Steam Trading Cards Catch All

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Already two threads talking about the new feature introduced by Valve: Steam Trading Cards
Hence a catch all.

From the FAQ:

Collect cards
Play any of the participating Trading Cards Beta games to get trading cards. Up to half the card set is dropped through game play, the other half is earned through your collecting prowess.

IMAGE(http://cf.shacknews.com/images/20130515/tradingcards_25689.nphd.png)

Craft game badges
Once you've collected a set of cards you can craft them into a game badge. Like the current badges, they are tied to your account and are shown on your profile. Unlike the current badges, crafting games badges earns you tradable items like emoticons, profile backgrounds, and coupons. Level up your badge by collecting the set again and earning more items.

IMAGE(http://media.steampowered.com/steamcommunity/public//updates/tradingcards/03.png?v=3)

Level up
All badges now have XP which contributes to your Steam Level, a summary of your badge collection. You can view someone's Steam Level by hovering over their avatar. Leveling up earns you non-tradable items like profile showcases, extra friends list slots, and more.

IMAGE(http://media.steampowered.com/steamcommunity/public//updates/tradingcards/04.png?v=2)

Games involved at this time (more will follow):

  • CS:GO
  • Team Fortress 2
  • Dota 2
  • Portal 2
  • Half-Life 2
  • Don't Starve

Will leave the list above for what it is. Find the exhaustive list over here.

And a link to the group !

IMAGE(http://media.steampowered.com/steamcommunity/public//updates/tradingcards/02.png?v=2)

I remember when the 360 first launched, and a bunch of my friends at the time said achievements were a fad. I said that they were wrong, and that this was one of the most important changes we'd seen in video games to date. Vindication is a sweet feeling.

Hmm...

ahrezmendi wrote:

I remember when the 360 first launched, and a bunch of my friends at the time said achievements were a fad. I said that they were wrong, and that this was one of the most important changes we'd seen in video games to date. Vindication is a sweet feeling.

I've had that feeling for a very long time, starting one year after my dad forbid me to spend my money on a SNES in 8th grade, because I was "going to outgrow video games in a year."

Ohhh, hang on, something is missing from this discussion:

"I'd prefer if they were working on/releasing HL3"

I believe that's an obligatory part of all threads now that involve whatever Valve do before releasing the aforementioned game.

This better work with the Oculus Rift.

evilseed wrote:

This better work with the Oculus Rift.

They should log time spent playing with a Rift and give you stereoscopic cards instead of foils.

I just realized... This isn't that much different than what Nintendo Power did at one point in the 90's. For a good while they were inserting a handful of trading cards in each issue for subscribers that featured different NES, SNES or GB games. If I'm recalling correctly, I think each month had a trade-in offer where you could mail in a set of 3 cards for a small prize or discount in their store.

EDIT: I forgot those cards had challenges related to the games. They were like proto-achievements!

I bet this is some elaborate experiment cooked up by the economist they hired.

tagging, funny, I want in.

BNice wrote:

I bet this is some elaborate experiment cooked up by the economist they hired.

That's the thing about it really, it fully fits Valve's MO of trying something and running with it. So many of their games and the things around their games could have just fulfilled their "v1.0" spec and then they moved on, steam could just be a patching client, TF2 could just be like the xbox version, trading could be just swapping items, all their old games could be languishing out of support on old code/engine versions.

Scratched wrote:

That's the thing about it really, it fully fits Valve's MO of trying something and running with it. So many of their games and the things around their games could have just fulfilled their "v1.0" spec and then they moved on, steam could just be a patching client, TF2 could just be like the xbox version, trading could be just swapping items, all their old games could be languishing out of support on old code/engine versions.

At the rate Valve's going, I just want a Steam OS. That's where this is all heading right?

Someone has an spare invite? I want to test this out!

Got an invite. First reaction "Oh cool, I'm level 10 already!".

I'm a sad excuse for a human being.

If anyone's still got a spare invite, I'd love to check it out!

I've been looking for an excuse to purchase Half Life 2 for pc. I really want to play Black Mesa but i've already bought the orange box for 360 twice. Excuse me while i spam the steam forums for an invite.

Curse you, Red Baron! I just got Pillar of the Community over the last Steam sale, and now they've gone and doubled the number of badges for it! Welp, guess that'll help me get to level 11.

I also would like to see what's going on with all these trading cards... anyone have an extra invite?

Count me on that invite train!

Anyway I can get an invite?

merphle wrote:

I also would like to see what's going on with all these trading cards... anyone have an extra invite?

Datyedyeguy wrote:

Count me on that invite train!

demonbox wrote:

Anyway I can get an invite?

and they'll tell two friends and...
IMAGE(http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_4R_Mxyw2SMU/TFlDGE5CGoI/AAAAAAAADrk/bsAcnUF9Zuw/s1600/waynesdicky.jpg)

Toddland wrote:

I have three invites in my inventory. PM for them, if you're interested. Also have an extra "Tiny" card from Dota2.

If you still have one left, wouldn't mind it

I would appreciate an invite if anyone has an extra Thanks so much.

I, too, would like to humbly beg for an invite from a kindly GWJer. I will repay you in happy thoughts, which are worth exactly the paper they're printed on.

Got one from BNice! Thanks!

-edit-
played a bit of TF2 and already have my first card! The Heavy
I didn't play heavy, so it's unrelated to that.

IMAGE(http://img43.imageshack.us/img43/8469/heavytc.jpg)

Also found this very useful
IMAGE(http://img803.imageshack.us/img803/8084/friendstc.jpg)

Hey, these look interesting. I'd be happy to get an invite, if anyone has some spare ones

Something that strikes me about this (I just had a card 'drop' while playing Don't Starve) is that perhaps they need to have a little separation between the business end of steam and the 'meta' side of steam. I guess this is equivalent to whining about consoles being more than game playing devices.

Scratched wrote:

Something that strikes me about this (I just had a card 'drop' while playing Don't Starve) is that perhaps they need to have a little separation between the business end of steam and the 'meta' side of steam. I guess this is equivalent to whining about consoles being more than game playing devices.

I don't think it's that different than some of the promos (and "customer loyalty" programs) you see at sandwich shops. You know, the buy 9 meals, get the 10th free cards they offer at some places? So if you use Steam a lot, they'll give you some perks to keep you coming back. To be honest, I'm not entirely sure Steam needs this as they don't really have that much competition on the PC, so maybe it's more to keep people playing on the Steamboxen?

shoptroll wrote:
Scratched wrote:

Something that strikes me about this (I just had a card 'drop' while playing Don't Starve) is that perhaps they need to have a little separation between the business end of steam and the 'meta' side of steam. I guess this is equivalent to whining about consoles being more than game playing devices.

I don't think it's that different than some of the promos (and "customer loyalty" programs) you see at sandwich shops. You know, the buy 9 meals, get the 10th free cards they offer at some places? So if you use Steam a lot, they'll give you some perks to keep you coming back. To be honest, I'm not entirely sure Steam needs this as they don't really have that much competition on the PC, so maybe it's more to keep people playing on the Steamboxen?

Right, but when you dig down, this is all in service of advertising for steam, to induce you to pay more attention to steam and/or spend more money on it, either buying games (vouchers) on the market/trading, etc. When I'm playing a game, I want to be playing the game with as little distraction as possible, I'm playing DS, not playing steam. If I buy something and get a voucher along with my receipt, I can shove it in my wallet and forget about it and it doesn't affect me while I'm making use of that thing.

That said, steam are doing a ton more with their client/service than any competition. I noticed that Origin just got around to adding achievements in their beta client, and then there's the Uplay thing. Valve/Steam are in another league.

Scratched wrote:

I noticed that Origin just got around to adding achievements in their beta client, and then there's the Uplay thing. Valve/Steam are in another league.

UPlay has minor rewards (ie. desktop wallpaper and some content unlocks) for earning points from their achievements. Or at least for Anno 2070 and Might & Magic: Heroes VI.

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