Civilization 5 Steamworks questions/concerns for inclusion in the FAQ

[Achilleslastand]

How secure is this in game browser ? Why would I want to use your in game browser rather than the one I've already got? Are you going to prohobit the ability to minimizing civ for a moment ? Its called "windows" not "window" so is there a reason I can run civ and my browser at the same time?. I dont see having an in game browser as being something I really need or care about..and its gotta be a security nightmare and yet another peice of software offline/non steamers wont get updates for..sounds like leftovers from console development to be honest..and prob another way for steam to slip advertisement at us.

So...100 days till release and you cant tell us how mods are going to work..or dont want to as it will scare off preorders.

Creative assembly did the same with the last 2 titles. They chose to use Steam,refused to release modding tools...this with the auto patching and the DLC really put a major damper on the mod community for these games.
If you believe things will be different with Civ5 ive got some ocean front property to sell you.

 

[PieceOfMind]

A quick question which I'm not entirely sure is relevant to the FAQ but I'll ask anyway, mainly because I am hoping for an official response (e.g. from 2K Greg).

This is the thread.
http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=368108
The question is why has the Deluxe Edition disappeared from the per-order options in what appears to be everywhere except the US? Is it some sort of glitch/error, has some number of available preorders been exceeded, or is this some sort of move to making the DE exclusive to US customers?

 

[gmbfly98]

1) I almost exclusively play multi-player LAN (i.e. not across the internet) games with Civ. This may have been asked but I just want to confirm, will this still work with Steam in offline mode?

2) If I play a multi-player LAN game with the "regular" version of Civ 5, and some people joining the game have the "deluxe" version, will the whole multi-player game act as though everyone has just the "regular" version? Or if someone with the "deluxe" version hosts the game, will only "deluxe" users be able to join?

3) I know this is a little off-topic, but... Will the features of the "deluxe" version (Steam pre-order) be available to those of us who prefer to buy the boxed retail version?

4) Can you confirm that we will be able to save games (single-player, multi-player LAN, whatever) locally to our computers, and not have to save to the Steam cloud?

5) Will there be a limit to the number of times the game can be activated, and will upgrading components on my computer cause Steam/Civ 5 to think it has been installed on a different computer (I don't have Steam, so forgive me if this is a basic Steam question)?

 

[2K Greg]

4) Can you confirm that we will be able to save games (single-player, multi-player LAN, whatever) locally to our computers, and not have to save to the Steam cloud?

5) Will there be a limit to the number of times the game can be activated, and will upgrading components on my computer cause Steam/Civ 5 to think it has been installed on a different computer (I don't have Steam, so forgive me if this is a basic Steam question)?

I know the answers to these two off the top of my head:

4) Absolutely. The way Steam Cloud works in all games is that it simply makes a copy of your saves or settings or whatever the specific game puts on the cloud. The item still exists on your local computer and will work 100% fine if you are offline. In some ways the cloud can be thought of as a "backup" of your saves or settings.

5) Nope, no limit at all! I believe (I need to confirm) that upgrading/changing a significant amount of hardware in your computer will make Steam need to reauthenticate, but as I said there are no limits to the number of times this can happen.

 

[Commander Bello]

5) Nope, no limit at all! I believe (I need to confirm) that upgrading/changing a significant amount of hardware in your computer will make Steam need to reauthenticate, but as I said there are no limits to the number of times this can happen.

I understand and agree that you will have to have a confirmation about this, as it is really a technical question.

Nevertheless, I would like to add the question if such an assumed re-authentication would lead to the necessity of leaving the so-called "offline mode", in other words:
does Steam detect major changes in the computer's hardware and therefore makes it necessary to go online again?

 

[DixieBull]

2K Greg... will C5 still have religions? For me this addition has added another dynamic to the game that made it better.

Also I have heard that C5 will have leader units like in C3 Gold Edition? Is this true?

Also I heard that you have to pay for Steam Cloud is this true?

 

[bjbrains]

2K Greg... will C5 still have religions? For me this addition has added another dynamic to the game that made it better.

Also I have heard that C5 will have leader units like in C3 Gold Edition? Is this true?

Also I heard that you have to pay for Steam Cloud is this true?

1: The Civ 4 religion system is out. Based on dev comments, they didn't like how it dominated diplomacy
2: Nothing to support that at all atm. It wouldn't really fit with their combat system either.
3: No. You don't.

 

[mattcrwi]

Creative assembly did the same with the last 2 titles. They chose to use Steam,refused to release modding tools...this with the auto patching and the DLC really put a major damper on the mod community for these games.
If you believe things will be different with Civ5 ive got some ocean front property to sell you.

Wow dude. Did Creative assembly promise the best Mod tools they have ever delivered? Fraxis did and there is no good reason to believe that they are not going to deliver.

Auto Patching is an issue for mods but that doesn't mean that Fraxis isn't going to go about it a reasonable manner that will give Mods time to update.

I play very few mods. Most people play none. Auto updating for those kinds of people is a great thing. I wish more games had it.

 

[BTA47]

does Steam detect major changes in the computer's hardware and therefore makes it necessary to go online again?

Sorry for basically contradicting the first post, but this is pretty easy to answer and not really worth 2KGreg's time.

Steam detects the hardware it's being played on, just like any other DRM, to see if its been authenticated. If you have a substantial hardware upgrade (IE: Exchanging harddrives), it can fool Steam into thinking it's a different computer and it will need to authenticate. It will need to go back online to authenticate, just like if it was just installed, but only for the short time (a minute or 2) it takes to authenticate, and then you can turn it offline again.

 

[Grouchey]

Wow dude. Did Creative assembly promise the best Mod tools they have ever delivered? Fraxis did and there is no good reason to believe that they are not going to deliver.

As a matter of fact, Creative Assembly promised tools for Empire and boasted that the game would be the "most moddable" yet. But it wasn't, as the previous poster stated.

 

[thirdgeek]

Will there ever be a non-Steam version of Civilization V, or not?

It has been claimed on this forum that it is impossible to release a non-Steam version of the game due to the tight integration with Steamworks. It has also been claimed on this fourm that, should the Steam service ever be deactivated, the game would be patched so that it would continue to function. It doesn’t sound to me like these claims can both be true, since if the game will be patched in the future, then it can just as easily be patched now (and it seems that it must be easy, since if Valve lacks the budget to operate the servers, then it won’t have much of a budget to develop a patch either). However, if both claims are true, then that would be good news and I’d very much like to hear about it.

Furthermore, if the game will be patched in the event that Steam is deactivated, will such a patched version also be offered in the event that a purchaser’s Steam account is terminated by Valve (particularly in instances where the reason for termination is entirely unrelated to Civilization V)?

 

[Achilleslastand]

Will there ever be a non-Steam version of Civilization V, or not?

It has been claimed on this forum that it is impossible to release a non-Steam version of the game due to the tight integration with Steamworks. It has also been claimed on this fourm that, should the Steam service ever be deactivated, the game would be patched so that it would continue to function. It doesn’t sound to me like these claims can both be true, since if the game will be patched in the future, then it can just as easily be patched now (and it seems that it must be easy, since if Valve lacks the budget to operate the servers, then it won’t have much of a budget to develop a patch either). However, if both claims are true, then that would be good news and I’d very much like to hear about it.

Furthermore, if the game will be patched in the event that Steam is deactivated, will such a patched version also be offered in the event that a purchaser’s Steam account is terminated by Valve (particularly in instances where the reason for termination is entirely unrelated to Civilization V)?

Im sure whatever kinda deal they cut with steam will ensure that we will never see a non steam version of CiV5.
Its up to you to decide do i want to buy and d/l from steam or do i want to buy from the retailer and actually get a disk,box and hopefully a nice manual.
Isnt it funny they keep telling us pc games are expensive because we have to make a disc,box and a manual. But if you buy and dl from steam you get a cd key a pdf manual for the same price?

 

[PieceOfMind]

I understand and agree that you will have to have a confirmation about this, as it is really a technical question.

Nevertheless, I would like to add the question if such an assumed re-authentication would lead to the necessity of leaving the so-called "offline mode", in other words:
does Steam detect major changes in the computer's hardware and therefore makes it necessary to go online again?

Further to this, is there an official Steam thread or something along those lines that lists what types of hardware changes would cause a need for re-authentication?

For example, removing or inserting a PCI expansion card, plugging in or unplugging a hard drive, inserting/removing a RAM module. I also don't know whether or not it would count as a hardware change if something was removed and then put back in the same spot (as in I'm not sure if the OS or motherboard detects this or not).
Thanks.

 

[DixieBull]

1: The Civ 4 religion system is out. Based on dev comments, they didn't like how it dominated diplomacy
2: Nothing to support that at all atm. It wouldn't really fit with their combat system either.
3: No. You don't.

Regarding religion that was a dumb move... it takes realism out of the game... in real life religion plays a huge part in diplomacy, laws, and how wars get started.

As a historian i can tell you that the majority of wars are about religion or one religion trying to wipe out or conquer another. Hopefully religions will be added back in with the first expansion pack.

Just my 2 cents...

 

[Boozie]

I just want to say people need to lighten up on Greg. He is not personally the beast some of you for whatever reason want to slay. In particular I want to call out:

Drakarska: *sarcasm alert* I really like your comments *sarcasm alert*

Nerd: You really must know it all

Greg is here to help us, stop wasting his time keeping him PC in pointless arguing and stop treating him like the bad guy. This community is better than that.

 

[Commander Bello]

Greg is here to help us,(...)

Actually, we are waiting for this to happen.

 

[Drakarska]

I just want to say people need to lighten up on Greg. He is not personally the beast some of you for whatever reason want to slay. In particular I want to call out:

Drakarska: *sarcasm alert* I really like your comments *sarcasm alert*

Nerd: You really must know it all

Greg is here to help us, stop wasting his time keeping him PC in pointless arguing and stop treating him like the bad guy. This community is better than that.

Why thank you Boozie ( like the name btw).

If you'd actually bother to use any type of intellectual perception, you'd notice that i've actually treated Greg cordially. At no time have I insulted the gentleman himself, but merely called into account some of his more esoteric responses to questions. Or for that matter, no responses from him at all.
It's the nature of his job, and I actually respect him for being here and take the punishment that comes his way. But I do appreciate your sticking up for the poor chap, we wouldn't want him to lack all the warm fuzzies from all of us now, would we?

 

[DixieBull]

So let me get this straight... without Steam / Valve one can not play C5... for example if Steam goes belly up and shuts down because they arn't making any money then my $50 C5 game would be a very expensive paper weight?

 

[Joel E]

Hi all.

Thanks for feilding questions 2KGreg.

One of the frustrations I had with CIV4 was trying to keep the game updated and managing the save files for civfanatics HOF and GOTM. I ultimatly lost interest and quit trying to mess around with it all and just enjoyed playing the game, trying out different strategies, and visiting the forums for tips and ideas, stuff like that.

I Love CIV4! Got 5 years of good play out of it, but I always felt like I was missing out.

So...the questions...

Will Steam automatically make the necesary version updates so I can stay current with HOF and GOTM standards?

Will Steam facilitate uploading and downloading of save files for HOF and GOTM game play?

Other than the obvious expansions packs down the road will I have additional costs for updates and services through steam?

Will steam advertize at me when I am in game?

Thanks

Joel

 

[Boozie]

Why thank you Boozie ( like the name btw).

If you'd actually bother to use any type of intellectual perception, you'd notice that i've actually treated Greg cordially. At no time have I insulted the gentleman himself, but merely called into account some of his more esoteric responses to questions. Or for that matter, no responses from him at all.
It's the nature of his job, and I actually respect him for being here and take the punishment that comes his way. But I do appreciate your sticking up for the poor chap, we wouldn't want him to lack all the warm fuzzies from all of us now, would we?

Forgive me if I don’t see the candor in your esoteric cordiality but instead perceive your abstruse affability as a way to pall your extant antagonism. Asserting that Civ5 memory allocation questions should be included in a Steam FAQ for example makes me speculate if you vex yourself with intellectual perception.