HLTV to be avaliable free over Steam

[Varsity]

http://www.steampowered.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=83292

Hello and thanks for reading my post!

I've been getting to the following idea because I was talking to a friend without knowledge of Computer games and clan matches and thelike.

What would you think of a completely free Steam client (i.e. without necessity to enter a valid CD-key) with the only ability to watch matches through HLTV?
This way you could be able to get a lot more publicity, because people who are interested in one or more of your games could watch some matches and thus experience them from a third person point of view.
On the other hand it would be great for the gaming community to be able to show their exciting matches to people who aren't from the community itself (yet).

Any constructive criticism is appreciated, flaming may stay out of this thread, thanks

Yes, this is a good idea, and yes, it is something we will do.

So...free HLTV for all.

 

[Varsity]

133 people browsing, and not even a single view other than mine. :O

 

[Skull]

cool Feels good to see Gabe post...steam owns!

 

[PvtRyan]

Nice! But as I understand it you will be able to view games which you don't have yet? How is that done when you don't have the models and textures from that game? (sorry I've never used HLTV)

Hehe Gabe has some funny replies on those forums, this one on the HL2D thing on Steam:

We wanted to call it Half-Life 2D and ship it on April 1, but in usual Valve fashion we didn't have it done in time (but at least no one knew we were slipping, which is an improvement).

 

[Varsity]

Nice! But as I understand it you will be able to view games which you don't have yet? How is that done when you don't have the models and textures from that game? (sorry I've never used HLTV)

"In a suprise move, gamers wanting to use the free version of HLTV will download the content needed to watch the mod they have chosen, a Valve spokesman said today".

 

[PvtRyan]

"In a suprise move, gamers wanting to use the free version of HLTV will download the content needed to watch the mod they have chosen, a Valve spokesman said today".

Don't make fun of me! ;(



Seriously, how does HLTV work?

 

[RoyaleWithCheese]

Very good idea indeed. I've never heard of this before, so I'm all for it.

But if I understand correctly, people who are interested in games they don't own will have to dl them entirely to watch other people play them :rolling:

 

[Varsity]

It's a highly efficient spectator proxy. To the end-user, it's not a lot more than a one-way connection to the server hosting the game, with chat.

 

[Varsity]

But if I understand correctly, people who are interested in games they don't own will have to dl them entirely to watch other people play them :rolling:

I imagine you will be limited in maps/skins, and to offical mods.

 

[RoyaleWithCheese]

Great idea, can't wait to look at other people in MP, maybe I'll develop some skills at last...

 

[Varsity]

Great idea, can't wait to look at other people in MP, maybe I'll develop some skills at last...

Er, you can already spectate if you own the games.

 

[Dougy]

we need HL2 first!

E3 cant coom soon enough..

 

[RoyaleWithCheese]

@Varsity

Yeah I know, I didn't drink my coffee yet....

What I meant that for people who don't own the game (but will after watching) this is a great way to see before you buy.

However for most of the forum attendants it will be a tool that you'll barely use (except maybe on holiday where you don't have your copy of hl2)

 

[Varsity]

But with Steam, you aaaalways have your copy of HL2.

 

[RoyaleWithCheese]

But with Steam, you aaaalways have your copy of HL2.

Okay I'm outta here I sound ridiculous

 

[Varsity]

Bump for newsies.

 

[Z|insane]

Okay I'm outta here I sound ridiculous

MUST HELP ROYALEWITH CHESE!!! Varsity... what happens when you are on 56k... You want to be 3 gigs to watch a friend instead of 50 to 70 megs... or however big that would be.

Varsity says : You would be perma banned for lagging.

NOOOOO HE DOESNT STOP !!! Cruel cruel Varsity.

In all seriousness though. It will be a good add on. I mean if I want to see what Team Fortress Two looks like before I buy it. I can!!

 

[Varsity]

I..what was that?

 

[Adidajs]

i think free hltv is an awesome idea. i'm thinking more in the future. Let's say tf2 comes out, and since valve doesn't release demos, it would be really nice to see the game in action. btw, i wonder how it will compare with bf2. has anyone read about that game? it sounds like it has features that tf2 was rumored to have (i.e. rts commander - kinda like ns).

 

[Z|insane]

That was me bored... BE AFRAID!

Its hard to say. Its been so long since we have seen anything of TF2... other then some shirts, who knows what changes they put into place.