The Steam client beta version is online with new updates, and the V agency also said that there will be even better things: the download page will be improved. But the really nice improvement is the new storage manager, which allows players to see which disk the game is installed on, and allows players to easily move games between panels.
To enter the download manager, you need to go to the download page, click Settings, and then click Steam Library Folder. Most of the broader changes are popular UI modifications. When a game or update is downloading, Steam will display the total progress completed, including the disk allocation process. The comment reads: In the past, the progress bar only showed the progress of the download content, but not the disk allocation process, so the update will be displayed when it is not completed.
In other respects, a new icon is now displayed on each pending update to indicate its nature, so you can see at a glance whether an update is game content, workshop content, or shader pre-cache. If you are eager to enter a game and need to determine whether the update is urgent or can be done later, this feature will be very convenient.
The color scheme of the download page has also been updated to better meet the needs of the visually impaired. The download queue can be reordered by dragging and dropping with the mouse, and some downloaded items will have a faded progress bar to indicate that they have been paused.
It is not yet known when this feature will be released to the official client, but it is easy to enter the beta version: in the Steam client, click Steam in the top menu, select Settings, click Account, and then choose to participate Changes in the test.
The Steam Client Beta has been updated with the following changes:
New Downloads Page
The downloads page in the Steam client has been replaced with a new implementation.
- A minimal and more focused design with stronger CTAs (Calls to Action)
- Game keyart/logo featured in the header for whichever game is actively downloading
- More accessible color palette for the visually impaired
- When a game/update is actively downloading it will now display the total progression completed for the download or update. Previously the progress bar would only display the downloading content progress but not the disk allocation process which would make an update to appear completed when it was not.
- Any partially completed downloads/updates in queue now will show a faded progress bar and percent completed next to it to clearly display its current state.
- A new (i) icon next to the game’s title will reveal a tooltip displaying the types of content that is included in that update. Types consist of: Game Content, Downloadable Content, Workshop Content, and Shader Pre-caching. This icon only appears if the update is not solely game content.
- The download queue is now fully reorderable using drag and drop.
- The context menu for the actively downloading item now includes an option to launch the game when the download is complete and an option to suspend download throttling (if enabled) for the duration of that download.
- The “View News” button is now a “Patch Notes” link that will open an overlay to the most recent relevant patch notes for the game. This will only display for games that have entered patch notes into the new event system. The patch notes link will only show up on updates, not fresh installs.
- A Settings icon button is now located in Downloads header that opens the settings popup window directly to the Downloads section.
- In the Completed section there is a “Clear all” button to help clean up your downloads page.
Library
- Updated Steam library folders dialog to better manage various game content installed on your drives
- Game counts in various places in the UI will no longer include Tools unless the Tools filter is selected in the left column.
- The Recent Friend Activity shelf has been removed.
- Fixed some errors for users whose account name was the maximum length.
- Fixed duplicate events appearing in the app detail activity feed
Steam Input
- Further reduced CPU usage of Steam Input, especially in Steam Input API games
- Added support for the current set of PowerA Xbox Series X controllers
Linux
- update scout LD_* and container runtime to 0.20210721.1:
- library pinning process is significantly faster at startup after runtime updates
- update soldier container runtime to 0.20210723.18:
- Restore compatibility with NixOS (steam-runtime#431)
- Make /usr/share/nvidia available to the container if using the NVIDIA proprietary driver, so that app-specific profiles can be applied (steam-runtime-tools#73)
- Silence most LD_PRELOAD warnings
SteamVR
- Added detection of HTC Vive Pro 2 and a prompt to install the Vive Pro 2 Driver
- Fixed bug that prevented Steam from counting some USB-connected headsets when gathering data for the hardware survey. In general, the sampling of SteamVR sessions should have caught most of these cases, but this could have resulted in some undercounting.
