Unless you changed a setting somewhere, all games should be placed in a que when an update is released, and update automatically on a certain day and time. Games you play frequently usually update right away.

I always check the download tab every couple of days and update any games that are in que immediately, so I never have to wait.

As said, updates show up when pushed by the devs and the game updates show up on the downloads tab.

If it doesn't for you, something is wrong.

Originally posted by BJWyler:

I always check the download tab every couple of days and update any games that are in que immediately, so I never have to wait.

my "manage downloads" on the bottom of the app never shows any updates. It seems that they really only force-update when I play the game.

Wait, I recall when people complain a game being published (either game itself or update) and they don't see it real-time, there were suggestions for people to restart Steam. Does that work as a force-refresh for all updates?

Originally posted by boris.glevrk:

Originally posted by BJWyler:

I always check the download tab every couple of days and update any games that are in que immediately, so I never have to wait.

my "manage downloads" on the bottom of the app never shows any updates. It seems that they really only force-update when I play the game.

Wait, I recall when people complain a game being published (either game itself or update) and they don't see it real-time, there were suggestions for people to restart Steam. Does that work as a force-refresh for all updates?

https://steamhost.cn/help_steampowered_com/en/faqs/view/71AB-698D-57EB-178C

Originally posted by boris.glevrk:

I can't be the only one to constantly suffer from being blocked from my own game EVERY time I try to play because it ONLY checks updates when I try to run it.

That would indicate that you have Wait until i launch the game enabled rather than Use Global Setting: Let Steam decide when to update.

I use the Global setting and have zero issues for games that require updates.

Originally posted by boris.glevrk:

To make things worse nowadays a lot of games are made in a way that a 5mb download requires full reinstall. So we're talking about being delayed 15~40 minutes right when I want to play.

The game is not being fully reinstalled. The 5mb patch is being integrated in to the game install known as delta patching.

Originally posted by Nx Machina:

Originally posted by boris.glevrk:

I can't be the only one to constantly suffer from being blocked from my own game EVERY time I try to play because it ONLY checks updates when I try to run it.

That would indicate that you have Wait until i launch the game enabled rather than Use Global Setting: Let Steam decide when to update.

I use the Global setting and have zero issues for games that require updates.

Originally posted by boris.glevrk:

To make things worse nowadays a lot of games are made in a way that a 5mb download requires full reinstall. So we're talking about being delayed 15~40 minutes right when I want to play.

The game is not being fully reinstalled. The 5mb patch is being integrated in to the game install known as delta patching.

nope, both global setting and the specific game in question is "let steam decide".
(to be honest, in my memory I thought I set it to "always update immediately" or something).

and no that's not delta patching. Delta patching means only the affected part is changed, right? but I'm looking at, for example today's incident, 40mb update causing 700+mb of install.
Of course I know it's not "properly" being reinstalled. I mean the problem of modern indies where a small change requires patching massive files and thus very long install time.

Originally posted by BJWyler:

Originally posted by boris.glevrk:

my "manage downloads" on the bottom of the app never shows any updates. It seems that they really only force-update when I play the game.

Wait, I recall when people complain a game being published (either game itself or update) and they don't see it real-time, there were suggestions for people to restart Steam. Does that work as a force-refresh for all updates?

https://steamhost.cn/help_steampowered_com/en/faqs/view/71AB-698D-57EB-178C

well that page doesn't tell me something I don't already know. My problem is download page does not keep my games up to date as it seems to suggest.

Yes "let steam decide..." is selected for all my games, but I still far too often have everything only show up when I either boot steam first time in the morning, or when I was to play a certain game.

and that's why I'm currently pondering whether restarting Steam may help (as it seems to indeed update all downloads when I boot the PC in the morning)

Originally posted by boris.glevrk:

nope, both global setting and the specific game in question is "let steam decide".

Really odd, you should be seeing all updates in the downloads tab.

Originally posted by boris.glevrk:

I mean the problem of modern indies where a small change requires patching massive files and thus very long install time.

Problem? Developers choose to use larger container files cause that's easier to manage for them.

Originally posted by Crazy Tiger:

Originally posted by boris.glevrk:

I mean the problem of modern indies where a small change requires patching massive files and thus very long install time.

Problem? Developers choose to use larger container files cause that's easier to manage for them.

yeah I'm sure devs have their reason to do this but it indeed makes every micro bug patch take forever to install.

In any case I guess I will try the "restart steam" trick...