Steam: Invasive crap software

[cronos]

Something similar happened to my cousin. He lives on a farm, so there is no internet access at all. Bought Rage and couldn't play it because of the Steam activation. He had to take his PC 30 miles to our uncles house to do the activation.

The BS part is the online activation, especially for single player. If you buy a single player game at a physical store, you should be able to put the disc in, install, then play. Or have a phone number where you can get an activation code or something. Thats something specific to Steam that should be addressed. Otherwise, its a general issue with online activation.

I agree that it sucks but I think you're looking at this the wrong way. It's not 'something specific to Steam that should be addressed'. Steam is offering this particular way of DRM (online activation/authentication), and the game publishers use this service as their choice of DRM.

If you want to complain, you should do it to the publisher and ask them to provide an offline authentication option for games they are selling in physical boxes.

 

[gorcorps]

I bought the retail disc from NewEgg for $44, it arrived Friday (11/11/2011) morning. You dont *have* to download games for Steam.

You don't have to download the entire game from steam, but you still need it installed as the game requires a steam account. And then you need to log on at least once to activate it. That's what he means.

 

[NTAC]

Well I think you need to activate these games online to at least try and fight piracy to some extent, although I doubt it really works very well.

But there's a point here, if you go to the store, pick up a box of your game with a CD in it, you shouldn't need an internet connection to actually play it.

Steam should say something like: "Hi there! I see you want to play this game which is great! But there's a patch available for it, do you want to install it? Yes.. or No.. " If you say NO, then you should have the freedom to play the game offline with no steam or internet connection...

Not sure if that's how it works, I've never had a problem with Steam and personally think it is freaking awesome, but yeah if you have a sh1t internet connection then I can see the frustration.

 

[Childs]

I agree that it sucks but I think you're looking at this the wrong way. It's not 'something specific to Steam that should be addressed'. Steam is offering this particular way of DRM (online activation/authentication), and the game publishers use this service as their choice of DRM.

If you want to complain, you should do it to the publisher and ask them to provide an offline authentication option for games they are selling in physical boxes.

In this case Steam is charge of verification, and when there is no internet available, they should offer phone verification. The purpose of online verification is to verify that the person bought the game. My cousin bought the game. In a matrix of user environments, this isn't that uncommon of a scenario and it should be accounted for. Depending on the source, around 40% of US households do not have broadband. 30% do not have home internet at all. Thats a lot of people. Steam is a service provided to publishers for a fee, so the logical place for an alternative to online verification using Steam, is in Steam.

The only similar service is Origin, and I'm not sure how they would handle it. But, if you buy ME3 in a store, the same applies. You shouldnt need internet to play it, but if it requires another layer of verification, they should provide an alternate means for verification. Even if its snail mailing your cd code to someone and they snail mail another code back to you.

 

[Wardawg1001]

In this case Steam is charge of verification, and when there is no internet available, they should offer phone verification. The purpose of online verification is to verify that the person bought the game. My cousin bought the game. In a matrix of user environments, this isn't that uncommon of a scenario and it should be accounted for. Depending on the source, around 40% of US households do not have broadband. 30% do not have home internet at all. Thats a lot of people. Steam is a service provided to publishers for a fee, so the logical place for an alternative to online verification using Steam, is in Steam.

The only similar service is Origin, and I'm not sure how they would handle it. But, if you buy ME3 in a store, the same applies. You shouldnt need internet to play it, but if it requires another layer of verification, they should provide an alternate means for verification. Even if its snail mailing your cd code to someone and they snail mail another code back to you.

Those numbers are somewhat misleading. Many of those people have internet available and choose not to have it. I expect the numbers of households who have people who play PC or console games and actually have no internet available where they live are much much smaller.

 

[videogames101]

Get a real internet connection. Satellite exists.

 

[cronos]

The purpose of online verification is to verify that the person bought the game. My cousin bought the game. In a matrix of user environments, this isn't that uncommon of a scenario and it should be accounted for. Depending on the source, around 40% of US households do not have broadband. 30% do not have home internet at all. Thats a lot of people.

I completely agree.

Steam is a service provided to publishers for a fee, so the logical place for an alternative to online verification using Steam, is in Steam.

And this is what I disagree with. I don't think it's Steam's responsibility to provide alternative verification method for games that they (Valve) don't even publish.

The way I see it, Steam offers a method of 'online verification service' to publishers. If the publishers want to provide players with an offline-based verification service, they should use other DRM service than Steam. Apparently in this case they don't think it's necessary, and they don't mind using Steam exclusively, even though it clearly gives an unfair disadvantage (imo) to people who buy the game in physical box and having trouble (and/or do not want to bother) with online verification.

The only similar service is Origin, and I'm not sure how they would handle it. But, if you buy ME3 in a store, the same applies. You shouldnt need internet to play it, but if it requires another layer of verification, they should provide an alternate means for verification. Even if its snail mailing your cd code to someone and they snail mail another code back to you.

Again, I agree.

 

[lupi]

Don't worry folks, gabe doesn't worry about piracy because everyone lloves his DRM.

 

[Childs]

Those numbers are somewhat misleading. Many of those people have internet available and choose not to have it. I expect the numbers of households who have people who play PC or console games and actually have no internet available where they live are much much smaller.

Well, I didnt say that it wasn't available, just that they didn't have it. Dialup is pretty much available to anyone, but at those speeds and the minimum amount of data to do anything these days, its not all that practical. For one reason or another, broadband is not universal. I agree that the chances a gamer would have internet access is greater, but I have no feeling as to what that number is. I have been a lpb since broadband was first available. But that doesnt mean all people are that way. I have another uncle that plays at least Diablo at least 3-4 hours a day, and has no internet access at all at home. He has broadband available in his area, and makes a lot of money, but doesnt feel he needs it. And he is not the father of the cousin I spoke about in the previous example.

And this is what I disagree with. I don't think it's Steam's responsibility to provide alternative verification method for games that they (Valve) don't even publish.

The way I see it, Steam offers a method of 'online verification service' to publishers. If the publishers want to provide players with an offline-based verification service, they should use other DRM service than Steam. Apparently in this case they don't think it's necessary, and they don't mind using Steam exclusively, even though it clearly gives an unfair disadvantage (imo) to people who buy the game in physical box and having trouble (and/or do not want to bother) with online verification.

LOL well, they obviously feel they dont need to do it, and thats the problem! But the place to do it, when using Steam, is in Steam.

 

[Schfifty Five]

Aww, where did OP go?

 

[StinkyPinky]

Something similar happened to my cousin. He lives on a farm, so there is no internet access at all. Bought Rage and couldn't play it because of the Steam activation. He had to take his PC 30 miles to our uncles house to do the activation.

The BS part is the online activation, especially for single player. If you buy a single player game at a physical store, you should be able to put the disc in, install, then play. Or have a phone number where you can get an activation code or something. Thats something specific to Steam that should be addressed. Otherwise, its a general issue with online activation.

With respect, not having internet in a developed country is very rare and I doubt ID Software had people like your cousin in mind when they decided on the DRM for Rage.

I like a simple activation over the internet. No annoying SecureROM or having to have a disc in the drive. Plus Steam also does all the patching for me so I don't even need to worry about trawling the internet looking for some patch that was released three years ago from a website that's down.

 

[cronos]

LOL well, they obviously feel they dont need to do it, and thats the problem! But the place to do it, when using Steam, is in Steam.

And I don't think Steam should care (especially because it's not one of Valve's games), so I guess we're just going to have to disagree

Btw, I'm also still waiting for the OP

 

[rivethead]

Aww, where did OP go?

To buy a new monitor since his last one must of had dead pixels right over the area on Amazon's page that talked about needing an internet connection and a free Steam account to play the game?

 

[Pulsar]

Yes, I disappeared for a whole two hours. Insecure much? Sorry, I had to go pack up, since I'm going to move my whole house to secure an appropriate internet connection just to play this game as some of our more... intelligent posters... suggested <not>.

The steam requirement was not originally listed on the Amazon page. They got numerous complaints and have now added it. It's good to see that they corrected their issue. Do a simple google search to confirm it if you'd like to actually be informed...

I feel truly bad for the non-technically inclined. No wonder so many folks have moved to consoles. I have to know the 'tricks' to run the game I just bought? I have to know how to fix steam when it screws up, which appears to be very very often judging by the internet hits, and since people here even know how to 'fix' it.

It's all so ridiculous. I wish there was a way to force these stupid companies to see that.

 

[Maximilian]

You live in the sticks you pay the price for it, cant have everything OP.

Steam is one of the best things to happen to PC gaming because without it we would likely have to deal with securom/starforce/origin/limited installs for every single game.

 

[Barfo]

Ask for a refund since Amazon didn't disclose a critical piece of information regarding the game activation.

 

[skace]

If you don't have internet, playing games is the least of your problems, the world is fucking passing you by while we type this.

 

[Pulsar]

With respect, not having internet in a developed country is very rare

Um, really? I think you might want to research that before throwing it out there. There's a reason it's come up in politics so many times over the last 10 years in the US.

 

[Pulsar]

Ask for a refund since Amazon didn't disclose a critical piece of information regarding the game activation.

And you know that won't work once the game is opened.

 

[JimmiG]

Complaining about games requiring Internet access is kind of like complaining about computers requiring electricity.

 

[Barfo]

Complaining about games requiring Internet access is kind of like complaining about computers requiring electricity.

Oh so that's why every laptop I buy last only about 5 hours and then dies.

 

[StinkyPinky]

Um, really? I think you might want to research that before throwing it out there. There's a reason it's come up in politics so many times over the last 10 years in the US.

245 million people have internet access in the United States.

Many of those that do not have it would either be old, technophiles, or living in extreme poverty. None of which would be a target market for a gaming company.

For a gamer that has the income to buy games, not having internet access would be very rare indeed.

 

[Dumac]

Patience young padawan, you don't seem to understand what physically purchasing the game means.

No, it is you who don't understand. Purchasing a physical version of the game of the steam version is no different.

See, you get this DVD to install it from. It's really quite handy when a piece of software that has nothing to do with the game uninstalls it without your permission.

This part makes no sense. I don't think you understand how any of this works.

While you're at it, tell me where it says "STEAM REQUIRED".

Right here.

Product Features
Platform: PC | Edition: Standard
Skyrim reimagines the open-world fantasy epic, pushing the game play and technology of a virtual world to new heights
Play any type of character you can imagine, and do whatever you want; the legendary freedom of choice, storytelling
Skyrim's new game engine brings to life a complete virtual world with rolling clouds, rugged mountains, bustling cities, lush fields
Choose from hundreds of weapons, spells, and abilities; the new character system allows you to play any way you want
Requires internet connection and free steam account to activate

 

[Dankk]

245 million people have internet access in the United States.

Many of those that do not have it would either be old, technophiles, or living in extreme poverty. None of which would be a target market for a gaming company.

For a gamer that has the income to buy games, not having internet access would be very rare indeed.

*Technophobes.

...I have a few (not very elderly) relatives who are technophobes. Never used a computer or the internet in their lives, never use the ATM, always go directly inside the bank to do their deposits/withdrawals... I'm not sure they know what video games are either.

 

[cronos]

The steam requirement was not originally listed on the Amazon page. They got numerous complaints and have now added it. It's good to see that they corrected their issue. Do a simple google search to confirm it if you'd like to actually be informed...

LOL I can't believe this. You linked us a web page and asked us to look for something, we found it for you, and you came back with this excuse.

Why is it so hard to just admit that you didn't see it?