According to http://tweakguides.com/, Steam released a patch that did nothing but make sure the TESV.exe file has not been modified before the game is started.

First, I need to ask if this also affects the retail version. I know the retail version is also SteamWorks, so does it also receive this update?

Secondly, I need to understand what this means for moding. Already, this patch breaks the Large Address Aware exe patchers. There is http://www.skyrimnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=1013 which does not require edits to the EXE, which should be compatible.

However, what does this mean for the script extenders that we expect to see? These were CRUCIAL for modding in Oblivion!

Do we need to start Occupy Steam until this insanity is removed? How on earth did Bethesda let Steam prevent its users from modding, or am I missing something?

This is complete B.S.

Bethesda should know better. Valve should know better.

I'm going to go download Skyrim off of Arrrr!, and run the game I PAID FOR, how I want. How dare they try to stop me from modifying my own game.

This effects all versions.

There are several known issues with this patch.

1) Forces Steam
2) Can't Use LAA Patch
3) Some say game no longer loads, Sound Card Error
4) Performance issues and CTD's for others
5) Cannot run game in compatibility modes any more.

It affects all PC' versions. Yes. It means it may also break MODS. Duh check. Also, there is a function on the forums called search. It can be very helpful. I pref this DRM versus others. (bad stance, but its a hard place an a hard place to choose from.)

Valve just pushes out what Bethesda (and any dev for their own respective games) gives them.

So what if he didn't use search. I prefer a billion threads like this so Bethesda will get the point. Not that they care apparently.

It's like the Sony PS3, on the box it says "Linux Operating System" can be installed, and then a year later or so they remove it.
By golly might as well have the front covers of games these days with just the letters "Game Play May Change Online Experience" (we will change the game to what we want)

Occupy Dragonsreach!

Affects all versions. Seeing as they all pass through Steam.

It just messes with .exe edits. Because of the steam wrapper or something not letting you edit the .exe in any way.

No mods really mess with the .exe. So. I doubt you'll have to worry about that. It's already been said on the SKSE thread that it wouldn't be a problem.

If you're having problems. There are threads, report it with your specs and all that, and wait. Hope 1.2 helps.

Is this true? This patch looks like a pure Steam update to me. This is not a Bethesda-announced patch.

I need to ask if this also affects the retail version. Yes Im sure it dose. However you can mod the game however you like. Dont like steam, Just go get the crack, than no Steam at all. What i did

Since when do devs have to announce patches before pushing them out?

I prefer quality over quantity. It's preferable IRL as well. And I am sure the devs also look for this. 100 threads of useless bickering/bad mouthing or complaints, vs 2-6 threads of comprehensive details explaining the issue at hand.. hmm.. tough choice.
Thank you NewYears1978.

No it wouldn't be Steam, they don't own the software (ie; Skyrim).
and I know using the search button is a handy tool, but it's also the moderators fault for not stickying more informative info (or posts) about the constant subjects being brought up.

I don't see how anyone can think this is a legitimate DRM check. After all, the only people this update effects is people who have already verified the game over Steam (i.e. the DRM check has already happened). This doesn't effect any torrents or the like out there of the game already.

Guess 1.2 patch doesn't count then?

Cough Cough.

So you would rather listen to 50 Whiny kids complaining about something, over 1 calm child explaining it carefully and in-depth?

Yes, it is obvious that new DRM does not affect already cracked games. This is not the problem. I would very much like to have both a legitimate copy, and to be able to mod the game.

When was it said you couldn't mod the game? I don't understand where you're pulling that from. The inability to use a .exe patch, does not mean the game is un-moddable.

Anyways, my views posted. Games running fine for me. Legit, patched and steam patched currently. Minor INI tweaks. (Waiting for tweakguides tweak list to come out, otherwise.. CTD's..(10 or less, 80+hrs) and looking directly @ npc while they talk audio issues. It' runs ok.

I have two things I want to point out about the issue. First is that Steamworks is a DRM and theyre doing what theyre supposed to do, next to the requirements on the box it says you need internet and a Steam account and by using the TESV.exe you were bypassing the DRM. Second is LAA is not the same as a "mod", a mod is a plugin made using the CK(which isnt out yet) or a texture/model replacement. Things like LAA, or even OBSE are not the same thing as plugins and are not a officially supported type of mod.

Im not saying it was cool of Steam to break LAA or anything, especially since it helps a lot of people when Bethesda is dikeing around getting a patch out, but complaining about not being able to use a 3rd party hack to modify files is kind of... silly.

What point are you even trying to make here? It's nice to announce bugfixes ahead of time, but even then that isn't always the case! (plenty of cases of patch day 0 patches due to a feature not making it right on time for the main patch, or a breaking bug is found too late and quickly squashed and put out)http://wiki.teamfortress.com/wiki/Patches#Full_list_of_Team_Fortress_2_patches (there are probably a few day 0 patches mixed in there if there is only 1 entry per day) The majority of those patches are either announced after the update, and many have undocumented changes found by the community. (Also in b4 "omg u used a valve game as proof obviosuly ur a really devoted fan gtfo!!" TF2 just came to mind as the first game with lots and lots of updates that I might find a few day 0 patches for)

Digital distribution (and just plain old server-side processing for MP games) means that tons of very helpful updates can be easily pushed out as quickly as the dev team can make them. It also means that unhelpful updates can be sneaked in as well.

Also, 50 whiny kids is much less ignorable than 1 calm child

I may have read you wrong. Which means, it might be time for me to toddle off to sleep. As a response to the day 0 patches, I know it's not the best comparison. But Minecraft has had some day 0 patches. Or Day 1. Also, Terraria. I've not really followed much other companies in terms of patches.

Nearly all of the complex mods for Oblivion required script extenders. This will not work, now.

Think its more about explaining exactly whats going on then having a mini rant about why such and such svcks so much. That's all I think.

Okay, so what does compatibility mode have to do with bypassing DRM? Because they made you unable to run it in compatibility mode as well. Which is a well known fix for game problems as well as the LAA fix.

Wrong. If you read my response at first. The people in the Skyrim Script Extender(SKSE) thread, have said the patch has no effect on it. The DRM fix ONLY buggered up LAA(For now. Of course people have bypassed it and fixed it like NV). Speaking of New Vegas. I hear the same thing was done to that .exe. And oh my, NVSE? NV 4GB patch? You underestimate the community.

http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1255931-wipz-skyrim-script-extender-skse/page__st__120__p__19389159#entry19389159