Civilization 5 Steamworks questions/concerns for inclusion in the FAQ

[Senethro]

It needs to run while the Steam game is running. You can turn it off afterwards.

All those posts are a mixture of truth and incorrect information.

 

[timtofly]

But you can "run" it in offline mode?

 

[kozzer]

But you can "run" it in offline mode?

Yes, I've done it.

It certainly doesn't load on boot (edit: because I manually changed the setting - shouldn't have to and all that, but that's the way it is), and I always exit Steam when done playing a Steam game, and it no longer appears in my running apps or processes lists.

Though you MUST have Steam running while running any Steam App. So you can't start Steam, start CiV, close Steam and then continue playing CiV. While CiV (or any Steam game) is running, Steam must also be running.

 

[Mark Havel]

As a matter of fact, any Steam game started while Steam is not running will start Steam and try to log-on.

 

[12agnar0k]

It certainly doesn't load on boot (edit: because I manually changed the setting - shouldn't have to and all that, but that's the way it is), and I always exit Steam when done playing a Steam game, and it no longer appears in my running apps or processes lists.

Well, I dont see Steams loading at startup a problem. Most applications will be coded to load on startup (atleast on default), this is because the designers want you using thier programmes. However at least Steam is one of the better programmes that lets you disable the automatic load up (some programmes are nicer and don't load on start up as default, you tick a box to have it load on start up). At least Steam isn't one of those bad programmes that signs itself to load on start up but doesn't give you the option to disable this, I currently use a combination of MSConfig to stop a lot of programmes running on start up, but MSconfig is hyprocritical and will load up on start up each time so long as you disable other things, the exact thing you are trying to avoid is additional things loading , so I use spybot's registry editor to disable MSconfig from loading, and with the two I have the bare minimum loading of what I have on the pc leaving only what I want running all the time. This is Steam/MSN/AntiVirus/Windows Stuff.

Yes if you right click on the Steam icon in the task bar you can choose exit and shut it all down. Again some software don't allow this feature either stopping you from exiting unless you ctrl+alt+delete and do it old school. Some people complain about the fact that its sent to the task bar if you close the window on your desktop, I don't see this as a bad thing, a lot of programmes either have this as default or as an option atleast, as it allows you to "de-clutter" your desktop without quitting a programme. Sure Steam could have given this feature a check box too, but Steam is supposed to be an always online programme that allows you access to an online community and access to your games library, it doesn't work efficiently in providing you with the Steam experience in offline mode or when turned off. , but you can quite easily exit the application on the task bar. This is where I turn off most of my programmes because they use the task bar to "live on" as it were.

As a matter of fact, any Steam game started while Steam is not running will start Steam and try to log-on.

You are mistaken, Steam will not try to log on, i.e if you are connected to the internet it will log on to Steam online mode. I speculate this is what you were reffering too.

When a game is started if Steam is not running it will try to load Steam and if you last used it in offline mode it will ask you if you want to run in online mode or offline mode and thiers also a little X which I assumed would cancel the loading, it infacts just loads offline mode and loads the game lol.
Re-reading your post you could have meant "Steam will load and auto-log on to your account" this is true, unless you dont have Steam save credentials, but if you were last in offline mode you can stay offline. This is the important infromation people trying to avoid auto-patches and such and looking for.

 

[timmey_o_tool]

Hello, I have a question which have already been answered, but to read trough all this thread would take to much time, and beside it, I think that the purpose of a forum is to get answer to your questions and to discuss and not to read manuals .

So, my question : I very much like to play multiplayer civ games with my brother, we two in the livingroom. By multiplayer I mean just my and my brother. Will I be able to so with one copy of civ 5 ? As it is aloud to share privat objects, films, etc inside the private sphere (family and very close friends) without breaking the intellectual property law I should be allowed to do so, but I have my fears with all this Steam account stuff.

Thanks for your help.

 

[12agnar0k]

Actually sharing an account even privately with family or friends is against the Steam Subscriber Agreement, so if you do this then don't tell them.

You can use the steam account at the same time on two computers by logging into one on online mode and then selecting "offline mode" and then loading in offline mode,
and then on the second computer load steam in online mode. Repeat process to load it on X Pc's
However only 1 will be able to be in Online mode and thus have access to multiplayer features. LAN may not be possible in Offline mode, (not confirmed), we will see on release.

The best soultion is that both you and your brother both get your own Steam account with your own copy of Civ5. This way you can both play in Online mode at the same time with all online features.

Games are not supposed to be played on more than one computer at the same time unless you buy a multi-user license for a game, most games are only allowed to be run on one computer at a time, Steam could enforce this enforcing Online mode, but they allow offline mode for user convenience, even though I give you the solution to "cheat" Steam, if you have a conscience you will use the System as it was meant to be and not "use loopholes" to avoid buying 2 copies of the game to play 2 games at once.

 

[Tylerryan79]

What about hotseat? Is that coming back?

 

[The_J]

Has been mentioned as one of the MP modi.

 

[12agnar0k]

Has been mentioned as one of the MP modi.

To clarify Hotseat/Matchmaking and PlaybyMail have all been confirmed to be "coming soon" after the game is released but not confirmed as to when they will be patched in, the original source said 1 month for hotseat and playbymail after release, but this was removed as not give false information as they decided that this date was not gaurenteed, but 1 month is our guess then or a little longer.

Hotseat will allow you to play the game with more than one player without purchasing multiple copies. Which tbh is francly necessary, a lot of houses will only buy one copy I would guess. Not every family will afford to buy multiple copies. Not sure why they didnt decide to put it in before feedback asking for it back.

 

[Tylerryan79]

Would hotseat be considered breaking steams rules, since your sharing your account? That maybe why they didn't include it in the first place. Technically you could pbem with one account also. Play your turn, log off, next user logs on wherever they are at, plays their turn, then logs off. However I'm sure they'd notice that your "playing yourself" lol.

 

[CanuckSoldier]

I"m sure that Valve will not interfere with Firaxis offering Hotseat, PBEM etc. But the real question that is unanswered is will LAN and DirectIP work in offline mode? If they don't then you truly will have to by multiple copies to play with your family and friends in your house.

CS

 

[PieceOfMind]

As Elizabeth said in the other thread, neither of us have any information about future content (DLC or otherwise) right now. And as always, as soon as I do know, I'll let you know here. Hey, at least you expected that answer, right?

Hi 2K Greg.

Waiting to hear from you any day now.

 

[Commander Bello]

Would hotseat be considered breaking steams rules, since your sharing your account?

Hotseat typically means that two (or more) players are playing the same game, on the same machine.
Player 1 makes his turn, looking at his nation, his explored territory, and so on, then presses the button to move on and leaves the seat.
Player 2 takes seat and now sees his nation, his explored territory and so on....

This is the easiest way of multiplayer, since you don't need any other technical means than you're making use of for playing the game, anyway.

Therefore I take it as most unlikely that such an option could ever be against Steam's (or any other DD company's) TOS.

It just looks like the statement that including Steam made things (in regards to multiplayer functionality) easier for the developers was not quite true, as the "will come later" statements at the moment seem to refer to mp functionalities only.

 

[ori]

the statement that it does make it easier doesn't need to be false - it just likely never was a major reason for using steamworks
Having it easier doesn't mean you have to do it or even plan on doing so

 

[Tylerryan79]

Tick tock tick tock, how much longer on the FAQ? I'm happy we have had all this new information on the game, and by this point most users here are already in a camp, being buying the game and not buying the game. Those who are on the fence most likely will be leaning more towards buying the game, for the simple reason they love civ, and with all this time that has passed they are still giving it a chance. Unless the FAQ reveals some horrible information(not going to happen), the undecided will buy it. I honestly can't imagine something has set it back this far, many things would have to go wrong all at once for that to happen. If that's the case, get your acts together! Honestly if your motives are to drag this out to where by the time it's released it will have no effect, I think it's working. Or your showing all the bling in this hand, while you slip the trash right by us in the other.

 

[PieceOfMind]

Yes.
Greg, what questions are taking so long? Let us know and perhaps we can help you. We've got some people around here who know Steam pretty well.

 

[mattcrwi]

Yes.
Greg, what questions are taking so long? Let us know and perhaps we can help you. We've got some people around here who know Steam pretty well.

I doubt the difficult questions are the ones that can be answered by the public. With all the paranoia about steam keeping personal information I'm sure greg is trying to get information from his Valve contacts.

Other issues might involve what features are put into the game like hot seat. Hot seat apparently wasn't going to be in the game at first but now it is. Things like that complicate the situation when you are trying to put together an official faq. The faq becomes a moving target.

 

[tom2050]

I doubt the difficult questions are the ones that can be answered by the public. With all the paranoia about steam keeping personal information I'm sure greg is trying to get information from his Valve contacts.

So it could be Valve that is not disseminating information that they wish to have kept hidden and undisclosed?

 

[PieceOfMind]

Ok mattcrwi.

I'm still prepared to email Valve myself but I wanted some advice on who is the best to contact.

Greg, can you please tell us who it is at Valve you are in communication with?

Note: I'm intending to ask Valve some things about Steam that are not civ5 specific because it appears that sort of thing will not be in the FAQ.