Official Civilization V Steamworks FAQ

[2K Greg]

The Official Civ5 Steamworks FAQ has been posted over on the 2K Forums:
http://forums.2kgames.com/forums/showthread.php?p=944015#post944015

And it's up before the end of July, just like I originally estimated!

I have reproduced it in full here, as a courtesy to you:

Spoiler :

Q. Can I play Civilization V while not connected to the Internet?
A. Yes. After you have activated your installation by launching the game once while connected to the Internet, you may restart Steam in “offline mode.” This will allow you to have access to Civilization V even while not connected to the Internet. Details on how to use offline mode are available on this Steam Support page: https://support.steampowered.com/kb_article.php?ref=3160-AGCB-2555


Q. Will I need to run Steam every time I want to play Civilization V?
A. Steam will need to run when you play Civilization V, but an Internet connection is not required after the initial installation.


Q. How big will the Civilization V download be?
A. It’s impossible for us to know for sure until the game is 100% finalized, but it will be in the same ballpark as many other Steam games. We will include this detail in our minimum specs when they are announced.


Q. Will it be possible to “preload” Civilization V on Steam before the release date, so we can start playing it the moment it unlocks?
A. Unfortunately it is too early for us to tell if this will be possible, but it’s definitely something we would like to do. I’ll let you guys know as soon as we know for sure.


Q. Will Civilization V use the Valve Anti-Cheat (VAC) system?
A. No, we are not using VAC. This means that nothing you do in Civilization V would cause you to become VAC-banned, nor will a VAC-ban cause you to be unable to play Civilization V multiplayer.


Q. When using offline mode, will I need to periodically reconnect to the Internet?
A. No. Once you switch to offline mode you can stay in that mode forever. The one exception is that if you significantly change your computer’s hardware, you will need to switch to online mode and launch the game one time to reactivate the game. There is, unfortunately, no way for software to tell the difference between a change in hardware and a move to a completely new computer, which is why this happens.


Q. If I use a personal firewall to block all network traffic to and from the Steam client, will Civilization V still function?
A. If you have already configured Steam to run in offline mode, then yes. It would cause Steam to function as if you had no Internet connection at all, which works fine once you are in offline mode.


Q. 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?
A. Patches will only be available to download via Steam. However, Steam does provide a method for backing up a game installation to restore on the same or different computer. You could use this feature to download a new version of Civilization V on a friend’s faster Internet connection and then transfer it to your computer via a thumb drive. After restoring the backup, you will need to connect to the Internet once to validate the new version.
Details of how to use this feature are on the Steam Support page: https://support.steampowered.com/kb_article.php?ref=8794-YPHV-2033


Q. Will it be possible to play multiplayer via LAN when running Steam in offline mode?
A. Yes, LAN play will function when in offline mode.


Q. 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?
A. The in-game browser, friend list, friend invites, and some other features are embedded within the Steam overlay. However, the mod library and in-game chat during multiplayer matches are integrated directly in to the game.


Q. What personally identifiable information does Valve collect with Steam?
A. The only information players are required to provide is a valid email address and a password, and to verify they are older than 13 years of age. All other information at registration time is optional. Valve does track the time spent playing a game, per account, but does not collect information about what other processes are running concurrently on the computer. A player’s profile can be set to hidden, which prevents other people from seeing that player’s playtime statistics. These statistics are also recorded while in offline mode, and are transmitted the next time you connect in online mode. Crash logs do sometimes collect extra information such as what processes were running at the time of the crash, and these logs contain your Steam ID for tech support to use.


Q. If I have a game of Civilization V running on my desktop at home (in online mode) and I log onto Steam on my laptop elsewhere, what happens?
A. Your Steam account at home would become disconnected. Your home machine will not be able to access any online or community features until you reconnect to Steam.


Q. If I install a mod from a third party website, will Steam need to “validate” the mod in any way?
A. No. Mods will not be validated by Steam, and you will not need to switch steam to online mode in order to play a new mod.


Q. When Steam auto-patches Civilization V, will mods cease to function until they are updated for the new patch?
A. We do not review mods so we can’t speak to the effect patches may have on every mod’s functionality. At the same time, ensuring that our platform remains stable and backward-compatible is a priority. As always, as I get more info, I’ll update you.


Q. How will Steam know that I bought a boxed copy of the game?
A. The box will contain a product code that you use to register your purchase to your Steam account. The box will also contain a disc that contains the data files for the entire game. When you install from this disc, it will install Steam if necessary and then place all of the game files on to your hard drive, negating the need to download the game from the Internet.


Q. Should I be concerned about where I buy the game from, when it comes to compatibility with future expansions or content?
A. One of the advantages of using Steamworks is that no matter where you buy the game from, you can be sure that it’ll be compatible with any future content released.


Q. Is there a limit to the number of times/computers you can install Civilization V?
A. There is no limit to the number of times and different computers on which you can install Civilization V.


Q. Is it possible to stop Steam from automatically patching Civilization V?
A. The only way to ensure your game is not updated is to play in offline mode. If you are in online mode your game will be automatically updated.


Q. Will it be possible to make a copy of the installation directory for the purposes of having multiple versions of Civilization V available to play?
A. No, this will not be possible.


Q. What is the possibility of a version of Civilization V being released that does not contain Steamworks integration?
A. Much of Civilization V’s framework is built around Steamworks. There are no current plans to ever release a version without that integration.


Q. What happens if my Steam account is hacked or stolen? Would this enable someone to steal the game from me completely electronically? How would I prove it was stolen?
A. Valve has a support page detailing how to recover a stolen/hijacked Steam account. You will need to provide some sort of proof of ownership of the account. The details can be found at this support page: https://support.steampowered.com/kb_article.php?ref=2347-QDFN-4366 – note that if Civilization V is the only game you have registered to your Steam account and you bought a boxed copy, you should be sure to save the original product key to use as proof of ownership.


Q. Considering the fact that Steam is now available for Mac and many games are being offered as SteamPlay, will Civilization V be coming to the Mac?
A. All Civilization titles have had a Mac version in the past, but we unfortunately have nothing to currently announce for Civ V. Stay tuned in the future!


Q. How will I unlock the “Cradle of Civilization” Map Pack?
A. The map pack will be automatically downloaded and installed through Steam’s DLC interface.


Q. How do I view all registered extras (like map packs) associated with my Steam account?
A. Here is a Steam Support page which details how to view all extras associated with a game: https://support.steampowered.com/kb_article.php?ref=2668-CFOM-1881


Q. Do customers need to download or install any other 3rd party program besides Steam to authenticate or install or play Civilization V?
A. The game will detect and install the required version of DirectX when you launch it for the first time.

 

[ZimbuTheMonkey]

Thanks.

Very informative and I'm sure those that are a little ignorant on how Steam works will find it very helpful.

 

[mjs0]

Thanks, Greg.

Q. Will it be possible to play multiplayer via LAN when running Steam in offline mode?
A. Yes, LAN play will function when in offline mode.

This is great news, thank you...

Q. When Steam auto-patches Civilization V, will mods cease to function until they are updated for the new patch?
A. We do not review mods so we can’t speak to the effect patches may have on every mod’s functionality. At the same time, ensuring that our platform remains stable and backward-compatible is a priority. As always, as I get more info, I’ll update you.

Q. Is it possible to stop Steam from automatically patching Civilization V?
A. The only way to ensure your game is not updated is to play in offline mode. If you are in online mode your game will be automatically updated.

Worrying, (but predictable) ... especially when taken together with:

Q. Will it be possible to make a copy of the installation directory for the purposes of having multiple versions of Civilization V available to play?
A. No, this will not be possible.

I, for one, will be installing Steam/Civ5 on multiple windows user accounts so I can switch to a back level (non-patched) version if my favourite mod gets bricked by a patch.

 

[Tatran]

Valve does track the time spent playing a game, per account, but does not collect information about what other processes are running concurrently on the computer.

And

Crash logs do sometimes collect extra information such as what processes were running at the time of the crash,

These statements contradict.

These statistics are also recorded while in offline mode, and are transmitted the next time you connect in online mode.

And what more is recorded?

 

[bjbrains]

And

These statements contradict.


And what more is recorded?

Crash logs aren't sent unless you want to (for tech support). About the third line: He's saying that steam keeps track of the same playtime statistics while you'll offline.

 

[Savoir10]

Thanks Greg. This info concurs with my own experience with steam.

RE: The upgrades and mod conflict. In civ4 every patch overwrote any modded folder. It sounds as though this will still happen with Civ5. However keeping detailed lists of your mods should alleviate this problem.

 

[Commander Bello]

Crash logs aren't sent unless you want to (for tech support).

This statement is not backed up by Steam's privacy policy, as far as I understand it.

About the third line: He's saying that steam keeps track of the same playtime statistics while you'll offline.

This statement means that I cannot hide my playtime statistics from Steam, even if I would like to do so (for whatever strange reasons)?

 

[Commander Bello]

One additional remark to Greg:
Thanks for these answers so far.

Outstanding are the answers regarding the question of mods making use of DLC content, or did I miss something?

 

[bjbrains]

This statement is not backed up by Steam's privacy policy, as far as I understand it.


This statement means that I cannot hide my playtime statistics from Steam, even if I would like to do so (for whatever strange reasons)?

Well, you could always not login to steam ever if you're that concerned about it. And since you can hide it from the public, and there's nothing personally identifiable about it...
Oh, and crash logs simply aren't sent automatically, regardless of whether they're specifically addressed in the privacy policy.

 

[2K Greg]

One additional remark to Greg:
Thanks for these answers so far.

Outstanding are the answers regarding the question of mods making use of DLC content, or did I miss something?

Mods are not handled by Steam in any way, so questions about them are outside the scope of this FAQ. The questions that do mention mods in this FAQ are there because they directly relate to how Steam functions, such as auto-patching.

We'll be discussing mods a lot more in the future, and at that time I'll field questions about the specifics of how they will and will not work.

 

[Aramel]

One additional remark to Greg:
Thanks for these answers so far.

Outstanding are the answers regarding the question of mods making use of DLC content, or did I miss something?

This isn't really a steam issue though.

 

[lietkynes]

Q. Is it possible to stop Steam from automatically patching Civilization V?
A. The only way to ensure your game is not updated is to play in offline mode. If you are in online mode your game will be automatically updated.

Are you sure about this ? Steam doesn't work this way. For each game you can go to properties > updates > automatic updates anche choose if auto-patching is enabled or not.

 

[Commander Bello]

I've just the next question, though.

Q. 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?
A. The in-game browser, friend list, friend invites, and some other features are embedded within the Steam overlay. However, the mod library and in-game chat during multiplayer matches are integrated directly in to the game.

I understand the term "mod library" as an equivalent for the mod-browser?

And if so, does that mean that I can make use of the mod-browser to search at CFC, while the game (and therefore, Steam) are both in the so-called "offline mode"?

Otherwise, would I have to understand the term "mod library" as an ingame functionality which then would be reduced to access of my local drives?

 

[Sahkuhnder]

Q. Are there any regional restrictions, or can I purchase Civ5 from anywhere in the world and still be allowed to play online/get patches from Steam/add mods/etc. from anywhere in the world?

This question should be relevant not only to those of us who travel, but to the Civ players in places like Australia and New Zealand as well. Link Link

 

[The_J]

I've just the next question, though.

Q. 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?
A. The in-game browser, friend list, friend invites, and some other features are embedded within the Steam overlay. However, the mod library and in-game chat during multiplayer matches are integrated directly in to the game.

I understand the term "mod library" as an equivalent for the mod-browser?

And if so, does that mean that I can make use of the mod-browser to search at CFC, while the game (and therefore, Steam) are both in the so-called "offline mode"?

Otherwise, would I have to understand the term "mod library" as an ingame functionality which then would be reduced to access of my local drives?

I need some clarification about this here too, because i'm not sure if i understand what "overlay" means.

And Greg, i hope you do not mind that i've translated the FAQ and posted it over here.

 

[Souron]

I've just the next question, though.


I understand the term "mod library" as an equivalent for the mod-browser?

And if so, does that mean that I can make use of the mod-browser to search at CFC, while the game (and therefore, Steam) are both in the so-called "offline mode"?

Otherwise, would I have to understand the term "mod library" as an ingame functionality which then would be reduced to access of my local drives?

I don't have sources, but reportedly there will be a mod library/database run by the creators, that streamlines obtaining mods for civ V. This will be separate from any mods hosted a CFC. Mods hosted at CFC will still work, however, but the mod library promises to be more hassle free.

 

[2K Greg]

I've just the next question, though.

I understand the term "mod library" as an equivalent for the mod-browser?

And if so, does that mean that I can make use of the mod-browser to search at CFC, while the game (and therefore, Steam) are both in the so-called "offline mode"?

Otherwise, would I have to understand the term "mod library" as an ingame functionality which then would be reduced to access of my local drives?

Yes, the mod library mentioned in that answer is referring to the "mod hub" or "mod browser" which has been mentioned by previews and in interviews, but the details have not yet been released. The mod hub doesn't have anything to do with CFC. As for if it'll work in offline mode: I am not sure. It's an online feature that can only be used while connected to the Internet and if you're playing in offline mode you should not expect the community features to function.

When we officially announce the details of the modding system and the mod hub, feel free to bring this up again if your question still isn't answered, and I'll do my best to get the answers.

I can assure that Auto-Patching will likely cause problems. Unless the mod creator keeps his mod updated throughout the whole lifetime of Civ 5, it will probably just cease to work at a forced update somewhere and no one will ever be able to play it ever again.

Absolute horrible thing to do for a game like this this 'Utlimate moddability'. So if you want to have the game patched to a certain version, Impossible to do. If something slips up and the game gets patched, nothing you can do because you either 1. reinstall and get auto-patched or 2. stay with the current up-to-date version. If it happens while you are in the middle of a modded game, OMG! Can't play the mod anymore until the creator can figure it all out and fix it.

As I said in the answer, we have every interest in making our game backwards compatible. Please don't jump to conclusions based simply on how Civilization 4 works, because Civilization V is a completely different engine that works in very different ways.

I bet this was another grande idea of 2K. Good job guys... I'm still trying to figure out the ways that 2K has actually DONE ANYTHING TO HELP Firaxis. Only bad nasty vibes come from Take-2/2K.

I would also appreciate it if you could refrain from gross speculation like this. I can assure you that 2K does not have any interest in forcing Firaxis to cause mods to break, which seems to be what you are insinuating here.

And Greg, i hope you do not mind that i've translated the FAQ and posted it over here.

Thanks!

 

[2K Greg]

Are you sure about this ? Steam doesn't work this way. For each game you can go to properties > updates > automatic updates anche choose if auto-patching is enabled or not.

That will stop Steam from keeping the game up to date in the background. Once you try to launch the game, however, Steam will update your game if it's not up to date, not matter what that option is set to.

 

[j-d-s]

If the Steam Servers are offline, we won't be able to play a legal version of Civ5, right?

 

[Sahkuhnder]

Outstanding are the answers regarding the question of mods making use of DLC content, or did I miss something?

Mods are not handled by Steam in any way, so questions about them are outside the scope of this FAQ. The questions that do mention mods in this FAQ are there because they directly relate to how Steam functions, such as auto-patching.

We'll be discussing mods a lot more in the future, and at that time I'll field questions about the specifics of how they will and will not work.

Bold by me.

This is very much a Steam question. Steam is the Civ5 DRM correct? Question #2 of your own FAQ is answered "Steam will need to run when you play Civilization V" and we can't ever play Civ5 without Steam running in the background, even in offline mode. What reason would Steam be required to always run while Civ5 is being played other than if Steam is scanning the game for content?

Bello is simply asking what the rules are. This question has been repeatedly asked on this forum and so far has been ignored.

We are told how great Civ5 will be for mod creation and that is wonderful news, but if the Steam DRM won't allow us to play the mods we made then that is a problem.

Civ4 mods allowed the modification of any existing content. Will Civ5 be the same or will the always-on Steam DRM impose a new level of restrictions?


EDIT- Thanks for taking the time to answer our questions.