So I just installed Steam once again.

[Vigormortis]

I think I do see some of the logic behind your stance, but I just didn't immediatly believe what this support tech said to be true. It'd be great if it was true but I'm not holding out too many hopes. Again, call me a pessimist if you wish (it wouldn't be the first time, believe me).

Anyway, we are dealing with hypothesis here. Valve suddenly discontinuing Steam does seem very unlikely at this stage and up until that happens (if it does) we can still play Steam-games. I back-up them up, too, but more because I then don't need to download them again in the event of a pc issue/full pc upgrade.

P.S. I must agree with you on the "copyright laws"-bit, though.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not asserting that there isn't a chance Valve, in the event of Steam having to be shutdown, won't hold to their claim of "contingency plans" to allow users to retain access to their games. There's always a chance.

However, I keep two things in mind:

The first being that; and I'm willing to wager on this claim; the modding community will have workarounds up and running not twenty four hours after the Steam shutdown. As such, even if Valve doesn't patch in a workaround themselves, the community at large will have access to others, regardless.

The second being that the legal battles Valve would be swept up in as a result of the flood of lawsuits coming from angry gamers would far outweigh any potential legal battles Valve might face against other publishers in trying to remove DRM from third party titles.

Again, I'm not saying there's no possible way Valve would choose to abandon their contingency plans. But, when taking all other mitigating factors into account, the chances are so small it's highly improbable.

It would make more sense, legally and monetarily, for them to hold to their promise than it would to abandon it.

 

[MCerberus]

The reason steam gets the 'free pass' is because it isn't a free pass. They've pretty much always been straightforward that their features being payed for with the DRM. Does anyone remember the 'back in the day' where you had to fileplanet patches and hope you got the most recent vers- wait the client is saying I have the wrong patch trying to join a game. Or... you know... the hell that was Gamespy multiplayer services. We're talking an age where the Unreal Tournament series was known for having a FUNCTIONAL server browser.

Early steam was actually pretty awful. It was bloated relative to the 1/2 - 1 gig of memory your machine had. Feature-light. A whole 3 third-party games. No sales.

But still. AUTOPATCHING. You have no idea how awesome autopatching is.

 

[Tayh]

But still. AUTOPATCHING. You have no idea how awesome autopatching is.

About as awesome as having all your mods broken and your savegames invalid.
Oh yeah.
Manual control > automatic

Been steam-free since 2010, has yet to regret it. It's just so much more convenient to be able to directly start up a game, instead of having to wait for game/client patches and updates or being denied your game because your 'net is out.

Edit:
If you're going to quote me just to roll out the fanboy speech: save it. Heard it all; don't care.

 

[Xentek]

About as awesome as having all your mods broken and your savegames invalid.
Oh yeah.
Manual control > automatic

Been steam-free since 2010, has yet to regret it. It's just so much more convenient to be able to directly start up a game, instead of having to wait for game/client patches and updates or being denied your game because your 'net is out.

Right mouse > Properties > Updates > set to 'Do not automatically update this game' > close. That and savegames haven't been corrupted for any game I've owned due to updates, I even recall it having prompts before updating on a few games where this might be case. Maybe if your game is 10 years old, but then there probably won't be patches rolling out for it anymore. Also in the case of mods I have yet to see it reverting files, unless when you have it manually check the file integrity and only then will it re-download altered files. Lastly, if your net is out you start it in offline mode, whilst this doesn't seem to work flawlessly for everyone, Steam has already announced to improve the feature.

 

[FPLOON]

Well, I can easily tell you that all of the games on my Steam all came from "free" redeemable codes... and I have yet to install any of them due to two things...

1. The amount of GBs needed to install these particular games (in general) are a bit much for the overall space of my laptop... Sure, I ended up getting a new laptop last August (which came with Windows 8, meh, and twice as much space as my dying old one, YAY!), but that just leads into my next thing...

2. I rarely use Steam to begin with... Sure, I've used it to make friends (most from my Skype), enter different Steam groups (one of which I'm a moderator there... it's boring with nothing to moderate anyway), and sometimes bother people there instead of on Skype (which is kinda the reason why I haven't been on Skype in a long while), I rarely use it for what's it's mainly used for...

Now, don't get me wrong... It was my cousins that convinced me to even have a Steam account.. (and not because of a free Portal 2 game redeem code via used PS3 copy of Portal 2...) and now I mainly use the "online mode" to "spy" on what my "friends" are playing right now... (They all have Magicka installed and I don't... I don't know how to feel about that...)

captcha: Free Hopper Upgrade
I changed that to Free Half-Life Upgrade in my mind... My brain does what sometimes... (Oh hay! More Freeman's Mind...)

 

[bjj hero]

and have no interest in the cards

Then you're a fool. I made 14$ selling those dumb cards. It's extra money to buy new games, given to you for playing games.

People really buy those? I'll have to sell mine. Ill look into it.

 

[SilverUchiha]

I've never experienced any real issues with Steam at all. So I've never understood the whole hate towards it in general. Not saying they're perfect, nobody is. But just I have no valid reason to hate them and I've never understood the reasons others have since most people I know haven't had issues with Steam either. Therefore, I typically just right off people who hate Steam has haters/trolls or hipsters. Not accusing anyone here of being any of that, I'm just speaking generally.

 

[Cowabungaa]

I'm between a rock and a hard place with Steam.

On the one hand, since I've moved out my gaming budget has drastically decreased so Steam Sales are my best option right now.

On the other hand, I have a ridiculous 50GB datalimit each month, severely restricting what I can install considering my regular internet usage. It's a pain in the balls really.

 

[thiosk]

Steam appeals to me. I have become invested in the platform and all other platforms have crumbled against it.
I will most likely build a living room PC and put steam OS on it in the middle and long term.

I've never had a problem.

 

[Amaror]

I don't get the steam hate.
Yeah it's Drm. So what? There are a lot of horrible Drm practices out there, but steam isn't one of them. In fact, it's the absolute best of Drm, because it makes it easier to use the game, not harder.
I have all my games neatly stored in one place, were i can easily start them.
I don't have to use Dvd's constantly to install my games, yet it still is considerate of my limited dsl, by letting me backup my games. That way i can just download a game within minutes via the college wifi and then just easily install it on my gaming rig.
And even better: I don't have to search the dark corners of the internet to get my patches anymore, thank god.

snip

Amen, brother.
I still remember those horrible times. There were actually quite a few times were i had to go and edit the registry files of a game, because i had this one version were the patch refused to install with the normal registry entry. God, manual patching is just so annoying.

 

[Saidan]

Gotta love Steam's free games. And the sales, oh good lord those sales...

 

[RicoADF]

Well, that's not really a public quote. It's a private message and I don't think it has legal backing. Do you really think they would be able to remove the DRM from third party games without legal consequences?

Games for Windows Live is being removed from games on steam, and if crackers can remove DRM by modding the executable file I don't see why the creators themselves can't.

We aren't talking about the creators are we? We are talking about Steam, the distribution service, going down. Valve can't remove the DRM from third party games.

They can patch their program to no longer need to ping their server to authorise the games use. They can't touch other DRM but they can fix theirs.

 

[TehCookie]

1. Did you even read the thread? I have more than once platform and go for the best deal. It's on the first page!
2. If you crack it which is questionably legal, but if I'm going to do something illegal anyways why would I pay them money? Unless there's some other way you know I don't.
3. Humble Bundles also have them DRM free as well as the Steam keys. Unless it's from crappy publishers, but I haven't seen many forced DRM games on there.

Though I have an unrelated question? Why are Steam fanboys so rabid? It's always like how dare someone not enjoy what they like.

1. You are evading the question.
2. C:\ -> Program Files (x86) -> Steam -> steamapps -> common. Games that were not specifically designed to use steamworks are almost guaranteed to work fine outside of steam client. No cracks. Just click the executable.
3. I don't even know what you are arguing here. I'll take it that you are conceding this point.

I don't consider myself rabid, but I do think you are not comfortable with steam and computers in general for whatever reason and show little inclination to rectify this.

I think TehCookie and some other users here have highlighted a critical flaw here in Steam: It's not user-friendly for non-technical people.

I think it's laziness and impatience, but that is my default assumption.

1. You're asking me the wrong question then.
2. Tried it and failed, it still launches steam and if it can't connect I can't play the game.
3. Humble bundle =/= steam.

Also how am I lazy with Steam? I am impatient, I want to play games on my schedule not Steam graciously allows me because it's in the mood. I don't have time to wait for my internet to come back because I don't know if it's going to be 5 minutes or 5 hours. Or if I patch broken games to get them to work I don't want to do it every time I play it because Steam doesn't like what I did. I want to fiddle with it and when it works leave it that way so it works next time I want to play. I like oldschool gaming where I only needed one copy of a game for me and all my friends to play it and mods/patches were always the same as how I left them, nothing interfered.

 

[Patathatapon]

I got DMC4 last christmas and it didn't work. I still use the games that actually work on it, but I refuse to buy anything more. Steam isn't as cheap as everyone seems to think, I can get games just as cheap used. Used games also have the physical game.

A potential way to sole your first problem would be trying to run it in "Compatibility mode" for windows 7 users (I was unable to play several games until I did that, including non-steam games). For your other issues, I got no solutions.

 

[Patathatapon]

I've seen a lot of people bitching about DRM. Wait, what?

[Taking out the fact that if you break steams rules (That you agreed to mind), they have the permission to completely terminate your account with no refunds what-so-ever]

During one weekend my internet went down. So? I just played the games I had, like Fez, Serious Sam, Thief, or whatever. Things that don't use the internet. Being unable to play TF2 was annoying, but that's strictly a multi-player game. There's a thing called offline mode guys! Look it up! so with that problem out of the way:

I never buy games at full price. even if it's only 5% off, i'm not buying it at full price. I either buy used, or when it's on sale. On Steam, things are on sale all the time, allowing you to support devolopers, and get it for fairly cheap. I never understood the appeal to Pirating games, and bitching about it when your CPU has viruses. The negatives outweigh the positives when it comes to pirating 100% of the time for me. The biggest one being my "conscience". My inability to take a game without paying even some homeless guy for it.

 

[Mycroft Holmes]

People really buy those? I'll have to sell mine. Ill look into it.

Yeah rofl. There's like a graph of the average sale price that you can access. Just look at that and set it to like 1 or 2 cents below and it will sell in under like 30 seconds. And if you get like a silver lined card or something people will buy it for like 5 or 6 dollars. It's idiotic. And I love it.

 

[WeepingAngels]

Well, that's not really a public quote. It's a private message and I don't think it has legal backing. Do you really think they would be able to remove the DRM from third party games without legal consequences?

Games for Windows Live is being removed from games on steam, and if crackers can remove DRM by modding the executable file I don't see why the creators themselves can't.

We aren't talking about the creators are we? We are talking about Steam, the distribution service, going down. Valve can't remove the DRM from third party games.

They can patch their program to no longer need to ping their server to authorise the games use. They can't touch other DRM but they can fix theirs.

If an EA game has only Steam DRM and Valve removes that, then they would be releasing an unprotected game to the internet. You think EA (or any third party) would allow that?

 

[Lord Doomhammer]

I've been on board with steam since 2008 when my xbox first refused to talk to my router and I couldn't get on xbox LIVE. Since then the xbox and router are on speaking terms but steam never left my computer.

It started out slow, gathering a small part of my first computer's 200GB HDD and now I have a full 500GB HDD dedicated to steam and it's games. It's not so much like a love hate thing... more like me and legos, where I get some and they never leave and now I can't use my closet for all the fucking legos...

It bugged me at first that I had to have it on all the time, but now it's just sort of part of my routine... it comes on when the system boots and just sort of sits there for me to browse through when I get bored never taking up any noticeable amount of ram or processor speed.

It's been a good ride and I wouldn't change it to origin for all the legos in the world.

 

[TehCookie]

1. You're asking me the wrong question then.
2. Tried it and failed, it still launches steam and if it can't connect I can't play the game.
3. Humble bundle =/= steam.

Also how am I lazy with Steam? I am impatient, I want to play games on my schedule not Steam graciously allows me because it's in the mood. I don't have time to wait for my internet to come back because I don't know if it's going to be 5 minutes or 5 hours. Or if I patch broken games to get them to work I don't want to do it every time I play it because Steam doesn't like what I did. I want to fiddle with it and when it works leave it that way so it works next time I want to play. I like oldschool gaming where I only needed one copy of a game for me and all my friends to play it and mods/patches were always the same as how I left them, nothing interfered.

1. You brought it up.
2. What game did you try?
3. What's your point? Most newish AAA games on the PC are not obtainable on anything other than Steam. Their availability on Steam allows them to be distributed through several vendors for cheap.

So it's your shitty internet connection that's the problem. Get a better connection. Can't? That is not the fault of Valve Corp.

I don't know what your issue with the modding is. Steam is very mod friendly, as any Elder Scrolls, Fallout, Mount & Blade, etc... player will tell you. If you have a specific issue, then I am sure that someone on the community forums probably ran into it at some point. Naming the actual specific issue might help.

1. I said used games, not used PC games and you didn't accept that as an answer. I don't know what else I can say about that.
2. Skyrim, DMC, Bloodlines, L4D, Portal, Mirrors Edge. None worked without the starting client.
3. So humble bundle sells new AAA games? [font color=e6e7e8]Okay I'm trolling with that answer, but I'm missing you're point as well.[/font]

Yes it's party my shitty internet, and to get a better one would involve moving. However all my non-steam games (both PC and console) work, so why wouldn't I blame Steam when it is solely their corporation getting in the way?

Steam updating games when I told it not to is the main one that breaks mods or uninstalling patches for VtmB when I finally got it working. Or even the first issue I mentioned where DMC4 crashes on startup. Or it not allowing me to play games offline and offline mode only works when I set it when I'm online. I've also had it kick me out of Skyrim because my connection dropped for 5 mins.

Oh and speaking of dodging questions you didn't answer mine of why are steam fanboys so rabid?

 

[DeimosMasque]

I first installed Steam when Civilization 5 came out. I have an autographed copy of Civ 3 and Civ 4 so me getting Civ 5 was no surprise.

Since I got it, it's only improved. Now I have nearly 90 games thanks to sales and Humble Bundle. And because of Steam I've played a lot of games I never would have played before. Bully, Mark of the Ninja, Organ Trail, Knights of Pen and Paper +1, Cart Life, 7 Grand Steps, Democracy 3, Home (one of my favorite games ever) and Warlock - Master of the Arcane (Master of Magic spiritual successor where have you been?)

I will admit that I have a good internet connection, but last time it went off: I could still play all my games (except for Star Trek Online which is an MMO.)

I hear about all these problems people have with Steam, and I've never had any of them. The only problem I've had with Steam is that it occasionally forgets my browser of my main computer.