Will it be steam based?

[Afforess]

I hate steam. will not buy if.

I enjoy making one sided opinions with out any supporting reasoning as much as the next guy, so, do mind elaborating?

 

[Afforess]

wow, a 50% price save, i like it already! whats the catch?

The catch is that you will always have access to the game, as long as you have a computer (No more CD & DVD's!), and a semi-stable connection to the internet, will be able to chat with friends in-game, get access to frequent sales, amongst other good things.

Wait, did you mean bad things? Valve is one of the few companies who doesn't sacrifice quality for easy money.

 

[fingers]

The catch is, as I understand it, that you have only a certain number of 'tickets' to use the game, and each tmie you install the disc, you use up a ticket, so that even if you have to renistall on your own machine for whatever reason, there'll come a time when you can't use the game you paid for. That's why people talk about renting not buying. But this could be pasrt of the DRM debate and Steam might not go the DRM way, they might just want to distribute it via online not disc, to save costs. I tried using Steam but couldn't get it to work, so ended up buying the disc version for one game.

 

[Dale]

wow, a 50% price save, i like it already! whats the catch?

Make sure you set your profile to United States. You also have to pay in US dollars.

Otherwise you get lumped on the Aussie Steam server with no access to R18+ games, and twice the price games. Oh, and a lot of DLC is not available on the Aussie server.

Examples:
Dragon Age: Origins. From EB games in Australia == $109.95 AUD
Dragon Age: Origins. From Steam == $49.99 USD =~ $56.18 AUD

 

[Afforess]

The catch is, as I understand it, that you have only a certain number of 'tickets' to use the game, and each tmie you install the disc, you use up a ticket, so that even if you have to renistall on your own machine for whatever reason, there'll come a time when you can't use the game you paid for. That's why people talk about renting not buying. But this could be pasrt of the DRM debate and Steam might not go the DRM way, they might just want to distribute it via online not disc, to save costs. I tried using Steam but couldn't get it to work, so ended up buying the disc version for one game.

I know steam doesn't use this. One of Steam's biggest features is that you will always be able to download the game and play it.

 

[Dale]

The catch is, as I understand it, that you have only a certain number of 'tickets' to use the game, and each tmie you install the disc, you use up a ticket, so that even if you have to renistall on your own machine for whatever reason, there'll come a time when you can't use the game you paid for. That's why people talk about renting not buying. But this could be pasrt of the DRM debate and Steam might not go the DRM way, they might just want to distribute it via online not disc, to save costs. I tried using Steam but couldn't get it to work, so ended up buying the disc version for one game.

Steam does not work like this. Part of Steam's conditions is you must use Steam's DRM methodology. You're thinking of EA who use those methods of DRM.

To get around having to reinstall each time, if you change computers burn your steamapps folder to a DVD, install Steam on the new computer and dump the steamapps folder into the new Steam. Steam doesn't need to download the games again.

 

[GreatProfit]

Licensing/copyright control is set by the publisher, not Valve/Steam. Many Steam games do not have activation limits, forced registration (for online features), or third-party DRM. But there are some that do.

For example, Batman: Arkham Asylum has both SecuROM and a 4 per month machine activation limit. Spore does not have DRM but requires registration for online features. In contrast, all THQ games have no limits, requirements, or DRM.

 

[@nthony]

I like Steam.
I like the fact I can be on a friends computer - maybe a thousand miles from home. Log into Steam using my account, and download and play the games I 've purchased when I want to.

I still buy hard copy games though. I'd say my purchasing habits are about 50/50 between steam and boxed copies.

 

[PieceOfMind]

Make sure you set your profile to United States. You also have to pay in US dollars.

Otherwise you get lumped on the Aussie Steam server with no access to R18+ games, and twice the price games. Oh, and a lot of DLC is not available on the Aussie server.

Examples:
Dragon Age: Origins. From EB games in Australia == $109.95 AUD
Dragon Age: Origins. From Steam == $49.99 USD =~ $56.18 AUD

I'm guessing that wouldn't be legal.

The other problem with steam that I've heard of, at least with Civ4, was compatibility issues for some people trying to either play MP with non-steam players or playing mods that were not written for the steam version. The whole install drectory structure is different apparently.

I think there are other mild complaints about steam like how it won't let you play a game until it finishes installing an update - something you have no option to avoid. That sucks if you're on, say, a connection that is slow.

Steam, love it or hate it, is great for developers and those steam-loving customers. But a Steam-only game, as the OP feared, would be a huge cut to sales of a game like Civ5 given the number of people who'd not already use steam and not want to have an always on internet connection.

By the way, everyone knows EB is usually a ripoff anyway.

 

[Ingvina Freyr]

Steam must be optional. I understand the pro-steam arguments given here by some and I respect them, but personally I won't touch a product associated with Steam since it made me unable to play Total War-Empire.

 

[azzaman333]

I like steam; but it sucks for MP games. If I wanted to play my family, I'd need to buy multiple copies. At $50 a pop, I'd snatch the retail and just install it a few times for a LAN game.

You can log in and load the game on multiple computers. You (probably) won't be able to play online, but you can still play on LAN. I've done this many times with counter strike source, where I've logged into my steam account on 4 different pcs and we've all been able to play over LAN.

Steam must be optional. I understand the pro-steam arguments given here by some and I respect them, but personally I won't touch a product associated with Steam since it made me unable to play Total War-Empire.

How/Why?

 

[Modiga-Disabled]

Steam does not work like this. Part of Steam's conditions is you must use Steam's DRM methodology. You're thinking of EA who use those methods of DRM.

To get around having to reinstall each time, if you change computers burn your steamapps folder to a DVD, install Steam on the new computer and dump the steamapps folder into the new Steam. Steam doesn't need to download the games again.

Although Steam will not impose install limits with its own DRM, it is possible for games on Steam to have additional DRM, which may impose install limits.

For example: http://store.steampowered.com/app/33230/?cc=US
Assassin's Creed 2 on Steam still uses Ubisoft's DRM and thus requires an internet connection.

 

[Ingvina Freyr]

How/Why?

I bought the boxed version of Total War-Empire at the store and went home to install and play the game. That was all I wanted. Instead I had to install Steam and it's features and then register on their website. I had no wish for either. Then instead of installing the game from the disc I just bought, Steam began to download the game from the website. My internet connection at the time was so poor it was problematic enough for me to connect just to register. To download an entire game? Well let me just say it's easier for a rich man to get to heaven...
I spent the following days trying to get information from the support sites of Steam (Valve?) as well as the producers and the distributors of the game. I found that I was not the only one having problems; there were pages after pages with complaints and people were in uproar. Some had managed to download the game but still could not play it. I followed all the instructions and tried all the tips I found wich among other things included trying to update all kinds of relevant and irrelevant software on my computer (again with my poor internet connection). I felt that the answers/excuses given on the websites by the concerned parties were given not in humility but with a touch of arrogance. It is noteworthy that one of the given reasons for working with Steam was to prevent illegal copying, but as I searched for answers on the internet I stumbled over several cracks of the game and this was only days after it's release. So that group was apparently one of the few not bothered by Steam. After a couple of days of unsuccessful attempts to install the game I went back to the store and returned it. I felt that I (read: the customer group I belong to) had been very ill treated despite the following facts:

A devoted gamer in general.

A long time fan of the total war franchise and having bought/played all games and expansions since Shogun Total War.

A grown up, with a grown up economy.

Spending a lot of money on games and associated products.

Now, I know turning to big companies with complaints is futile as they care little for one sole customer, but total sales are made up of single customers and so I respond to ill treatment in the only way I can by not buying their products and spreading the word around wich is what I'm doing now.

I can very well understand that others have had better experiences than me with Steam (otherwise the company wouldn't exist any longer) but for me, I need the option of not having secondary programs, not having to connect to the internet to play or download patches every other week. I just want to buy my own copy of a game and play my single-player games being disconnected (from the world )

 

[azzaman333]

I had a long post written to reply, but accidentally closed my tab, so I'll post the tl;dr version.

Most people have very few problems with steam. The game can be installed without downloading it. Steam doesn't require an internet connection active for you to actually play the game.

 

[Badesumofu]

The disk version of Empire: Total War installs from the Disk, if you choose to install it that way. You have to download any patches, but there's nothing new about that.

It's interesting how many false beliefs people have about Steam.

I recently bought Mass Effect 2 from Steam for $50US. It would have cost me at least $90AU to buy it from a shop here in Australia. There is nothing dodgy about this, no catches, all the patches and DLC have worked 100% for me. Steam is a real godsend for us in Australia. Despite our dollar being worth only 5-10% less than the US dollar, we suffer a 40% - 60% markup for games at retail here. It's not uncommon for a game that would be $40 in the US to be $100 here.

Steam also has amazing sales. I got Far Cry for $5 the other week. STALKER Call of Pripyat (that's a new release game) for $20.

Personally I would have no problem with CiV requiring Steam, as I will be buying the Steam version in any case.

 

[civ_king]

I don't want steam because then I can't hack the program to run natively OSX

 

[Dale]

Steam also has a very strong Indie section: World of Goo, Braid, Trine, Zeno Clash, Machinarium, etc etc etc. And nearly all for less than $10 USD!

 

[azzaman333]

The disk version of Empire: Total War installs from the Disk, if you choose to install it that way. You have to download any patches, but there's nothing new about that.

It's interesting how many false beliefs people have about Steam.

I recently bought Mass Effect 2 from Steam for $50US. It would have cost me at least $90AU to buy it from a shop here in Australia. There is nothing dodgy about this, no catches, all the patches and DLC have worked 100% for me. Steam is a real godsend for us in Australia. Despite our dollar being worth only 5-10% less than the US dollar, we suffer a 40% - 60% markup for games at retail here. It's not uncommon for a game that would be $40 in the US to be $100 here.

Steam also has amazing sales. I got Far Cry for $5 the other week. STALKER Call of Pripyat (that's a new release game) for $20.

Personally I would have no problem with CiV requiring Steam, as I will be buying the Steam version in any case.

It is great for us, except when companies sometimes jack up the price for us to match the instore cost (I think it was CoD 4 that was selling for $80US in Steam, leaving it no cheaper than buying from JB Hifi)

Steam also has a very strong Indie section: World of Goo, Braid, Trine, Zeno Clash, Machinarium, etc etc etc. And nearly all for less than $10 USD!

Audiosurf has taken up over 200 hours of my time. Not bad for a $10 game.

 

[Ingvina Freyr]

Most people have very few problems with steam. The game can be installed without downloading it. Steam doesn't require an internet connection active for you to actually play the game.

The disk version of Empire: Total War installs from the Disk, if you choose to install it that way. You have to download any patches, but there's nothing new about that.

As I have thoroughly explained above, nothing of this worked when I bought the game because the distributor (sega), the developer (theCreativeAssembly) and the provider of Steam (Valve) rushed a sloppy release thus angering a great number of their fans.

It's interesting how many false beliefs people have about Steam.

Do they really? Maybe it's because they have had no experience of their own with Steam.

 

[Chalks]

I absolutely love steam, was really pleased to see it on the "coming soon" list the other day.

I don't understand why anyone would hate steam. Ultra convenient, no disks, automatic updates - and some of the deals they have are absolutely awesome. I bought bioshock for £2 the other day. At that price, it's pretty difficult to justify not buying it.