Steam - The 'somewhat explain it all guide'

S

scrlk

Chieftain
Joined
May 12, 2010
Messages
17
Steam is what you want it to be. It can be just an activator for some, a games store for others with a built in library, a way to ditch disks for ever or for some much more.

Steam is a version of DRM - but it isn't as intrusive as others, such as Starforce ect. When you buy a Steam game or activate the game with a CD key, it gets tied to your Steam account and remains tied permanently.

Can I go offline?

Yes, although for the activation, you will need an Internet connection. (although if you can't even afford internet, you shouldn't be playing PC games where the cost of upkeep/entry is higher than a console)

How will they integrate it into Civ 5?

It can range from nothing to community integration (eg. Achievements or hosting a game) to full on Steam Cloud support.

What is Steam Cloud?

It's a service to store save games (LOCALLY AND ON THE CLOUD) and keyboard mappings ect so that you can effortlessly continue your game on different computers.

Why do I support Steam?

Valve are the gods of the FPS world and everything that they do is perfect or reaches a high level of fit and finish . Everyone who I know loves Steam - because of the great store offers (TF2 for £2.50, how could you go wrong?!) I leave Steam going as it just becomes a habit and it's only a integrated store and game browser/launcher anyway.

Why did they go for Steam?

CD Keys are a a easy target to hackers/pirates as keygens are on the Internet within days/week after the game launches. Usually a pi** poor DRM system is used to back this up which installs god knows what on your computer (lol Starforce). Steam is seen as attractive because it removes the CD Key out of the equation.

What about mods?

Those who are lucky/successful usually end up on Steam. See Gary's Mod (GMod) as an example. Hopefully there will be sites like this for the majority of mods.


Finally...

Why the hell not? I mean Steam is solving the problems of the PC gaming sector - removing the need for more intrusive DRM (hated by all), allowing modders/indie devs to get a chance and much more.

You'll fall in love with it. Trust me.
 
Welcome to the community - hopefully you won't tire of smacking your head against the extremely thick wall of "DARH I HATE STEEM!" too quickly.
 
Might not be the right place to ask, but if I have as Steam game... it is locked into one machine forever, right?

For example, I have COD and it is hooked up to Steam. If I want to delete it off of my machine and put it on another, I can't, right?

But once it's activated, I won't need to be online just to play Civ V, will I?
 
Zaimejs said:
Might not be the right place to ask, but if I have as Steam game... it is locked into one machine forever, right?

For example, I have COD and it is hooked up to Steam. If I want to delete it off of my machine and put it on another, I can't, right?
Click to expand...

You can only access your steam account online on one machine at a time, yes. But aside from that you get unlimited re installs for your account, thus say if you rebuild your machine once you have steam installed again all you have to do is re-download the game again or install from a back-up disk(s) which steam will also let you create. Basically all Steam does is tie the game to your particular account, as long as the accounts still valid your games stay with it regardless of the machine you access your account with.
 
scrlk said:
...
Finally...

Why the hell not?
Click to expand...

As I stated on the official 2K forums...

I do not want to install any 3rd party program and be required to keep that software on my system and running for as long as I want to play Civ V.

I don't want to accept a user agreement and set up a user name and password for that 3rd party program.

I don't want to search through that software's settings to turn off all the annoying junk I don't want. (If I can even turn all of them off)

I don't want to worry about updating that software.

I don't want to wonder if that software is collecting information about me or my machine and if that information will fall into other people's hands on purpose or on accident. (I doubt Steam or Valve is out to take over the world or steal my identity but I don't want any info being collecting without me knowing about it. I don't want to be bothered with opting out. I don't want to wonder if opting out really opts you out.)

I don't want Civ to auto update, this would cause me lots of issues since all my games last over multiple playing sessions. (I would also add here that auto-updating will be a major issue for cfc users who participate in something like the game of the month)

I don't want to be concerned about 3rd party software getting locked up so I can't play Civ if I lose my internet connection during a time the 3rd party software wants me to have a connection. (I have read complaints and seen screenshots of this being a problem so don't say it is never an issue)

I don't want to wonder what will happen to my game if that 3rd party software company goes out of business. Will my game still work? Probably, but maybe not. There is no doubt I can play any of the previous versions of Civ I own any time I want on any machine I want that I can get it installed on.

I don't want to have additional resources being eaten by 3rd party software. Not everyone has a computer that can easily handle and run Civ so just because your computer doesn't notice any difference doesn't mean someone else who is running the minimum requirements doesn't need every ounce of resources they can get.

I don't want to be concerned with not being able to play because the 3rd party software has a bug in it.

I don't want all the extra hassle and worries that go along with being required to have 3rd party software especially when the only benefits that software give have zero appeal to me.
 
scrlk said:
Finally...

Why the hell not?..
Click to expand...

Because it gives the game company (or their parent companies/future owners/etc.) absolute power over our ability to play the game as we want and the ability to change the rules anytime they want to whatever they want by updating the required Steam monitoring program.

You did ask so here's your answer in detail:

http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=364319
 
Harok said:
I do not want to install any 3rd party program and be required to keep that software on my system and running for as long as I want to play Civ V.
Click to expand...
Oh crap. Uninstall Civ 4 now.

In case you didn't notice, Civ 4 uses the boost libraries. Yes, libraries -- as in computer source code. These libraries are integrated tightly into the Civ 4 binary, and are 3rd party software.
I don't want to accept a user agreement and set up a user name and password for that 3rd party program.
Click to expand...
Would it help if Civ 5 included the EULA to Steam as part of its own EULA, so you only have to accept one?
I don't want to search through that software's settings to turn off all the annoying junk I don't want. (If I can even turn all of them off)
Click to expand...
Well, boost doesn't have much in the way of settings. Other 3rd party libraries used by Civ4 do have settings, some of which are exposed in the Civ4 interface.
I don't want to worry about updating that software.
Click to expand...
Civ4 includes updates to boost when it updates, if they use newer versions.
I don't want to wonder if that software is collecting information about me or my machine and if that information will fall into other people's hands on purpose or on accident. (I doubt Steam or Valve is out to take over the world or steal my identity but I don't want any info being collecting without me knowing about it. I don't want to be bothered with opting out. I don't want to wonder if opting out really opts you out.)
Click to expand...
Boost isn't out to take over the world either. But how can you know?
I don't want Civ to auto update, this would cause me lots of issues since all my games last over multiple playing sessions. (I would also add here that auto-updating will be a major issue for cfc users who participate in something like the game of the month)
Click to expand...
Auto update is a feature that they would have on by default, even without steam. Even with steam, there will be a way to disable it.
I don't want to be concerned about 3rd party software getting locked up so I can't play Civ if I lose my internet connection during a time the 3rd party software wants me to have a connection. (I have read complaints and seen screenshots of this being a problem so don't say it is never an issue)
Click to expand...
Ok, I won't respond to a point that you request that you don't want a response to. That doesn't mean you are right, but rather that you are uninterested in discussion.
I don't want to have additional resources being eaten by 3rd party software. Not everyone has a computer that can easily handle and run Civ so just because your computer doesn't notice any difference doesn't mean someone else who is running the minimum requirements doesn't need every ounce of resources they can get.
Click to expand...
I understand: boost as a library can sure eat up cycles. Who knows how much time they spend in boost?
I don't want to be concerned with not being able to play because the 3rd party software has a bug in it.
Click to expand...
Ya, I can really get this. When boost has a bug and it gets in the way of a program that uses boost working, it aggravates me too.

The same goes for Bungie, the video library -- and the MSVC C++ standard library redistributables. All 3rd party software that Firaxis should reimplement in-house.

I'm glad you decided to uninstall Civ4, now that you know about the 3rd party software that they install along with Civ4. Shall I research what kind of 3rd party software was included with Civ3?
 
Harok said:
As I stated on the official 2K forums...

I do not want to install any 3rd party program and be required to keep that software on my system and running for as long as I want to play Civ V.

I don't want to accept a user agreement and set up a user name and password for that 3rd party program.

I don't want to search through that software's settings to turn off all the annoying junk I don't want. (If I can even turn all of them off)

I don't want to worry about updating that software.

I don't want to wonder if that software is collecting information about me or my machine and if that information will fall into other people's hands on purpose or on accident. (I doubt Steam or Valve is out to take over the world or steal my identity but I don't want any info being collecting without me knowing about it. I don't want to be bothered with opting out. I don't want to wonder if opting out really opts you out.)

I don't want Civ to auto update, this would cause me lots of issues since all my games last over multiple playing sessions. (I would also add here that auto-updating will be a major issue for cfc users who participate in something like the game of the month)

I don't want to be concerned about 3rd party software getting locked up so I can't play Civ if I lose my internet connection during a time the 3rd party software wants me to have a connection. (I have read complaints and seen screenshots of this being a problem so don't say it is never an issue)

I don't want to wonder what will happen to my game if that 3rd party software company goes out of business. Will my game still work? Probably, but maybe not. There is no doubt I can play any of the previous versions of Civ I own any time I want on any machine I want that I can get it installed on.

I don't want to have additional resources being eaten by 3rd party software. Not everyone has a computer that can easily handle and run Civ so just because your computer doesn't notice any difference doesn't mean someone else who is running the minimum requirements doesn't need every ounce of resources they can get.

I don't want to be concerned with not being able to play because the 3rd party software has a bug in it.

I don't want all the extra hassle and worries that go along with being required to have 3rd party software especially when the only benefits that software give have zero appeal to me.
Click to expand...

Sometimes you need to put some effort into something to get what you want out of it. Buying a retail game still involves: Opening the package (be careful with your hands!), putting the disc into the computer (watch out for dust), running the setup, accepting a EULA, installing the game and choosing where to install it and configuring the install (this might be tiring), accepting other EULAs for other required components (gamespy for example), choosing whether a shortcut goes to the desktop or not, and launching the game (word of caution). Don't forget, you still have to search for options to configure Civ5 the way you want it to be (the horror).

If that stuff gets in the way between you and your favorite game (I say favorite since you're posting this on the internet for everyone to see), so be it. Here is my proposal: Find a friend who is getting Civ5 (instead of convincing him to NOT do it). Then go over to his place, and watch him play civ5 and see if Steam is getting in the way. Barring the fact that the new release isnt buggy as hell and has problems itself or with Steam, then make your own judgement.

Theres still months before the game comes out. Jumping to conclusions only makes it hurt more.
 
Hi,

I have only one game on STEAM. (I like STEAM)
The one thing I am always interested in knowing about STEAM:
who is moderating STEAM's forum of a game?
or more precisely, who determine who will be the moderators of their game forums?
(It is STEAM people, Firaxis or the publisher)

Btw:
Why isn't anyone demand a price cut on Civ5? Since if we buy Civ5 from STEAM and we use our internet connection to do a full download, (the publisher is saving all the DVD material and delivery cost) shouldn't the price of Civ5 being cut for self-service delivery?
 
@Yakk
Thanks for the info. Civ IV uninstalling as we speak because packaging a source library is the exact same thing as a complete 3rd party software package like Steam. :goodjob:

@Avs
Thank you for the detailed list of steps required to install software! You have now convinced me that I should just go ahead and get Civ V regardless of what it requires since the Civ series is one of my favorite of all time. I hope they don't change the requirements so that I have to streak through the neighborhood after sending in my hard drive and credit card so they can personally install it that way they can be sure I have a valid copy. Maybe Civ VI will come with it's own version of virus software and require you to join a "Go Green" foundation. If so I'm sure you'll be the first in line, after all, sometimes you need to put some effort into something to get what you want out of it. :crazyeye:

Yes this post is sarcastic, dumb, and pretty pointless instead of actually discussing why or why not we should have to become a member of Steam because we want to play Civ. Thanks for the idea Yakk and Avs. ;)
 
hclass said:
Hi,

I have only one game on STEAM. (I like STEAM)
The one thing I am always interested in knowing about STEAM:
who is moderating STEAM's forum of a game?
or more precisely, who determine who will be the moderators of their game forums?
(It is STEAM people, Firaxis or the publisher)

Btw:
Why isn't anyone demand a price cut on Civ5? Since if we buy Civ5 from STEAM and we use our internet connection to do a full download, (the publisher is saving all the DVD material and delivery cost) shouldn't the price of Civ5 being cut for self-service delivery?
Click to expand...

Firaxis will still have the official Civilization V forums.

Currently, download versions of games cost the same as retail version of games, at least around launch, because retailers would boycott the game if it was being sold online for cheaper at launch. This is because it hurts retail business by undercutting them. In the past, retailers like EBGames/Gamestop have boycotted games for trying that, by not taking pre-orders and not carrying the game at launch. The game Warhawk on PS3 was sold in-stores for $60 (with a headset) and on the PSN digital store for $40, and EBGames/Gamestop refused to sell the boxed copy to protest the cheaper digital version, even though the box version had a headset to offset to justify the higher price.

Steam does have occasional sales on games that go below retail pricing, but those only occur when a game is older and retail stores no longer care about them because they have allocated their precious shelf space to newer games.
 
Harok said:
@Yakk
Thanks for the info. Civ IV uninstalling as we speak because packaging a source library is the exact same thing as a complete 3rd party software package like Steam. :goodjob:

@Avs
Thank you for the detailed list of steps required to install software! You have now convinced me that I should just go ahead and get Civ V regardless of what it requires since the Civ series is one of my favorite of all time. I hope they don't change the requirements so that I have to streak through the neighborhood after sending in my hard drive and credit card so they can personally install it that way they can be sure I have a valid copy. Maybe Civ VI will come with it's own version of virus software and require you to join a "Go Green" foundation. If so I'm sure you'll be the first in line, after all, sometimes you need to put some effort into something to get what you want out of it. :crazyeye:

Yes this post is sarcastic, dumb, and pretty pointless instead of actually discussing why or why not we should have to become a member of Steam because we want to play Civ. Thanks for the idea Yakk and Avs. ;)
Click to expand...

Haha no problem. Enjoyed it as well.

See this post from 2k forums though.
http://forums.civfanatics.com/showpost.php?p=9183643&postcount=351
 
You can only access your steam account online on one machine at a time, yes. But aside from that you get unlimited re installs for your account, thus say if you rebuild your machine once you have steam installed again all you have to do is re-download the game again or install from a back-up disk(s) which steam will also let you create. Basically all Steam does is tie the game to your particular account, as long as the accounts still valid your games stay with it regardless of the machine you access your account with.
Click to expand...

Here's my situation, and I'm not sure if the quoted text addresses it specifically. There are two computers in our home - a laptop and a desktop. If my wife is using one, and I REALLY have to play a turn in a game, will I be able to legally have the game installed on both computers? With a DVD this is obviously a moot question: remove the DVD from one machine, insert into the other, and play the game. But will Steam allow this? Will I be restricted to having CiV installed on only one machine at a time?

And to throw an additional wrench into the works - what about cross-platform instances? Mac's at work, PC's at home, or vice versa...?
 
peter grimes said:
Here's my situation, and I'm not sure if the quoted text addresses it specifically. There are two computers in our home - a laptop and a desktop. If my wife is using one, and I REALLY have to play a turn in a game, will I be able to legally have the game installed on both computers? With a DVD this is obviously a moot question: remove the DVD from one machine, insert into the other, and play the game. But will Steam allow this? Will I be restricted to having CiV installed on only one machine at a time?

And to throw an additional wrench into the works - what about cross-platform instances? Mac's at work, PC's at home, or vice versa...?
Click to expand...

With one account you can install on as many computers as you like, mac or windows. Just one will be able to play at a time.
 
peter grimes said:
Here's my situation, and I'm not sure if the quoted text addresses it specifically. There are two computers in our home - a laptop and a desktop. If my wife is using one, and I REALLY have to play a turn in a game, will I be able to legally have the game installed on both computers? With a DVD this is obviously a moot question: remove the DVD from one machine, insert into the other, and play the game. But will Steam allow this? Will I be restricted to having CiV installed on only one machine at a time?
Click to expand...

From my experience with other Steam games, you can install on any number of systems you'd like. You won't be able to play at the exact same moment on both machines, but you can very easily play half a game on Computer A, let your wife on, and finish on Computer B. Moreso because saves move with your Steam account, so you don't even have to carry files - just sit down and play anywhere in the world.

And to throw an additional wrench into the works - what about cross-platform instances? Mac's at work, PC's at home, or vice versa...?
Click to expand...

I'm not entirely sure, since multi-OS games were just instituted today. I'd be completely shocked if you're limited by OS, though; Firaxis and Valve aren't the types to force you to buy the same game twice. My guess is that you'll be mostly* fine.

*I say "mostly" because Steamcloud isn't cross-OS yet, so saves from a Windows machine won't run on a Mac one. AFAIK Valve's working to take care of this, so it shouldn't be an issue later.
 
@Peter Grimes
You will be able to install Civ on as many computers as you like, but you can only access your steam account online one computer at a time. Eg, you can play Civ on either your desktop or laptop, but you wouldn't be able to play against your wife at the same time if you only have one steam account (and thus only one copy of the game).

If you're in offline mode on one of the computers, you'd be able to access your accounts on both computers at the same time, I believe. You're technically not supposed to share your account, but I think it's fair between husband and wife ;)

EDIT: i type WAY too slow :D
 
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