96 replies to this topic

[ChickenViking]

Picture this: You go to the store and buy a game you have been looking forward to for a long time. You go home, install it and decide to play... but no, you have to install and update Steam first. That'll take a while, but you do something else in the meantime. When you finally have everything installed, Steam needs to update your game. More annoyance, especially as it's a signle-palyer offline game. Then when you finally get to play, Steam decides it can't contact the server and crashes. Then it refuse to contact the servers the next three or four days. All this time you are sitting with a physical copy of a single-player offline game you can't play. How come this is a good thing? What am I missing?

Because that's what you do. That scenario has happened to me on several occasions, and I have a few games I bought in a store I finally gave up even trying to play. Steam simply refuses to start them without updating them first, and when the patch won't work, you get the idea. That's a few hundred dollars out the window, all thanks to Steam. Then there are games that does work. They work... except every time you start them, you have to pray Steam actually manages to connect to the servers. And just when you think it can't get any worse, I downloaded Magicka. I hate Steam and looked for other ways to get it, so I ended up buying it on GamersGate. GG is very much like Steam, except you don't have to install anything. Some say Steam is great because you have all your games stored there, so you can download them whenever you want. So? I can do that with GamersGate, Impulse, Direct2Drive, Origin and several others anyway. Anyway I bought Magicka on GG, but... nope, have to register it on Steam. Why? Why is it ok that Steam demands full control over a game I bought on GamersGate?

And that's the question. Why is it ok that Steam demands full control of most my games, even though I did everything I could to avoid Steam in the first place? My first meeting with Steam was when I got Half-Life 2. I had to wait six whole months (!) before I was able to play it. And this is ok? Why? And finally, think about Games for Windows Live. It's also a requirement and very much like Steam. But even though it's identical, most people hate it. I don't have a clue why.

All I'm asking is that Steam can be optional. That's it. Then I'll shut up and walk around life with a bunch of games on my computer and a stupid smile on my face. But Steam isn't optional. It's a requirement.

[Rusty]

I avoided Steam like the plague but then I got Shogun Total War II, everything worked fine and I played it, I can play it offline too, I just needed Steam to register it with seemed like a massive waste of time and harddrive.

Problems started when I tried to get Dawn of War II: Retribution, now I'm a big Warhammer fan, so this game is a pretty big deal for me and I was really excited about playing it, however I forgot I didn't have the internet at the time, so after dishing out for the Collector's Edition it took me 3 weeks to actually get on the game at which point I was auto connected to some stupid in-game chatroom where idiots could boast, brag and complain about things they clearly didn't understand.

Spiral Knights went to Steam, offering me special equipment if I switched to the Steam login. I laughed and said no.

I was going to get The Witcher 2, but then I saw it'll be a Steam game, end of the day, I haven't got Witcher 2.

I'm now looking for ways to get to player my games without having a Steam account, I've seen a few promising... computer unprofessionals but nothing solid. I'm not a pirate, I'm not in violation of copyright, I did pay for the game, I will decide what I download in order to play it and I will cut this gaming cancer out of my computer. End of.

[makerofthegames]

Why are you avoiding Steam so? [<-directed toward Rusty]
P.S. Your scenario doesn't happen for me. My steam doesn't crash...

Edited by makerofthegames, 29 September 2011 - 03:40 AM.

[icuurd12b42]

I buy all my games on Steam... Not to advertise but I would just go on steam, install it, make a permanent account, keep it current and always buy directly from there. Getting a steamed games at the store (really I find the practice repulsive that games would force you to need steam), probably the steam SW is old and so is the game itself.

[daman123125]

Yes, I often find it annoying when Steam servers are "too busy" when playing a game. Such a big company needs to get better servers that can handle more people.
I also switched to the regular Spiral Knights login after realizing the pain I had to go through with Steam...
Steam has a nice little GUI and social features in addition to your paid games, but Steam would be much better if you could actually play your games without any worries.

[Rusty]

Why are you avoiding Steam so? :tongue: [<-directed toward Rusty]
P.S. Your scenario doesn't happen for me. My steam doesn't crash...

I have a hatred of anything that forces itself on my computer, that and the fact I'm still having trouble getting Shogun Total War II installed on my second laptop. It keeps connecting me to random crap I have no interest in and jumping up on my computer whenever I turn it on demanding I log in.

I see it more as a virus than a gaming platform. If I wanted Steam I would have went out my way and got it but the fact is I don't want Steam, I don't like Steam and I refuse to have it on my computer. I gave it a chance and it annoyed me.

[ash47]

Buy it for a console then xD

[ChickenViking]

I buy all my games on Steam... Not to advertise but I would just go on steam, install it, make a permanent account, keep it current and always buy directly from there. Getting a steamed games at the store (really I find the practice repulsive that games would force you to need steam), probably the steam SW is old and so is the game itself.

I can see why people like Steam. It's great to be able to download the games you want (legally, of course), and if you want to play a game you bought three years ago, you don't need to glo looking for the disc. Just download the game and have fun. But what I don't understand is why Steam is a requirement. We don't have a choice. We either install it and accept that it takes full control over our games, or we don't get the games at all on PC. We can't buy a game and choose not to install Steam. ack when Steam was the only service like this, we had no choice. It was Steam or storing lots of physical copies of our games. But there are a lot of identical services like Steam out already, and they are more or less all free. Games for Windows Live is the only one I can think of that's also a requirement, and for that exact reason a lot of people hate it. So why is Steam so well-loved, even though it's one of the two requires services like this? If you bought a car, would you really be ok with the dealership telling you when you are allowed to drive, or having one of their sellers in the backseat at all times? I don't think so, so why are you ok with Steam telling you when you can play your own games?

[icuurd12b42]

Like I said, I find the idea repulsive to have a in store game sold with this requirement as well.

I think it's about DRM and steam is a good outfit for that however I personally hate I cant play a game without being connected though. Especially for those long nights my provider is down!

[Harrk]

I remember when I had no internet connection for months, I couldn't even play majority of my PC games thanks to Steam (even the offline single player games).
But now I tend to buy most of my games on steam despite requiring internet access to play them.

I've pretty much gotten used to steam though, what I can't stand is that Games for Windows Live crap. I bought DoW2 (my biggest mistake ever) on steam, once installed I couldn't even play it because it had to install Games for Windows etc. Took me 2 days to get it working because the darn Games for Windows Live wouldn't install, had to look around for fixes / patches all over the internet.

The part that made me laugh was I had to install all this stuff just to play DoW2 single player?
Nowadays if I see any game with "Games for Windows Live" on it then I just won't buy it. I don't mind DRM like Steam and it does have good points unlike other DRM out there.
If you remember, Spore had DRM that only let you install it a total of THREE times. People cancelled pre-orders and pirated it instead forcing EA to remove it.

Personally if you buy a game from a retail store you should be able to play it without downloading DRM or requiring internet access. I understand the logic behind it because of pirating etc... but it just annoys the paying customers the most.

- You pirate a game and once it's installed you can play it right away, maybe get a virus or two depending on the source it came from, nevertheless I'm in the game.
- Purchase a game and you have to install 'this', 'that', and last but not least 'this too'.

It's bad enough having steam forced down your throat without any extra DRM along with it.

[makerofthegames]

- You pirate a game and once it's installed you can play it right away, maybe get a virus or two depending on the source it came from, nevertheless I'm in the game.

Do you know how stupid this sounds?

[Harrk]

- You pirate a game and once it's installed you can play it right away, maybe get a virus or two depending on the source it came from, nevertheless I'm in the game.

Do you know how stupid this sounds?

The fact that I've admitted pirating a game before?
If you want to know more - it was Spore.

[makerofthegames]

The part where you write off having two viruses.

[Harrk]

Oh lol.
I just find it unfair that a pirated product works better than if you went out an bought it. (Providing that it's clean of viruses)

[ChickenViking]

I remember when I had no internet connection for months, I couldn't even play majority of my PC games thanks to Steam (even the offline single player games).
But now I tend to buy most of my games on steam despite requiring internet access to play them.

I've pretty much gotten used to steam though, what I can't stand is that Games for Windows Live crap. I bought DoW2 (my biggest mistake ever) on steam, once installed I couldn't even play it because it had to install Games for Windows etc. Took me 2 days to get it working because the darn Games for Windows Live wouldn't install, had to look around for fixes / patches all over the internet.

Gamers for Windows Live and Steam is the exact same thing. How can you lvoe one and hate the other? It's like saying you hate Ferraris because they are too fast and use too much gas, but you love Lamborghinis. Se the problem?

Anyway, I contacted Valve to ask why Steam isn't optional, and they answered... I think...

"Hello ChickenViking,

Thank you for contacting Steam Support.

Make sure your network is properly optimized for Steam, even if it appears to be functioning correctly otherwise.

Please follow the links below for information:

Title: Slow Downloads and Connection to Content Servers
Link: http://support.steam...=9498-WPDF-3220

Title: Troubleshooting Network Connectivity
Link: http://support.steam...=1456-EUDN-2493

If you have any further questions, please let us know."

What the hell is this? This isn't anywhere near what I asked them. True, I told them a few examples of how bad Steam treats me, like deleting all my games and never letting me play Supcreme Commander 2 to this day even though I bought it in a store at launch. But that was just examples. I wasn't asking for help with it. All I wanted to know why Steam isn't optional, but a requirement. I even gave them examples of identical services that -are- optional, like GamersGate and Impulse. I wrote them back, though, so let's see what they say this time. If they bother answer, of course.

Oh, and as for piracy, I'm against it... sort of. I don't download games, but if I buy a game and it refuses to start, I'll simply download a crack. It's my game, I bought it for my own money. If I want to crack it, I do. At least I get rid of Steam that way.

Edited by ChickenViking, 29 September 2011 - 08:35 PM.

[Harrk]

I remember when I had no internet connection for months, I couldn't even play majority of my PC games thanks to Steam (even the offline single player games).
But now I tend to buy most of my games on steam despite requiring internet access to play them.

I've pretty much gotten used to steam though, what I can't stand is that Games for Windows Live crap. I bought DoW2 (my biggest mistake ever) on steam, once installed I couldn't even play it because it had to install Games for Windows etc. Took me 2 days to get it working because the darn Games for Windows Live wouldn't install, had to look around for fixes / patches all over the internet.

Gamers for Windows Live and Steam is the exact same thing. How can you lvoe one and hate the other? It's like saying you hate Ferraris because they are too fast and use too much gas, but you love Lamborghinis. Se the problem?

Anyway, I contacted Valve to ask why Steam isn't optional, and they answered... I think...

"Hello ChickenViking,

Thank you for contacting Steam Support.

Make sure your network is properly optimized for Steam, even if it appears to be functioning correctly otherwise.

Please follow the links below for information:

Title: Slow Downloads and Connection to Content Servers
Link: http://support.steam...=9498-WPDF-3220

Title: Troubleshooting Network Connectivity
Link: http://support.steam...=1456-EUDN-2493

If you have any further questions, please let us know."

What the hell is this? This isn't anywhere near what I asked them. True, I told them a few examples of how bad Steam treats me, like deleting all my games and never letting me play Supcreme Commander 2 to this day even though I bought it in a store at launch. But that was just examples. I wasn't asking for help with it. All I wanted to know why Steam isn't optional, but a requirement. I even gave them examples of identical services that -are- optional, like GamersGate and Impulse. I wrote them back, though, so let's see what they say this time. If they bother answer, of course.

Sure they have similar features but Steam handles it much better.
Well lets put it this way.
I have to install Steam to access my game, once in game I'm forced to create a Games for Windows Live profile (+update*) to even get into single player.

*Every time it failed to update, so I had to go lurk the internet looking for fixes.
At least Steam actually manages your games for you, unlike Games for Windows Live that just forces you to connect to the Xbox Live network for the sake of useless achievements.

Two layers of DRM really necessary?

Edit:
"If you have any further questions, please let us know." Classic xD

Edited by Hazz, 29 September 2011 - 08:48 PM.

[Docopoper]

I remember when I installed steam and then turned off my computer - as soon as steam decided to run its self on start-up I deleted it without a second thought. I don't care if you can turn that off in the settings - if it forces its self on you it needs to be deleted.

I think I have it again now though since my brother got got one of those games that you can only buy in twos... I only ever played that game once... I felt just as bad going on steam as I did when I went on Facebook.

Actually, how the hell do people like Steam, Facebook and Apple? They are so restrictive and imposing!

[Monstr Gaming]

WHAT!?
How can you not like Steam?
That's like going, "I bought a game for PS3 but I wish this PS network stopped interfering"
Steam may be dodgy for you but for normal people it's fine.

[icuurd12b42]

WHAT!?
How can you not like Steam?
That's like going, "I bought a game for PS3 but I wish this PS network stopped interfering"
Steam may be dodgy for you but for normal people it's fine.

Read the main post more carefully

[Rusty]

WHAT!?
How can you not like Steam?
That's like going, "I bought a game for PS3 but I wish this PS network stopped interfering"
Steam may be dodgy for you but for normal people it's fine.

No... that PS3 quote is more like:
"I bought a game for PS3 but don't want my identity stolen"

Besides, Steam is not the internet. I can play most games online without steam.