Steam - The 'somewhat explain it all guide'

[PieceOfMind]

When Steam isn't working for some reason or other, you need the patience and know-how to get it working again. Yesterday I was not able to get the Steam client running because my internet connection was down. I learned later there were ways to get around it once I was able to get back on the internet and ask in the forum, though I haven't yet confirmed that the suggestions will work.

The fact that I was unable to get Steam running in that instance is an example of why I don't like the fact that Steam is the only way to get this game. Steam is a good and professional platform but it does have its downsides. Whatever DRM they used in Civ4 it never bothered me and I found it to be not troublesome at all.

I've also experienced several times over the past couple of days after installing Steam that the program crashes occasionally or becomes completely unresponsive (e.g. where buttons like "Cancel" don't do anything) for unacceptable lengths of time (e.g. minutes). However I understand it's possible that some of these problems are caused by things specific to my machine. It might even be a problem with my machine and not Steam. Regardless, the fact that there is potential in such a case that I couldn't play civ5 means it's a possible annoyance for me. I don't want to "hate" on Steam but if I had the choice I honestly would buy this game as a Steam-free version. I would probably pay 5 or 10 dollars more just to have that peace of mind. That's just me.

What I wonder is, how many of the people who are such big advocates of Steam regularly buy non-Steam (where I mean "doesn't require Steam") games that require a Steam-like client to play?

As an example, I had to sign up for GPGnet and install their client to be able to play Supreme Commander and Forged Alliance in multiplayer. I had no issue with doing that but if I had to install a similar thing for every game I played I would quickly get tired of the practice. The advantage Steam has going for it is that it's common to many games so if you stick to mostly Steam games you don't have to deal with many other clients. This is essentially the reason that regular Steam users have no problem embracing it. For someone who is going to have to install Steam for this game only (civ5) and no other game, many of the "exciting features" of Steam are not that big a deal. It seems that for Steam to be really good, you need to commit to it and be a regular user of it. If that happens, yes the Steam experience is probably one of the nicest for any regular gamer.

 

[scrlk]

There's a way to put 2 people on different computers on Steam at the same time FYI.

 

[LDiCesare]

Explain the difference

A program is usually understood as being an executable, a pieve fo software that runs alone. For instance, Windows (the OS) is a program. An OS is required to run Civ IV, but you have the choice of Windows (various flavours) or Mac.
Boost libraries are not programs but libraries. You can't "run" them. They are building blocks used in making a program but are not program themselves. They also happen to be free of any EULA or licensing issues for the end-user, although programmers can't do everything they want with them. Replacing boost libraries by something else would require rewriting all the software, probably in a way that's way more intrusive than integration with Steam. In fact, using C++ with or without boost libraries is almost like using two different programming languages.
Therefore, Yakk's comparison is not relevant, as it compares a stand alone program to a buildign block.
I'll compare programs to planes: A program is a plane. A library is a piece of a plane. The need to run Steam is something that turns Civ V into a glider: It needs the Steam plane to launch otherwise it can't fly of its own. Boost is more like the wings of the plane, not another plane you need to run your own.

 

[eireksten]

Boost libraries are not programs but libraries. You can't "run" them. They are building blocks used in making a program but are not program themselves. They also happen to be free of any EULA or licensing issues for the end-user, although programmers can't do everything they want with them. Replacing boost libraries by something else would require rewriting all the software, probably in a way that's way more intrusive than integration with Steam. In fact, using C++ with or without boost libraries is almost like using two different programming languages.

Did you know that Civ5 uses the library Steamworks? That this is in fact the reason for integration with Steam? Replacing Steamworks with something else would also require rewriting of software, as replacing boost will.

You can be mad at Valve for requiring the Steam client to be run when not using online functionality, but that's how it works. They do provide Steamworks otherwise free of charge to the developers. Something I'd appreciate enormously if I was to develop a game now.

The point is, Steam isn't just something that's been added in the end of the dev process for DRM purposes. It's there because the game uses the Steamworks libraries.

 

[Zhahz]

Yep that explained it all. Lots of facts and stuff.

/blink

 

[hclass]

Firaxis will still have the official Civilization V forums.

But I am more concern on the forum provided by STEAM, that is the forum made available in STEAM website for every of its game.

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.

That is not an execuse. Even if few of the retailers are protesting (whatever action they take), there still will be many retailers who are willing to sell Civ5 (take preorder and so on).

I will buy Civ5 very soon after it is released with 2 conditions:
1) I can buy it from STEAM with a price lower than ordinary retail copy.
2) I have enough info about the game (particuarly what is new) weeks if not months before it is released.

I think the game publisher is very stubborn in attitude, obselete in their sale policy and stupid (in sealing Civ5 info) as much as those retailers.

 

[Modiga-Disabled]

Slight derail, but if you've never tried Steam and are somewhat cautious of it then you really should try it out, at least for a bit.

Valve are giving away Portal at the moment absolutely free: http://store.steampowered.com/freeportal/
It's an amazing game and gives you the perfect opportunity to try Steam out before Civ V is released. You should really see what Steam's like before shooting it down. It's not as bad as a lot of people seem to think.

 

[LDiCesare]

Did you know that Civ5 uses the library Steamworks? That this is in fact the reason for integration with Steam? Replacing Steamworks with something else would also require rewriting of software, as replacing boost will.

You can be mad at Valve for requiring the Steam client to be run when not using online functionality, but that's how it works. They do provide Steamworks otherwise free of charge to the developers. Something I'd appreciate enormously if I was to develop a game now.

The point is, Steam isn't just something that's been added in the end of the dev process for DRM purposes. It's there because the game uses the Steamworks libraries.

Of course it uses a library to communicate with Steam. The point is Steamworks requires Steam ti run and Steam is a separate program. Comparing an executable program and a library is ridiculous. What I ment is comparing Civ IV dependency on boost with civ V dependency on Steam is justt ridiculous. As for the amount of code that would have to be changed, I don't have the code of both programs, but if Steamworks was as pervasive as boost can be, I'd be very surprised. Using boost means you may be using boost everywhere (foreach, shared pointers...), whereas Steamworks should be connected in only a few key points (authentication, MP, patching).
And I'm not saying Steam is added without reason. I think it's a nuisance that it has to run for me to run the game offline, but I agree it has its uses and if you want online play, it's a good model.

Furthermore, as I pointed out, boost doesn't require the end user to sign any EULA. Steam does.

 

[Shiggs713]

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?

Totally agree. I have one game on steam... I don't mind it, my computer didn't slow down or anything crazy happen to my identity.

Also being on Steam IMO automatically devalues it. They need to recognize that. I was going to pre-order it. Since its on Steam, and I get no physical copy, a physical manual ect. ect.... I absolutely refuse to pay $50 for it.... no longer even a day one buy sadly.

 

[hclass]

Totally agree. I have one game on steam... I don't mind it, my computer didn't slow down or anything crazy happen to my identity.

Also being on Steam IMO automatically devalues it. They need to recognize that. I was going to pre-order it. Since its on Steam, and I get no physical copy, a physical manual ect. ect.... I absolutely refuse to pay $50 for it.... no longer even a day one buy sadly.

The fact that I can play Civ5 without needing a DVD spinning, scratching in my DVDRom alone is enough to make me like STEAM very much.

I find it funny for many come up with minor disadvantages just to oppose the move of Civ5 to STEAM... and they never really care of what advantages they will gain, particularly, a price drop due to electronic delivery. If I were them I will say something like this:

Give me at least 30% price off if you are selling Civ5 through STEAM, you can save all your DVD, paper manual and I will download the game on my own, otherwise, forget about STEAM!

cool: am I sound great?)

 

[PieceOfMind]

I find it funny for many come up with minor disadvantages just to oppose the move of Civ5 to STEAM... and they never really care of what advantages they will gain, particularly, a price drop due to electronic delivery.

I think you are mistaken. There is no reason whatsoever to believe that because a game is steam exclusive it will be at a cheaper price. Typically the prices on Steam are similar to the prices in stores, probably because it's a condition the stores demand before they agree to sell the game on their shelves.

If anything there is reason to believe that because the game is Steam-exclusive it will remain at a higher price for longer. Quite the opposite of what you expected.

Just look at the preorder price of Civ5. At least in my region, after MW2 it is the most expensive game on Steam (equal with a few others).

So yeah, I think you're generally very mistaken to believe that an advantage of Steam is a "price drop".

I'll leave off the rest of your post because I don't think it's really saying anything.

 

[hclass]

One question, do I need an internet connection every time I want to launch the game?

I often play on laptop while travelling where there is no internet connection and this would be a serious blow for me.

No.
You can set a game to offline mode then from there on play it offline.

 

[Vordrax]

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)

Et Cetera

I hope you only play Console games then, because you just described an operating system.

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

The maker of that thread is incredibly misinformed.

- After the initial Civ5 DRM verification is completed can I remove DirectX/Windows/OS-X/OpenGL/Sound Drivers from my computer? No

- After I have started a game of Civ5 can I turn DirectX/Windows/OS-X/OpenGL/Sound Drivers off? No

I'm sorry but unless you're going to play only games you program yourself in Assembly, you will, at some point, have to install scary software made by someone other than the primary developer. We can help you get through this though, provided you aren't too worried about using Firefox or some other third-party browser to see this forum.

- Does Steam differentiate between single-player vs multi-player or offline vs online? In other words can even I play a single-player offline game without Steam being required to start and constantly monitor my actions? No

https://support.steampowered.com/kb_article.php?ref=3160-AGCB-2555

Steam Offline Mode instructions.

- Additional cost game content is already being offered, a Babylonian civ and a Mesopotamia map, and DLC is promised. Can some corporate guy decide that an independent game mod or content, from any source, is too similar to the official paid content and ban it? Yes

http://halflife2.filefront.com/file/HalfLife_2_Garrys_Mod;49585

There is the original Garry's Mod. The current version is being sold on Steam but you can download and use the old one if you choose. It hasn't been banned. If you can provide a link of a mod that has been banned on Steam, we can discuss it. But asking people debating against you to post links when you won't do the same is a bit arrogant.

- Can the Steam program be updated (when you connect to Steam, upload a patch, etc) to include a check for banned mods/content? Yes

See above. And a game can be updated to check for so-called "banned" content with or without Steam.

Also, individual games can be set to not be automatically updated via their properties. I took a screenshot of my own Steam settings for Civ IV:

http://yfrog.com/jyautoupdatej

 

[LDiCesare]

I find it funny for many come up with minor disadvantages just to oppose the move of Civ5 to STEAM... and they never really care of what advantages they will gain, particularly, a price drop due to electronic delivery. If I were them I will say something like this:

Some people complain that there are better alternatives to Steam. For me, I prefer Impulse.
However, to be clear, I'm not aware of better alternatives to Steamworks, and that requires Steam. Thing is, Steamworks features are of no use to me.

 

[The_J]

The maker of that thread is incredibly misinformed.

If you could point out, where exactly...

- After the initial Civ5 DRM verification is completed can I remove DirectX/Windows/OS-X/OpenGL/Sound Drivers from my computer? No

- After I have started a game of Civ5 can I turn DirectX/Windows/OS-X/OpenGL/Sound Drivers off? No

I'm sorry but unless you're going to play only games you program yourself in Assembly, you will, at some point, have to install scary software made by someone other than the primary developer. We can help you get through this though, provided you aren't too worried about using Firefox or some other third-party browser to see this forum.

I might be wrong, but it could be, that you need DirectX/Windows/OS-X/OpenGL/Sound Drivers for other things than only playing this one game.
If i needed to install them only for this game, i would also ask for that, but i need these programs for other things too.
And steam i do not use at all, but i have to agree in a contract with its owners.

 

[Vordrax]

If you could point out, where exactly...

I did.

I might be wrong, but it could be, that you need DirectX/Windows/OS-X/OpenGL/Sound Drivers for other things than only playing this one game.

And Steam can be used for many things as well.

If i needed to install them only for this game, i would also ask for that, but i need these programs for other things too.

No one is forcing you to use Steam only for this game. If you choose to use Steam only for this game, how is that different than installing DirectX for only a single game?

And steam i do not use at all, but i have to agree in a contract with its owners.

Then don't use Steam or anything that uses it. Or use Steam in order to use what requires it- just as you use DirectX for games that use it, or you could complain that they didn't use OpenGL or no API at all.

 

[The_J]

I did.

I can't see where.

And Steam can be used for many things as well.

Yes, they could program the ability to cook a cup of coffee into it...

No one is forcing you to use Steam only for this game.

But they force me for this game.

Then don't use Steam or anything that uses it.

Wait, good catch, that's what i'm advertising here .

 

[Chalks]

Yes, they could program the ability to cook a cup of coffee into it...

So, DirectX lets you cook a cup of coffee?

 

[The_J]

Haven't checked in the last time, i don't know .


Seriously: I don't care about DirectX at this point, because it does not force me into a contract with a data (doesn't matter which data) collecting company.
If it did, i would not use it.

 

[RockingKraut]

Steam=The iTunes of Gaming...
Accurate description