The Steam Deals Thread v10

[Detruire]

New Thread:

This thread has been replaced by TSDT v11. 

Daily Deal:
Please check the Steam homepage.

Weeklong Deals:
Steam usually has week-long deals that change on Mondays at 6PM UTC. They mostly feature indie games, and may not run every week.

Sale summary lists:

Key:
⤷ indicates DLC, — specifies part of a pack, + shows alternative versions, ⚠ highlights things worth knowing, ♫ is obvious, and ... denotes a multi-pack.

Holiday Sale 2013 | 19/12/13 through 3/1/14:
Days 1-3, 4-6, 7-9, 10-12, 13-14.

Spring/Autumn Sale 2013 | 27/11/13 through 3/12/13:
All days.

Steam deals on other stores: (Related threads on CAG.)

• Amazon
• Green Man Gaming
• GamersGate

Indie* bundle threads: (*Not always indie, nor always a bundle.)

• Humble Bundle/Weekly/Store Megathread
• Groupees (Be Mine/Build a Bundle)
• Bundle Stars
• IndieRoyale
• Indie Gala
• IndieGameStand

Free stuff:
There are quite a few free games (mostly Free to Play) and mods available via the Steam platform, a comprehensive list of which can be found in this thread on the SPUF.
(NOTE: free games are not permanently attached to your Steam account like actual purchases would be. You'll need to manually download a game again from the website if you uninstall it.)

Past Steam Deals Threads:

• v1 thread (Nov 2010-July 2011)
• v2 thread (July 2011-Feb 2012)
• v3 thread (Feb 2012-July 2012)
• v4 thread (July 2012-August 2012)
• v5 thread (August 2012-December 2012)
• v6 thread (December 2012-March 2013)
• v7 thread (March 2013-May 2013)
• v8 thread (May 2013-July 2013)
• v9 thread (July 2013-November 2013)

 

[oman19]

I was never a big fan of MMO's - so, that probably doesn't really help matters, either.

I recently for the 1st time ever played WOW, some months back when I got a free key from Blizz (for owning D3) - yeah, I don't get it (the appeal of WOW).

Maybe I've played too many games w/ ARPG style quests / MMO-style quests over the years or something (kill X this, get X that, go X location, etc.) It just wasn't doing much for me, for the few hours I played it. I was bored stiff.

I'll gladly take TSW over WOW.

My last WoW related post but the game doesn't even start till you get to end-game raiding, otherwise it is just get X of this and kill Y of that. Once you get into end-game raiding though it is a whole new ballgame

 

[walkonshadows]

If it does, there's no way to use it with SteamOS..

So are they forcing auto updates for the SteamOS like Sony does with the PS? Or do you get to manually choose when to update? Or are they updating it at all with any user feedback?? Tell us damn it! We demand to live vicariously through you!

 

[asheskitty]

Considering the guy's British accent, I think that's actually supposed to be an European SNES. (They looked exactly the same as the Japanese one.)

Also, I'm surprised nobody got the other reference. Howard Philips? Maybe it's just a coincidence, heh.

Right... yeah that dev's in Sveden.

 

[Drabelincoln]

My last WoW related post but the game doesn't even start till you get to end-game raiding, otherwise it is just get X of this and kill Y of that. Once you get into end-game raiding though it is a whole new ballgame

most here...for whatever reason play MMO's single player.

 

[Mooby]

My last WoW related post but the game doesn't even start till you get to end-game raiding, otherwise it is just get X of this and kill Y of that. Once you get into end-game raiding though it is a whole new ballgame

Yeah you just kill the same thing every week for a shot at drops.

 

[CheapLikeAFox]

most here...for whatever reason play MMO's single player.

That's why they are called MMO. Me and Me Only.

 

[Syntax Error]

I think this game will hit "home" more with people who grew up in the 90's, as there's a bunch of 90's nostalgia flair in the house; in fact, I'd say it'd be hard to appreciate the scope and detail of the house without having grown up in its imagined time period.

Do you solve the mystery using pogs? Because I will buy the shit out of this game if you solve it with pogs.

 

[CampfireGlory]

Bioshock Infinite $8.19 USD

 

[walkonshadows]

The Cognition Erica Reed Season Pass is $9 at http://www.dailyroyale.com/ I seem to remember the season pass coming with a specific bundle, but can't remember which one. The season pass doesn't have it's own page (so no ES support), and when I add it to my cart I get the message that one or more items in my cart are already owned (which it would do just by owning the first game). Viewing the DLC tab shows both game 1 and game 2 owned. Any way to tell if I own the season pass or not? Anyone remember the bundle I'm talking about?

 

[Foxhack]

The Cognition Erica Reed Season Pass is $9 at http://www.dailyroyale.com/ I seem to remember the season pass coming with a specific bundle, but can't remember which one. The season pass doesn't have it's own page (so no ES support), and when I add it to my cart I get the message that one or more items in my cart are already owned (which it would do just by owning the first game). Viewing the DLC tab shows both game 1 and game 2 owned. Any way to tell if I own the season pass or not? Anyone remember the bundle I'm talking about?

The season pass has never been bundled. Only Episode 1 or Episodes 1+2 have been bundled.

If you had the Season Pass then you would have all four episodes.

The only way to upgrade to the full season is to buy the missing episodes from the dev or buy the upgrade at another site. You can't do it at Steam.

 

[fignutz32]

What happened to Chivalry: Deadly Warrior and Chivalry: Deadlier Warrior? Seems a bit premature to jump right to the deadliest.

The deadliest Killed them silly.

So, after staring at the Amazon's sales SS three times, I find that there isn't a single thing that jumps out as a 'buy' to me. Maybe Tony will come through with some other deals that are still in the works.

So, since I have nothing sale related to talk about, what are everyone's New Year's resolutions? I haven't had any in the past few years, but figured it was time to set some goals for myself again. I'm going with the scattershot approach in that if I can hit one goal or even mildly achieve multiple goals, I'll call it a win. So for me:

• Stop buying games that I might be interested in playing. My game count is already sufficiently padded.
• Finish remodeling the house. It has to end at some point.
• Get back into good physical shape. Single digit BF% or bust. Been there before, I can do it again.
• Get back into good mental shape. I remember being happy before, I think I can be again.
• Enjoy the little things. (Rule #32) See above.

 

[n8rockerasu]

its not interesting at all, it only takes like 2 hrs to finish and all u do i walk around and look at notes and that is it. oh and u discover that ur sister is

Spoiler

lesbian

and that is it hehe.

Just curious, but for those of you who didn't like Gone Home, Stanley Parable, Dear Esther, etc...do you read books?

Serious question.

 

[walkonshadows]

The season pass has never been bundled. Only Episode 1 or Episodes 1+2 have been bundled.

If you had the Season Pass then you would have all four episodes.

The only way to upgrade to the full season is to buy the missing episodes from the dev or buy the upgrade at another site. You can't do it at Steam.

Thank you Sir.

 

[seamoss]

Damnit, Phil Fish. Why'd you have to give your game stupid KB/M bindings? There aren't any community steam controller bindings up yet, so I was trying to rebind it myself. What kind of moron makes the movement keys Up, Down, Left, Right? This ain't the 90's. Too annoying trying to figure out what I need to bind everything to, and Phil Fish didn't list what the bindings are in any settings menu (yet it shows the gamepad bindings which show up as button #1, #2, #3, etc.). I think there might be a config file where you can see them all, but ain't no one got time for dat.

I just installed FEZ through Steam on Linux to check on this and under Help & Options it allows me to change the group of keys that are used for movement ("Move" option). It lets you select arrow keys, WASD, IJKL, and some others:



If you want to go hardcore, the settings are also also stored in the text file ~/.config/FEZ/Settings that you can directly edit, but that's probably a bit too Linux-y.

What I can't believe is that the game's resolution is locked - what is this, the 80s?

 

[pasports31]

Just curious, but for those of you who didn't like Gone Home, Stanley Parable, Dear Esther, etc...do you read books?

Serious question.

what are books

 

[dudebro]

Just curious, but for those of you who didn't like Gone Home, Stanley Parable, Dear Esther, etc...do you read books?

Serious question.

no one got time for dat hehe

 

[spoderman]

I just installed FEZ through Steam on Linux to check on this and under Help & Options it allows me to change the group of keys that are used for movement ("Move" option). It lets you select arrow keys, WASD, IJKL, and some others:




If you want to go hardcore, the settings are also also stored in the text file ~/.config/FEZ/Settings that you can directly edit, but that's probably a bit too Linux-y.

What I can't believe is that the game's resolution is locked - what is this, the 80s?

Hm, you're right.. it wasn't letting me select keyboard controls before, but it does now. It defaults to gamepad for me.

 

[Palinn]

The Cognition Erica Reed Season Pass is $9 at http://www.dailyroyale.com/ I seem to remember the season pass coming with a specific bundle, but can't remember which one. The season pass doesn't have it's own page (so no ES support), and when I add it to my cart I get the message that one or more items in my cart are already owned (which it would do just by owning the first game). Viewing the DLC tab shows both game 1 and game 2 owned. Any way to tell if I own the season pass or not? Anyone remember the bundle I'm talking about?

IndieRoyale Debut bundle from March 2013. I ended up with a Steam key for Season One: Episodes 1-4 which I think was added later and may have upgraded the original offering?

Edit: Or not. I can't confirm this so ignore me please.

 

[DPsycho]

There is a Chocobo Racing game, and don't forget the best RPG of 2013, Sonic Racing Transformed.

I was hoping someone would mention Chocobo Racing (or else I would have myself =D ). Also, thank you for reminding me of the Sonic Racing Transformed running joke. Had to explain to my wife why I was laughing.

My last WoW related post but the game doesn't even start till you get to end-game raiding, otherwise it is just get X of this and kill Y of that. Once you get into end-game raiding though it is a whole new ballgame

I miss vanilla WoW for this reason. Back then, everything was a new discovery, and you could do things starting at level 40 that made a difference for when you hit 60 like starting to focus on reputation to get you crafting skills few people had or mounts otherwise exclusive to other races. Nowadays, there really isn't anything to be gained through the level progression until you hit whatever the current expansion is, and even then it just feels like a specific set of things you need to do in preparation for raiding.

I quit a month into Cataclysm. Glad I stuck around through WotLK, though.

 

[Tsel]

So what's the deal with crafting badges for snow globes? Anyone doing it?

 

[BigSpoonyBard]

Last call for BGCQ Secret Santa sign-ups

 

[DPsycho]

IndieRoyale Debut bundle from March 2013. I ended up with a Steam key for Season One: Episodes 1-4 which I think was added later and may have upgraded the original offering?

The key from The Debut Bundle does not give 1-4. I just tried activating mine again to see, and I still only have 1 and 2 on my account.

 

[CheapLikeAFox]

Just curious, but for those of you who didn't like Gone Home, Stanley Parable, Dear Esther, etc...do you read books?

Serious question.

I used to read books. I'd buy a book, rip all the pages out, and then place it all over the house. I'd then spend hours exploring the house, finding the pages, and piecing together the story. Gone Home has been a godsend for limiting all the physical exertion my old book reading process demanded.

 

[Motiv]

Just curious, but for those of you who didn't like Gone Home, Stanley Parable, Dear Esther, etc...do you read books?

Serious question.

I read books but have yet to play Gone Home, Stanley Parable, or Dear Esther (even though I own all three). Oh hell. I'm such a hoarder.

I like 2deep4u, story driven and reflective games/movies/books just as much as FPS, Action-Adventure, Action RPGs and Platformers. Maybe I'll start one of those this weekend since they're all short. Hopefully... maybe...

 

[Tsel]

Last call for BGCQ Secret Santa sign-ups

I'm in like Donkey King... wait...

 

[Palinn]

The key from The Debut Bundle does not give 1-4. I just tried activating mine again to see, and I still only have 1 and 2 on my account.

Hmmm. I will have to do some further digging. I don't remember paying more money to get episodes 3 and 4 when the developers offered their discount but my brain cells aren't what they used to be.

 

[CheapLikeAFox]

Hmmm. I will have to do some further digging. I don't remember paying more money to get episodes 3 and 4 when the developers offered their discount but my brain cells aren't what they used to be.

There was a time when the season pass was like super cheap if you owned 1, 2, and 3 I think. Maybe you did that? I think 3 was in Indie Game Stand?

 

[indef]

So what's the deal with crafting badges for snow globes? Anyone doing it?

I'm sitting on mine until the sale begins on the slim chance they have some sort of "craft a badge" achievement hunt again.

Or, more specifically in my case, a "craft 34 badges" achievement.

Nope, no irrational hoarding to see here...

 

[DPsycho]

Hmmm. I will have to do some further digging. I don't remember paying more money to get episodes 3 and 4 when the developers offered their discount but my brain cells aren't what they used to be.

Do let us know what you find. This is one of those cases where I likely won't play until I have all of the series, and if it was retroactively added to something, there's a chance I have the key somewhere...

 

[iSerra]

Unfortunately the loyalty discount for Cognition: An Erica Reed Thriller has ended. For those that only have episodes 1 and 2, they have to buy the whole season pass or the remaining episodes from other online stores outside steam.

I don't think episodes 3 and 4 have been bundled but episode 3 was on sale at shinyloot when they have the loyalty discount and I paid only $2.69 for the whole season pass on steam.

 

[spoderman]

So what's the deal with crafting badges for snow globes? Anyone doing it?

Someone on CAG spent $150 on full sets of cards in preparation for the winter event (in case there were special event items like snowglobes). He ended up regretting it after seeing the prices for snowglobes and sold back all of the 2,000 cards he bought.

I won't say who it was, but it wasn't me

 

[sunasun]

Someone on CAG spent $150 on full sets of cards in preparation for the winter event (in case there were special event items like snowglobes). He ended up regretting it after seeing the prices for snowglobes and sold back all of the 2,000 cards he bought.

I won't say who it was, but it wasn't me

Remember

I'm new around here, would someone please tell me when the Steam Holiday sale will commence?

 

[n8rockerasu]

what are books

no one got time for dat hehe

lol [customspoiler='WARNING!']

[/customspoiler]

I used to read books. I'd buy a book, rip all the pages out, and then place it all over the house. I'd then spend hours exploring the house, finding the pages, and piecing together the story. Gone Home has been a godsend for limiting all the physical exertion my old book reading process demanded.

Well, that at least deserves an A for effort.

I read books but have yet to play Gone Home, Stanley Parable, or Dear Esther (even though I own all three). Oh hell. I'm such a hoarder.

I like 2deep4u, story driven and reflective games/movies/books just as much as FPS, Action-Adventure, Action RPGs and Platformers. Maybe I'll start one of those this weekend since they're all short. Hopefully... maybe...

That's just how I view these "games". They're interactive media. To act like they don't have some place in the broad spectrum of gaming or that they are somehow devoid of value is just an incredibly narrow-minded view. Yes, sometimes I want to shoot things in the face...but sometimes I want to just relax and piece together a significant time in someone's life. Sometimes characters are just interesting, and discovering where it "all fell apart" for them is an enjoyable experience.

 

[pasports31]

lol [customspoiler='WARNING!']

[/customspoiler]

is that a book?

 

[monheim0]

Just curious, but for those of you who didn't like Gone Home, Stanley Parable, Dear Esther, etc...do you read books?

Serious question.

I mostly lurk, but figured I'd answer this seriously, since I do read a lot, and I also play a lot of games.

I've only played Gone Home and the Stanley Parable, and I enjoyed both of them, and I do admire them for trying new things. Good on those devs. Buuut...I didn't love either of them, and I didn't fully explore either of them either. I could argue that the bar for writing in literature and journals is set way, way higher than video games can aspire to, but I don't think that's really it, because I don't think you need to be a genius writer to be a good and engaging one. I think it's mostly that while I thought both games came from pretty inspired concepts, and both definitely had unique angles to them (I think Gone Home successfully captures an atmosphere that's different from one that you'd experience in a written piece), I don't think they succeeded as games.

What I'm saying isn't that I wanted guns, or an end boss, or anything. It's just that I don't think either game played to the strengths of the medium that they were working in. I'm not sure if the Stanley Parable would have worked in any other medium, but after I finished the confusion ending, I just didn't really feel compelled to play any more, and that's probably the worst crime a game can commit. Something like Bioshock Infinite, on the other hand (or even the original Bioshock) worked within the constraints of the medium to make something that, like the Stanley Parable, offered commentary on how we interface with games, and what being a player with free will in a medium defined by interactivity means; the difference is that Bioshock slipped that pill into my soup instead of trying to cram it down my throat.

TL;DR - They're not fun.

 

[n8rockerasu]

I mostly lurk, but figured I'd answer this seriously, since I do read a lot, and I also play a lot of games.

I've only played Gone Home and the Stanley Parable, and I enjoyed both of them, and I do admire them for trying new things. Good on those devs. Buuut...I didn't love either of them, and I didn't fully explore either of them either. I could argue that the bar for writing in literature and journals is set way, way higher than video games can aspire to, but I don't think that's really it, because I don't think you need to be a genius writer to be a good and engaging one. I think it's mostly that while I thought both games came from pretty inspired concepts, and both definitely had unique angles to them (I think Gone Home successfully captures an atmosphere that's different from one that you'd experience in a written piece), I don't think they succeeded as games.

What I'm saying isn't that I wanted guns, or an end boss, or anything. It's just that I don't think either game played to the strengths of the medium that they were working in. I'm not sure if the Stanley Parable would have worked in any other medium, but after I finished the confusion ending, I just didn't really feel compelled to play any more, and that's probably the worst crime a game can commit. Something like Bioshock Infinite, on the other hand (or even the original Bioshock) worked within the constraints of the medium to make something that, like the Stanley Parable, offered commentary on how we interface with games, and what being a player with free will in a medium defined by interactivity means; the difference is that Bioshock slipped that pill into my soup instead of trying to cram it down my throat.

TL;DR - They're not fun.

I can appreciate that. But I can offer the flip side of that coin...specifically with a game like Bioshock. I've started up the first game several times, and always seem to end up going away from it because being compelled to do something "the right way" in that universe becomes tedious and time consuming. I don't have nearly as much time as I used to to care about whether I've leveled up the right skills...or if I purchased the right weapon modifications to beat a particular boss. Sometimes I just want to be in a game, experience the story in a reasonable amount of time, and be done. There's a reason movies don't last 15 hours.

Maybe I just have an older perspective, I don't know. I'm 31 years old and have a 2 year old daughter. And I'm constantly bouncing from one activity to another. The times where I get to sit down for some uninterruptable gaming sessions are few and far between. So, at least on that level, that's my reasoning for appreciating and finding value in experiences like Gone Home, Stanley Parable, etc.

Even though they may not be "games" in the traditional sense, as you said, they do create atmospheres that probably wouldn't be possible in other mediums. I couldn't just watch a movie about a guy with a menial job being manipulated by some omniscient presence, and have the same experience. So, to me, that's enough to validate it as a "game".

 

[indef]

Someone on CAG spent $150 on full sets of cards in preparation for the winter event (in case there were special event items like snowglobes). He ended up regretting it after seeing the prices for snowglobes and sold back all of the 2,000 cards he bought.

I won't say who it was, but it wasn't me

I remember people buying up the Summer getaway cards in bulk under the assumption their value would rise as supply shrank over time.

I think they're still waiting.

Personally, I look forward to showing off my Level 5 Badge of Winter Regret.

 

[Solid-Snake-Eyes]

I think I've read enough of your game-related rants over the last year to have a good idea of what games you'll like and which games will infuriate you.

You didn't need to take me saying that you'd ing hate Gone Home as a knock against your taste in games. Taste is subjective, and I wasn't passing a value judgment. I just think based on the games you've hated in the past that you likely won't care for gone home, and if you pay $5 for it you'll probably ing hate it, because you'll feel more invested as a consumer at what is a relatively high price to playtime ratio.

 

[pasports31]

That's just how I view these "games". They're interactive media. To act like they don't have some place in the broad spectrum of gaming or that they are somehow devoid of value is just an incredibly narrow-minded view. Yes, sometimes I want to shoot things in the face...but sometimes I want to just relax and piece together a significant time in someone's life. Sometimes characters are just interesting, and discovering where it "all fell apart" for them is an enjoyable experience.

Except I have a feeling that a lot of the people that have bashed dear esther, stanley parable, and gone home (ftr i have yet to play any of these, although i own dear esther and stanley parable/gone home are on my wishlist) have also enjoyed the walking dead or the first episode of a wolf among us. The thing is, if you're going to make your game more toward the interactive media side than the game side, it better be pretty damn engaging w/its story + characters. The appeal of story and characters is a pretty widely subjective thing, so you could make something reallllly good and still get a lot of people who think it sucks, even if they're apt to be into something like that.

 

[smurfinaus]

Question

What time did the steam sale start last year?

 

[pantsattack]

Question

What time did the steam sale start last year?

When the sales roll over, 10am Pacific.

 

[dfg]

So what's the deal with crafting badges for snow globes? Anyone doing it?

I'm sitting on mine until the sale begins on the slim chance they have some sort of "craft a badge" achievement hunt again.

Or, more specifically in my case, a "craft 34 badges" achievement.

Nope, no irrational hoarding to see here...

Even if there is a badge (99% there is), I figggered that it made more sense to sell them before the event because the value will drop at least some, when the market floods with them as they're dropped (if it works they way it did in the summer).

I remember people buying up the Summer getaway cards in bulk under the assumption their value would rise as supply shrank over time.

I think they're still waiting.

Personally, I look forward to showing off my Level 5 Badge of Winter Regret.

The supply must be smaller than it was at its peak, but looking at how hundreds of them are sold each day, it's just taking a really long time. Unless people are reselling, which doesn't make much sense.

Also, I don't recall the SnowGlobe cards having coupon-like expiration dates when they started, but they do now. I guess Valve wants to spur market transactions by the end of the sale to prevent the trickle effect this time.

 

[CheapLikeAFox]

To reiterate what's been said so far, I don't mind story driven games.  I've played tons of point and click adventure games that are mostly story and the occasional "puzzle." I also loved TWD. It was great storytelling. 

Just like in everything else, it has to be good to be engaging.  AAA titles who hire writers and have million dollar budgets rarely have engaging stories so it's really asking for a lot for an indie title.  The writer/storyteller would have to be really gifted to make something truly compelling.  I mean even with books you have probably the bulk of new fiction that sucks so it's really asking for a lot to get good writing in an indie title.

 I don't doubt games like TTM or Gone Home might connect to some people, but probably not everyone. 

 

[dudebro]

Sooo, I guess were exchanging gifts begining tomrrow right pasports bro?

 

[DPsycho]

My favorite story-driven game is Bubble Bobble.

 

[Solid-Snake-Eyes]

My favorite story-driven game is Bubble Bobble.

I prefer Bust A Move.

 

[DPsycho]

I prefer Bust A Move.

A TRUE FAN WOULD REFER TO IT AS "PUZZLE BOBBLE" YOU POSER.

 

[Drabelincoln]

I played through gone home, afterwards I started listening to melissa ethridge and joined a softball team.

 

[asheskitty]

I don't doubt games like TTM or Gone Home might connect to some people, but probably not everyone.

No Faux, you don't understand. The point that -someone- is trying to make is that if you don't like them you must be some sort of low-IQ, inbred, drain-on-society, who is probably barely able to read this sentence, because that's the only type of person who could possibly not love them.

Opinions expressed are not those of asheskitty, and in no way does asheskitty endorse them.

 

[sunasun]

Question
What time did the steam sale start last year?

It was cancelled because everyone believed the world was going to end on December 21, 2012. It did apparently, since we haven't seen the huge discounts they had the previous sales.