Civilization 5 Steamworks questions/concerns for inclusion in the FAQ

Greetings Civilization fanatics!

One of the first things I want to do as your new Community Manager is to create a comprehensive FAQ to address many of the questions and concerns regarding Civilization 5's Steamworks integration.

There have obviously been a lot of threads on the subject, and in an interest to make sure as many questions as possible are addressed, I would like you to use this thread to post your questions.

To make this easier on me, please refrain from trying to answer other people's questions or start discussions about things other people have posted. I would like this thread to be mainly just a list of questions and concerns. The exception is if a question has specifically been addressed by 2K/Firaxis (such as a post by 2K Elizabeth,) in which case feel free to link to the post containing the answer.

Will you provide an option to clear down the savedata stored in the Steam Cloud? I asked this because there is no way I know of to currently do it outside of the game, but you can write new/blank files into their place from within the game itself using the API.

EDIT: I just realised this may be a stupid question because there is probably a "Saves" list in the game. For some reason my head was in "Single Autosave!" mode. Nm!

I don't know if you noticed the, pardon my french, quite moronic discussion about steam connecting in offline modus when having an active internet connection (despite there being no use to start it in offline modus in that case anyway)? Some explanation on what exactly it transmits might shut up the two threads that are going ballistic over that. I'm guessing it's just checking for a connection, but maybe people may take your word for it.

Where will you draw the boundaries between bonus content/dlc and mods?
For example could the Babylonian civ be emulated by a mod that makes slight changes to the code (leader behaviour etc) and provides alternate artwork/vo as long as no files are being copy pasted?

If there has to be certain dissimilarity between bonus content/dlc and mods; to what extent could the Babylonian civ be copied in regards to the code? 95%? 90, 80?
Obviously I don't expect a mathematical formula here but any info you could provide on this would be welcome.
Thankyou.

I've heard we will be able to download mods from sites such as civfanatics besides using steam. Do we have to connect to steam to play the mods after install?

I've heard updates are through steam only. Is that true? If so, why can't we get patches from third party sites as well? If not, must I reconnect to steam after updates to play my game?

I ask these questions because I will be physically bringing my pc to my mother's to authenticate my game. It will be a hassle to not be able to dl mods and patches, burn them to a dvd or put them on a thumb drive, and update/install like I was able to in all previous Civ games. If this is the case and I will have to constantly connect, can you explain why the other options are completely out?

Are any public servers being provided for long term games? Some games can go for over a year and it would be nice to have a server somewhere for this rather than players having to make their own. Personally I wouldn't mind paying a bit for such a service.

Is it possible that I can have ciV without having to use steam for anything other than activation? Or alternatively since Steam is out for the MAC now will I be able to play it on that?

(My windows machine does not have much space on disk, and Steam won't work on an external drive, meaning that I would have to get rid of N:TW to play ciV.)

How was the choice to include steam reached. How much money was exchanged.

There is a portuguese language version?

Was there any discussion to make Internet an option for updates and patches Only, so it is not a Forced Requirement to install the game? Was this a solution Firaxis/2K would have considered if available by Valve? Can you tell us if Valve had the ability to add such an option in for a major game like Civ 5?

And finally (in your own words), why is forced internet for installation of the game a better method to Firaxis/2K than allowing installation w/o internet, but making it that a consumer must create a Steam account and verify their purchase in order to get updates/pathces/DLC, etc (Giving consumer a choice)?

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If Valve does not offer this solution to it's clients, it doesn't make sense that they do not; but I will make no assumptions here.

I ask because I feel a required internet account being only to login and create an account in Steam for updates and patches (and DLC) would have been a vast improvement in the satisfaction level of overall consumers by making Firaxis/2K look more consumer-friendly and less like Ubisoft.

Many, myself included, do not appreciate being forced to have internet and to be forced to accept 3rd party programs (both for installation) against our will to enjoy a product (which I play solely offline) of Firaxis.

I don't hold a program that forces internet for installation in much higher regards than a program that forces internet to play. This is my only real complaint against Steam.

As I asked 2K Elizabeth....
Will it be possible to get any required updates and patches on another computer to transfer via thumbdrive, or will they be only accessible via the computer the game is installed on.
I am grudgingly willing to use and register with steam, although I only play solo/offline, but the need for any download that is large, by dial-up standards, is a sales killer if it must be from the game computer.
The rumour of a large download on registration has been ridiculed by some, but Cities XL required over 500MB on registration, and is now an expensive coaster. Another poster on the 2K forum spoke of a game he has with a 1.5 GB download on registration. Others have said some previous games have insisted on full game downloads even where they have previously pre-downloaded before release date.
Considering this, I think it reasonable for 2K and Steam to both be asked for a definite statement on this.
Thanx

Will LAN gaming be possible with Steam in situations where no internet access is available or is multiplayer disabled entirely in this mode? What about play by email?

Will things like the steam community be fully integrated into the game's interface or will you be relying on the overlay to provide functionality like chat and friends lists?

What usage statistics/information are gathered by the steam client while running in offline mode?

What usage information is transmitted to valve/2k when the steam client connects to steam?

What prevents Valve from taking a page out of Facebook and one sidedly changing its privacy policy or its policy towards gathering and using private usage information?

Has 2K seen this poll, taken into account and what is 2K's position about it?

Short summary:
At the moment of this posting, the voters have chosen
No DRM --------------> 64% (not really a surprise )
CD-check ------------> 73%
One-time registration -> 55%
Login-based ----------> 36%
Registry-based -------> 6%
other ......................-> 3%

Total voters -> 198

First, I would like to ask the moderators to make this thread sticky (please!) for at least some time.

Next to this, I would like to ask 2K/Firaxis, if there are any plans to issue a version of Civ5 for 64bit-systems, by that allowing for the use of more RAM by the program.

Reason is that there are many mods for Civ4 which increment the number of units, buildings and so on, and especially running on bigger than huge maps, thus consuming memory in formerly unseen quantity and making the mod later on (from mid-game onwards) slow and prone to crash due to memory issues.

Commander Bello said:

First, I would like to ask the moderators to make this thread sticky (please!) for at least some time.

Next to this, I would like to ask 2K/Firaxis, if there are any plans to issue a version of Civ5 for 64bit-systems, by that allowing for the use of more RAM by the program.

Reason is that there are many mods for Civ4 which increment the number of units, buildings and so on, and especially running on bigger than huge maps, thus consuming memory in formerly unseen quantity and making the mod later on (from mid-game onwards) slow and prone to crash due to memory issues.

Click to expand...

This is an excellent question and I would second the request for an answer.

you should clarify that firaxis isnt involved here...just 2k marketing.

Firaxis is involved here; I will be running these questions by people at Firaxis to confirm the answers.

will you be able to get the exclusive content from Deluxe edition somehow else? I mean unlock that Nebuchadezzar 2 leader or whatever.

Hello Greg,

Welcome here. A bit ago i asked Elizabeth some questions*. Now i think i should give the staff to you:

http://forums.civfanatics.com/showpost.php?p=9200867&postcount=852

best regards
T_C

* or asked for an answer of question another poster asked