Steam Timeline
Steam Timeline adds markers to Steam's game recording, so players can find highlights such as a boss fight or a match win and turn them into clips. Players need game recording enabled in the Steam client.
The timeline nodes are in the SteamCore|Timeline category. Game phase nodes are called on Get Steam Timeline Game Phase.
Prerequisites
- Your own Steam App ID, see Using Your Own App ID.
- Steam is running and the game is launched as a Standalone Game or a packaged build.
Game Mode
Call Set Timeline Game Mode when the game state changes. Steam colors the timeline bar by mode.
| Mode | Use it for |
|---|---|
k_ETimelineGameMode_Playing | Gameplay. |
k_ETimelineGameMode_Staging | Waiting before gameplay, for example in a pre-match lobby. |
k_ETimelineGameMode_Menus | Menus. |
k_ETimelineGameMode_LoadingScreen | Loading screens. |
Events
| Node | Use it for |
|---|---|
| Add Instantaneous Timeline Event | Something that happens at one point in time, for example a kill or an achievement. |
| Add Range Timeline Event | Something with a known duration that has already happened. |
| Start Range Timeline Event / End Range Timeline Event | Something that starts now and ends later, for example a boss fight. |
| Update Range Timeline Event | Changes the title, description or icon of a running range event. |
| Remove Timeline Event | Removes an event you added. |
The common inputs are:
| Input | Description |
|---|---|
| Title / Description | Text shown on the timeline. |
| Icon | The name of an icon, either a Steam icon such as steam_achievement or one you upload in Steamworks. |
| Icon Priority | Which icon wins when several events overlap. |
| Start Offset Seconds | Moves the event back or forward in time relative to now. |
| Possible Clip | How likely the event is to make a good clip. k_ETimelineEventClipPriority_Featured events are offered to the player before k_ETimelineEventClipPriority_Standard events. |
Tooltips
Set Timeline Tooltip shows a short text for the current state on the timeline, for example "Wave 5". Call Clear Timeline Tooltip when it no longer applies.
Game Phases
Game phases group a stretch of play, such as one match or one level, so the player can find it later.
- Call Start Game Phase when the match starts.
- Optionally call Set Game Phase ID, Add Game Phase Tag and Set Game Phase Attribute to describe it, for example the map and the result.
- Call End Game Phase when the match ends.
Open Overlay to Game Phase and Open Overlay to Timeline Event open the Steam overlay at a phase or an event, for example from a match history screen.