone will put in the work necessary to ensure they continue to be playable on modern hardware, no matter how it evolves.

MSDOS games should have been lost to time, but they're all completely playable today via DOSBOX.

I wanted to play the 2001 original Max Payne recently, but it wouldn't get past the title screen for me. A couple of community-made fixes later and I'm running it as well as I was 20 years ago. Better even.

Some of the most fondly remembered titles even get unofficial modern source ports[www.howtogeek.com] that not only allow the game to run beautifully on modern hardware, but also enhance and improve the game above and beyond the original.

Valve doesn't need to do what the community continues to happily do. It's just sometimes you'll need to put in a minimal amount of work on your end.

[AtheistChris]

i think the best way would be a Steam client
for Win Xp and Win 7
you download the games on your Win 10/11 PC then you use a external device to get it on your
Win XP/7 PC
you log in in the steam client for XP/7 and it only goes online for 10 seconds to confirm you own those games after that you always can play them aslong you don´t delete them on your old PC

the only other way would be making them DRM free

[Start_Running]

Publicado originalmente por BlightTide:

I am not developer nor software engineer, but I think very smart people work at Valve.
Can valve employees secure future proof old Steam games? I mean some old games from 2003-2006 dont work properly on Window 11.

And maybe even more wont work on Windows 12 or whatever next thing is.
So my question can Steam make somekind Steam emulator that no matter what windows future will release, old games will be safe and work properly ?

What are your ideas ?

Not likely. I mean They'd have to license the tech from ms to do so and that's money.
I think the better approach would be to simply wait for the devs to fix either the game or windows.
That or virtualization tech will alow you to run it out of a windows whatever VM.

Publicado originalmente por Agonoize1988:

i think the best way would be a Steam client
for Win Xp and Win 7
you download the games on your Win 10/11 PC then you use a external device to get it on your
Win XP/7 PC
you log in in the steam client for XP/7 and it only goes online for 10 seconds to confirm you own those games after that you always can play them aslong you don´t delete them on your old PC

the only other way would be making them DRM free

The steam client no longer works for XP.

[Yzal]

pcgamingwiki.com
everything you need to run old games on modern OS.

[Sitrueis]

Publicado originalmente por BlightTide:

I am not developer nor software engineer, but I think very smart people work at Valve.
Can valve employees secure future proof old Steam games? I mean some old games from 2003-2006 dont work properly on Window 11.

And maybe even more wont work on Windows 12 or whatever next thing is.
So my question can Steam make somekind Steam emulator that no matter what windows future will release, old games will be safe and work properly ?

What are your ideas ?

Unreal Tournament from 99 is running just fine on win 11, problem is mostly with resolution in my case at least. But it would be nice to run old games in future.

[Crazy Tiger]

Publicado originalmente por Thy Sitrueis:

Publicado originalmente por BlightTide:

I am not developer nor software engineer, but I think very smart people work at Valve.
Can valve employees secure future proof old Steam games? I mean some old games from 2003-2006 dont work properly on Window 11.

And maybe even more wont work on Windows 12 or whatever next thing is.
So my question can Steam make somekind Steam emulator that no matter what windows future will release, old games will be safe and work properly ?

What are your ideas ?

Unreal Tournament from 99 is running just fine on win 11, problem is mostly with resolution in my case at least. But it would be nice to run old games in future.

Editing the UnrealTournament.ini can help with that. As is installing the updated renderers. There is a guide in the UT99 game hub that can help with that.

[Sitrueis]

Publicado originalmente por Crazy Tiger:

Publicado originalmente por Thy Sitrueis:

Unreal Tournament from 99 is running just fine on win 11, problem is mostly with resolution in my case at least. But it would be nice to run old games in future.

Editing the UnrealTournament.ini can help with that. As is installing the updated renderers. There is a guide in the UT99 game hub that can help with that.

I know I´m lazy but does that work for UT2004? Cause only reason I didn´t played lately was that resolution.

[Crazy Tiger]

Publicado originalmente por Thy Sitrueis:

Publicado originalmente por Crazy Tiger:

Editing the UnrealTournament.ini can help with that. As is installing the updated renderers. There is a guide in the UT99 game hub that can help with that.

I know I´m lazy but does that work for UT2004? Cause only reason I didn´t played lately was that resolution.

I don't think I've done much editing of the ini for UT2k4. Been quite a while ago, so not sure.

[Sitrueis]

Publicado originalmente por Crazy Tiger:

Publicado originalmente por Thy Sitrueis:

I know I´m lazy but does that work for UT2004? Cause only reason I didn´t played lately was that resolution.

I don't think I've done much editing of the ini for UT2k4. Been quite a while ago, so not sure.

I will try to look for it thx for reminder :)

[blunus]

Publicado originalmente por BlightTide:

I am not developer nor software engineer, but I think very smart people work at Valve.
Can valve employees secure future proof old Steam games? I mean some old games from 2003-2006 dont work properly on Window 11.

And maybe even more wont work on Windows 12 or whatever next thing is.
So my question can Steam make somekind Steam emulator that no matter what windows future will release, old games will be safe and work properly ?

What are your ideas ?

My idea is to go to PCGamingWiki and gather some info like community mods, to make older games work. If there's no info available, ask or search in the game forums.
Valve has no control of any game that isn't made by Valve.

[Memorex]

Publicado originalmente por Crazy Tiger:

It's not Valves job to "future proof" games not made by Valve. They have never done that, they're not going to do that.

GoG is the store that was specialised in making older games work on newer hardware and OS. I say was, because they have lost that focus (likely because it isn't as profitable as people want it to be).

Different stores get operated differently. And that's fine.

yes I understand, that, but I ask Valve maybe they could innovate somekind trick, they are wizards. It's also gonna be good platform to brag about against future competitors

[Kargor]

Publicado originalmente por BlightTide:

What are your ideas ?

They can, but it's a huge pile of work for no business benefit.

[Memorex]

Publicado originalmente por Kargor:

Publicado originalmente por BlightTide:

What are your ideas ?

They can, but it's a huge pile of work for no business benefit.

awww that's unfortunate :(