Poll: Anybody here refuse to use Steam?
- Thread starter Dano
- Start date
I have one major issue with Steam, and it's a rather esoteric one: I hate the fact that they don't sell you the game, they sell you the Steam version of the game. If I buy a Steam version, and the company that makes the game produces an expansion, I have to get that via Steam or it won't work. Similarly, if I bought the original the old-fashioned way then I can't buy the expansion from Steam unless I buy a new copy of the original. I hate the fact that Steam locks me in: they should just be one source of many. I really don't care one way or another about their version of DRM and whether it's great or not - but I won't buy any version of a game which is not fully kosher.
M
M
Soldato
- Joined
- 18 Mar 2010
- Posts
- 4,174
Used to be a bit suspicious of, but now totally won over by the sales.
I remember there was a lot of fuss on the total war forums when empire came out, and it required steam activation.
One negative issue for some people is the auto updating. For example with empire some of the patches were seen to have made things worse rather than better, therefore you might like to control what patch you are on.
Similarly on football manager, third party apps like scout tools and editors won't work with the most up to date version of fm (I.e they need to be updated as well.) therefore people may not want the latest patch.
I know you can turn off auto-update but from what I have heard that doesn't always work.
I remember there was a lot of fuss on the total war forums when empire came out, and it required steam activation.
One negative issue for some people is the auto updating. For example with empire some of the patches were seen to have made things worse rather than better, therefore you might like to control what patch you are on.
Similarly on football manager, third party apps like scout tools and editors won't work with the most up to date version of fm (I.e they need to be updated as well.) therefore people may not want the latest patch.
I know you can turn off auto-update but from what I have heard that doesn't always work.
Yes, I came across that issue with my retail version of Borderlands, was a little annoying. The only other thing I dislike and it's mega petty is having to log into steam before I can play my games, always seems to take ages even though it's just seconds
http://shop.ubi.com/store/ubiemea/e...movik-Cliffs-of-Dover-Collectors-Edition.html
It now shows the 25th.
Did you choose the expedited or the free delivery?
Last edited:
Always has shown the 25th, it didn't show me that date until after ordering.
I went for free shipping as I felt £8.47 for 1 to 3 day shipping was somewhat outrageous.
Game developers/publishers loose money to second hand sales and piracy.
Steam helps with both in a way. If your game even a hardcopy has to be locked to an account you cannot sell it on.
I know this because i work for a games developer.
Expect to see this with console games in the future!
I Personally love steam and my fast connection. I want a game I can buy and download it in the time it takes me to have a shower.
I particularly love the pre load and play when its out. I'm staying up late tonight in fact to play Dragon Age 2 when it goes live
Steam helps with both in a way. If your game even a hardcopy has to be locked to an account you cannot sell it on.
I know this because i work for a games developer.
Expect to see this with console games in the future!
I Personally love steam and my fast connection. I want a game I can buy and download it in the time it takes me to have a shower.
I particularly love the pre load and play when its out. I'm staying up late tonight in fact to play Dragon Age 2 when it goes live
Steam makes me very happy for the following:
1) I don't have to follow a trail of wrong cds in wrong cases to be able to play a game I have not found.
2) Automatic patching, i.e. I don't have to mess about trying to find patches manually apply them etc
3) 1 Easy portal to be kept up to date, links to the above ie pre steam I would not know games had been patched half the time. But also highlights DLC, new games etc etc without having too keep tabs on hundreds of websites.
4) I don't have to leave the house to buy games if I am that keen
5) More and more new releases that you can preload so that you in jump into the action asap
6) Sales Sales sales. Not just the summer, christmas, easter, midweek, weekend and the 'we didn't have any planned sale but here is a sale anyway' deals. But the fact you can find patterns. Pro tip if u want to buy a new game from EA it will be on offer in 5-6 months with 40% off almost guaranteed. (I will use this trick for dragon age 2, but will probably plump for shift 2 asap!).
There are downsides. New releases are not the cheapest, and you dont get a hard copy. But tbh since PC games stopped coming in pretty boxes with massive manuals and posters etc and they now come in a dvd case with a pamphlette directing you to the online manual... we are not missing much.
oh
7) digital is probably greener than having to make and distribute physical copies. Don't quote me on that someone probably has numbers on how much energy the internet infrastructure uses. I don't care that much I open the fridge if I want to cool the house down...
1) I don't have to follow a trail of wrong cds in wrong cases to be able to play a game I have not found.
2) Automatic patching, i.e. I don't have to mess about trying to find patches manually apply them etc
3) 1 Easy portal to be kept up to date, links to the above ie pre steam I would not know games had been patched half the time. But also highlights DLC, new games etc etc without having too keep tabs on hundreds of websites.
4) I don't have to leave the house to buy games if I am that keen
5) More and more new releases that you can preload so that you in jump into the action asap
6) Sales Sales sales. Not just the summer, christmas, easter, midweek, weekend and the 'we didn't have any planned sale but here is a sale anyway' deals. But the fact you can find patterns. Pro tip if u want to buy a new game from EA it will be on offer in 5-6 months with 40% off almost guaranteed. (I will use this trick for dragon age 2, but will probably plump for shift 2 asap!).
There are downsides. New releases are not the cheapest, and you dont get a hard copy. But tbh since PC games stopped coming in pretty boxes with massive manuals and posters etc and they now come in a dvd case with a pamphlette directing you to the online manual... we are not missing much.
oh
7) digital is probably greener than having to make and distribute physical copies. Don't quote me on that someone probably has numbers on how much energy the internet infrastructure uses. I don't care that much I open the fridge if I want to cool the house down...
There were some annoying issues back in the day from time to time, but I haven't had anything like that in years now, and actually more content not having cases and dvd's lying about - much faster and easier access to a back catalogue of games too.
Associate
- Joined
- 26 Aug 2009
- Posts
- 111
My only problem with steam is its too pricey, most of the time. But thats not steam itself, just the publishers.
These days, the vast majority of games require some online activation or other registration. It's not just steam, it's everywhere.
Soldato
- Joined
- 12 Feb 2006
- Posts
- 17,645
- Location
- Surrey
i've only ever notice steam to be the one that i can't sell on once completed. it's a shame as now when given the choice of buying a game on xbox or pc that i'm not massively into i'd buy on xbox as it's the only way i can justify spending the money, which means steam (and apparently others) is pushing me towards alternatives. i'm sure i'm in a minority though and it's brought loads of gamers to pc's, and other then that it does seem to do a good job of making things much simpler. i love that when i bought my laptop it allowed me to click a few buttons and download all games i've previously bought and then play with no dvd.
Last edited:
In my experience, that kind of DRM is usually patched out after the initial 6 months of sales or so.
They really don't, and I'm really surprised that people are seriously linking piracy and second hand games being as bad as eachother.
Piracy, and second hand games are most definitely not lost sales, if you're buying second hand, you probably think the retail price is too high, and won't buy it anyway.
I agree, but not always true, a few games let this but not enough.
Non issue, turn auto updates off for each game individually if you want.
(Makes me wonder if those people have actually used steam or just don't look at options, that or they simply don't know I guess)
I have used it since pre-release, never had any real issues except payment because they didn't recognise Jersey and not paying VAT for a long time.
Last edited:
My first experience wasn't pretty, I brought HL2 off an auction site and ended up losing my login details with the sellers email address still tied to the account
I stayed away for a couple of years after that.
That would be more your fault than anything else though, right?