Valve Hardware Survey - 36% of connections slower than 256kbps

Valve Hardware Survey
36% of connections slower than 256kbps
(old news - 11:42AM Monday Sep 27 2004)
tags: hardware · gaming · stats

Valve Software, preparing to deliver Half-Life 2 via their broadband delivery system Steam, has been compiling the statistics of the gamers using the service. The results indicate that some thirty-six percent of respondents have a connection slower than 256kbps (2% are still on dial-up). The survey also offers up some insight into gamer hardware preference, the majority using an Nvidia graphics card. The majority of XP users have also yet to upgrade to Service Pack 2.

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Forums » Valve Hardware Survey


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inteller Sociopaths always win. join:2003-12-08 Tulsa, OK	Well that is kinda scary I assume these people opted in to the survey as part of beta testing....but I think it goes a little deep when you start looking at what patches they have on their computer (SP2)....digging around for that lost source code are we?
	permalink · 2004-09-27 11:45:09 ·

Corvus Flaming Tards Since 2003 Premium,VIP join:2003-11-26	Re: Well that is kinda scary The reason why zombies exists!
	permalink · 2004-09-27 11:47:40 ·

QUICKSILV3R Premium join:2002-01-21 San Antonio, TX clubs:	ifell sad 4 those 36% people
	permalink · 2004-09-27 11:48:07 ·

Nerdtalker
Working Hard, Or Hardly Working?
Premium,MVM
join:2003-02-18
Tucson, AZ
clubs:

Re: Well that is kinda scary

I feel good about my setup, but I feel sad for some of the people running on old hardware.

For example:

3dfxvs.dll5720.10 %

3dfx?!?! Who in their right mind still uses that?!

Intel 84510,4241.86 %##

Integrated graphics? LOL!!! Try running HL2 on that!

NVidia GeForce4 MX Series69,31812.35 %

Scary that the 4MX is this popular, seeing as its DX7 level hardware. (No Pixel Shading, No Vertex Shading)

ATI Radeon 9800 Series58,45410.41 %
NVidia GeForce4 Series56,42910.05 %

These two seem right, and I fit into both categories, since I own both cards.

XP SP 1 (Build 2600)257,67845.90 %

Scary as hell, I'm surprised that more people aren't running SP2, especially seeing how nice most of their rigs are.

10 Gb to 20 Gb102,43318.25 %

Sad... I have about 250GB sitting unused right here...

--
Touch a thistle timidly, and it pricks you; grasp it boldly, and its spines crumble. -William S. Halsey

permalink · 2004-09-27 20:10:12 · Print ·

Corvus Flaming Tards Since 2003 Premium,VIP join:2003-11-26	Re: Well that is kinda scary said by Nerdtalker : Scary as hell, I'm surprised that more people aren't running SP2, especially seeing how nice most of their rigs are. The main reason why Microsoft wants to automatically push updates to users in future. -- Jesus saves, but only Buddha makes incremental backups.
	permalink · 2004-09-27 21:33:06 ·

Nerdtalker
Working Hard, Or Hardly Working?
Premium,MVM
join:2003-02-18
Tucson, AZ
clubs:

Re: Well that is kinda scary

said by Corvus :

said by Nerdtalker :
Scary as hell, I'm surprised that more people aren't running SP2, especially seeing how nice most of their rigs are.
The main reason why Microsoft wants to automatically push updates to users in future.

I agree. I'm just surprised that the audience in question is so behind the times on Windows Update.

I'd expect them to mostly be SP2 by now.

--
Touch a thistle timidly, and it pricks you; grasp it boldly, and its spines crumble. -William S. Halsey

permalink · 2004-09-27 21:42:15 · Print ·

Deus
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join:2000-10-04
Brooklyn, NY
clubs:

·Optimum Online

said by inteller :
I assume these people opted in to the survey as part of beta testing....but I think it goes a little deep when you start looking at what patches they have on their computer (SP2)....digging around for that lost source code are we?

While I didn't participate in the survey, Valve could have easily gotten that information by asking the users what service patch they had installed. They didn't need to scan for anything. In the past surveys that I have participated in, I was given a selection of choices and chose the answers that best reflected my system.
--
"In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: it goes on." -Robert Frost

permalink · 2004-09-27 11:53:56 · Print ·

underscore join:2004-04-20 Fairfax, VA	It pulls information from your computer from "System Information". There are a lot of websites that can do this too.
	permalink · 2004-09-27 12:03:00 ·

bob000001 join:2004-02-20 Bellingham, WA	said by inteller : I think it goes a little deep when you start looking at what patches they have on their computer (SP2) Like thats hard to do... »gemal.dk/browserspy/ See what your browser is saying about you. -- Start a man a fire and he will be warm for one night. Start a man on fire and he will be warm for the rest of his life.
	permalink · 2004-09-27 16:39:13 · Print ·

Dennis Premium,Mod join:2001-01-26 Algonquin, IL	very interesting Man....those stat's are cool, but this scares me: Below 200 Mhz 17 17 people below 200mhz? lol
	permalink · 2004-09-27 11:51:09 ·

ParanoiaInc

join:2002-08-28
Tucker, GA

Should be that demanding on broadband.

I have conducted monitoring on X-Box Live connections for things like Ghost Recon and Rainbow Six and have to say that the non-host bandwidth requirements are well within a fraction of 256-kbps. The host, OTOH, are typically the sum of their reversed client's traffic loads.

Let's say that a client (C) has upstream (UC) and downstream (DC) traffic loads of UC & DC. If five people were clients to a host (H) then that host needs 5xUC = DH and 5xDC = UH. So, as long its someone with sufficient bandwidth doing the hosting the requirements for the connecting clients is minimal.

permalink · 2004-09-27 11:52:37 · Print ·

Toxyn @golden.net	Re: Should be that demanding on broadband. The network gameplay aspect isn't the only issue here. You see Valve is pushing for HL2 and future games to be distributed via a credit card payment/download system called STEAM. If their customer base doesn't have the bandwidth to download it in a reasonable timeframe, they'll have to rethink that idea.
	permalink · 2004-09-27 15:00:03 ·

Mentat The zeitgeist sucks Premium join:2001-02-25 Sugar Land, TX	newBE Just illuminates the fact that there are tons of newbs that play fps.
	permalink · 2004-09-27 11:52:49 ·

chesney09 Premium join:2004-07-26 Redford, MI clubs:	Re: newBE I did they survey and I think MOST of that data is from the survey.... The scan results, if I recall, were quite a bit off based on what I know my PC has and what the scan found..IE Amoutn of RAM was incorrect, amount of HD Space was wrong.
	permalink · 2004-09-27 12:00:13 ·

smoky_129 Premium join:2002-09-04 Arab, AL	i think we are all noob's when we first start out
	permalink · 2004-09-27 12:00:43 ·

Mentat The zeitgeist sucks Premium join:2001-02-25 Sugar Land, TX	Re: newBE I mean newbs like this guys »www.pwned.nl Not newbs at gameplay, newbs at everything
	permalink · 2004-09-27 12:01:34 ·

Yetskii

join:2002-03-01
Hazel Park, MI

What does having a ;ess that 256k pipe have anything to do with being a noob? Did you ever think that they cannot get or afford faster...I am sick of all the negative putdowns people give out to people who do not have a fast connection. On the HL2,net forums and the steam forums, there are posts telling Valve to not optomize for 56 people....that is elitist bullshit from "l33t" players....
--
www.homelanfed.com

permalink · 2004-09-27 12:41:02 ·

Mentat The zeitgeist sucks Premium join:2001-02-25 Sugar Land, TX	Re: newBE It's the same as them not optimizing the game for people with PII 300mhz with a voodoo 16meg. Get with the times.
	permalink · 2004-09-27 12:44:34 ·

Estragon

join:2003-06-20
Greenville, NH

·Fairpoint Communic..

·MV Communications,..

Not the same at all

said by Mentat :
It's the same as them not optimizing the game for people with PII 300mhz with a voodoo 16meg.

Get with the times.

It's not the same at all. Slow processor type and speed are easy problems to fix. We all have the same options for fixing them. We can all go down to dell.com (or any other web site) and order the same speed machines.

But networks are not like that. (I wish they were!) If you tell me I need a network faster than 256kb to play a game, I'll decline to participate. High speeds like 256kb are beyond my budget. My least expensive option would be a T1 line for $600 a month.

It's great that you can get a good broadband connection. I wish we all could.

permalink · 2004-09-27 15:33:34 · Print ·

Mentat
The zeitgeist sucks
Premium
join:2001-02-25
Sugar Land, TX

Re: Not the same at all

If they catered to the lowest common denominator, the game would suck; therefore, they try to make the game mid to top-end of technology friendly.

Just because you live in the boonies, or are broke, doesn't mean they should make the game just for you. If it means that much to you, get a second job or move to the city; problem solved.
--
It is said of Muad'Dib that once when he saw a weed trying to grow between two rocks, he moved one of the rocks. Later, when the weed was seen to be flourishing, he covered it with the remaining rock. "That was its fate," he explained.

permalink · 2004-09-27 15:47:50 · Print ·

BosstonesOwn

join:2002-12-15
Everett, MA
clubs:

·Comcast

Re: Not the same at all

said by Mentat :
If they catered to the lowest common denominator, the game would suck; therefore, they try to make the game mid to top-end of technology friendly.

Just because you live in the boonies, or are broke, doesn't mean they should make the game just for you. If it means that much to you, get a second job or move to the city; problem solved.

Sure great response move to the city or get another job. That is the real mature way to view the world. If they all followed that idea the cities would be 3x as populated and all your costs would sky rocket even higher then they currently are. How would you like to pay $8 for a gallon of milk when ya make $10 an hour see how long you last in the city then.

Not to mention what happens when the farmers move to the city now factor that in less places to grow food your stuck with huge prices now. All because you decided that it's you and only you on broadband the world caters too.

People being one sided such as yourself is what is helping to bring the united states to a halt. It's a real shame if you ask me.
--
"It's always funny until someone gets hurt......and then it's absolutely friggin' hysterical!"

permalink · 2004-09-27 16:33:25 · Print ·

Mentat The zeitgeist sucks Premium join:2001-02-25 Sugar Land, TX	Re: Not the same at all It's a fuckin video game, not something important.
	permalink · 2004-09-27 16:37:29 ·

BosstonesOwn join:2002-12-15 Everett, MA clubs: ·Comcast	NO you miss the point if that attitude applies to just a game in your opinion then what is actually less important then a game ? In my opinion nothing. So for every little issue you spin your opinion at we end up in a deeper hole then when we started. -- "It's always funny until someone gets hurt......and then it's absolutely friggin' hysterical!"
	permalink · 2004-09-27 16:46:44 ·

Mentat The zeitgeist sucks Premium join:2001-02-25 Sugar Land, TX	Re: Not the same at all Here you go: hands you a clue If you're that worried about my opinion, you need something else to occupy yourself with.
	permalink · 2004-09-27 17:00:46 ·

BosstonesOwn join:2002-12-15 Everett, MA clubs:	Ever hear of turning around a problem on strand at a time? Guess that philosophy is lost on most. -- "It's always funny until someone gets hurt......and then it's absolutely friggin' hysterical!"
	permalink · 2004-09-27 18:55:23 ·

Zorglub join:2000-11-18 Fremont, CA	Re: Not the same at all Comcast sucks... I know it's O/T, but I felt like saying it.
	permalink · 2004-09-27 18:59:55 ·

fundamentalz The Basics Premium join:2004-04-30 Moorpark, CA	HAHAH ROFL Someone's processor is ValveIsGreat. talk about your fanboys.
	permalink · 2004-09-27 12:00:29 ·

Speedy8
Premium
join:2002-08-22
Alliance, OH
clubs:

2 edits

Memory

I love how they list 256MB to 512MB and 512MB to 1024MB options, it totally ruins that part of the poll, since many people have 512 it splits them between the 2 options. A little common sense would have went a long way.

Edit: Actually I guess the same could be said for each option. They should have done like 256 to 511 and 512 to 1023, etc.

Edit2: Oh, and having an mhz option for processor speed is kind of dumb too.

permalink · 2004-09-27 12:30:26 ·

RealoRc Premium join:2003-01-25 Brooklyn, NY	Re: Memory it's actually 257MB to 512MB and 513MB to 1024MB.
	permalink · 2004-09-27 12:33:29 ·

Vamp 5c077 Premium join:2003-01-28 MD ·Verizon FIOS	Just idiots.. Nah I think the problem is just idiot's that dont know the difference between bit and byte. 90+ % of broadband is much faster than that. -- :: My current desktop ::
	permalink · 2004-09-27 12:53:23 ·

cyrus369

join:2002-09-16
usa
clubs:

Re: Just idiots..

said by Vamp :
Nah I think the problem is just idiot's that dont know the difference between bit and byte. 90+ % of broadband is much faster than that.

lol i was thinking the same thing, most of my friends that play cs didt even know they had dsl until i went over there and gawked at it and was jelous because i could not get it at the time. let alone they actually know the speed of it. that poll is off, they should of had a speed test in there.
--
Don't argue with an idiot, he will bring you down to his level, and win because of experience.

permalink · 2004-09-27 14:29:25 · Print ·

jesseb_66 join:2002-12-06 Tucson, AZ	Agreed.
	permalink · 2004-09-27 14:34:50 ·

KenDogg join:2001-06-30 Bellport, NY	That's exactly what those statistics show. Good point.
	permalink · 2004-09-27 16:55:26 ·

Vathral Premium join:2002-08-26 New York, NY clubs:	What the hell? Game Screen Width: 60 pixels 1 0.00 % O.o 320 pixels? What the hell are these people playing on??? -- Seti @ Home \|\| Team Discovery \|\| Team Helix \|\|
	permalink · 2004-09-27 13:35:31 ·

dadkins Can you do Blu? Premium,MVM join:2003-09-26 Hercules, CA ·Comcast	Re: What the hell? said by Vathral : Game Screen Width: 60 pixels 1 0.00 % O.o 320 pixels? What the hell are these people playing on??? A phone? PDA? LOL! -- Nuke 'em all, let God sort 'em out.
	permalink · 2004-09-27 13:39:22 ·

inteller Sociopaths always win. join:2003-12-08 Tulsa, OK	so the typical machine... ....is a Intel 2.0 - 2.3 Ghz box with a Geforce 4 MX card. Sounds like a lot of Dell and hp boxes to me. puke.
	permalink · 2004-09-27 13:37:11 ·

Bill Light Up The Halo Premium,VIP join:2001-12-09 clubs:	This was just a survey.. It wasn't mandatory. I know I didn't participate in this survey. My bet would be less than half of Steam users actually took the survey.
	permalink · 2004-09-27 14:41:48 ·

GameGuy369 join:2004-07-09 Olathe, KS clubs:	Imagine... Imagine being the only person with less than 24mb of RAM, haha.
	permalink · 2004-09-27 15:18:12 ·

dgdgdf @pipex.com	Re: Imagine... yeah hes still probably waiting for the "thanks for taking the time to complete the survey" page to load......
	permalink · 2004-09-27 16:15:25 ·

sadowski I Am My Own Doppelganger Premium,MVM join:2000-04-14 Buffalo, NY clubs:	Huh? The results indicate that some thirty-six percent of respondents have a connection slower than 256kbps (2% are still on dial-up). Looking at the numbers I see just under 7% with less than 256 and just under 30% with between 256 and 768 such as 480 or 640. -- Bush Credibility Twister \| Air America Radio \| The Brights
	permalink · 2004-09-27 16:22:10 · Print ·

See 6 replies to this post

unsub join:2000-06-21 Newton Upper Falls, MA	HEY THIS SURVEY IS VERY OLD. I remember having it scan my machine well over a year ago. I'm sure it's still using that information.
	permalink · 2004-09-27 23:17:19 ·

lucky644 Premium join:2002-02-04	Re: HEY They re-tested..
	permalink · 2004-09-28 01:30:25 ·

laz45 join:2002-08-01 Orlando, FL clubs:	Humm No this one is new they did the test again...
	permalink · 2004-09-27 23:42:51 ·

your comment..

Forums » Valve Hardware Survey


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Well that is kinda scary

Re: Well that is kinda scary

Re: Well that is kinda scary

Re: Well that is kinda scary

Re: Well that is kinda scary

very interesting

Should be that demanding on broadband.

Re: Should be that demanding on broadband.

newBE

Re: newBE

Re: newBE

Re: newBE

Not the same at all

Re: Not the same at all

Re: Not the same at all

Re: Not the same at all

Re: Not the same at all

Re: Not the same at all

HAHAH

Memory

Re: Memory

Just idiots..

Re: Just idiots..

What the hell?

Re: What the hell?

so the typical machine...

This was just a survey..

Imagine...

Re: Imagine...

Huh?

HEY

Re: HEY

Humm