We have known for a while that steam will be required to play this game. And this concerns me greatly.
Im in the Navy, and a short while after Skyrim launches i will be going on deployment. This will leave me without an internet connection for up to 11 months with only a few chances (port visits) to refresh my steam info.

While i know you can put steam into offline mode. It will eventually try to reconnect to your steam account, and when that fails, you can no longer log into steam in offline mode.. I think its clear what my problem is..
Steam is a burden, i wish Bethesda didnt use it for this game...

It has never been said that Steam is required. If so, please provide a source.

What do you mean it will try to reconnect? I went a full two years offline in Armenia and I was able to play all my games fine.

Oh shnitzel-burgers, you're in a bad position, it also bothers a lot of us that you are required to have internet connection in order to play Skyrim, I feel awful sorry for you, my cold, black heart goes out to you.

-Mr. Maric

Yup it's going to be forced Steamworks, which it's a bunch of crap.

http://twitter.com/#!/ElderScrolls/status/103844894413557760

the longest i have been able to keep my steam from trying to reconnect is about a week.

You've been around this forum a good couple of weeks, how come you missed the many threads that stated Skyrim will use Steamworks for both digital and retail?

Really? What happens? Does a window come up or something or does it not start...?

FYI: http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1240010-unofficial-steamdrm-discussion/

Same here. If I blocked steam from connecting any longer it doesn't work anymore until I do login and update it. That user probably has auto update on without knowing it. Offline mode in steam isn't permanent. It should be called temporary offline for limited time period.

I've had my Steam offline for a couple of weeks, the only reason I can think yours is trying to connect is because you have picture upload enabled or something similar.

lol, I can sincerely promise you that there is no wifi in the middle of the Armenian highlands :rofl:

Most Skyrim would be gamers look specifically at the Skyrim forum, not the general community discussion. If this thread goes there then many Skyrim gamers will later complain because they originally thought they can activate Skyrim on steam once and then play offline permanently afterwards, which isn't correct.

I hope this will fix the issue.

im also reading that turning off the wireless adapter completely will keep steam from attempting an update. You also need to be sure to never log out. just exit the client

Im a military man myself (In a better branch :wink_smile: ) and that is the same reason i bought an x-box. It's sad they have to do this, but pirates are the reason why they do this. Blame them for being a pain in the ass and taking nice things from us gamers.

Well have fun being stuck on a boat in the middle if the ocean for 11 months with a load of big men with anchor tattoos singing "In the Navy" while all us at home play Skyrim

Exactly. The point about keeping wireless capabilities off though cannot be stressed enough. Under no circumstances should you turn it on because even the slightest signal will cause steam to try to update itself.

It *is* correct, you just have to take the right steps. See http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1224956-unofficial-steamdrm-discussion/page__view__findpost__p__18502385 post of mine on how to force Steam in permanent offline mode. They have recently changed the offline mode behavior and you have to carefully follow those steps to make it work as intended.

He probably fights pirates, you don't have to tell him :wink_smile:

Then that would be Airforce?

sorry, quoted wrong person. What is this better branch then the Navy?

It's a lot easier and hassle free if Bethesda released a non-steam Skyrim instead of PC gamers following your set of instructions. What if someone makes a mistake? What if during the configuration power cuts off or the PC crashes/freezes? Problem with your instructions is it must be followed strictly and gotten right first time. I'm not even sure if you can fully uninstall steam and reinstall it again to try your going offline method a second time...

Another issue is probably less than half the people wanting to play offline will have a hard time finding that post of yours. First thing people do is follow the instructions on steam's website or whatever's written on Skyrim's box, and chances are, they won't tell them how to permanently set up steam so they can play offline forever. They either leave it as is unhappy or spend hours googling up for an answer, and you can easily google up plenty of poorly put together solutions that won't work.

And if those steps aren't described in the application or other accessible documentation, then it isn't correct. If you're told you can run Steam in offline mode, and the only official instructions for doing so is to just use the "Go Offline" option or whatever, it is incorrect to say you can stay offline permanently that way. You have to take extra steps that Valve/Steam have not told you to do and that are not part of the normal process of switching to offline mode.

If caught, your steam account is banned. Everytime you buy a new steam game there's a chance steam will find out.

The Steam requirement isn't as well known as it could be, because all threads relating to it get moved or merged into the existing topic in "General Discussion". In short, you're not supposed to criticize the decision here; damage control at its finest.