13 replies to this topic 1 votes

[HawkMan]

http://apps.microsof...97-9c9d6d4aae85

New windows 8 app to add steam tiles to your windows 8 start screen. This one offers several advantages over the older Pin Steam app:
- Firstly, it's free.
- Secondly it has ready made tiles for all the games
- Thirdly it actually shows achievements and other steam info from the games on the tile.actually giving you a true live tile of the game. this is what creating windows 8 tiles is all about.

The drawback is that it doesn't allow you to set custom tile graphics, and no custom none steam games.
Though personally I use obly tile for none steam games and apps, it's easier and faster, than the steam method of adding game shortcut, making desktop shortcut, checking URL, adding url.. and it's a lot cleaner.

[theyarecomingforyou]

The first thing I did was disable the live tiles, as I find them irritating in general. Other than that it's a great little app and the tiles look great on the start screen:

[HawkMan]

Most of my steam games are currently pinned with Pin Steam. But I like this better and will probably change them, and for most will probably disable the live tiles, because I have little interest in the achievements on steam and I'd rather see the game logo, especially on small tiles. However for those that use steam achievements this pretty much replaces the need to open a secondary UI(ie steam) at all almost.

[Guth]

I use oblytile for steam games too, you just copy the shortcut from a normal shortcut icon.

I like the look of this app but the one I tried before I had to click twice to play the game. first I saw a screen saying "windows does not all third party app launching or something"
Also no custom icons meant I had three black ops 2 icons and didn't know which was which.

Think I may give this a go though

[Doli]

I don't like that tiles also launch the app then start the game. The tiles need to use the "steam://rungameid/###" (### is game id, ie. steam://rungameid/440 is TF2) link or run command "C:\...\Steam.exe steam://rungameid/###" and skip launching the Steam Tile app.

[pjak]

Who are "Element26 Software"? Apart from Rob and Cara that is (http://www.element26software.com/)...

Whilst I like Windows 8 (and its tile system), I really don't like these "homegrown" devs making apps with other companies logos and trademarks, especially if login details are required...

[Doli]

pjak, on 16 January 2013 - 03:33, said:

Who are "Element26 Software"? Apart from Rob and Cara that is (http://www.element26software.com/)...

Whilst I like Windows 8 (and its tile system), I really don't like these "homegrown" devs making apps with other companies logos and trademarks, especially if login details are required...

This app does not use any login info just the steam id at the end of your custom URL (http://steamcommunity.com/id/ID_NAME) which is publicly available for people to look up in Steam. Your profile list all your games you own and other stuff so they can pull it from there.

[HawkMan]

Yeah, this app doesn't use any logon information or anything. It's far sfer than using third party twitter or facebook apps. It just uses info that's already public.

As for having to launch the app before launching the game, I guess that has to do with the ability to use live tiles.

[]SK[]

Valve need to embrace Windows 8 and do this natively. It won't happen though has Gabe won't want to eat his words about the OS.

[HawkMan]

Give it some time and he has to.

[Grinch]

Doesn't seem to see my copy of Dota 2 from my community profile url.

[Hurmoth]

HawkMan, on 16 January 2013 - 11:39, said:

Give it some time and he has to.

Why does he have to? Steam works just fine on Windows 8 in the desktop, so there's nothing really pushing Valve to do this. Unless Microsoft gets rid of the desktop entirely, then there's no reason for Valve to waste time doing something for something they hate.

Valve is a private company, not dictated by the stock market, so as long as they're making enough money that Gabe is happy, then there's no reason to push harder. One of the reasons why they don't rush games out of the door and can restart game development over and over.

[+djdanster]

Thanks for the heads up! Looks much better now

[TheHouseBunny]

Really nice app, I'm using this with OblyTile to spice up my Modern UI.