"Steam PC Showcase" (Showcase for Gaming Rig)

[FTLAUDMAN]

How about a showcase to show off your gaming rig? Lots of PC building enthusiasts on Steam!

The Steam client can already detect hardware like CPU, GPU, RAM, etc.

Thoughts?

[vantiss]

I can see running into issues with it not knowing which PC to showcase if you use more than one computer, but i do like the idea at its core

[Jaawa]

I would really like this, especially since I just built my 4th gaming rig only a week ago, showcasing it would make me quite happy. It would be cool to be able to show a picture of your battlestation too, along with the specs of your computer

[Wooton]

Originally posted by >:3 Atreus just getting cards:

I can see running into issues with it not knowing which PC to showcase if you use more than one computer, but i do like the idea at its core

Well, you could just pick a time to manually upload your specs, I think that would be the least annoying all around, that way Steam wouldn't be constantly re-checking and uploading data. Sure, it could be semi exploitable if you just quickly logged in on your friend's supercomputer, but who really cares.

[FTLAUDMAN]

There are graphs and stats on the Steam hardware pages for the PC components being used. Perhaps they could associate those in your showcase (CPU is in the top 25%, 2x GPU is in top 10% on steam, etc).

Maybe out of that could come an overall rig score ("Top 15% among Steam Gamers")?

[Jaawa]

Originally posted by FTLAUDMAN:

There are graphs and stats on the Steam hardware pages for the PC components being used. Perhaps they could associate those in your showcase (CPU is in the top 25%, 2x GPU is in top 10% on steam, etc).

Maybe out of that could come an overall rig score ("Top 15% among Steam Gamers")?

While that would be cool for richer enthusiasts who like to kinda compete with specs, perhaps it would be a bit too sad for people without current rigs. I mean showcasing specs of your rig is one thing, but boasting "in the Top 15% among Steam Gamers" is another thing altogether, you know?

It would be nice to have a showcase system, that would also be friendly to people with cool looking setups or just older nice rigs. They surely would like to show their beloved computer, but maybe not if it stated that 40% of Steam Gamers have better performing rigs. I mean a system that couldn't be construed as discriminating in any way among gamers.

I mainly say this because I have a friend who has had great gaming rigs in the past, but now just doesn't have the money for one, and while I surely would like to show off my brand new Haswell rig, it wouldn't feel right to know he is saddened from looking at my Steam profile, which would be stating that "Jaawa's gaming computer is among the Top 10% of Steam Gamers."

Cool idea though, I for one just have got a bit mixed feelings about it

[FTLAUDMAN]

All showcases are optional, of course. Many haven't invested in badges, or large games collections, or other showcase features either. I'd imagine most people would use their showcase options to highlight their conversation pieces (what's important to them).

The percentage idea may be best implemented where it gives a "Top X%" if you are in that group and nothing otherwise. This eleminates the "Bottom 50%" concern.

I guess its kinda like Honor Roll at my school growing up. You get an award if you make it, but otherwise nothing is said.

Not trying to be elitist about hardware or anything - I was just thinking a lot of PC gamers are proud of the rigs they build/buy to play Steam games and it seemed relevant for a Steam profile page.

[aeth]

Good idea 1

[Jaawa]

Originally posted by FTLAUDMAN:

All showcases are optional, of course. Many haven't invested in badges, or large games collections, or other showcase features either. I'd imagine most people would use their showcase options to highlight their conversation pieces (what's important to them).

The percentage idea may be best implemented where it gives a "Top X%" if you are in that group and nothing otherwise. This eleminates the "Bottom 50%" concern.

I guess its kinda like Honor Roll at my school growing up. You get an award if you make it, but otherwise nothing is said.

Not trying to be elitist about hardware or anything - I was just thinking a lot of PC gamers are proud of the rigs they build/buy to play Steam games and it seemed relevant for a Steam profile page.

Oh yeah, I wasn't implying anything, mainly just voicing my own concern, how I never like to make people feel bad about their own stuff or hobbies. Simply put, if the "Top X%" visibility would be optional also, that would be okay by me I guess. I would mainly just like to showcase the looks and choices of component setup of my computer, not so much the specs or the performance, or any ranking for that matter.

But I do understand that it is what it is; even if one flaunts with his or her über computer, that is his or her freedom to do so, and even if someone gets sad, jealous or angry about it - that or anything else will not change the truth about the situation - one has an expensive rig, the other doesn't. I guess I've seen it too often, how some people like to "spit down on others" and be elitist, and some people are way too easily riled up from jealousy, and can't deal with not having what others have, envious people.

In any case, a PC Gaming Rig showcase feature is probably the coolest thing I can think of right now, that our Steam profiles lack, I really do want it, this isn't such a serious topic afterall, it won't matter much how it is implemented :)

[FTLAUDMAN]

Yeah - no worries. Sorry if I came off defensive. I need to use those fancy new emoticons more I suppose.

I don't see the percentage thing as a necessary feature. I just like how Steam shows the percentages on achievements in games and then scope creep set in.

[Rawrlex]

dont we have enough brag options for attention seekers already?

[Vardis]

You say that like it's a bad thing.

[Jaawa]

Originally posted by MEATMONSTER:

dont we have enough brag options for attention seekers already?

Showing your own things in your own profile is hardly bragging or attention seeking. These showcases however can be done badly, if braggardly people are given total freedom, they will be all in your face with their stuff. Just a listing within your profile, with pics of achievements/badges/screenshots/games/collections and by this topic possibly your gaming rig, you can't seek attention or brag, people don't hear or know about your stuff unless they come to take a look at your profile.

If I have a Bugatti Veyron in my garage, that I never take for a spin, and then you come take a look inside my garage, will you say I'm an attention seeker and a bragger, of course you won't.

What you showcase in your own profile is your freedom and if people want to show everything they've got, that should be cool - if it is done in good taste. It would be another thing if people would be allowed to "showcase" their stuff in a way that would discriminate or be offensive for others. Like for example what we just discussed, and adding to that some comments about perhaps being a true gamer, or be laughing at "the pleibians" for not being able to afford such a rig etc.

Just a simple list in your profile of what's in your computer, along with a pic of your rig, shouldn't be construed as bragging or attention seeking, because it isn't, right? :)

[FTLAUDMAN]

I wouldn't see it as bragging. But even if it was - it's on your own profile page (like Jaawa said).

[Tiadrin]

Would very much like to see something like this appear, xfire used to have it back in the day. It's makes it easier to check if your computer is capable of handling a game and makes sharing your rig specs easier (not so much for braging as more as streamers who put their specs down for example)

[Cpl.Gutts]

Digging up a dead thread but was thinking about this myself. Suppose the Custom Info Box kinda works. But would be nice to jazz it up a bit more.