Why is Steam so Slow?

[PricklyPoo]

Ok, recently I have been getting very annoyed about how slow steam is.

Lets say I want to play tf2, I click on the steam icon, wait 2-3 min. for it to start up, then I have to click on tf2, which takes another 2-3 min to start up, then once the game has finally loaded, I have to wait another 1-2 min. for the tf2 main screen to finally load. Then when I join any server (even low ping) it takes a minute or more to even connect.

Why can't it be as fast as any other game, for example if I wanted to play UT3, I'd click on it and it starts up right away, no questions asked.

Is it possible that Steam is just poorly coded? And half the time TF2 doesn't even work, I usually have to exit and reload the game about 3 times for it to even show any servers.

[Keito]

Ehhrm, from a cold boot to playing TF2 I'm probably waiting 2-3 minutes. This includes booting up my system.

So it's not slow for everyone - and well, steam can't be like that because it needs to do stuff online etc.

edit; but thoe TF2 not working thing seems like a problem on your end for sure

[+longgonebn Subscriber²]

I have never found that to be with TF2 or any other game on Steam. It 98% of the time runs fast and works correctly.

[PricklyPoo]

Ehhrm, from a cold boot to laying TF2 I'm probably waiting 2-3 minutes. This includes booting up my system.

So it's not slow for everyone - and well, steam can't be like that because it needs to do stuff online etc.

But even 2-3 minutes is a long time to load such a simple game like TF2.

[Keito]

But even 2-3 minutes is a long time to load such a simple game like TF2.

Like I said, this includes booting up my machine, starting Vista etc.

Starting TF2 itself is less then 30 seconds for me for sure.

[RadishTM Veteran]

Steam loads instantly here, as well as my games.

Defrag game files?

Radish?

[Jimmy0]

Steam also works perfectly fine, and quickly for me.

What spec machine are you playing on?

[PricklyPoo]

Steam also works perfectly fine, and quickly for me.

What spec machine are you playing on?

Amd 64 3700 - Overclocked to 2.6ghz

x1950 Pro - 256mb

1gb of the fastest ddr1 memory :p

[+longgonebn Subscriber²]

That can be part of it. Still should be faster for you.

[Mike]

just so you know, you shouldnt have to start steam then tf2. if you run tf2 and it should start steam for you if you dont have it running already

[mundox]

Ok, recently I have been getting very annoyed about how slow steam is.

Lets say I want to play tf2, I click on the steam icon, wait 2-3 min. for it to start up, then I have to click on tf2, which takes another 2-3 min to start up, then once the game has finally loaded, I have to wait another 1-2 min. for the tf2 main screen to finally load. Then when I join any server (even low ping) it takes a minute or more to even connect.

Why can't it be as fast as any other game, for example if I wanted to play UT3, I'd click on it and it starts up right away, no questions asked.

Is it possible that Steam is just poorly coded? And half the time TF2 doesn't even work, I usually have to exit and reload the game about 3 times for it to even show any servers.

You can search for servers without starting TF2... also you can set steam to start when your computer starts so it's ready for you when you want to play (so you don't have to wait those painful seconds while steam starts up).

And well tf2 does take a while to load up, all source games do (in my case).

[The_Decryptor Veteran]

But even 2-3 minutes is a long time to load such a simple game like TF2.

I wouldn't call TF2 a simple game.

[Elliot B.]

I wouldn't call TF2 a simple game.

I'd call it a very confusing game - seriously hard for beginners to pick up.

[spacey]

i disagree... easy to pick up. its like any shooter... shoot ppl not your colour.

its hard to get proficient at each class. and then its hard to win overall if your team doesn't work well together and you don't have a balance of classes.

[Elliot B.]

i disagree... easy to pick up. its like any shooter... shoot ppl not your colour.

its hard to get proficient at each class. and then its hard to win overall if your team doesn't work well together and you don't have a balance of classes.

It's not deathmatch, though. The tiny intro video wasn't brilliant and there should be a minimap so you know which places to protect etc. next!

I'm telling you now - I've played online multiplayer FPS games on the PC for 8 years and this is, at first, confusing to beginners, let alone a lot of experienced gamers.

[PricklyPoo]

I'd call it a very confusing game - seriously hard for beginners to pick up.

Not at all, I have only been playing for a few months and I am usually the #1-#3 player in most matches I have played. Of course there are always some people that are better than me.

And UT2004 took me a year or more to get really good at compared to only a month or two with tf2.

[Elliot B.]

Not at all, I have only been playing for a few months and I am usually the #1-#3 player in most matches I have played. Of course there are always some people that are better than me.

And UT2004 took me a year or more to get really good at compared to only a month or two with tf2.

I don't mean to get good, I mean to get it at all.

[The_Decryptor Veteran]

It's really hard to get "lost" in most TF2 maps (Badlands could possibly be the exception)

You can't get lost in Well or Gravelpit for example.

[PricklyPoo]

I remember the first day I played tf2 I kept getting sort of lost in 2fort. :p

[psybapunk]

2fort has always been the smallest map. There is absolutely NO way to get lost in 2fort.

[Elliot B.]

2fort has always been the smallest map. There is absolutely NO way to get lost in 2fort.

Then it's only us, I apologise.

*sigh*

[PricklyPoo]

While we are talking about tf2, I need some help to find a map.

I remember it was the first map I ever played but have never played it again since. I remember it was a ctf map (I think) and in the middle of the map there were two concrete ledges on either side (left and right sides) where snipers would sit and shoot people running around in the middle.

[spaceelf]

I've had issues with Steam connecting slowly almost its' whole lifespan, until recently anyway. Now it connects incredibly quick. I assumed they upgraded it somewhere along the line to fix it, maybe it hasn't been fixed for all, or maybe I'm way off base.

All I know is: I like cheese and Valve would know more than I would.

Come to think of it, I did upgrade from AVG 7.5 to AVG 8.0 firewall somewhere in there (I was a beta tester of 8.0 for some time) so it may have had an effect.

[psybapunk]

While we are talking about tf2, I need some help to find a map.

I remember it was the first map I ever played but have never played it again since. I remember it was a ctf map (I think) and in the middle of the map there were two concrete ledges on either side (left and right sides) where snipers would sit and shoot people running around in the middle.

Uh, that sounds a lot like 2fort.

[PricklyPoo]

Nooo let me try to draw a picture of the layout. :p

And tf2 is faster now that I defragged my whole hard drive.