Forcing us to use the dysfunctional Steam is criminal : V - Skyrim

» Wed Dec 14, 2011 4:22 pm

And I'm surprised that no one has considered making a legal case out of this for false advertizing as well. Stated clearly that internet was only needed for activation and not for playing. And gamesas states Here in the pinned thread for Skyrim and Steam FAQ:

"Do I need to be connected to the internet to play Skyrim?
No. Steam is able to run in offline mode, meaning that you need to get online only once to activate Skyrim and install any required updates/patches, and don't need to be connected to the internet to play it. See here for the official guide, and the last entry in this FAQ for more detailed instructions on how to set the Steam client to offline mode so that it can stay offline for a long time. The Steam client is often updated, and the offline mode is known to be still a little buggy nowadays, hence it is advisable follow the latter instructions to set the client in permanent offline mode once you have activated Skyrim if you need extended offline time, and regardless of any further Steam client updates."

I doubt a legal case would stick as it is due to a bug. Steam does not work as intended right now which is causing some people headaches (not just Skyrim players). I first noticed the issue months ago so I am not sure why a bugfix has not been released.

That is my only bugbear with Steam/Valve, why is this taking so long to fix......

» Wed Dec 14, 2011 5:44 am

I don't have any gas, my car won't start, IT IS MY CAR'S FAULT. Let's also write angry topics every time the ashtray is overfilled.

:facepalm:

You can start in offline mode, you can disable automatic updates for a game. Why does it work for everyone but lazy people? It's like you intentionally ignore instructions or common sense to pose as a victim of evil corporation called Valve.

» Wed Dec 14, 2011 7:05 pm

No actually on the retail DVD package it says " Internet connection required to activate " Not Internet connection required to play the game - so once the game is activated you should not need an internet connection if you go by what was written on the Packaging for the product -- And when it was released this was the case - it was only the second stealth patch that changed it and made it require that Steam be running to launch the game ! (so it is very doubtful that he would have been made aware of it since at the time he purchased there was no such limitation !!

And there still isn't. Steam has an offline mode. I know the OP was struggling to get it to work, but I'm sure that's incidental and does not make steam "dysfunctional".

» Wed Dec 14, 2011 6:50 am

Not sure I would call it old-fashioned. Just sounds like you have a problem with authority, like Steam is forcing you to go a specific and controlled way and you are not willing to follow constraint. I respect your decision but I do not see what the big deal is personally.

Steam runs fine, is fairly efficient on my PC (uses little resource) and is convenient for buying games and updating them. Yes it has some bugs currently such as offline mode failing and updating settings reverting back to default, but it is a great product. Once they fix those bugs I think it will be seemless on high spec PCs.

To clearly state that, I have no problem with authority. Authority is present in life, at any moment. But there is a difference between authority, and something that is forced upon me that compromises my personal rights.

It is no authority to me, that Steam reserves the right to cancel my account at any time, that the only right I would have in whatever dispute that might come up with Steam is to cancel my account (and therefore losing everything I had bought), and so on. Maybe you should read the Subscribers Agreement in detail. Many do not read such Agreements, though, and are just playing along without wasting too many thoughts about such things. It is an easy and convenient way, yes, but not mine.

And Authority, well, I have privacy, and I have rights. As a human I have some rights, and I don't compromise on them just to play a video game.

Origin is stealing private data, Valve is allowed to close your account at any time, robbing you of what you have bought... is that what you really want, or what you think authority is or should be allowed to do?

It is my personal decision to buy a game, and then I have acquired the rights to use it, and it is my personal decision then, to use it whenever I want, not begging Steam for mercy of letting me play what I have paid for.

» Wed Dec 14, 2011 12:09 pm

ive played steam games without an internet connection in sri lanka! you must have done something wrong.

Edit:

Ive had steam for a while and i find the library an excellent feature. i recently had to beuild a new pc and the fact that all my games are available to me anytime i need is much better than digging through storage boxes looking for the cd's.

» Wed Dec 14, 2011 10:24 am

@ Alyana. Do you use Facebook? Twitter? Or any other 'social media'? These collect FAR more data than Steam does about you, that is for certain. The thing I don't get about all the complainers is that you do NOT have to be online all the time. Offline mode can and does work.

Perhaps some people just need to move with the times. Do you still do all your banking at the branch, or online? Cash or credit? Do you use the phone book to find a phone number or address, or the internet? Write to your mother, or email? Do you still use VHS instead of DVD or BLU-RAY? That was an enforced move wasn't it!? Film or digital camera? If your answer to all of those is the older tech, then kudos to you for sticking to your guns, but this is contrary to the way the world is going. DRM IS the future. If that is a future that you don't like enough to never play a new game again, then I feel sorry for you, and for what you will miss.

It doesn't matter how many people boycott these changes, because many more will drown out your futile cries. Look how much impact the Occupy people achieved. Not a damn thing!
If 100, or 1000, or 100,000 people never buy a Bethesda game again, because of 'oh the betrayal' it really is no skin off their collective noses. Gaming is growing hugely in popularity, so for everyone of the boycotters, there will be 100's or 1000's more to replace them.

However sad it is, you will not be missed

» Wed Dec 14, 2011 5:39 am

The thing is, if you could just launch steam in offline mode without it checking if it's actually your account you're launching in offline mode, someone could just trade a single account with a ton of people and just have them all play in offline mode at all times, and they would have no way of detecting it.

You NEED to be online to start offline mode for the first time, otherwise you'd completely bypass their DRM.

» Wed Dec 14, 2011 9:07 am

I hate 3rd party software on any game, and steam is no exception. i put up with it only because skyrim is a marvelous game. bethesda is going to lose customers by going down this route, well they probably already have.

» Wed Dec 14, 2011 1:00 pm

I hate 3rd party software on any game, and steam is no exception. i put up with it only because skyrim is a marvelous game. bethesda is going to lose customers by going down this route, well they probably already have.

http://store.steampowered.com/stats/

Check the current player count.

If anything, they GAINED a lot of PC gamers by using steam as their DRM, and once the construction kit is released, it will only make it even more of a benefit to use steam, because you'll be able to directly download all the mods you want over steam.

» Wed Dec 14, 2011 11:17 am

http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1286613-unofficial-steamdrm-discussion/ Thanks.