AAAHHHHHHH

[LadyCrimson]

I have automatic updates turned off due to a weak connection, I just choose when I want to update specific games.

I'm still not clear...you do NOT have to patch before re-starting/playing a game that has available updates, then? That would definitely improve things a little from my perspective.

A quick search, I think I did see some 2009 forum posts that discussed how to keep different patch versions separate or something, so it does sound like there's a way to do it now, one way or another.

 

And yeah, in terms of lifespan of games..20+ years is a long time, not that concerned about that. These days since I'm not as into gaming as before I'd be content (for the money paid) with about 4-5 yr 'lifespan.'

A lot of the discs bought in late 90's early 2000's (some which were released a while before I bought them) still work on XP...hence why I keep an XP system around. Even have a Doom disc version that works on XP w/out Dosbox or similar. And somewhere I think I still have Doom on floppy. LOL

Edited July 16, 2010 by LadyCrimson

[~Di]

If you don't like Steam I suppose you could go for Impulse Now (Stardock).

Unless of course your copy requires you to use Steam (like F:NV apparently wishes).

 

Wasn't there a game that everyone boycotted because it required to use Steam, even if you bought it at GG or Impulse...

 

I'm not really ready to call it a personal boycott, but at this point I'm not willing to purchase a game that requires me to add Steam. Not even F:NV.

[Tigranes]

I think suffice to say, for me, and maybe for Di/others, compulsory Steam is a major negative factor in considering whether to buy the game or not, in terms of both theory & practice.

 

F:NV would have been a 100% pre-order buy for me, now I'm still mulling it over. I'll probably get it in the end, but if I wasn't so enthusiastic about it, Steam would have killed the sale.

 

edit: btw, this kind of stuff I think grounds the fears about Steam. That survey alone isn't a big problem as it's voluntary/optional: but it's not the only thing, and moves like these make you wonder where Steam are looking and where they will end up going. Similar to how some people feel about Facebook.

[Gizmo]

I think suffice to say, for me, and maybe for Di/others, compulsory Steam is a major negative factor in considering whether to buy the game or not, in terms of both theory & practice.

 

F:NV would have been a 100% pre-order buy for me, now I'm still mulling it over. I'll probably get it in the end, but if I wasn't so enthusiastic about it, Steam would have killed the sale.

Same here... However, I've recently begun to look at Steam as the default last resort, for when I just can't find a title, or when I can't find it without worse DRM.

[Purkake]

Wow, the New Vegas talk is going to be pretty sparse if only ~4 people get the game here.

[Amentep]

Wow, the New Vegas talk is going to be pretty sparse if only ~4 people get the game here.

 

I'll buy it on a console.

[Luckmann]

Wow, the New Vegas talk is going to be pretty sparse if only ~4 people get the game here.

 

I'll buy it on a console.

Heh, no wonder people are fleeing the PC as a gaming platform when Steam is on the prowl.

[Amentep]

In my case my computer still isn't up to snuff to play modern games.

[Atom523]

I will get it for PC, i like Steam. I find it incredibly convenient, there are games that i was able to get on steam that i couldn't play anymore. My game disc of Sacrifice was scratched and wouldn't install anymore, i couldn't find any copies on line that weren't grossly overpriced. I managed to get it on steam for like 6 dollars thanks to a steam sale. Games like Dawn of War 2 and its expansion i would never have gotten at full price at a store but when they were on sale on steam i couldn't resist. I am always worried that with new technology my old games won't work, if i can get them through digital download for a nice price i would snatch them up in a second. Steam wants to browse my computer? Fine let it, i will trade that for the convince it lends, it wants to patch my games? Sure one less thing i have to do, i always hated searching for new patches every once in a while.

I always go with steam for my PC games, why pay full price when i can wait a few weeks to months after it comes out and grab it on the steam sale.

[Mamoulian War]

Steam wants to browse my computer? Fine let it, i will trade that for the convince it lends...

 

Crazy people... Allowing to spy on them, because it's convenient? lol... and they are crying loud how communism is depriving another people of their human rights...

Edited July 16, 2010 by Mamoulian War

[Azdeus]

Yet ignoring new computerlaws allowing the government to basically read through your email and whatnot. (Atleast viable as an arguement in Sweden plus the new EU Swift agreements).

 

In my case my computer still isn't up to snuff to play modern games.

 

It's not that expensive to get a quite decent rig nowadays, if you just start out with a decent motherboard you can later on upgrade it even more cheaply and reusing some of the old parts (Case, HDD and fans for instance.)

 

I could never with good conscience buy a consolegame for 60-70€, feels like such a ripoff to me. :/

Edited July 16, 2010 by Azdeus

[Atom523]

Steam wants to browse my computer? Fine let it, i will trade that for the convince it lends...

 

Crazy people... Allowing to spy on them, because it's convenient? lol... and they are crying loud how communism is depriving another people of their human rights...

 

I am allowing a business to look at the programs on my computer, now if Steam steals my identity then I will come back and join the anti steam crowd and say they were all right.

I said that communism deprives people of their human rights? There has never been a real communist state so it is impossible for that statement to be true. Don't include me with fictitious comments

[Purkake]

Steam wants to browse my computer? Fine let it, i will trade that for the convince it lends...

 

Crazy people... Allowing to spy on them, because it's convenient? lol... and they are crying loud how communism is depriving another people of their human rights...

It's voluntary, get a grip man.

[Mamoulian War]

Yet ignoring new computerlaws allowing the government to basically read through your email and whatnot. (Atleast viable as an arguement in Sweden plus the new EU Swift agreements).

 

That's why i am laughing at everyone who is whining how evil is China, without realizing that 1984 is slowly overtaking the "free" world...

 

there were even some of former GDR (German Democratic Republic) high-ups in few documentaries, who had few words to tell, that the spying on citizens during late GDR era was a joke compared to current status of tracking on state level in "democratic" countries of anything you do with electronic communications...

[Azdeus]

Indeed, and I don't have a hard time believing that that is the case - electronic surveillance is'nt as time consuming or difficult as the more oldschool methods of tracking someone.

 

The new legislations that are going through are starting to scare the living daylights out of me to be honest.

Edited July 16, 2010 by Azdeus

[Purkake]

Off-topic much?

[Azdeus]

Not much, considering that Steam tracks your activities and purchases to better market products towards you - I'd say that a footnote/comment about global surveillance is'nt that much OT.

[Purkake]

Did you miss the part where the survey is voluntary?

[Azdeus]

Computer hardware survey, yes I know that - but they track your purchases aswell. My link to that report is dead I'm afraid, going to have to go google it if you want it.

 

I suppose it's to much to ask you to believe me on that part?

[Gorgon]

Well if I can teach them not to try and sell me Super Mario Cart 15 while I'm browsing steam I'll be a happy man.

[Purkake]

Computer hardware survey, yes I know that - but they track your purchases aswell. My link to that report is dead I'm afraid, going to have to go google it if you want it.

 

I suppose it's to much to ask you to believe me on that part?

Obviously they track your purchases, as does every other online store including Amazon, NewEgg and what have you. Welcome to the present.

 

I'd get rid of any credit cards and get an IR hat if I wanted to remain anonymous these days.

[Azdeus]

Well, my googleskillz are lacking, but the main jist of it was along the lines of;

User Generated Information may include, but is not limited to, chat, forum posts, screen names, game selections, player performances, usage data, suggestions about Valve products or services, and error notifications. Subject to the Valve privacy policy referenced in Section 1 above, as applicable, you expressly grant Valve the complete and irrevocable right to use, reproduce, modify, create derivative works from, distribute, transmit, broadcast, and otherwise communicate, and publicly display and perform the User Generated Information and derivative works thereof in any form, anywhere, with or without attribution to you, and without any notice or compensation to you of any kind.

 

Wich means that Valve/Steam are allowed to use your "game selections" to tailor their marketing towards you.

 

I'm not as eloquent or as educated as the person that analyzed this before me though.

 

Edit; GAaaaaah, I hate those postblockingthingies so that I can't quickly edit in a quote the lazy way!

 

Obviously they track your purchases, as does every other online store including Amazon, NewEgg and what have you. Welcome to the present.

 

I'd get rid of any credit cards and get an IR hat if I wanted to remain anonymous these days.

 

I did'nt say it was anything newsworthy, I pointed out that it is food for thought and that I don't like it and think it's an violation on my privacy.

 

I don't use creditcards myself, I - guess what? :D - prefer handling cash!

Edited July 16, 2010 by Azdeus

[Monte Carlo]

I have installed it. The game is rubbish.

 

Am exploring whether to uninstall it, but now Empires TW looks tempting.

[Azdeus]

Empire TW is quite fun, but you should possibly look at Napoleon instead. Some people swear it's more refined.

[Gorgon]

I vote Empires. Not much replay in Napoleon and they make you buy a lot of units as DLCs, it just gets to be more chiselling and more greed than I can stand. First you buy the game, and then you buy everything that was missing from it.