General Video Game Deals Thread

[Gormongous]

It's definitely possible but I don't think the explanation is as simple as that. Granted, I don't have a complicated explanation, either.

It just strikes me as a really strange thing to bother being that coordinated about, given that only 30 people from each group (which undoubtedly have hundreds of thousands of people each, if not more) actually win, and they only win three games. What a bizarre system.

 

Yeah, maybe I'm just getting older and more used to the way Valve and other companies ply their trade, but I couldn't care less about playing this metagame. Old Steam sale games always had concrete rewards behind them, whether special DLC or in-game items. Now I'm always voting or playing for a chance at something to give me a chance at something to give me a chance at something. I'm supposed to spend money and play games in order for the possibility that thirty people in hundreds of thousands will get three measly games? Didn't a previous sale give people a much better chance of getting the top ten items on their wishlist? I guess Valve has discovered that people respond to possible rewards as much as actual ones, but I'd rather just sell the cards for forty cents. It's less wearying that way.

 

 

EDIT: Oops, new page I didn't notice!

[Twig]

Well to be fair there are still in-game rewards. It's just a random reward each time you craft a badge. Most cosmetic, but I think Magic the Gathering 2014 actually gives you a new puzzle? And some will inevitably be worth less (i.e., any game no one gives a shit about vs. TF2 or Dota 2).

 

Those rewards are the only reason I craft the badges. Don't much care about the almost-zero chance of winning the raffle.

[Tanukitsune]

Fixed.

What? How did they get 600.000 point in less than ten minutes? Is this fixed or what? XD

[Gormongous]

Well to be fair there are still in-game rewards. It's just a random reward each time you craft a badge. Most cosmetic, but I think Magic the Gathering 2014 actually gives you a new puzzle? And some will inevitably be worth less (i.e., any game no one gives a shit about vs. TF2 or Dota 2).

 

Those rewards are the only reason I craft the badges. Don't much care about the almost-zero chance of winning the raffle.

 

I know I'm not being fair, because I'm comparing it to the high point of the Steam sale metagames, the summer carnival thing a few years back where participating in the sale or playing the featured games of the day gave you tickets that you could spend on the reward you want or put into a raffle for getting the top ten items on your wishlist. That was great because of the mix of control and randomness and, when compared to almost certainly spending money to craft a badge that gives you a random drop at some item that's probably from a game you don't play or own, it doesn't compare in the slightest. Grump grump grump.

[Nappi]

What? How did they get 600.000 point in less than ten minutes? Is this fixed or what? XD

 

They did not. You just confused pink with purple before.

 

 

I have managed to restrain myself quite well in this sale so far. Most likely because I have already bought most games I am interested in during the previous sales.

[Dewar]

Hmm, Nether for $3. I remember seeing a video that really interested me in it, but all the reviews are so bad.

 

Edit: But then maybe a game released three weeks ago already being on an %80 off sale says something.

[Twig]

I know I'm not being fair, because I'm comparing it to the high point of the Steam sale metagames, the summer carnival thing a few years back where participating in the sale or playing the featured games of the day gave you tickets that you could spend on the reward you want or put into a raffle for getting the top ten items on your wishlist. That was great because of the mix of control and randomness and, when compared to almost certainly spending money to craft a badge that gives you a random drop at some item that's probably from a game you don't play or own, it doesn't compare in the slightest. Grump grump grump.

Haha, yeah. For the record, I completely agree with you. I loved that sale event. It was a lot of fun. You actually played the games and you got to choose what you received as rewards. Every sales event since then has been downhill in terms of Fun. I just don't like when people start calling it Gross (not that you did), because really all that means is "I don't like it."

[JonCole]

The Battleblock Theater + Castle Crashers bundle is $2.49, probably a price mistake (CC is 90%, but BT is 75%; bundle is 90%, doesn't make much sense) so grab it while you can - http://store.steampowered.com/sub/43401/

[Gormongous]

Haha, yeah. For the record, I completely agree with you. I loved that sale event. It was a lot of fun. You actually played the games and you got to choose what you received as rewards. Every sales event since then has been downhill in terms of Fun. I just don't like when people start calling it Gross (not that you did), because really all that means is "I don't like it."

 

Well, I just don't like it. And, since I just formatted my computer and therefore have no machine that's been validated on Steam for at least seven days, I'm not allowed to sell my cards until early morning June 28! Hopefully there will be a card-buying frenzy on the last few days of the sale to make this actually work out for me.

 

Fortunately, there's been nothing in the sale thus far that's tickled me besides Democracy 3, which I tamped down thanks to neonrev and some middling reviews.

[Bjorn]

The Battleblock Theater + Castle Crashers bundle is $2.49, probably a price mistake (CC is 90%, but BT is 75%; bundle is 90%, doesn't make much sense) so grab it while you can - http://store.steampowered.com/sub/43401/

 

And I bought Battleblock yesterday for $3.74.  Not that it matters, I like The Behemoth and would feel bad if I bought this at the wrong price (like I did when I got Don't Starve in a similar deal last year). 

[Twig]

Well, I just don't like it.

Well, me neither! But I do find it interesting, regardless of my own personal feelings.

[JonCole]

And I bought Battleblock yesterday for $3.74.  Not that it matters, I like The Behemoth and would feel bad if I bought this at the wrong price (like I did when I got Don't Starve in a similar deal last year). 

 

Yeah, an unfortunate order of events for people who are dying for a deal and wanted the game in particular. I was kinda 50-50 on the game and was going to pass, but ended up getting it at this further reduced rate. So I guess they ended up earning a sale where there previously was none from me.

[Justin Leego]

So the Can't Stop Laughing Bundle, which is Battleblock Theatre and Castle Crashers, is 90% off on the store ($2.49) until the current flash sale expires.

 

I guess most people have Castle Crashers but it's still cheaper than Battleblock's sale price of 75% off ($3.74). General video game deal?

[Justin Leego]

The Battleblock Theater + Castle Crashers bundle is $2.49, probably a price mistake (CC is 90%, but BT is 75%; bundle is 90%, doesn't make much sense) so grab it while you can - http://store.steampowered.com/sub/43401/

 

edit: what Jon said. Deal!

[Bjorn]

So the Can't Stop Laughing Bundle, which is Battleblock Theatre and Castle Crashers, is 90% off on the store ($2.49) until the current flash sale expires.

 

I guess most people have Castle Crashers but it's still cheaper than Battleblock's sale price of 75% off ($3.74). General video game deal?

 

I get a strong sense of deja-vu from this post...it's like I just saw it somewhere...

 

[Justin Leego]

Day 1 was fairly balanced (despite the way the bars are drawn, first to last place difference was only around 25%) day 2 skewed a little more (two top teams that were about 33% ahead of the rest) and then day 3 &4 went crazy imbalanced. That's what makes me think it's people learning the system and then breaking it rather than some sort of Valve-induced randomization.

 

Yeah, it very much appears to be a co-ordinated effort when comparing the daily team win with examples such as the "Operation: Everyone Work As A Team" schedule on Reddit:

 

1. 19th - PURPLE - Thursday

2. 20th - RED - Friday

3. 21st - GREEN - Saturday

4. 22nd - PINK - Sunday

5. 23rd - BLUE - Monday

6. 24th - PURPLE - Tuesday

7. 25th - RED - wednesday

8. 26th - GREEN - thursday

9. 27th - PINK - friday

10. 28th - BLUE - saturday

 

Actual winners so far:

 

1. 19th - PURPLE - Thursday

2. 20th - RED - Friday

3. 21st - GREEN - Saturday

4. 22nd - PINK - Sunday

 

The whole thing seems a bit weird to me given the apparently minute chance of being one of 30 chosen at random to receive 3 games for free. As Bjorn said, the cost of switching teams is generally enough to buy one of the bigger name discounts anyway.

 

If you're crafting like crazy and switching teams every day to maximise your minimal chances, then.... uhh.... I guess you're keeping the Steam Economy going for us lesser mortals who are relying on good trading card prices to snag one or two "free" games over the course of the sale?

[Dewar]

That makes me really sad I missed Green's first winning day. Oh well, I guess I'll be able to take a shot on Thursday.

[Bjorn]

Holy crap, there are "steal" tokens that let you take points from another team, and people are actually buying these things on the market.  I had wondered what it was that took points from the team.  That's the dumbest waste of money I've yet seen on the Steam market. 

 

I wonder if Valve still has an in-house economist, and what his take on these things is. 

 

Edit: Answer to my own question, probably not, since he hasn't updated his blog in almost 2 years. 

[Justin Leego]

OK, but you gotta donate at least 1 point to be eligible.

 

Summer Adventure Badge - 10 points
Summer Adventure Foil Badge - 100 points
any other game badge - 1 point
any foil game badge - 10 points

 

If your team wins, contributors get 2 Summer Adventure Badge cards. If it doesn't, contributors get 1 card.

[JonCole]

Yeah, I've been putting 1 point in per day to qualify for the card. Most of the games I've been making badges for cost something like $1 per badge, so by earning half in game and buying the other half I'm just about breaking even with Summer Sale card prices on days where my team doesn't win. So... essentially no loss in funds for me and I get a shot at free stuff, whether it's games, in-game items, dumb emoticons, whatever. Plus, my wife is super into these Steam events so my Steam level doesn't completely pale in comparison to hers when I do this minimal level of participation.

[Dewar]

Hmm, I didn't know that you got a card for contributing. If I sell it, and then use the cash to buy cards to fill out another badge, I can probably get one badge a day for free.

[Griddlelol]

So to get cards past the few that drop, you basically have to sell and or trade cards for a different game...

 

That seems like a massive pain in the ass to me.

 

Also something about booster packs that isn't explained at all...

[Dewar]

Meh, I have a little bit of fun doing it, as long as I'm not having to put my own money into the system.

[JonCole]

A "major pain in the ass", really? It takes a total of maybe 60 seconds per badge if your internet speed/Steam servers aren't abysmal.

[Griddlelol]

I got to admit, I didn't try selling my own stuff to buy others, that is pretty fast, depending on whether they sell or not. The selling is pretty well designed to be streamlined.

Going on the forums is what I meant would be a pain in the ass. I assumed that's how you'd sell them!