Many of the BK members are listed as 'friends' in my Steam account. I get the little pop-up notifications that so and so is playing Black Ops. When I launch steam and go to the 'Friends' selection, it may say 8 are in a game; 15 are online, or something to that effect. Without fail, every person that is online when I try to join that game, the 'Join Game' link is dimmed/grayed out. When I click on 'View Game Info' for anyone playing a game, It says they are not on any game server playing. What gives? Does anyone else have this issue?

---

My friends section just lists the people who are online. As I highlight those individuals, sometimes a "Join" button pops up at the bottom. It allows me to attempt to join that server, even if it's full. However, I've gone to my favorite server list and checked the player list for friends. I've found people who are on my list and in that server, but when I go back to the friends tab I don't get the join option. I don't know what criteria the game is using to decide who I can attempt to join.

---

I think maybe I can clear the air some. Saunders, you are talking about when you are on your desktop (out of game) and looking at the Steam friends list, right?  The "join game" function here is designed and run by Valve. They offer it to any and all game developers who elect to digitally distribute through Steam, but not all choose to (Activision is one that chose not to).  General rule of thumb is if the game uses steam cloud (denoted by a little cloud in the game lists, after the name) then the game will allow you to join friends games from the steam friends list.

For Black Ops, activision uses the steam friends list to populate their own friend list, and then uses their own client for join game and server info functions.  You have to be in game to use this.  Yes, its messy, I kno...

Hope this helps!
SSG.Braxis*BK*

---

Braxis wrote (View Post):

I think maybe I can clear the air some. Saunders, you are talking about when you are on your desktop (out of game) and looking at the Steam friends list, right?  The "join game" function here is designed and run by Valve. They offer it to any and all game developers who elect to digitally distribute through Steam, but not all choose to (Activision is one that chose not to).  General rule of thumb is if the game uses steam cloud (denoted by a little cloud in the game lists, after the name) then the game will allow you to join friends games from the steam friends list.

For Black Ops, activision uses the steam friends list to populate their own friend list, and then uses their own client for join game and server info functions.  You have to be in game to use this.  Yes, its messy, I kno...

Hope this helps!
SSG.Braxis*BK*

You are correct, on my desktop and out or game.
I believe you have answered my question. Basically, this is not going to work for me then. Not a biggie, I was just wondering if I was missing a setting somewhere.

Thanks.

---

Your screen-shot showed the RCON tool! Even if EA decided to let you join via steam ... You wouldn't be getting much of this game

---