Grox asked about this, so I went looking and it turns out it's actually pretty easy to get ahold of a key for using the steam web API.

So my question is this: how much do we want steam integration? Should it be required for the forums? Should it be required for map and/or PTI uploads?

Basically, I need to know how much work I need to do. Getting this integrated with phpBB doesn't look easy, as the only mods for it are all outdated.

(By the way, probably no matter what happens with user integration, I'm going to end up using it to pipe all portal 2 news directly into the site, since the API lets you get recent news for a given app )

Mandatory, no. We'd not want users to be forced to get Steam. Should be optional. Wed lose an (albeit small) section of the community

But I fully agree steam sign-in is awesome.

To submit a map, it'd probably be easier to use Steam. Seems pretty much a given that you'd be using it for PTI maps.

vanSulli wrote:
To submit a map, it'd probably be easier to use Steam. Seems pretty much a given that you'd be using it for PTI maps.

Okay, well, there's two options for how I could do that. I could either 1) integrate openID into the forum software (hard but probably more rewarding) or 2) let users sign in through steam separately from the forums

The second option has its own set of challenges and rewards, for instance I would have to create a second user database, but then I'd be able to have that associate with all your maps and such. The only thing is it would make the site seem more disjointed.

Kizzycocoa wrote:
Mandatory, no. We'd not want users to be forced to get Steam. Should be optional. Wed lose an (albeit small) section of the community

But I fully agree steam sign-in is awesome.

The thing is, you can only get Portal/Portal 2 legally through Steam. If you don't have steam, why are you on the site?

Steam integration would make things a bit simpler, completely prevent bot spam and make PTI map uploads simpler to link to.

groxkiller585 wrote:

Kizzycocoa wrote:
Mandatory, no. We'd not want users to be forced to get Steam. Should be optional. Wed lose an (albeit small) section of the community

But I fully agree steam sign-in is awesome.>

The thing is, you can only get Portal/Portal 2 legally through Steam. If you don't have steam, why are you on the site?

Steam integration would make things a bit simpler, completely prevent bot spam and make PTI map uploads simpler to link to.

may I remind you, there's a new thing that's out in shops.

it's completely new.

it's called "video game consoles".

We do this, and we potentially isolate the entire console community from signing up.

The console community can't map unless the PTI spreads to PS3; in that case, you'll still need to do business with Steam, so I don't see much of a problem.

vanSulli wrote:
The console community can't map unless the PTI spreads to PS3; in that case, you'll still need to do business with Steam, so I don't see much of a problem.

forums perhaps? doesn't mean they can't take part in forum activities.

I'd just prefer we'd have both avenues open to us. not to mention the thought of forcing a service onto users.

for example, I LOATHE Facebook. it's "privacy" is a joke. they've broken every promise ever made about it. yet, there's an achievement on steam, many ipad apps etc. to sync with facebook/post scores.

I hate that. so much. I'd not want us to do the same, even if steam is awesome. but, some of you may see facebook as awesome. same difference.

I like this Steam integration, and at the same time I don't.

[u:9te20bka]Yes:[/u:9te20bka]

We should integrate Steam with our database and forums. We can link our workshop sites and collections easily and it will be something mAI has an advantage over. Plus it will keep our data bases clean from PTI maps, but still allows people to share them.

[u:9te20bka]No:[/u:9te20bka]

If I need to enter my Steam password into this site, then I'm sorry, we can not do this. I, and I'm sure most other people really really really like their Steam accounts, and I'm very careful with mine. Although now we have Steam Guard and all that now, I still don't think we should not force people to enter their passwords so that they can use the full functionality of mAI.

In conclusion, I do like that if we integrate Steam with the site, it would be a boom. But if it risks people's privacy, and makes people uncomfortable, then we should find another way to give this site an edge.

reepblue wrote:
If I need to enter my Steam password into this site, then I'm sorry, we can not do this. I, and I'm sure most other people really really really like their Steam accounts, and I'm very careful with mine.

Doesn't all Steam-integration-sites redirect to https://steamcommunity.com?

But if I need to enter my password on this site, i vote for making it optional.

reepblue wrote:
I like this Steam integration, and at the same time I don't.

[u:vbwh7x8r]Yes:[/u:vbwh7x8r]

We should integrate Steam with our database and forums. We can link our workshop sites and collections easily and it will be something mAI has an advantage over. Plus it will keep our data bases clean from PTI maps, but still allows people to share them.

[u:vbwh7x8r]No:[/u:vbwh7x8r]

If I need to enter my Steam password into this site, then I'm sorry, we can not do this. I, and I'm sure most other people really really really like their Steam accounts, and I'm very careful with mine. Although now we have Steam Guard and all that now, I still don't think we should not force people to enter their passwords so that they can use the full functionality of mAI.

In conclusion, I do like that if we integrate Steam with the site, it would be a boom. But if it risks people's privacy, and makes people uncomfortable, then we should find another way to give this site an edge.

I didn't think of it like that. But as kek said, doesn't it link to the steam site itself?

However now I am undecided, because if it's a privacy problem I don't want it. But it'd make things so much simpler...

If I recall correctly, this site doesn't actually get any of your logon credentials or anything, like Kek said. Privacy isn't really an issue. I don't really get where Facebook comes in either, because we aren't using it and Steam isn't anything like that. I can understand that you want to keep the channels open for non-PC users, but I think this is mostly a mapping/modding community anyway.

Don't worry guys, the steam API contractually obligates you to not do that.

If you've ever seen a site that lets you sign in with steam, you'll know that it usually has a button that looks like this:

That, when clicked, brings you to the official steam site. There, you sign in, and then it redirects you back to the site you came from.

Completely safe, completely secure.

(As a side note, though, the steam web API doesn't let me access users' workshop maps - so either way I'm going to have to brute-force those by eating stuff directly from the map's page)

How does Steam integration make sharing maps easier, that's the part I'm a little uncertain of here..?
Is it just so we can upload maps on the Steam-servers instead of ours and then link to them?

Keklolzor wrote:
How does Steam integration make sharing maps easier, that's the part I'm a little uncertain of here..?
Is it just so we can upload maps on the Steam-servers instead of ours and then link to them?

Here's what I know steam API can do for us:
- Ensure players aren't uploading others' PTI levels
- Give access to portal 2 news posts as soon as they come out
- Add an easy way to find someone on steam (no way to do this right now)
- Allow me to access your portal 2 backpack and tell everyone how few hats you have (true story, actually)

Here's what, in an ideal world, I would like steam API to do:
- Give me direct access to workshop files so the uploading process is simpler
- Integrate completely and/or replace the forum login system (though not likely now due to your feedback)

Edit; also, to better address your question, no I don't get access to steam servers for file hosting. And, in fact, it probably won't help with map uploading very much at all.

I remain by my stance that, if we use Steam intergration, it should be more of a verification system to connect steam accounts, than a userbase.

Kizzycocoa wrote:
I remain by my stance that, if we use Steam intergration, it should be more of a verification system to connect steam accounts, than a userbase.

Ok, how about: You can connect your forum account to a steam account, and only people with steam accounts can upload?

This way your console folk can still participate in the forum part, and we can still rule out people stealing others' maps.

I still am not getting why it's such a big deal to not integrate.. (apart from security but IMO that looks rock solid)

groxkiller585 wrote:

Kizzycocoa wrote:
I remain by my stance that, if we use Steam intergration, it should be more of a verification system to connect steam accounts, than a userbase.>

Ok, how about: You can connect your forum account to a steam account, and only people with steam accounts can upload?

This way your console folk can still participate in the forum part, and we can still rule out people stealing others' maps.

I still am not getting why it's such a big deal to not integrate.. (apart from security but IMO that looks rock solid)

This sounds WAY more appropriate. if someone makes maps, they have SDK, which means they have Steam.

I feel like total integration is fine. Find me a single potential console-only member and I'll probably change my mind; even PS3 uses Steam for Portal 2, I believe.

vanSulli wrote:
I feel like total integration is fine. Find me a single potential console-only member and I'll probably change my mind; even PS3 uses Steam for Portal 2, I believe.

I can do one better. they're my cousin.

bam.