Wow! That's a good deal!

And from what I understand this is pretty typical with Steam. You'd think that a company known for such offers and other benefits wouldn't have to resort to a forced registration scheme. :sadvaultboy:

I'd almost sign up just for deals like these. I have a fast reliable internet, I have enough computer/network/internet savvy to deal with any minor issues I might run into, I love to play games and I'm usually pretty cheap; so I'm probably a perfect candidate for Steam. But I don't feel comfortable with the idea that someone can permanently wipe out all my games, for reasons that most likely won't be related to said games, with the push of a button.

This is amusing still. I tried the offline mode earlier and it worked fine. Great I thought, at least I can play without being online. I just try to launch a game in offline mode again and I get A Can`t connect to steam error because the servers are too buzy. I bought the cd version of the game from gamestop. This is exactly the [censored] I was talking about.

For me I would love to be able to buy the collectors edition and then add it to steam.

I then can leave the CD in the case safe on my shelf.

In other threads I have already explained why I hate steam and no one has been able to dispute my situation. (I got 16 hours of Fall out Vegas, now it is not running, even with NO mods and clean install of both steam and the game....over a week of coraspondance with tech support, still not working at this time.... BLA BLA BLA....)

So I will just say this:

Bethesda, I will pay DOUBLE the price ($120) for the option to NOT have to use steam. (I want DVDs with NO steam activation)

If the reasons to use steam is to reduce the money you do not get per piracy then those of use that are willing to buy your game for double the retail price should be given this option.

Well, some games might explicitely require you to be connected to the game servers. Which game was it?

Are you sure it is Steam causing the problem? I heard Fallout New Vegas isn't exactly a bug-free game.

This link has many suggestions for errors:
http://segmentnext.com/2010/10/19/fallout-new-vegas-errors-crashes-freezes-fixes/

How about this one, then: They can't, not really. They can disable your account, and thus redownloading, but the game data remains on your PC. For non-steamworks games, steam is a digital distribution platform *only*, you can run the games without steam running. For steamworks games you can run in offline mode. It's also worth noting that an account ban generally only refers to VAC bans - which will prevent you from playing on a lot of online servers, but nothing more. Actual account deactivations are rare, and steam support are generally pretty good at getting that sorted out. (Most of the time it's to do with money - if you buy a game and the money is later denied, your account is disabled)

Well I've made a number of Steam posts already and I've tried to avoid being pleonastic, but the point I've tried to make is that Steam is a good service, Steamworks is not.

For those who want to digitally download, any type of media, there are many services available. Most don't require a special program to do so. If Steam worked without the Steam Client, that would be something to make me reconsider. Some have suggested the development of a Steam-Lite service. But for those not interested in digital downloads Steamworks is big transgression. As far as DRM is concerned most prefer the "online activation" to the "always online" forms, but there are those who would prefer a "never going to be online" mode. Many programs that require more programming and cost a lot more than a simple game utilize a DRM that doesn't require any form of connectivity. Are they "Pirate-Proof"? No. Is anything?

I like the idea of Steam, but never the way it was implemented, and not in it's current form. Perhaps someday they can restructure into something more widely beneficial, but as long as they irrevocably attach themselves to many of the AAA games coming out they will never face real competition and will never need to reevaluate their business model.

I hope for the sake of those who like Steam that Skyrim will be available to them via that distribution/authentication method.

I hope for the sake of those of us who dislike Steam that Skyrim will be available to us via alternate non-Steam methods of distribution/authentication.

The data we have from the online polls here on TES as well as the ongoing Survey Monkey survey (see links in my signature) all indicate that something like 20 to 40% of prospective buyers of Skyrim will not buy the game if it requires Steam. Another 25 or so percent of folks would prefer non-Steam options to acquire and use the game, but say they would likely still buy it anyway. Only 30 to 40% say they will buy it no matter what, i.e., that it requiring Steam does not matter to them. These data indicate one thing quite clearly: satisfying the diversity of preferences in the gamer customer base depends on providing various options for purchase, and authentication.

I have tremendous respect Bethesda. They are one of the finest producers of game art.

However, their decision to require Steam installation and networking to authenticate and use Fallout New Vegas lowered my respect considerable. I have not bought that game, and wiull not buy that game as long as I am required to install and use Steam to play it. I do not buy games that require Steam. I buy many games via digital download, but I will not patronize Steam as long as they continue to follow various policies which history suggests are central aspects of their business model. Reducing gamer/consumer options as much as possible being the primary gist of those policies.

Given the data which the surveys provide to Bethesda, suggesting the possibility that they will alienate a significant chunk of their most devout fanbase, if not their customer base more generally, it is my opinion that making the same decision to require Steam for Skyrim would reflect one primary motivation: a primary concern with the bottom-line and not with being a high fidelity maker of games for gamers. I will likely stop buying Bethesda games altogether if they make Skyrim require Steam. There are simply too mamany great games that do not now and probably never will require Steam.

Fan-made fixes usually come out within a week or so anyways, so the patch's negativity can be negated relatively quickly.

Well since Mord told me about the way to run NV in offline mode I can play it fine. I still haven`t been able to play black opps in over a week because it does a validate check, tells me it was successful, then tells me the servers are too buzy to handle my request. All this to play a single player game is BS. I actually feel cheated that I spend 50+ dollars and steam won`t let me play my game. I really hope any future store bought versions of bethesda games don`t require this nonsense.

A few friends want me to play rift and said, "Just get it off steam." and my balls just shriveled up.

Does anyone know when the next big Skyrim announcement will be? I'm hoping that, maybe, we can get a definite answer on this question.

Steam is a no-go for me, and others, so while all the screenshots, videos and gameplay info is great; it's all moot if Steamworks SDK is involved.

For all the positives of Steam (and even I can find a lot of positives to using Steam) there are a few negatives that greatly outweigh them. If, in say five years, Steam should go out of business and their servers or gone, how will the disk I buy today know that it's not supposed to connect to those servers. I know all about the magical patch that is supposed to decouple all your games from Steam should their servers ever permanently go down, but if the servers are taken down how would we get that patch? The internet is full of those who would repackage such a thing with some sort of Trojan and without an official distributor this will happen to many gamers. I frequently uninstall and reinstall games on my computer when I finish playing them but later get in the mood to play them again. If something happens to either Steam or my account I instantly lose hundreds of dollars worth of games.

There have been many services/products that I had questions about before I made the purchase, or not. At those times I always asked questions of the company/sales staff, I have tried this same course with Steam but have found them very unresponsive.

The authentication servers are set to be removed when steamworks goes out of buisness.

I must state my disappointment with Steam even being considered to be part of the Elder Scrolls series.

When I got FNV, I was excited that I would get to play in another sandbox of Bethesda’s making. Then I noticed that Obsidian Entertainment did the development. “Ok” I thought, “No big deal, Bethesda sub-contracted the project out. Other companies do that all the time.”

Then the message came up that Steam was going to be installed. I quickly cancelled the install thinking that in my excited state of mind, I over-clicked and agreed to something I didn't want.

Then I realized that I didn't have a choice in the matter. I was enraged!
How dare someone mandate that I install a software program that I didn't want nor care to utilize! The unmitigated gall!
“Damn you Obsidian Entertainment!” I thought.

But after I calmed down, I decided to give it a try and see what was so important, so unbelievably cool that someone decided for me to put this program on my computer.
So, I let Steam install and finally I was able to play the game I paid good money for.

So now that I have Steam I wonder…why?

What is the big deal with Steam?

Other than the fact that it intrusively tracks how many hours I’ve played and that I have these “achievements” (which as far as I can tell, do absolutely nothing to improve the experience), I fail to see the justification in forcing me to install this software onto my computer.

As far as updates are concerned, what was wrong with making the .exe zip files available on your own website? At least that way I can choose when to install them or not.

(warning: small rant)
Speaking of updates, when I double-click an icon on my desktop, I expect the program to fire up right away. I do not want to wait for Steam to update itself with news of a game I care nothing about in order to play a game I paid for!
(end rant)

Some of you have said, “just turn Steam to offline mode”.

Ok…fine…yes that IS an option. But that’s hardly the point. A piece of software that I don’t want is still on my computer!
How about just give me the choice NOT install it? I didn’t want to agree to this “service”, but in order to use a product I paid for I have to?

I understand that my opinion as a consumer isn’t worth as much as it used to be, but being such a fan of The Elder Scrolls series, I beseech to whomever makes the final decisions there, that there will be at least an option for me to choose the programs that I want on my system.

I cannot condone the actions of some executive in some office somewhere to force me to install programs on my personal property. Period!

For a company that prides itself on creating games that offer freedom of choice, I am surprised to witness that they are entertaining the notion of including a program on their product that doesn’t offer you the same courtesy.

In my view, it is a matter of principle!

We're sticking to one topic about steam. You can join in over there:
http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1178171-clearing-up-misconceptions-about-steam/