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zevnda

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Steam Game Idler — an Open-Source Alternative to ArchiSteamFarm, Steam Achievement Manager, and Idle Master.

#opensource #gamedev #typescript #rust

If you're a PC gamer with a decent Steam library, you've probably noticed those trading cards piling up. Some people ignore them. Others manually idle games for hours to farm cards worth a few cents each. And then there are developers who thought: "There's got to be a better way."

That's where Steam Game Idler (SGI) comes in.

The Problem: Steam's Card Economy is Tedious

Steam's trading card system has been around for over a decade. The concept is simple:

  • Play games → earn trading card drops
  • Collect full sets → craft badges
  • Badges → showcase on your profile (and sweet, sweet XP)

But here's the catch: you need to actually "play" the game for 2+ hours to get all card drops. For someone with 500+ games, that's... impractical.

Enter idling tools like ArchiSteamFarm (ASF) and Idle Master. They simulate gameplay to trigger card drops. Problem solved, right?

Not quite.

Why Existing Solutions Fall Short

ArchiSteamFarm (ASF):

  • Powerful but complex (JSON config files, command-line heavy)
  • Designed for server environments and multiple accounts
  • Steep learning curve for casual users
  • No GUI by default (requires third-party plugins)

Idle Master:

  • Simple but abandoned (last update: 2016)
  • No active development or security patches
  • Lacks modern features like achievement management

Steam Achievement Manager (SAM):

  • Great for achievements, but no card farming
  • Separate tool = switching between apps

Enter Steam Game Idler: A Modern, User-Friendly Alternative

I built Steam Game Idler to solve these problems. Here's what makes it different:

1. Built with Modern Tech

  • Tauri + TypeScript + Rust = fast, secure, lightweight
  • Native Windows app (not browser-based or Electron)
  • Uses official Steamworks SDK (not reverse-engineered APIs)

2. All-in-One Functionality

Why juggle multiple tools? SGI combines:

  • Card Farming: Idle up to 32 games simultaneously (Steam's max)
  • Achievement Manager: Manually lock/unlock achievements
  • Achievement Unlocker: Auto-unlock with human-like timing
  • Playtime Booster: Increase game hours for... reasons
  • Trading Card Manager: View inventory, sort by rarity, bulk sell

3. Security First

  • Fully open-source (inspect the code yourself)
  • AES-256-GCM encryption for stored credentials
  • No telemetry or data collection
  • Uses official Steam APIs (minimizes ban risk)

4. User Experience

  • Clean, intuitive GUI (no config files!)
  • Real-time card drop notifications
  • One-click setup (no command-line required)
  • Portable version available (no installation needed)

Technical Deep Dive: How It Works

Card Farming Logic

SGI uses Steam's official ISteamClient interface to spoof game sessions:

// Simplified example from the Rust backend
pub fn start_idling(app_ids: Vec<u32>) -> Result<()> {
    for app_id in app_ids {
        steam_client.run_app(app_id)?;
    }
    Ok(())
}
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The tool registers game sessions with Steam's servers, triggering card drop timers without actually launching the games. It respects Steam's 32-game limit to avoid detection.

Achievement Management

Unlike older tools that directly modify Steam's local achievement cache (risky), SGI uses the ISteamUserStats API:

// TypeScript example
async function unlockAchievement(appId: number, achievementName: string) {
  const success = await steamworks.setAchievement(appId, achievementName);
  if (success) {
    await steamworks.storeStats(appId); // Commit to Steam
  }
}
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This approach mimics how games legitimately unlock achievements, reducing ban risk.

Human-Like Behavior

The auto-achievement unlocker includes randomized delays:

  • Waits 5-30 minutes between games
  • Unlocks achievements in random order
  • Adds 30-120 second delays between unlocks

This prevents the obvious "all 50 achievements unlocked in 2 minutes" pattern that might flag automated behavior.

Why Open Source Matters

Steam idling tools have a bad reputation. Some are malware. Others are abandoned. Many require you to trust a random .exe file with your Steam credentials.

SGI is fully open-source on GitHub. You can:

  • Audit the code before running it
  • Build from source if you don't trust pre-compiled binaries
  • Contribute features or report bugs
  • Fork it and customize for your needs

The project has 120+ GitHub stars and active community discussions. Transparency builds trust.

Real-World Use Cases

For collectors: Automatically farm cards to complete badge sets without babysitting your PC.

For achievement hunters: Unlock time-consuming achievements (like "play 1000 hours") without actually playing.

For profile showcases: Boost playtime on favorite games to show off dedication.

For broke gamers: Farm cards, sell on marketplace, buy more games. (Seriously, I've made $50+ doing this.)

Getting Started

  1. Download: Latest release on GitHub
  2. Install: Run the installer (or use portable version)
  3. Login: Enter Steam credentials (stored locally, encrypted)
  4. Start farming: Select games and click "Start Idling"

Full documentation at steamgameidler.com

The Ethics Question

"Isn't this cheating?"

Fair question. Here's my take:

  • Card farming: Steam allows idling. Valve hasn't banned users for it in 10+ years.
  • Achievement unlocking: You're only "cheating" yourself. No competitive advantage.
  • Terms of Service: Steam's ToS is vague on automation. Use at your own risk.

I built this tool for personal use and decided to share it. If you're uncomfortable with the ethics, don't use it. But if you value your time and want to optimize a grindy system, SGI exists for you.

Roadmap & Contributing

Current priorities:

  • Linux/Mac support (Tauri makes this feasible)
  • Cloud save sync for multi-device users
  • Automated badge crafting
  • Integration with Steam Market API for pricing analytics

Want to contribute? Check out the GitHub repo. Issues and PRs are welcome.

Final Thoughts

Building Steam Game Idler taught me a lot about:

  • Working with proprietary APIs
  • Balancing UX with power-user features
  • Security best practices for handling credentials
  • The importance of open-source transparency

If you're tired of juggling multiple Steam tools or want a modern alternative to ASF, give SGI a shot. It's free, open-source, and actively maintained.

And hey, if you make a few bucks selling trading cards, consider starring the repo. 😄

Resources:

What tools do you use for Steam automation? Drop a comment below!

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