Steamcloud caused the save game problems. (And even then we don't know if the dev coded for it wrong or if it's Valve's bug) All of the other problems are the fault of the Dev.

So what, people not being able to activate their games days after purchasing them because the servers are too busy is the fault of the dev? And what about those people that find themselves facing a 6.5 gig download from Steam even though they have a hard copy of the game. How is that the fault of the devs?

I don't have a problem with steam. I actually prefer steam exclusive releases. They've always gone smoothly for me. They have great content servers and they give smaller Indy developers a chance to get their games out there that other wise may never have seen popularity. Very very rarely are there any troubles with a game that are related to Steam itself and when there is they are fixed within a days time.

Steam makes a lot of money both for developers and for themselves, they will never go out of business so you will never lose your favorite games "If steam goes under".

As of today I own 143 games on Steam and in most cases I can have any of those downloaded and installed and be playing by the time you put your disc in and go through a traditional installation. I don't have to worry about trying to find a disc that I haven't used for a year and a half. I don't have to worry about that disc being scratched or lost or stolen. I can install games and play them on any machine in my house, at a friends house, on vacation or anywhere else as many times as I want as long as I am logged into my account.

Steam is a great content delivery system and provides a way for developers to safeguard their products without using extremely invasive DRM such as Securom

Would you rather have this?
In May 2008, EA announced that Mass Effect for the PC would be using SecuROM 7.x requiring a reactivation of the software every 10 days.[13] Due to complaints, EA removed the 10-day activation while keeping SecuROM tied to the installation. SecuROM's product activation facility was still used to impose a limit of three times that a customer is allowed to activate the copy of Mass Effect they purchased. The game becomes unplayable "as is" after the activations are used up, until EA's customer support is contacted to reset the activation limit. Unlike BioShock, uninstalling the game does not refund a previously used activation.[14] More recent versions of Mass Effect on budget prices (those available on 'EA classics') have SecuROM omitted.

Or This?

Consumers have accused BioShock of installing a rootkit. An official announcement was made denying the use of any type of rootkit.[8][9]
The game required consumers to activate the game online and originally set a maximum of two activations before they would have to call to get more activations. This was raised to five activations because an incorrect phone number had been printed on the manual and call centers were only in the United States. Users also found that the game had to be activated for each user on the same machine.[10][11]
In 2008, 2K Games removed the activation limit, although users are still required to activate it online.[12]

If you are having problems with your game they are likely not due to steam, aside from the steam cloud saved game issues.
If you are having problems with your game because you are not connected to the internet you should only need to be online once during/after the install process to activate the game. Then you can turn steam to offline mode and play to your hearts content.
If you are having problems with your game because you don't have the internet, go get the internet, why don't you have it? You're a bad and you should feel bad.
If you are having problems with your game because you can't afford the internet you probably shouldn't be spending your money on games right now.

x3.

(I would like to mention that Steam accounts have some definite advantages. There are some very good things that Steam is doing for indy gamers, and I applaud them for that. My issue is not with Steam's ability to sell digital downloads of games, for those who choose to do that. My issue is with requiring an online account with them for those who do not wish to use Steam (for reasons partially outlined below).

There are a few reasons why I refuse to buy games with online activation schemes. You hit hard on one. Allow me to expand some logic...

Several issues boil down to this: Someone who downloads the game illegally doesn't have to deal with any of the bull that I have to, even though I gave money to the company for the game. It not only entices piracy, it REWARDS it. How much sense does that make? For some games, you are even required to connect to servers to ask permission while playing single-player-games... and by that I mean people who pay do. People who steal it get many added benefits to the software that paying customers cannot get. Why ask customers to pay for a game that is not only lacking, but is lacking in very basic functionality areas?? (And yet they try to use pirates as scapegoats, lmao. Pirates caused nothing.)

Another issue with me is future. What happens when my computer crashes and I do not have access to the internet? What happens years down the road when Steam either goes offline (for good) or when there is a hiccup in the Steam servers? That would mean that I don't get to play the game I've paid for. And I'll be (bleeped) if I'll ever allow myself to be put into a situation where I could lose access to using a piece of software I've paid for. Until I'm sure that I do not have to rely on anything outside my computer ever again once installed, I'm not going to buy. (That includes patches, obviously. zipped exe's added in my game folders, to be installed whenever I need them.) In essence, Steam activation is not only flawed, but fatally so (as I understand it).

Fallout is a single-player offline game. It is completely capable of operating effectively offline, without ever needing to connect to anything for functionality. Steam is an unnecessary tick, svcking the game's value. There are some benefits to those who choose a steam-based system, but the consequences are not worth it for me. So why make an otherwise perfectly functioning device dependent on unnecessary and flawed third party software? As an optional add-on, I can see that. but mandatory? Someone seriously dropped the ball here.

Phone activation is the best of both worlds, really. If you *must* have rights management, this is it. Once activated, the code is given, and you just keep track of that code (which is easy) and you unlock the game at any point in the future, even if the world becomes the world of the game's namesake. This protects just as well as any DRM, without the downsides. "Online phone activation" is fine as well (so long as it is an activation service, and not a registration service). So, again, incredibly intrusive steam is unnecessary and flawed (for DRM/Game activation).

That is, of course, based on my understanding of how steam works (As it was explained to me). If, in fact, I just connect and input the code to get an unlock code for the game, then that is basically online phone activation, and I have no qualms about that. It is just that people have said to me that the game must connect to the internet, and there is no code given to skip the process in the future, if needed. So is a code given to skip the process in the future, without needing the internet?

1. Odd as it may sound, some area's in this world are either still only connected trough dial up because they are remote (most of Canada Ive heard)
2. Internet fees are monthly recurring bills. A game is a one time expense.

Just to give two reasons.

None of it applies to me by the way.

If you can't post without insulting someone then keep your comments to yourself. I'm well acquainted with how computers work, I've been using them for years, even made my living using them for awhile. I've rebuilt my own system from scratch several times now, so please don't insult me by trying to insist I'm ignorant. I might even know more about they work than you do. And no, I haven't encountered any Steam issues myself since I haven't bought the game yet. But judging by all the problems that other people are facing, I don't even want to.

I'm Canadian. No. But yes, but really, no.

'Most' of Canada has no internet access. But to be fair 'Most' of Canada is completely unpopulated. Anywhere that is decently populated has internet access. Canadian download speeds are actually generally faster then most US providers because of our lower population.

To be fair, you're looking at the Forums dedicated to PC issues. 97% of people are probably happily playing their games right now completely unaware of any problems.

If you have not had any issues with Steam and you already know how to correct any issues that you may come across with Steam, then why the hell are you even posting here?

I do have one Steam complaint, and that is editing the Fallout.ini file in My Documents>My Games>FNV like I am so used to doing does not stick. Quite annoying.

You forgot one. What if sometime down the road Steam decides that it's no longer in their best economic interest to support the game and simply pulls the plug on it?



You're info is incorrect. All that's required is a one time activation of the software, after which you can play in offline mode and never have to deal with connecting again except to patch. That said, the system being used by Steam seems pretty clumsy and inefficient. If the industry wants to move towards a digital activation system, they need look no further than what Microsoft is doing with their OS software. You install the program, you're given lots of time to contact them before the software shuts down, and you have a choice of online activation or a 1-800 number. If that works for Microsoft then it should work for the rest of the industry as well.

Valve has said they will unlock all games if Steam were to be discontinued.

Ah yes, and we all live in igloos and drive dog sleds to work. The fact of the matter is that we have pretty much the same demographics for internet usage as the US does. There's still plenty of rural areas in the States that don't have broadband access either.

It's called a discussion forum is it not?

This is an acceptable complaint :tops:

That's not going to do any good if you need Steam just to activate it in the first place. That may be fine for people who already have the game installed on their system but does nothing for people who are installing for the first time, or reinstalling sometime down the road. New Vegas won't even start unless you activate it through Steam, so if they're not around anymore or they've stopped supporting it, then you're SOL. You'll end up with a nice coaster on your desk.

No... if they 'unlock' the game it will no longer require activation. If Steam goes under ( It makes more money then god so it never will) there will likely be an 'unlocking' utility up for download.

This section of the boards is for discussing issues related to getting the game running. Not a discussion on the merits or lack there of for Steam.