That is on the game developer and publisher to set it up. Not the end user.

Valve should be able to support this. It is totally within their wheelhouse and they offer similar services already and it fits a user need that Valve is well positioned to provide and benefit from.

The problem is, of course, offering it to a user defined folder means they are offering a slightly less atrociously programmed OneDrive and at the scale Valve operates they may not be able to outsmart all the abuse cases that could create by users using the arbitrary save directory to save unrelated files. You can already do that with Cloud as is, so the abuse vector isn't huge but it is certainly nonzero if the user can select his documents folder or something not wedged in appdata.

Originally posted by William Shakesman:

Valve should be able to support this. It is totally within their wheelhouse and they offer similar services already and it fits a user need that Valve is well positioned to provide and benefit from.

The problem is, of course, offering it to a user defined folder means they are offering a slightly less atrociously programmed OneDrive and at the scale Valve operates they may not be able to outsmart all the abuse cases that could create by users using the arbitrary save directory to save unrelated files. You can already do that with Cloud as is, so the abuse vector isn't huge but it is certainly nonzero if the user can select his documents folder or something not wedged in appdata.

While i can see the concerns, imo there are several factors that make it unlikely:
-Steam Cloud is usually very limited in storage size (with a few exceptions)
-Steam Cloud is user bound, so there is no real way to distribute uploaded data
-Due to being user bound (and requiring software to be utilized), it's identifiable and traceable.

All factors that make abuse scenarios unlikely, inconvenient and maybe even downright detrimental.

There will always be black sheep, naturally, but i have doubts that it should be of any notable concern here.

Originally posted by pckirk:

That is on the game developer and publisher to set it up. Not the end user.

Correct, which leads to issues for older games, developers who have moved on, developers who don't care etc.
Total dependency on 3rd parties for a Steam feature simply isn't a good solution.
If not provided by the developer, users should have the ability to use said Feature on their own terms.

Use GameSaveManager or Ludisavi.

Originally posted by Nx Machina:

Use GameSaveManager or Ludisavi.

Both don't address the issue at hand.

Originally posted by MaChao:

Both don't address the issue at hand.

They do because you have backups of your save games, local and cloud, and as previously pointed out Steam Cloud Saves is implemented by the developer if they choose to enable it as it is optional not mandatory.

Originally posted by Nx Machina:

Originally posted by MaChao:

Both don't address the issue at hand.

They do because you have backups of your save games, local and cloud, and as previously pointed out Steam Cloud Saves is implemented by the developers if they choose to enable it as it is optional not mandatory.

Let me just copy my own post again so i don't have to type it twice.

Originally posted by MaChao:

Originally posted by pckirk:

That is on the game developer and publisher to set it up. Not the end user.

Correct, which leads to issues for older games, developers who have moved on, developers who don't care etc.
Total dependency on 3rd parties for a Steam feature simply isn't a good solution.
If not provided by the developer, users should have the ability to use said Feature on their own terms.

Also, no, 3rd party software using 3rd party services are not equivalents nor substitutes for already existing 1st party solutions that are, comparatively, significantly more comfortable to use across several devices.

Originally posted by MaChao:

Also, no, 3rd party software using 3rd party services are not equivalents nor substitutes for already existing 1st party solutions that are, comparatively, significantly more comfortable to use across several devices.

It is not user configurable as to which games support it, it is in fact a developer choice because again it is optional not mandatory.

It is not user configurable on Ubisoft Connect, GOG Galaxy, EA Play app etc as to which games support their own cloud saving feature.

Originally posted by Nx Machina:

Originally posted by MaChao:

Also, no, 3rd party software using 3rd party services are not equivalents nor substitutes for already existing 1st party solutions that are, comparatively, significantly more comfortable to use across several devices.

It is not user configurable as to which games support it, it is in fact a developer choice.

It is not user configurable on Ubisoft Connect, GOG Galaxy, EA Play app etc as to which games support their own cloud saving feature.

...i know that it isn't user configurable... that is why i'm arguing that it should be... in the suggestions forums...

Did you really interpret my OP as me asking how to set it up?

Originally posted by MaChao:

...i know that it isn't user configurable... that is why i'm arguing that it should be... in the suggestions forums...

Did you really interpret my OP as me asking how to set it up?

And Valve have opted not to make it user configurable in the same way neither is it user configurable on other platforms.

For example on GOG Galaxy i have 240 games and only 1/3 approx support cloud saving.

As for it being the Suggestion and Ideas forum, it is a discussion forum where other opinions affirming or not can be expressed.

Originally posted by Nx Machina:

Originally posted by MaChao:

...i know that it isn't user configurable... that is why i'm arguing that it should be... in the suggestions forums...

Did you really interpret my OP as me asking how to set it up?

And Valve have opted not to make it user configurable in the same way neither is it user configurable on other platforms.

For example on GOG Galaxy i have 240 games and only 1/3 approx support cloud saving.

As for it being the Suggestion and Ideas forum, it is a discussion forum where other opinions affirming or not can be expressed.

Then by all means, express an opinion and don't just state the obvious.
I know what it currently is, else i wouldn't have opened this thread.
What other services are doing is completely irrelevant.
So please, what is *your* opinion on why users should not have the ability to set up cloud saves themselves.

Originally posted by MaChao:

Then by all means, express an opinion and don't just state the obvious.
I know what it currently is, else i wouldn't have opened this thread.
What other services are doing is completely irrelevant.
So please, what is *your* opinion on why users should not have the ability to set up cloud saves themselves.

I already gave that opinion - it is not user configurable and other services are relevant because they also do not allow user control over their cloud service.

You have the option to use GameSaveManager or Ludisavi to backup local and cloud saves, if you care about not losing your local game saves that are not cloud enabled.

Originally posted by Nx Machina:

Originally posted by MaChao:

Then by all means, express an opinion and don't just state the obvious.
I know what it currently is, else i wouldn't have opened this thread.
What other services are doing is completely irrelevant.
So please, what is *your* opinion on why users should not have the ability to set up cloud saves themselves.

I already gave that opinion - it is not user configurable and other services are relevant because they also do not allow user control over their cloud service.

You have the option to use GameSaveManager or Ludisavi to backup local and cloud saves, if you care about not losing your local game saves that are not cloud enabled.

Ubisoft set their entire company on fire, is that also relevant to how Steam operates? Should they do that as well?
Should GoG implement DRM? I mean, literally every other competitor is doing that.
Do you see how "but the others" is an irrelevant argument?

And what i care about is an easy, convenient user experience thanks to systems that already exist. No 3rd party tool gives me the convenience of just picking my Steam Deck up and continuing a game where i left off on my PC without going through a syncing process in desktop mode first.

Why are you so opposed to giving consumers more options?