Steam Recording

So, there's a new feature now available on Steam (well, new to the
general user; I think it's been on the beta channel for a while):
Steam Recording*. This does exactly what it sounds like: it lets you
record game footage. It even lets you share it with other users.

Now, personally I can't say I've much use for the feature, but that's
okay. I know a lot of people like it. The few times I had need of it,
I always used a third party app (remember FRAPS?). I believe a similar
feature is actually built into Windows11 too, but I think it's fairly
limited in what games it actually works with. Steam Recording not only
works with all games on steam, but on non-Steam titles too. "As long
as the game allows the Steam Overlay to run, the gameplay can be
recorded". So that's cool.

So if I've no use for it, why bring it up? Because even though there's
a lot about Steam and Valve that I don't like (DRM, 'license-not-own',
gambling being the top three), features like this remind us _why_
Steam remains top-dog in the PC marketplace, and why it absolutely
deserves the cut it gets in its sales.

Epic -and a lot of their mindless followers- lambaste Valve's 20 to
30% cut, but this shows why Valve earned it. Not only is Valve
continuing to add new features to Steam, but its something that
benefits _all_ their customers: developers and end-users alike. AS an
end-user, there's no need to get third-party software that may or may
not work with your OS. As a developer, there's no need to add in your
own recording software into your game when you can just rely on the
Steam API. That's _valuable_ to developers; it's work they don't need
to do... or support. You put your game on Steam, your customers are
going to have a lot better experience playing it than if its sold
solely through EGS, or GOG, or UPlay.

Steam's monopoly is troubling, and Valve isn't a perfect company. But
new features like this remind us that overall they've been an overall
benefit to PC gaming, and a far better custodian than any of its
competitors have ever even attempted to be.

I will miss using FRAPs, though.


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* official announcement here:
https://store.steampowered.com/gamerecording