I'd like to point out that is the fault of the people who made the game. I think you are referring to that last sim city disaster. They did manage to crack it.
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What does Steam actually do?
- Thread starter Grandcheapskate
- Start date
I'd like to point out that is the fault of the people who made the game. I think you are referring to that last sim city disaster. They did manage to crack it.
SpidersWeb
Veteran Member
I find the "conditioned" query to be somewhat over the top as well.
Steam has saved me much more time than it's cost me in the last 5+ years.
But I can't say the same for Origin - EA needs to flush that.
Steam has saved me much more time than it's cost me in the last 5+ years.
But I can't say the same for Origin - EA needs to flush that.
SpidersWeb
Veteran Member
Correct, nothing to do with Steam, which itself has an offline mode.
Grandcheapskate
Veteran Member
The games I purchased (not downloaded, but purchased in a retail box or jewel case) which require Steam are DOOM 3 BFG, Titan Quest Gold (unfortunately it seems I got the Steam version), Worms Crazy Golf and Magika Plus. I was going to purchase the Stronghold Collection until I was lucky enough to spot the little Steam logo on the box.
It was not my intention for this thread to turn into either a pro or con discussion of Steam. The bottom line is buying a game which requires Steam should be left up to the purchaser of the software. I just believe publishers and developers should list Steam in the system requirements rather than as a little icon on the back of the box along with an added note in the fine print. Looking up a game on a publishers website will not help - you'll find most do not list Steam as a requirement even though you can't use the software without it (DOOM 3 BFG or Titan Quest for example). So if you buy games online and don't see the back of the box or can't read the fine print, you may get stuck. My main complaint is the Steam requirement not being made prominant on those games which require Steam. I have nothing against the Steam service itself for those who wish to participate.
If you like Steam - great. However, for myself I have no desire to take advantage of any features (like being able to save on one machine and pick up on another, or be mobile) or online play.
And there is the great unspoken truth. Should Steam go away, what happens to your software investment? Gamespy went away last year leaving some games in the lurch. It seems to me the loss of Steam would have a more significant impact.
Joe
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Stone
10k Member
Not necessarily. Call your bank and dispute the charge. Say the product was misrepresented and that you can't use it at all. I'm sure you'll have the charge removed. And you'll probably not be required to return it either or at least the seller will be required to pay the return shipping. Are you aware that if a merchant fights a disputed charge by a consumer and fails to prevail in that dispute he, the merchant, is charged $125.00 buy the bank that handled the charge? That's why trivial amount disputes are rarely contested by merchants. If they don't prevail it ends up costing them much more than if they just give you a refund.
k2x4b524[
Veteran Member
i see steam as a container for some software, as some will run without it even though having downloaded it.
*Correction* ALL of my steam games will run without steam, except for half life and half life based ones, like portal and half life source, which require steam to differentiate the games. Steam is just a shell, unless you use the half life based games. Your golden, provided you know where the actual game executable is.
*Correction* ALL of my steam games will run without steam, except for half life and half life based ones, like portal and half life source, which require steam to differentiate the games. Steam is just a shell, unless you use the half life based games. Your golden, provided you know where the actual game executable is.
GottaLottaStuff
Veteran Member
" it's about getting the best bang for your buck."
Nope. Check out the Humble Bundle, Bundle Stars, or the like. Ten games for $5 or less total and no shipping.
http://www.bundlestars.com/all-bundles/
Nope. Check out the Humble Bundle, Bundle Stars, or the like. Ten games for $5 or less total and no shipping.
http://www.bundlestars.com/all-bundles/
You can play age of empires 2 online free with the Voobly client (same format as microsofts zone). Thousands of people online daily all over the world.
Agent Orange
Veteran Member
On the face of it, it looks like a pretty good deal. But what would be the reason for discounting a package of games for $3.97? Could it be that no one bought them retail in the first place because they're kind of crappy and they're just not very good. Have you made a purchase? Let us know how it goes and what you think of game quality.
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Tor
Veteran Member
I for one do not buy the "DRM has been around forever and won't go away" argument. I don't seem to need anything with DRM in it. I haven't ran into any must-have DRM-protected product in any of the numerous computer-related products and tools I'm interested in. Nor in anything else for that matter. There's nothing of necessity I need with DRM. I can easily, very very easily, steer away from it. My money goes elsewhere - more power to the DRM-free providers.
SpidersWeb
Veteran Member
Well personally I'd rather put a computer on the internet for two minutes during install, than pulling out my Dial a Pirate wheel, or finding the City Population on my SimCity code sheet (black on red so you can't photocopy it!).
That could be an option Grandcheapskate - temporarily giving them internet while you get all these games loaded, then flicking Steam in to offline mode and disconnecting the internet.
That could be an option Grandcheapskate - temporarily giving them internet while you get all these games loaded, then flicking Steam in to offline mode and disconnecting the internet.
I had doom 3 before steam and I remember having to have the dvd in the drive at all times. In my eyes thats no different than saying "requires internet connection"
As for DRM, I agree none is best. I've lived by the adage; "locks only keep honest people honest". No amount of DRM will prevent piracy, the key is to find just enough to satisfy the people that make games and not piss off users.
Grandcheapskate
Veteran Member
The difference being the code wheel and/or CD are in your control - Steam (and the internet) are not. You could decide to play one of those old games any time you want. Should Steam disappear, start chewing up additional resources, drop support for older OSs, or increase their resource requirements, all your Steam games may become useless even though your machine is capable of playing them. With the expodential explosion of resource requirements for the internet, I see this as a definite threat and a very likely scenerio.
However, what you suggest may be what I need to do if I decide to install the Steam games. Right now my inclination is to sell them unless I find a way to bypass the Steam requirement.
And this is the elephant in the room no one talks about.
Joe
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you are worried over nothing.
the game will ALWAYS be available. The TI/99-4A, for example, is well past its prime, but even the most rare game can easily be found and played on an emulator.
So many games built for DOS has been relegated to the dustbin, but we have things like DOSBOX and assorted ways of bypassing the DRM.
If steam died tomorrow, all those games would still exist and something will be created to replace it.
Honestly you sound like an old an yelling at us "damn kids" to get off your lawn and turn down our loud music.
I'm going to be blunt and suggest that you "quit 'ur bitch'in" and just plug the computer into this new fangled invention called the internet. I'm not going to waste any more of my time here.
the game will ALWAYS be available. The TI/99-4A, for example, is well past its prime, but even the most rare game can easily be found and played on an emulator.
So many games built for DOS has been relegated to the dustbin, but we have things like DOSBOX and assorted ways of bypassing the DRM.
If steam died tomorrow, all those games would still exist and something will be created to replace it.
Honestly you sound like an old an yelling at us "damn kids" to get off your lawn and turn down our loud music.
I'm going to be blunt and suggest that you "quit 'ur bitch'in" and just plug the computer into this new fangled invention called the internet. I'm not going to waste any more of my time here.
Tor
Veteran Member
You forget that the internet has been around for so long that the ones you are directing that criticism at have been 'on the net' much longer than you have.. most probably.
Ive been "on the net" since about 1993. For the longrst time i was the only kid in class with a home computer, let alone one on the net. I distinctly remember downloading some rpg game and printing out the manual so i could play it.
GottaLottaStuff
Veteran Member
"Have you made a purchase? Let us know how it goes and what you think of game quality. "
131 as of yesterday. I thought that was a bit high until I was reading game reviews and noticed one of the reviewers had over 2700. Yes, some of the games are bad or have bad reviews. Most are just outdated. In a lot of cases I have the Steam version and a non-Steam CD version of the same game. It's worth the $2 to not have to dig out the CDs. The Humble Bundles are getting to be Steam only, but I have a lot of older Humble Bundle games that can be downloaded directly from Humble Bundle without Steam. (33 Windows - 54 Android - 46 Mac - 37 Linux - most different versions of the same games for different OSs - another plus) Amazon uses Steam for most of it's downloads as well. Just before Christmas I bought the Steam version of Skyrim for $5 at the Amazon Christmas sale. That's enough bang for my buck. As others have said, try Good Old Games (GOG.com) Straight downloads of older games updated with DOSbox or ScummVM, no DRM, no online registration. Lucasfilm/ Disney games on sale this week. And they also include the Mac and Linux versions.
131 as of yesterday. I thought that was a bit high until I was reading game reviews and noticed one of the reviewers had over 2700. Yes, some of the games are bad or have bad reviews. Most are just outdated. In a lot of cases I have the Steam version and a non-Steam CD version of the same game. It's worth the $2 to not have to dig out the CDs. The Humble Bundles are getting to be Steam only, but I have a lot of older Humble Bundle games that can be downloaded directly from Humble Bundle without Steam. (33 Windows - 54 Android - 46 Mac - 37 Linux - most different versions of the same games for different OSs - another plus) Amazon uses Steam for most of it's downloads as well. Just before Christmas I bought the Steam version of Skyrim for $5 at the Amazon Christmas sale. That's enough bang for my buck. As others have said, try Good Old Games (GOG.com) Straight downloads of older games updated with DOSbox or ScummVM, no DRM, no online registration. Lucasfilm/ Disney games on sale this week. And they also include the Mac and Linux versions.
Agent Orange
Veteran Member
We're not on the same page about this. We were talking about plunking down $50-$60 for a game that "you have to have permission to use". Skyrim, for example was rated 4 or 5 stars back in 2011 - that's over 4 years ago. That's why they're virtually giving the thing away. You could open up a whole new hobby with cut-rate video games, just like Topps baseball trading cards; "got'em, got'em, need'em". Steam is perceived by most folks as a giant PIA. I've never had a game console and probably never will. I used to buy 1 or 2 top-end games a year, but that's over if I have to curtsey down to Steam just to be able to play what I own outright. I'm outta here on the subject - said too much already.