Steam

[harlock]

Ok, I just upgraded to Steam for HL and I like the new client interface. The interface makes it easier to find servers/games to play on. It doesn't seem compatible with the old server versions though. More info can be found here: http://www.steampowered.com/index.php

I'm playing more of CS and DoD now. It also works with DMC. Anyone else have it?

[Digger[NJLP]]

Been on it for about 2 months now.. Seems pretty good but its really scarry how inherently un-secure the client is.

Don't let the steam client run on your PC when your not playing..

We had a big discussion at Fortweb about the security concerns.. Here's a blurb from it..

Re: File security


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Originally posted by CrankAnchor So all we need is a hacker who can backward engineer steam to start writing uprades for steam that are actually trojans or worse. It would not be to hard to spoof the steam clients into thinking their is an upgrade coming from an official steam distribution server and install an app instead of an upgrade
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You know there has to be hundreds of talented, malicious people with no job and no life working on that right now.

That was always my primary concern with steam, the security issues for the client alone are a potential serious risk. To run it on a server that carries other data is foolish and most network admins know this to be true. Considering most HL servers are run on the available resources of a serious business unrelated to gaming, this is just another nail in the steam/valve coffin.



_________________
Ranger_Ric
Fortweb.com
Network Admin

[harlock]

Thanks for the heads up. I noticed that there is a lot more cheating being done with Steam, especially in CS.

[Digger[NJLP]]

Looks that way the so called security system steam and HL2 was suppose to incorporate has not been turned on yet due to horrible problems with code..

[Digger[NJLP]]

The Valve mailing list is a constant barrage of bitching about how VAC is worthless and never updated, cheating is rampant on both won and steam, 3rd party anti-cheats are ineffective and eat cpu, etc., etc., etc.

Get this, hl2 hacks are out *now*... of course they will likely be disabled with the first actual release of hl2 (these hacks are for the stolen code) but how funny is it that the bad guys can release hacks before those fools at Valve can even get the game out in beta.

BTW, the unfinished game is all over russian hacker sites if you want to play it.

Everyday when I scan the list mailings topics, I am reminded of how thankful I am we don't have to deal with that garbage anymore.

It's not only the cheating, this steam update every wednsday bs is an absolute joke. Oh yeah, that's exactly what every admin wants to do with their wen/thurs every single week... update a gameserver that may or may not break itself or any other of the six pieces of software running with it. I mean... we used to do that every three to six months, weekly is not a serious option for sane people.

With BF I spend an average of a couple hours a week maintaining 8-10 pubs and client servers, that's the way it should be.
_________________
Ranger_Ric
Fortweb.com
Network Admin