In the ever-evolving landscape of gaming technology, the introduction of Steam’s Game Recording feature has sparked a significant shift in how players capture and share their gaming experiences. With a powerful gaming rig at my disposal, I initially relied on Nvidia Shadowplay for recording gameplay. However, the recent release of Steam’s clipping tool has prompted a re-evaluation of my recording preferences.
Steam’s live playback is a game changer
Since its beta launch last summer, I have been utilizing Steam Game Recording almost daily. This feature operates similarly to other DVR programs, capturing high-quality video of the last few minutes of gameplay in the background. While many recording tools excel in functionality, Steam’s offering stands out with several innovative quality-of-life enhancements that have transformed my approach to background recording.
One notable advantage is the efficient file size of Steam’s recordings. For instance, a recent five-minute clip of Battlefield 2042 recorded with Shadowplay weighed in at 1.78GB, while a Halo 2 E3 demo from a few weeks ago was only 1.88GB. Despite a slight compromise in quality, Steam’s recordings maintain impressive visual fidelity while occupying minimal storage space. This has alleviated my perennial struggle with storage management, which often left me grappling with hundreds of gigabytes of Shadowplay clips. With Steam, I can preserve cherished memories without the constant need for brutal deletions.
Finally, a game recorder that only records the game
Another significant improvement is Steam’s audio recording capabilities. For years, I have encountered the frustration of sharing clips marred by background noise from Discord chats or other distractions. Steam’s default setting captures only the game’s audio, a feature that has brought me immense satisfaction. While Shadowplay offers the option to record separate audio tracks, it requires a more complex video editing process. Steam, however, simplifies this by allowing users to focus solely on the game audio while still providing the option to include other sources if desired.
The downsides
- Raw video quality: Although Steam’s exported clips may not match the pristine quality of Shadowplay or OBS recordings, they still deliver commendable visuals.
- Turning it off isn’t as quick as Shadowplay: Disabling background recording or adjusting settings for specific games requires several clicks, highlighting a need for more streamlined shortcuts.
- It’s buggy: While Valve has addressed many issues since the beta phase, some persistent bugs, such as the inconsistent functionality of the “screenshot from video” feature, remain.
- It’s only on Steam: This limitation means that the tool exclusively records games launched through Steam, which can be inconvenient for those who frequently use third-party applications.
In exploring alternatives, I recently tested Medal, a DVR app comparable to Steam Game Recording. While Medal also offers session recording and reasonable file sizes, I found its interface less user-friendly. The app’s finalized videos require bulk deletion to free up space, and its in-app editor lacks the robust controls that Steam provides. Additionally, Medal encourages sharing clips on its social network, which doesn’t align with my preferences. Nevertheless, I appreciate its existence and plan to keep it handy for recording non-Steam games.
Interestingly, consoles have long incorporated some of the convenient features that Steam Game Recording now offers, such as maintaining a video buffer for later clipping. However, extracting clips from consoles can be cumbersome. Steam’s implementation benefits from the PC’s flexibility, allowing for quick MP4 generation and seamless sharing on platforms like Discord.
Ultimately, Steam Game Recording has become my preferred tool for quick clips, though I recognize that Shadowplay, Medal, or OBS may still be more suitable in certain scenarios. For those interested in trying out Steam’s recording capabilities, it’s essential to enable the feature first through Steam > Settings > Game Recording.
