Help me help my dad with Steam • Gaming • General Gaming • Eurogamer.net

MetalDog 25 Aug 2013 14:25:15 24,080 posts
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I got my dad to set up a steam account when I was up there so that he can chat to me anytime he likes, but I'm not sure where the friend invite that I sent him is in his set up.

Will it be under the community menu? He doesn't have his account name after 'community' like I do and it's been so damn long since I did the whole set up I can't remember how it goes, or how you get that extra menu with all the activity, profile etc happy shit in it.

In short, I am dense, my dad is old and cranky about having to learn anything new, please help.

chopsen 25 Aug 2013 14:36:22 19,993 posts
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Hang on a sec. I'll send you a friend invite and you can see where it turns up. Then you'll know where to tell him to look

MetalDog 25 Aug 2013 14:38:56 24,080 posts
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I got the green envelope. I'm not sure if he's seeing that or not, I'll check, thanks!

Gruff 25 Aug 2013 14:39:10 3,304 posts
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I have a slightly different skin for steam, but for me, if you go to the inbox>new invites>you have pending invites in there.

Edited by Gruff at 14:40:19 25-08-2013

neilka 25 Aug 2013 14:39:19 21,205 posts
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It should appear in the little tab at the top right of the interface that lights up green when you get new cards, items etc.

FartPipe 25 Aug 2013 14:44:15 5,307 posts
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Just to be sure is he actually logged in, on the steam console not the site?

JoeBlade 25 Aug 2013 15:05:17 4,173 posts
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There's an icon at the bottom right with a "View friends list" link next to it. Those are shortcuts to your personal settings as well as your friends list settings (notifications and the likes)

Check those for yourself and let your dad do the same to make sure everything is in order.

MetalDog 25 Aug 2013 15:25:58 24,080 posts
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Cheers chaps. He's using the client not the website, yep. I'll send him a screenshot and hopefully that will be sufficient.

andytheadequate 25 Aug 2013 16:36:19 8,980 posts
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Does he own any games on his steam account? I'm sure you have to own at least one before it allows you to accept or send friend requests.

MetalDog 25 Aug 2013 16:59:21 24,080 posts
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I DLed a free game for him. If he has to buy one the whole idea may be torpedoed.

Deleted user 25 August 2013 17:17:58

If you need to buy one you could always grab the Humble Bundle for a dollar and send him the key. But I'd be surprised if owning a purchased game is a requirement for using chat.

Salaman 25 Aug 2013 17:22:16 23,036 posts
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Send him one, or I'll send you one that you can gift on to him if you want.

MetalDog 25 Aug 2013 17:29:30 24,080 posts
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I have game gifts I can send him if we're still stumped, good idea. Thanks again!

andytheadequate 25 Aug 2013 20:29:11 8,980 posts
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meme wrote:
If you need to buy one you could always grab the Humble Bundle for a dollar and send him the key. But I'd be surprised if owning a purchased game is a requirement for using chat.

You may be able to accept a friend request without any games but you certainly can't send a friend request. I assume it's to stop spammers

MetalDog 26 Aug 2013 16:11:53 24,080 posts
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My dad is now on steam chat \o/
That was uphill work, but yay!

FartPipe 26 Aug 2013 18:25:52 5,307 posts
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All hail MetalDog. \o/

Why didn't you just use Skype?

Gruff 26 Aug 2013 18:51:54 3,304 posts
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MetalDog wrote:
My dad is now on steam chat \o/
That was uphill work, but yay!

Heh, old dogs, new tricks and all that.

/Speaks as an old dog

Doomspoon 26 Aug 2013 22:20:23 2,894 posts
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OptimusPube wrote:
All hail MetalDog. \o/

Why didn't you just use Skype?

Because of the convenience of Steam notifications in game? Just a guess.

FartPipe 26 Aug 2013 22:29:45 5,307 posts
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Doomspoon wrote:

OptimusPube wrote:
All hail MetalDog. \o/

Why didn't you just use Skype?
Because of the convenience of Steam notifications in game? Just a guess.

But she doesn't mention anywhere that he's a gamer, just that she wanted to setup steam on his computer, he doesn't even have any games on steam, this is where my confusion lies.

Doomspoon 27 Aug 2013 00:36:51 2,894 posts
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@OptimusPube No but it's an easy way *she* could be contacted whilst gaming. Using Steam as a messenger service doesn't require that both users have to be gaming, you know this right?

I often don't hear that I've got a text or voicemail message if I'm playing something on PC or 360, I only bother logging into Skype if I've already arranged to be chatting with someone on there ahead of time. If my PC is on, Steam is active regardless so I'll either get a message in game or if the PC's idle I'll have heard the alert or see that someone contacted me. I'd assume this would be similar for others.

Edited by Doomspoon at 00:39:54 27-08-2013

MetalDog 27 Aug 2013 08:53:45 24,080 posts
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It's just the best way to make sure he can get hold of me whenever he wants - I usually have steam open if I'm in and awake and this way he can nudge me when I'm in game and I'm sure to notice.

Like Doomspoon, Skype is only opened for arranged meetings, it's just nicer that he can bug me if he wants to outside of arranged times.

He does game though - mostly the slow stuff, but this is another way to buy him new ones. I've bought him a few adventures on GOG before now.

Salaman 27 Aug 2013 08:58:06 23,036 posts
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Co-oop Portal 2 is where it's at! Go on, I dare you!
He probably won't be much worse than me at it either. :-)

MetalDog 27 Aug 2013 09:08:07 24,080 posts
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Heh! No, he wouldn't go for it. He gets easily irritated by new things and he's not interested enough in gaming to have the patience to learn to mouselook. He used to be more open to new games, but not these days.

Shame really, I'd love to share my enthusiasm for TF2 with him, but it'll never happen =D

@edit
PS: my memory of portal co-op with you, is you killing me a lot and laughing like a drain!

Edited by MetalDog at 09:09:12 27-08-2013

Salaman 27 Aug 2013 09:21:39 23,036 posts
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Well he'd probably kill you accidentally rather than on purpose but in the end you'd probably suffer less death. :-)