How does Steam work?

[St Jon]

This is probably a really dumb question but I've never purchased anything via Steam, old fashioned soul that I am, but both to try out Civ VI and see if I can get Civ IV working under Win10 I am willing to try.

Does Steam download you the full application therefore allowing you to apply mods and unofficial patches? If not does this mean that there will be no way for me to play in a modded MP Game? If no to both can I therefore take it that it will only ever possible to play online logged in to Steam thusly totally stymied if I want to play on my laptop where no WiFi is available as UK roaming access is poor, I think I am being generous there in using the word 'poor', as I will never be able to maintain a stable connection?

[Quillan]

With Steam, you do download the full entire application, so you can apply mods and unofficial patches. However, the rest of it depends upon other factors. Civ VI has mods integrated into the game which can be enable or disabled from the main menu, so in multi-player you simply have to uncheck the ones that aren't allowed before playing. Other games work differently.

[dangermosquito]

omg, bro. gaming is not for you