Damn you Steam, damn you!

What the hell, I have had enough of this blasted program. 

Once again, I have a perfectly good box copy of a game, but Steam tells me to download the game anyways, because **** you thats why. SEGA turned off the original Company of Heroes servers and put the game on Steam, and now my box copy is useless because I need to download Steams version. Now I need to wait till it downloads 22 GB of game for no reason, even though I have the game up to Tales of Valor sitting on my table. Same thing went down with Dawn of War 2, happy Steam goes and downloads half the game for some BS DRM purpose. 

I don't get it how PC gamers cry all day about the constricting nature of console gaming and constantly yap on about stupid always online DRM etc. etc. etc., but then most of them are in love with a program that is badly made in the first place, puts stupid limitations on what you can do (like automatically download latest patch and block you from the game until it is installed), wierd DRM (parts of game on the actuall Steam servers), having a very stupid system to get into offline play and if Steam servers go down, well suck on it because you can't play MP on any of your games. Also good luck if you don't have good internet. 

Why is Steam so damned popular? Sure it has deals here and there, and it's pretty good as a digital store. But it takes such a massive dump on you all the time I can't believe how people can put up with it. 

Steam is popular because it has a very large library and excellent prices, as well as massive sales every now and then. Also, it's very reliable, and it got off in the first place because it's Valve, a company that is trusted by gamers. Yeah, sure, it's DRM, but imo it's not the worst kind. It was much more annoying to have to put the game disc in my PC just to launch the game, even if 100% of the game data was on my hdd. Of course if there is a DRM-free version of a game, I get that instead.

Your problem with boxed copies of games is that you still buy boxed copies of games, though. It has nothing to do with Steam itself.

Steam is popular because it has a very large library and excellent prices, as well as massive sales every now and then. Also, it's very reliable, and it got off in the first place because it's Valve, a company that is trusted by gamers. Yeah, sure, it's DRM, but imo it's not the worst kind. It was much more annoying to have to put the game disc in my PC just to launch the game, even if 100% of the game data was on my hdd. Of course if there is a DRM-free version of a game, I get that instead.

Your problem with boxed copies of games is that you still buy boxed copies of games, though. It has nothing to do with Steam itself.

ReddestSkies

[QUOTE="ReddestSkies"]

Steam is popular because it has a very large library and excellent prices, as well as massive sales every now and then. Also, it's very reliable, and it got off in the first place because it's Valve, a company that is trusted by gamers. Yeah, sure, it's DRM, but imo it's not the worst kind. It was much more annoying to have to put the game disc in my PC just to launch the game, even if 100% of the game data was on my hdd. Of course if there is a DRM-free version of a game, I get that instead.

Your problem with boxed copies of games is that you still buy boxed copies of games, though. It has nothing to do with Steam itself.

chaplainDMK

I guess it depends on where you live. Where I live, it's faster for me to download a game on Steam (or on Impulse, etc.) than to go to the store (and the stores don't have a lot of PC games in the first place, so if I want an older boxed game, I have to order it on the Internet...). 

lol, Can you Imagine having a Corporation for a Spouse, 1st they want you to pay to play online then they don't want you to borrow "their" stuff to your friends, soon they'l take insurance policies out on you lol, no thank you. Freelance all the way.

[QUOTE="chaplainDMK"][QUOTE="ReddestSkies"]

Steam is popular because it has a very large library and excellent prices, as well as massive sales every now and then. Also, it's very reliable, and it got off in the first place because it's Valve, a company that is trusted by gamers. Yeah, sure, it's DRM, but imo it's not the worst kind. It was much more annoying to have to put the game disc in my PC just to launch the game, even if 100% of the game data was on my hdd. Of course if there is a DRM-free version of a game, I get that instead.

Your problem with boxed copies of games is that you still buy boxed copies of games, though. It has nothing to do with Steam itself.

ReddestSkies

I guess it depends on where you live. Where I live, it's faster for me to download a game on Steam (or on Impulse, etc.) than to go to the store (and the stores don't have a lot of PC games in the first place, so if I want an older boxed game, I have to order it on the Internet...). 

Like I pointed out, along with all that you have mandatory patching, server instability (it's a fact, anything that's connected to the internet will go down at least once a month), internet connection instability, DRM and the fact that if you're banned for whatever stupid reason from Steam you loose all your games. Sounds like a real jolly good fun box doesn't it. Seriously, Steam makes Xbox 1 look open. chaplainDMK

My Internet connection is stable. I don't think I've ever experienced a Steam server downtime (though like I said, it's not my only source of PC games...). It's not the worst DRM, and not all games have DRM-free digital versions. I won't get banned from Steam. 

And more importantly: there are other digital platforms. You don't have to buy games from Steam. 

This thread stangely looks like a thinly veiled System Wars thread.

This is sooo 2003.

What the hell, I have had enough of this blasted program. 

Once again, I have a perfectly good box copy of a game, but Steam tells me to download the game anyways, because **** you thats why. SEGA turned off the original Company of Heroes servers and put the game on Steam, and now my box copy is useless because I need to download Steams version. Now I need to wait till it downloads 22 GB of game for no reason, even though I have the game up to Tales of Valor sitting on my table. Same thing went down with Dawn of War 2, happy Steam goes and downloads half the game for some BS DRM purpose. 

I don't get it how PC gamers cry all day about the constricting nature of console gaming and constantly yap on about stupid always online DRM etc. etc. etc., but then most of them are in love with a program that is badly made in the first place, puts stupid limitations on what you can do (like automatically download latest patch and block you from the game until it is installed), wierd DRM (parts of game on the actuall Steam servers), having a very stupid system to get into offline play and if Steam servers go down, well suck on it because you can't play MP on any of your games. Also good luck if you don't have good internet. 

Why is Steam so damned popular? Sure it has deals here and there, and it's pretty good as a digital store. But it takes such a massive dump on you all the time I can't believe how people can put up with it. 

chaplainDMK

THQ, the publisher behind CoH and Dawn of War went bakrupt. The servers running the games were going to be shut down. Since they were still relatively popular titles, they switch the matchmaking over the Steam based.

Its a alot easier for everyone to just redownload the new version than to do a bit difference update.

THQ, the publisher behind CoH and Dawn of War went bakrupt. The servers running the games were going to be shut down. Since they were still relatively popular titles, they switch the matchmaking over the Steam based.

Its a alot easier for everyone to just redownload the new version than to do a bit difference update.

XaosII

[QUOTE="XaosII"]

THQ, the publisher behind CoH and Dawn of War went bakrupt. The servers running the games were going to be shut down. Since they were still relatively popular titles, they switch the matchmaking over the Steam based.

Its a alot easier for everyone to just redownload the new version than to do a bit difference update.

chaplainDMK

Are you serious? Did you actually hear yourself? You think you know anything about software development to suggest that a 50 kb text file is enough to switch to entirely different matchmaking services?

THQ, the publisher behind CoH and Dawn of War went bakrupt. The servers running the games were going to be shut down. Since they were still relatively popular titles, they switch the matchmaking over the Steam based.

Its a alot easier for everyone to just redownload the new version than to do a bit difference update.

XaosII

Steam is DRM for all purposes and I don't get why people think Steam is fine. Without Windows you can't have D3D and therefore can't run the game. (You have Wine under Linux but any competent gamer will tell you it sucks.) Without Steam you can't activate the game and otherwise can't run it. Why is Steam so okay? Because it has your Hat Fortress?iDefinition

This is also a common misconception. The majority of games on Steam can be purchased and ran without Steam. You can easily move the files somewhere else, uninstall steam, and the games will run just fine. Theres only about 200-ish titles that requires Steam authentication.

I had the same problem when I first bought skyrim in retail. I activated it with the cd but when the installation started it instead started downloading rather than installing. I had to download 9GB of data but it didn't make me that angry. I still support it and won't stop anytime soon...kerk12

[QUOTE="chaplainDMK"][QUOTE="XaosII"]

THQ, the publisher behind CoH and Dawn of War went bakrupt. The servers running the games were going to be shut down. Since they were still relatively popular titles, they switch the matchmaking over the Steam based.

Its a alot easier for everyone to just redownload the new version than to do a bit difference update.

XaosII

Are you serious? Did you actually hear yourself? You think you know anything about software development to suggest that a 50 kb text file is enough to switch to entirely different matchmaking services?

You have a default server that's defined by a text file in the game directory. All you do is set up a server that is compatible with the game (not really difficult) and switch the games default server. What the hell do you think private servers are doing? The only issue is that servers are not cheap so that's why most private servers aren't as high quality as company-run ones. The same thing happened with Tribes 2, the matchmaking servers were shut down so the game way basically dead, but the community cracked the code, made a server that was accepted by the game and all you do is switch a damn text file and it works. And damn-it, i'd rather have half-arsed MP servers so I wouldn't have to put up with Steam. This is bullcrap that I have two versions of the same game on my PC now because Steam is so backwards and constrictive. chaplainDMK

Then stop whining like a little girl, delete the steam version, and continue using private servers.

[QUOTE="iDefinition"]Steam is DRM for all purposes and I don't get why people think Steam is fine. Without Windows you can't have D3D and therefore can't run the game. (You have Wine under Linux but any competent gamer will tell you it sucks.) Without Steam you can't activate the game and otherwise can't run it. Why is Steam so okay? Because it has your Hat Fortress?XaosII

This is also a common misconception. The majority of games on Steam can be purchased and ran without Steam. You can easily move the files somewhere else, uninstall steam, and the games will run just fine. Theres only about 200-ish titles that requires Steam authentication.

[QUOTE="iDefinition"]Steam is DRM for all purposes and I don't get why people think Steam is fine. Without Windows you can't have D3D and therefore can't run the game. (You have Wine under Linux but any competent gamer will tell you it sucks.) Without Steam you can't activate the game and otherwise can't run it. Why is Steam so okay? Because it has your Hat Fortress?XaosII

This is also a common misconception. The majority of games on Steam can be purchased and ran without Steam. You can easily move the files somewhere else, uninstall steam, and the games will run just fine. Theres only about 200-ish titles that requires Steam authentication.

[QUOTE="chaplainDMK"] You have a default server that's defined by a text file in the game directory. All you do is set up a server that is compatible with the game (not really difficult) and switch the games default server. What the hell do you think private servers are doing? The only issue is that servers are not cheap so that's why most private servers aren't as high quality as company-run ones. The same thing happened with Tribes 2, the matchmaking servers were shut down so the game way basically dead, but the community cracked the code, made a server that was accepted by the game and all you do is switch a damn text file and it works. And damn-it, i'd rather have half-arsed MP servers so I wouldn't have to put up with Steam. This is bullcrap that I have two versions of the same game on my PC now because Steam is so backwards and constrictive. XaosII

Then stop whining like a little girl, delete the steam version, and continue using private servers.

Good luck trying to play Skyrim without Steam. Even if you could, it means you could potentially bypass the activation needed and you enter a much more grey area than you were before. It's HARD CODED in the game to need Steam. So much that you need to circumvent it to run it without. It's not a misconception, it's the truth. How many hats did they bribe you to spread that misinformation?iDefinition

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_games_using_Steam_authentication

If its not on this list, it doesn't require Steam to run. Its about 200-ish or so games. Well under the majority of Steam's library. How does it feel to finally know the truth?

You don't really get it, do you? The point isn't in the god damned servers, it's how utterly closed and backwards Steam is, and it's basically identical to all the DRM that everyone is *****ing on about all day, but then gladly go and play games on it anyways. chaplainDMK

No, i dont think you get it; Its not the same at all. People have accepted Steam because it provides enough value to mitigate its DRM feature. No one is satisfied with, say, Ubisofts's Ubiplay DRM because it doesn't provide enough value to mitigate its DRM purpose. Steam does.

[QUOTE="iDefinition"] Good luck trying to play Skyrim without Steam. Even if you could, it means you could potentially bypass the activation needed and you enter a much more grey area than you were before. It's HARD CODED in the game to need Steam. So much that you need to circumvent it to run it without. It's not a misconception, it's the truth. How many hats did they bribe you to spread that misinformation?XaosII

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_games_using_Steam_authentication

If its not on this list, it doesn't require Steam to run. Its about 200-ish or so games. Well under the majority of Steam's library. How does it feel to finally know the truth?

[QUOTE="kerk12"]I had the same problem when I first bought skyrim in retail. I activated it with the cd but when the installation started it instead started downloading rather than installing. I had to download 9GB of data but it didn't make me that angry. I still support it and won't stop anytime soon...Lulekani

Show me your TF2 inventory. I want to see all the hats. And your report card, too, I want to check how much did you score on reading comprehension. How is the number of games on Steam's library relevant to the fact that steam is DRM? In fact, the link YOU gave states this: "An active Steam account is compulsory in order to authenticate and play these games on a personal computer." WARNING: DRM DETECTEDiDefinition

Aren't you the person who made the blanket state of "Steam is DRM for all purposes"? And i just proved to you how its not. Its DRM for a bunch of titles. Its a digital distribution platform for the majority of them without any DRM.

So no, Steam isnt just DRM. Definitely not "for all purposes."

Or is this just blowing your mind way too much to understand?

[QUOTE="iDefinition"] Show me your TF2 inventory. I want to see all the hats. And your report card, too, I want to check how much did you score on reading comprehension. How is the number of games on Steam's library relevant to the fact that steam is DRM? In fact, the link YOU gave states this: "An active Steam account is compulsory in order to authenticate and play these games on a personal computer." WARNING: DRM DETECTEDXaosII

Aren't you the person who made the blanket state of "Steam is DRM for all purposes"? And i just proved to you how its not. Its DRM for a bunch of titles. Its a digital distribution platform for the majority of them without any DRM.

So no, Steam isnt just DRM. Definitely not "for all purposes."

Or is this just blowing your mind way too much to understand?

No profile. No report card. "Steam is not DRM" while you need it open unless you can't play the game. Wild Einstein appeared!iDefinition

I never said "Steam is not DRM." I said the truth: For the majority of games it sells, Steam is not DRM. But i do know for a fact, that you made the statement of "Steam is DRM for all purposes" when thats simply a clear lie.

Sorry to tell you, but my report card or steam inventory is not indicative of how reality works.

Steam EULA is one of the meanest one out there.

It also keep the standers that most EULA:

They have the right to terminate any account they want for any reason they want
They have the right to change the EULA at their own will

To simplify, they have the right to close any account they want, and they can legally close the entire system down.

You get the short term convince by giving up rights.

Steam EULA is one of the meanest one out there.

It also keep the standers that most EULA:

They have the right to terminate any account they want for any reason they want
They have the right to change the EULA at their own will

To simplify, they have the right to close any account they want, and they can legally close the entire system down.

You get the short term convince by giving up rights.

wiouds

[QUOTE="wiouds"]

Steam EULA is one of the meanest one out there.

It also keep the standers that most EULA:

They have the right to terminate any account they want for any reason they want
They have the right to change the EULA at their own will

To simplify, they have the right to close any account they want, and they can legally close the entire system down.

You get the short term convince by giving up rights.

iDefinition

I am talking about the agreement that Steam makes with it end users (gamers).

I believe that compaines use Steam as a DRM system.

[QUOTE="iDefinition"][QUOTE="wiouds"]

Steam EULA is one of the meanest one out there.

It also keep the standers that most EULA:

They have the right to terminate any account they want for any reason they want
They have the right to change the EULA at their own will

To simplify, they have the right to close any account they want, and they can legally close the entire system down.

You get the short term convince by giving up rights.

wiouds

I am talking about the agreement that Steam makes with it end users (gamers).

I believe that compaines use Steam as a DRM system.

[QUOTE="Lulekani"][QUOTE="kerk12"]I had the same problem when I first bought skyrim in retail. I activated it with the cd but when the installation started it instead started downloading rather than installing. I had to download 9GB of data but it didn't make me that angry. I still support it and won't stop anytime soon...kerk12

[QUOTE="kerk12"][QUOTE="Lulekani"] ^ Proof that Microsoft isn't gona flop and know exactly what they're doing.Lulekani

Steam isn't perfect, but it's probably the most consumer-friendly DRM out there and I'm fine with it. My biggest gripes are that installing mods can be a pain in the ass and that older titles aren't optimized for modern operating systems (Good Old Games does this, why can't Valve?). Also, their support is pretty piss poor. But hey, the games are cheap!

Oh, and there's the infamous "xx files failed to validate and will be reacquired" glitch for some titles that years later, Valve has elected not to fix. Yes, the fix is to run Steam as an administrator and then validate the game files cache, but that's still not the point. I shouldn't have to Google for a fix for something so rudimentary.

BTW, Steam isn't inherently DRM any more than Walmart is DRM. There are some games you can buy on Steam and copy-paste it's folder onto another computer without ever having Steam installed on that second computer. The DRM used is up to the publisher.guynamedbilly

I can do that with most game from walmart and only a few with steam. Have you tried with with steam being offline for 2 week and no internet?

[QUOTE="guynamedbilly"]BTW, Steam isn't inherently DRM any more than Walmart is DRM. There are some games you can buy on Steam and copy-paste it's folder onto another computer without ever having Steam installed on that second computer. The DRM used is up to the publisher.wiouds

I can do that with most game from walmart and only a few with steam. Have you tried with with steam being offline for 2 week and no internet?

Very few of the bigger games allow that from Steam. Here's a list of some of them with some caveats in the comments. http://www.drmdatabase.net/database/drm-free-games

My point though was that Steam does offer completely DRM Free games and it's up to the publishers to go that route.

But steam IS DRM. Otherwise why do some games absolutely require Steam to be on?iDefinition

[QUOTE="wiouds"]

[QUOTE="guynamedbilly"]BTW, Steam isn't inherently DRM any more than Walmart is DRM. There are some games you can buy on Steam and copy-paste it's folder onto another computer without ever having Steam installed on that second computer. The DRM used is up to the publisher.guynamedbilly

I can do that with most game from walmart and only a few with steam. Have you tried with with steam being offline for 2 week and no internet?

Very few of the bigger games allow that from Steam. Here's a list of some of them with some caveats in the comments. http://www.drmdatabase.net/database/drm-free-games

My point though was that Steam does offer completely DRM Free games and it's up to the publishers to go that route.

None of my games on my laptop works and it been weeks since I log into stream. I can not get Legend of Grimrock to work without it.

Did you try running any of those games before you went offline?guynamedbilly

It worked just fine before.

I don't have any problems with Steam... so yeah.