Steam Q&A and FAQ

[Maniacal]

OK so I tried to load it, I dont have Internet at home just my office, so I drove to the office installed it, and then when I came home you cant start a game until "Steam" does something. So my question, do you have to be online just to launch the stupid game? A second question, does anyone know who the Idiot was that made this decision to tie the game so closely to the internet? I only ask so I can write him or her a letter and tell them what a foolish, customer unfriendly action that was?

You should only have to connect to the internet once to authenticate the game, update Steam, and update the game. You will then also need to tell Steam to save your login information/credentials (whatever word they use) to this computer before you go home and use it offline. Offline mode isn't perfect, but it works fine for most people, and I've never had a problem with it myself. Anyone who claims it has to connect to the net every 30 days or something is lying, Steam does not need to do that.

Also most people have internet at home, which game companies rather expect these days, and internet activations are becoming standard.

 

[prof2962]

I understand about the internet being in many homes, approximately 62%, but I only use the internet to work. The only times I use the game is when I am in the field. I am a Paleontologist and Professor. During the breaks I have grants for Digs etc. So on the evenings if there is no real work, I like to play complicated games. Unfortunately there are not many broadband connections in the badlands or developing third world countries. I know I could purchase satellite hook ups, which effectively raise the cost of the game excessively. In addition have you read the agreement with steam and what information they can access on your computer when you agree to your account, I suggest you look at it again. My other proble is the way they chose to utilise this function without proper notification. A microscopic few lines on the back cover is not adequate. Do you actually read the fine print on every product you buy. I have never bought software that requires this, therefore I was taken completely unawares. The box should have had a very large notification on the front cover explaining the requirements to compromise your computer to invasion by another company. Given the typical software return policies(you cant return it) I now own a $50 useless piece of software that I will be lucky to get 10 or 15 dollars for on ebay. Especially since I will advertise the fact that it has this very annoying and unethical requirement. This is the last piece of software that I will purchase from Firaxis. The whole system is wholly absurd

 

[Maniacal]

I understand about the internet being in many homes, approximately 62%, but I only use the internet to work. The only times I use the game is when I am in the field. I am a Paleontologist and Professor.

That is totally awesome, do you by any chance need any paid help this summer? I have field experience in archeology in Jordan and need a job this summer :/

During the breaks I have grants for Digs etc. So on the evenings if there is no real work, I like to play complicated games. Unfortunately there are not many broadband connections in the badlands or developing third world countries. I know I could purchase satellite hook ups, which effectively raise the cost of the game excessively.

Part of the nature of the work sadly. This summer for a month the only internet I had was in Aqaba or Petra. And then a further three weeks of no games. As I said, Steam should be fine with working offline without an internet connection, you just need to make sure its set up for that beforehand. Sadly the games industry probably doesn't consider field archaeologists/paleontologists/etc as a big/important enough market compared to their percieved threat of piracy (Not that any DRM, even Steam , completely stops it).

In addition have you read the agreement with steam and what information they can access on your computer when you agree to your account, I suggest you look at it again.

Yes and you likely have many programs on your PC that also have lots of access but don't abuse it. The only info Steam collects automatically is for achievements, ingame statistics (depending on the game, VALVe's own games have a lot of stat tracking and feedback which they use to further tweak and improve them, I don't know about non-VALVe steamworks games like Civ5). VALVe also holds a hardware survey (and recently software one too) which are completely optional and again they use it to improve their products (the hardware one is especially important for game design).

My other proble is the way they chose to utilise this function without proper notification. A microscopic few lines on the back cover is not adequate.

Despite it being well-known before release the resulting shock of a number of people posting here from their first time discovering Steam is quite noticeable, I agree that info should be in bigger printing but eh its also the consumer's fault for not actually reading it, especially considering how crowded the back and bottoms of boxes tend to be.

Do you actually read the fine print on every product you buy.

Not really no, but I already knew what Steam was when I started using it in 2006 and have found few problems. I generally research stuff before I buy/use it.

I have never bought software that requires this, therefore I was taken completely unawares. The box should have had a very large notification on the front cover explaining the requirements to compromise your computer to invasion by another company.

I have never seen anything that indicates Steam has comprised my nor any other computer.

Given the typical software return policies(you cant return it) I now own a $50 useless piece of software that I will be lucky to get 10 or 15 dollars for on ebay.

You can't resell it, the game is tied to your Steam account and it is against the Terms of Service for Steam to sell accounts. Once you have used the activation code. And you don't own a useless piece of software.

Especially since I will advertise the fact that it has this very annoying and unethical requirement. This is the last piece of software that I will purchase from Firaxis. The whole system is wholly absurd

What problem were you having exactly? This is probably something easily fixed, just because you've had one problem doesn't mean the whole thing is some worthless crap that will never work.

 

[Xeus]

Also most people have internet at home, which game companies rather expect these days, and internet activations are becoming standard.

I don't have a query per se, but I would just like to make a comment because I think what you said is disingenuous. Actually, the great majority of people don't have internet at home. In fact, only 22% of the worlds population has any form of access to the internet at all ("World Internet Users and Population Stats". Internet World Stats. Miniwatts Marketing Group. 2010-06-30. http://www.internetworldstats.com/stats.htm. Retrieved 2010-08-04.; International Telecommunications Union) and the vast majority of them access it through work, school and internet cafes.

Steam (Valve Corporation), according to their Steam Subscriber Agreement, Steam's availability is not guaranteed and Valve is under no legal obligation to release an update disabling the authentication system in the event that Steam becomes permanently unavailable ("Steam Subscriber Agreement". Valve Corporation. http://store.steampowered.com/subscriber_agreement/. Retrieved January 31, 2009).

You can't resell it, the game is tied to your Steam account

. That's crazy talk and I can see Valve eventually being challenged on that in a big way.

I think many people associated with the computing industry come across to 'average' computer users as condescending, exclusive and elitist. Whether or not that's true is moot - that is the perception. The average consumer buying Civ5 has probably never encountered Steam before, dosn't understand why it's needed, gets frustrated if they have issues or problems with it, etc. OK, so Steam probably will say piracy issues have led to this authentication method - which again seems disingenuous because the technology exists to copy protect DVD discs.

I think consumers are being supplied a lot of misinformation and propaganda regarding the rise and necessity for such companies as Valve Corporation. It appears that consumers are effectively being bullied and coerced into accepting Steam. Prehaps it is the future of gaming, but I and many others will not be going anywhere near Steam. I appreciate this will probably not effect Valve's bottom-line one iota - but with increasing numbers of disgruntled consumers (totally anecdotal) I wouldn't be surprised if there was a consumer backlash - particularly in view of the associated problems with Civ5.

 

[PawelS]

I think the inability to resell games is the biggest disadvantage of Steam. Such things should be prohibited by law. Although personally I never sell my games, I think everyone who owns a game should have the right to sell it.

 

[prof2962]

That is totally awesome, do you by any chance need any paid help this summer? I have field experience in archeology in Jordan and need a job this summer :/

Thats what I have graduate students for, I don't know your educational background, but you do seem to have at least a Masters degree in Sarcasm.


Part of the nature of the work sadly. This summer for a month the only internet I had was in Aqaba or Petra. And then a further three weeks of no games. As I said, Steam should be fine with working offline without an internet connection, you just need to make sure its set up for that beforehand. Sadly the games industry probably doesn't consider field archaeologists/paleontologists/etc as a big/important enough market compared to their percieved threat of piracy (Not that any DRM, even Steam , completely stops it).


Yes and you likely have many programs on your PC that also have lots of access but don't abuse it. The only info Steam collects automatically is for achievements, ingame statistics (depending on the game, VALVe's own games have a lot of stat tracking and feedback which they use to further tweak and improve them, I don't know about non-VALVe steamworks games like Civ5). VALVe also holds a hardware survey (and recently software one too) which are completely optional and again they use it to improve their products (the hardware one is especially important for game design).

OK you are obviously not a scientist, if you were , you would realise this is pure speculation and conjecture on your part, you have no way of knowing what I have on my computer.



Despite it being well-known before release the resulting shock of a number of people posting here from their first time discovering Steam is quite noticeable, I agree that info should be in bigger printing but eh its also the consumer's fault for not actually reading it, especially considering how crowded the back and bottoms of boxes tend to be.

I just play the games, I don't read news items about them, I only look at release dates, I have other things to occupy my time with.


Not really no, but I already knew what Steam was when I started using it in 2006 and have found few problems. I generally research stuff before I buy/use it.

Regarding these two statements, we can use the reasonable person hypothyses. Would a reasonable pperson who has purchased numereous titles from the same company for years expect the conditions to so radically change.


I have never seen anything that indicates Steam has comprised my nor any other computer.


You can't resell it, the game is tied to your Steam account and it is against the Terms of Service for Steam to sell accounts. Once you have used the activation code. And you don't own a useless piece of software.

So you are OK with purchasing an asset, that you have no way of recouping your money from. Would you buy an automobile you cannot resell? How about a music CD?


What problem were you having exactly? This is probably something easily fixed, just because you've had one problem doesn't mean the whole thing is some worthless crap that will never work.

First you have to define easy, then you must define useless. These are rather ambigous terms so I will clarify. I believe changing the conditions of the purchase and then not clearly explaining that on the box in prominent ways, is a bit unethical. Granted I am older, and probably not as computer savvy as many young people, so easy to you might be difficult to me, you have no data to support your conclusion that it is in fact easy for me. My perception and level of skill show it to be anything but easy. Useless is another ambigous term, let me give you my definition of useless to make it clear. Useless to me is a 50 dollar piece of software that cannot and will not use(more on this in a bit), and that I evidently cannot sell to attempt to recoup my losses.

Why will I not use it, it is called principles, I do not think it is in the best interests of consumers to be apathetic and blindly accept things that they have been conditioned to percieve as too difficult to oppose. As you stated previously, a lot of people are just as irritated as I am, and Firaxis as a company should take note of that displeasure. I have never been the type of person to just lay down and take it, if I felt someone was treating me unfairly. I cannot say I have always succeeded in my attempts to get satisfaction, but neither have I always failed. If it is indeed tru that you cannot sell this piece of software, taht goes beyond unethical and gets into the realm of stealing in my mind.

I am attempting to add to the level of disatisfaction displayed here about Steam, etc on the off chance that some Firaxis beaurocratic bonehead might take notice and this might encourage them to do the right thing. I have never purchased nor searched out pirated software, music or movies before, but after this episode I can see why some people might do it. I don't think it would be right, but I can see how some might get so frustrated, and feel so powerless, they could be driven to such extremes. I have sent snail mail letters to all of the major executives I could find listings for to express my displeasure.

Clearly sir we do not agree, thats OK , thats what academic debate is about, and it makes neither of us a bad person. Your replies have given me new insights on a different world view. Let me just ask one question. If you had the choice, would you prefer to buy software that required steam, or would you prefer to purchase software that you could install and sell if you decided you didn't enjoy it? I cannot imagine people who would prefer to buy an asset that they cannot resell, and will only be installed with a more complex and laborius system. I know you think it is easy, but even you must admit that to just install a piece of software and play it has fewer steps and is less complex than one in which you must set up a steam account, get it verified online, install it, then launch it, getting it again verified online then finally being able to play it. At this point if it turned out to be as disappointing as Civ 4 was for me then I would really be angry. Although I couldn't sell Civ 4 either as no one would buy it, so it still reside in my useless software drawer.

Thank you for your time

 

[Maniacal]

I don't have a query per se, but I would just like to make a comment because I think what you said is disingenuous. Actually, the great majority of people don't have internet at home. In fact, only 22% of the worlds population has any form of access to the internet at all ("World Internet Users and Population Stats". Internet World Stats. Miniwatts Marketing Group. 2010-06-30. http://www.internetworldstats.com/stats.htm. Retrieved 2010-08-04.; International Telecommunications Union) and the vast majority of them access it through work, school and internet cafes.

The world is not the main market, the USA (and Canada), Europe and Australia are the main video game markets (and Japan). Everywhere else is generally secondary at least for western publishers.

I think consumers are being supplied a lot of misinformation and propaganda regarding the rise and necessity for such companies as Valve Corporation. It appears that consumers are effectively being bullied and coerced into accepting Steam. Prehaps it is the future of gaming, but I and many others will not be going anywhere near Steam. I appreciate this will probably not effect Valve's bottom-line one iota - but with increasing numbers of disgruntled consumers (totally anecdotal) I wouldn't be surprised if there was a consumer backlash - particularly in view of the associated problems with Civ5.

No one if bullying you into using Steam. I have tried to supply as much factual information as I can think of atm, there is certainly a lot of misinformation and propaganda going both ways though. I despise misinformation and propaganda. And there are probably more people with Steam accounts (~30,000,000) then play Civilization.

snip due to length

Fair enough from your point of view I guess, except, um, you still haven't said what exactly the problem was, which I offered to help you solve. It is probably a simple solution but without knowing what exactly the problem is I can't help you, and if you aren't willing to simply just post about it then don't complain about it not working.

Also I'm not sure what you expect Firaxis to do, because they aren't going to read this thread, nor (for many reason, such Steamworks being built into the game for stuff lime multiplayer) are they going to remove Steam from Civ5.

 

[Athelstan]

I'm thinking of putting steam on my laptop so as to have some games available when I'm traveling. However, I don't want steam to put CIV V on the laptop because it is too underpowered to play that game and I don't want to have it consuming disk space. Is it possible to tell steam to not put a specific game on a particular machine?

 

[Maniacal]

I'm thinking of putting steam on my laptop so as to have some games available when I'm traveling. However, I don't want steam to put CIV V on the laptop because it is too underpowered to play that game and I don't want to have it consuming disk space. Is it possible to tell steam to not put a specific game on a particular machine?

Yes, simply install Steam and it lets you choose which games to download. Steam will never (if it does, something has gone horribly wrong) automatically install games. Otherwise those of us with dozens of games on Steam would have to have a lot of very large hard drives

 

[jprc]

(...) Actually, the great majority of people don't have internet at home. In fact, only 22% of the worlds population has any form of access to the internet at all (...) and the vast majority of them access it through work, school and internet cafes.

If only it was true...
But it is even worst than this in most countries...
Unfortunately, when you live in poor countries (a majority on this planet...), the vast majority has no access to internet because they don't have a work, don't know much what internet is, don't have electricity, don't have a telecom system nearby, and only a very few who can do it at work, or via a friend who has internet...
Most schools don't.
There are very very few "internet cafés", and always located in some major cities.
By instance, in Mozambique, only 4 schools nationwide have internet for the students (International School, US school, Portuguese school, French school). They are reserved (in terms of access conditions and fees) for the foreigner community and very few wealthy Mozambican.
3 universities have some internet, but not on an open network as you are used to in the G20 countries...
... and do not expect also high speed !!
average of 64/128kbps is normal...

It took me 3 weeks and 2 days/nights for downloading Left4Dead on steam...

Back in topic:
1- It is impossible to buy a game on Steam if your bank data (ex.: in France) is different from your IP location (ex.: Mozambique), as the steam payment system will reject your payment probably for security reasons. But you can have a friend located a "good" country gifting you the game and you can pay him/her back, by instance using Paypal (what I did with my nephew in France).
2- If you go to some exotic places, be sure you do not have Steam auto loading with windows. It can kill your band with by upgrading something or itself and it can stop you to play a game by, again, checking if your IP is in the list of authorized location for this particular game... I had problems with steam while here in Mozambique, but also in Angola, Zimbabwe, Sudan, Cambodia (north), VietNam (north), Burma. No auto loading of steam is important AND do not have an internet connection when you start a steam game as steam will load (and check) at this time.

for the record, I favor Stardock's Impulse whenever possible as there is 0 constraints (payment, downloading, archiving, off-line, IP location). unfortunately, they can not compete with steam for the game library, and some very very tempting prices.

 

[ImperialGuard]

I was under the impression that steam achievements were "tracked" when offline, and then "synced" when you go online?

Is that correct?

According to steam I have not played the game in the last two weeks, and there are 6 or 7 achievements that I've accomplished, but are not showing.

Do you have to be online, or is there something I need to "tweak" with my setup?

thanks in advance

 

[Maniacal]

I was under the impression that steam achievements were "tracked" when offline, and then "synced" when you go online?

Is that correct?

According to steam I have not played the game in the last two weeks, and there are 6 or 7 achievements that I've accomplished, but are not showing.

Do you have to be online, or is there something I need to "tweak" with my setup?

thanks in advance

Achievements are only available when in online mode.

 

[KingMorgan]

a 50 dollar piece of software

I've not read the EULA but I guess we are not buying 'software' the way we understood buying a box from shop (even if you buy it from a shop) we mearly buy a $50 licsense that permits us to play the game, no ownerships, no rights, mearly allowed to mash the keys and click the mouse.

 

[mattcrwi]

I've not read the EULA but I guess we are not buying 'software' the way we understood buying a box from shop (even if you buy it from a shop) we mearly buy a $50 licsense that permits us to play the game, no ownerships, no rights, mearly allowed to mash the keys and click the mouse.

That is true, steam sells games as 'services' which gives them the right to do things like let you DL it any number of times because if it was a one time sale why would they give you copies of it?

It also allows them to terminate the service. That isn't that different than old EULA which gave you a lisence. In the old days you didn't own a copy of the software either. It is just more strongly enforced now because it can be.

 

[juckie]

Can't find the answer, but I would like one

I'm playing on a mac, and I could use the patches. But steam... mac... not gonna happen.

Is there another way to get the update?

 

[Maniacal]

Can't find the answer, but I would like one

I'm playing on a mac, and I could use the patches. But steam... mac... not gonna happen.

Is there another way to get the update?

Steam and Civ5 should work fine on the Mac, what exactly is the problem?

I'm not sure if there have been patches for the Mac version yet though.

 

[The_J]

Yes, that's the problem.
Civ on Mac has a different patch status than Civ on windows, and what he wanted to know: No, it's not possible to use the windows patch for the Mac version .

 

[juckie]

Yes, that's the problem.
Civ on Mac has a different patch status than Civ on windows, and what he wanted to know: No, it's not possible to use the windows patch for the Mac version .

Damn shame it is
Is it possible to download the patch from somewhere else then steam, I got an ICT buddy, maybe he could recode it ^^

Thanks for the answers!

 

[Maniacal]

No it isn't, you'll have to wait for Firaxis to release patches for the Mac version sorry

 

[juckie]

No it isn't, you'll have to wait for Firaxis to release patches for the Mac version sorry

Don't be sorry! Firaxis should be sorry! Pure discrimination!
Well, I'm going to bed then... waiting for Firaxis.