Steamed!!!!!!

[Azuarc]

Put simply: I didn't invite Steam. This was supposed to be a private date between me and my game, and Steam always has to come along and chaperone. I don't trust background programs of any kind, and want my system running as clean as possible at all times. I certainly don't know what the other program is doing behind my back. I'm not specifically accusing Steam of being Malware, but it shouldn't come between me and my game all the time. I purchased Trine via Steam a few months back, while gritting my teeth. Every time I want to play Trine, I have to wait for Steam to boot up, log-in, go through it's rigamarole first. And I simply shouldn't have to do that.

Also, I can guarantee you that any client that forces players to have the same version is going to create headaches. I've run into problems with that in other games, and I'm quite confident that Steamilization will face the same issues.

[Hauldren Collider]

What a silly sentiment. What on earth could possibly make you care?

[MxM]

While it is not a big deal, I personally still do not like Steam, the way it has to start each time I run steam game. It takes resources and time to start even in offline mode. Impulse approach is much better IMO. Steam just makes it more difficult for the customers who pays and makes piracy more attractive.

[Proteus_MST]

While it is not a big deal, I personally still do not like Steam, the way it has to start each time I run steam game. It takes resources and time to start even in offline mode. Impulse approach is much better IMO. Steam just makes it more difficult for the customers who pays and makes piracy more attractive.

I absolutely agree...
I have bought several games from Impulse and haven´t regretted it...
you can play them like offline games (i.e. without the impulse client running) with the added benefit of being able to install them on every of your computers you like, with just a mouseclick (and a login into your impulse client).
And if there are updates for your games available you just get informed by the impulse client (the next time it is running and you´re logged in) and then can decide for yourself whether you update the game/s or not...without your game/s stopping to work, just because you don´t want the latest update for the game

[NBK]

While it is not a big deal, I personally still do not like Steam, the way it has to start each time I run steam game. It takes resources and time to start even in offline mode. Impulse approach is much better IMO. Steam just makes it more difficult for the customers who pays and makes piracy more attractive.

I agree too.

I will just keep playing CivII and Civ4.

[self biased]

MxM how much does steam require in resources for your computer?

[MyOlde]

You need an active connection when you first install to activate the game. After that you can set the game to offline mode and play without an active internet connection.

In theory.

Some people have had problem with games refusing to work in offline mode, although I don't know to what extent that has been fixed or how many people have problems.

In offline mode the steam client still connects to the internet if it can to check for updates and (and this is a downside IMHO) if there is a patch for the game, it won't let you play until the patch is downloaded. Which can be annoying if you have a slow connection (or happen to be in the middle of a game and don't want to be forced to abandon it due to incompatible saves, which has happened on occasion with previous civ releases). Or if you plain think that an earlier patch is better (which has also happened, when a new patch happens to break something that particularly annoys you).

That's exactly what happened to me with the Orange Box (Half Life 2). I'm stuck on dial-up and the damned thing was forever trying to go online to check for this and check for that. I finally un-installed and threw the Orange Box in the garbage.

Sounds like I'll have to give Civ V a pass, too. I just can't hack that nonsense.

[Hauptman]

If steam really is a required aspect, they may loose me too. Forcing me to log on for a single player game??? Why the fxxk would I do that.

Relic did that with Company of heroes. I would boot up the game, set up a little skirmish to have fun with for an hour or two, and have people join it. WTF? I didnt invite nor want that. CoH, although a fun game, stopped beeing on my list. So, even if steam is nothing like relic, It's still not welcome.

[Dinner]

There needs to be a legal gamer's bill of rights which outlaws crap like steam which requires you to login just to play a game you've already purchased.

[DaShi]

I don't like having a third party interfering with my business...I mean, gaming. Hopefully, the government will step in and do something.

[Fistandantilus]

In offline mode the steam client still connects to the internet if it can to check for updates and (and this is a downside IMHO) if there is a patch for the game, it won't let you play until the patch is downloaded.

You just have to select "don't update automatically" on that game preferences and it won't download anything if that's what you prefer.

[rah]

Yeah, like another third party will actually do something that you will consider helpful. You do realize you're talking about the Government here?

I don't like the concept of steam, but I've got it set to just fire up when I need it which in civ's case will add a couple of seconds to a process that take over a minute anyway (if the past is a good indicator), so you won't really notice any difference. The resources that it sucks when compared to what civ sucks will be negligible (if the past is a good indicator) so using those as objections to steam is just plain silly. While I can understand the dislike of the intrusion of the software, to use that as an excuse to deny yourself playing a game that you've probably been looking forward to for years is doesn't make sense to me. All software is getting more intrusive. ESPECIALLY IF you're already using Windows 7. The most ridiculous argument is that you won't be able to play your game if steam goes under and you want to play 18 years from now without knowing what accommodations will be made if that happens. YES, life isn't 100% guaranteed.

Now if you all want to band together and make a very public boycott of V, in hopes of getting game publishers to consider the possible negative economic aspects of releasing a game through steam, MORE POWER TO YOU. But considering the possibility of your boycott having any impact, I'll put my energy into enjoying civ V.

[Hauldren Collider]

rah++

[Asher]

People trolling about Steam here need to get a life. Christ.

Steam isn't malware. It's awesome. If you don't want it, don't use it. It installs the game to the desktop as usual, you launch it and it'll play. Deal with it, find something else to whine about.

Go volunteer at a homeless shelter. Go learn an instrument. Do something, anything, more productive than ceaselessly whining about moot ****.

[Proteus_MST]

You just have to select "don't update automatically" on that game preferences and it won't download anything if that's what you prefer.

Well, if it´s this easy to stop the game from updating automatically, then it´s O.K. for me