Can someone explain the whole Steam situation to me? : Fallout: New Vegas

» Sun Mar 13, 2011 10:43 am

I know this isn't new news, and I know there's probably a billion threads about this, but bear with me.

I'm slightly confused about this whole Steam thing, how is this gonna work when the game comes out?

If someone could explain this to me simply or guide me to a thread or link that explains it in detail, that would be groovy.

» Sun Mar 13, 2011 10:16 am

Whether you buy the game in a store or online or direct through Steam, basically, regardless of how you purchase it, you will need Steam to play the game. Buying retail should remove the need to download the game before playing. But once the game is installed and running, there will be no difference between retail and digital download versions.

» Sun Mar 13, 2011 8:31 am

...But once the game is installed and running, there will be no difference between retail and digital download versions.

And what exactly does that entail?

» Sun Mar 13, 2011 11:23 am

And what exactly does that entail?

What does Steam entail? Go read there website.

I'm sorry if that's blunt, but I don't really understand what you're asking. In a basic sense, with NV being a Steam-dependent game, you will need Steam running when you play the game, in either online of offline mode. In exchange, you' won't need the CD in the drive. You game will also be automatically patched (provided a patch is available) whenever you launch Steam in online mode.

» Sun Mar 13, 2011 4:07 pm

regardless of how you purchase it, you will need Steam to play the game.

To clarify, you need Steam to Activate the Game, after that you can go into Offline Mode and not have to connect to Steam again to play the game. Also, after activate, you can download the game in a different language, should you desire that.

Steam will be your source for any patches and any DLCs when they release. If you are on the PC.

For Console users, the online services for them applies (Live for the 360, PSN? for the PS3). This game on the PC has no connection to Microsoft Live.

» Sun Mar 13, 2011 11:55 am

To clarify, you need Steam to Activate the Game, after that you can go into Offline Mode and not have to connect to Steam again to play the game.

That's how it works, in theory. But it's extremely unlikely that you will never be prompted to connect to Steam ever again. And one downside to Steam is that if it ever decides that it needs to verify your game files or whatever, there is no "Continue in offline mode" option; you must connect to Steam and relaunch in offline mods. A little annoying, but nothing big.

» Sun Mar 13, 2011 12:40 pm

You get the game disk. When you put it into your PC, install manager starts, it will see whether you have Steam already installed. If you do, it will ask you to login, or start it automatically. Then you have a serial code in your box, as with most games, to enter during installation, which it will then link to your account. Then Steam installs the game from disk, if nothing goes wrong.
Afterwards, you can switch Steam to offline mode if you are on a connection paid by time, and will only have to bother switching it to online when you get news of patches. But Steam will sit in the background whenever you play NV.

I highly suggest to install Steam and create an account before you get the game, though. It makes things less of a bother. ^_^

Another possible option is to just take the serial code from the package and enter it in Steam via the "add a game" button. Then you would have to download from the net (about 10GB) or create a shortcut to the Steam.exe and add "-install X:" behind it, where X is the letter of your DVD drive.

» Mon Mar 14, 2011 12:11 am

Since I don't have a DVD drive in my game machine, this makes me happy. The "cd must be in drive" was inconvenient (especially since it showed up every time I updated my graphics drivers)

» Sun Mar 13, 2011 10:32 am

And what exactly does that entail?

To clarify, you need Steam to Activate the Game, after that you can go into Offline Mode and not have to connect to Steam again to play the game. Also, after activate, you can download the game in a different language, should you desire that.

To clarify, you will still need the Steam application installed and always running (even in offline mode), in order to run the game (though you can exit Steam when not playing).

**Steam also entails keeping a user name and password that allows you access to your Steam dependent games. If you lose this information, you cannot play any of them.

***Currently I cannot play any of my Steam dependent games for this reason (and that the automated password recovery for Steam is [IMO] terrible).

» Sun Mar 13, 2011 10:48 am

To clarify, you will still need the Steam application installed and always running (even in offline mode),

You don't need it always running, if the Steam Client is not launched, it will do so when you launch the game. Neat, huh? However, you do need the client running locally to launch the game at some point. Not sure if you can shut it down after the game comes up. If there is even a reason to.

And, as long as your credentails are stored locally, it should not have to connect to the Steam service on the web. Except to update itself. I think if you tell it you have a Dial Up, it will even prompt you before it tries to update the Client.

» Sun Mar 13, 2011 10:21 pm

To clarify, you will still need the Steam application installed and always running (even in offline mode), in order to run the game (though you can exit Steam when not playing).

**Steam also entails keeping a user name and password that allows you access to your Steam dependent games. If you lose this information, you cannot play any of them.

To be fair, if you just run the game shortcut it will automatically launch Steam, at least my other Steam games do. The client footprint isn't large enough to be significant on modern PCs. Most other PC games install DRM-related software that's oftentimes resident in memory while playing on your computer as well...they usually just don't tell you that they're doing it or what it is they're doing. The fact that Steam is a separate app rather than integrated with the game doesn't bother me that much. Six one way and half a dozen the other. :shrug: Much better than SecuROM, anyway.

There are several ways to recover your Steam login credentials, so I don't think we need to worry about losing our games along with our passwords.

For me the only real downside of Steam is that I can't re-sell my game licenses. I really wish they would fix that.

» Sun Mar 13, 2011 5:34 pm

You don't need it always running, if the Steam Client is not launched, it will do so when you launch the game. Neat, huh? However, you do need the client running locally to launch the game at some point. Not sure if you can shut it down after the game comes up. If there is even a reason to.

And, as long as your credentails are stored locally, it should not have to connect to the Steam service on the web. Except to update itself. I think if you tell it you have a Dial Up, it will even prompt you before it tries to update the Client.

Neat... I won't kid anyone, I can't stand Steam. Currently none of my Steam games can be played, as it has lost my password and will not accept it when entered manually.

Spoiler

The Password recovery UI really [REALLY!] needs work. When I try to reset my password it asks for my account name, then sends me a code and asks me my secret question. When I type the answers and click "next", it then asks for my new password.

This seems well and good until it becomes clear that Steam has not checked that the secret question answer is correct ~This is VERY counter intuitive, and becomes a compounded problem when you consider that the password dialog-box does not allow the user to paste in their password, but actually REQUIRES them to type it blind ~twice; (One could argue that this is a good thing, but that argument falls apart when Steam refuses to accept the password because the answer to the secret question was wrong). This encourages crap passwords.

I use the GUID generator from Visual Studio for all important passwords (like FTP logins). Steam it seems cannot accept a strong password, so I've had to cripple my password strength to drop down to it's level. Typing this blind ~twice into the password reset box is a pain, especially when it refuses me every time, with the excuse that either I don't know my own "mother's maiden name", or that my new password was invalid.

Right now Steam is useless to me and the commercial products that I have "bought" via Steam are non-functional.

I would check what happens when you try to close close or kill Steam outright during a game ~but I cannot run any at the moment.

There are several ways to recover your Steam login credentials, so I don't think we need to worry about losing our games along with our passwords.

I'm stuck waiting for someone to get back to me ~again. (this is the second time in two months)

For me the only real downside of Steam is that I can't re-sell my game licenses. I really wish they would fix that.

That too. It goes against common fair trade and implies greed by refusing the customer's option to sell something they don't want; requiring others to buy direct instead of from a friend.

» Sun Mar 13, 2011 10:31 am

Neat... I won't kid anyone, I can't stand Steam. Currently none of my Steam games can be played, as it has lost my password and will not accept it when entered manually.

Spoiler

The Password recovery UI really [REALLY!] needs work. When I try to reset my password it asks for my account name, then sends me a code and asks me my secret question. When I type the answers and click "next", it then asks for my new password.

This seems well and good until it becomes clear that Steam has not checked that the secret question answer is correct ~This is VERY counter intuitive, and becomes a compounded problem when you consider that the password dialog-box does not allow the user to paste in their password, but actually REQUIRES them to type it blind ~twice; (One could argue that this is a good thing, but that argument falls apart when Steam refuses to accept the password because the answer to the secret question was wrong). This encourages crap passwords.

I use the GUID generator from Visual Studio for all important passwords (like FTP logins). Steam it seems cannot accept a strong password, so I've had to cripple my password strength to drop down to it's level. Typing this blind ~twice into the password reset box is a pain, especially when it refuses me every time, with the excuse that either I don't know my own "mother's maiden name", or that my new password was invalid.

Right now Steam is useless to me and the commercial products that I have "bought" via Steam are non-functional.

I would check what happens when you try to close close or kill Steam outright during a game ~but I cannot run any at the moment.

Yeah, that does stink. I wish people would stop being so naughty so folks wouldn't feel the need to secure their stuff to the point of being a pain to use.

» Sun Mar 13, 2011 11:39 pm

Can you explain more about the "shortcut to automatically launch steam and the game" please?

I have installed Steam (in preparation for NV) and it automatically runs when I switch my machine on. I can't figure out how to stop it launching! (OK, I can just shut it down once machine has booted, but I'd rather only launch it if it needs launching)

» Sun Mar 13, 2011 8:58 pm

Can you explain more about the "shortcut to automatically launch steam and the game" please?

I have installed Steam (in preparation for NV) and it automatically runs when I switch my machine on. I can't figure out how to stop it launching! (OK, I can just shut it down once machine has booted, but I'd rather only launch it if it needs launching)

If you create a desktop shortcut for a Steam game all you have to do is hit up the shortcut and it will launch Steam and then the game in one go. For me it takes about an extra 5-8 seconds or so for Steam to launch before the game launches.

To keep it from auto-starting, go to the Steam drop-down menu, click Settings, and then look for the 'Run Steam when my computer starts' option under the Interface tab.

» Mon Mar 14, 2011 12:53 am

Can you explain more about the "shortcut to automatically launch steam and the game" please?

I have installed Steam (in preparation for NV) and it automatically runs when I switch my machine on. I can't figure out how to stop it launching! (OK, I can just shut it down once machine has booted, but I'd rather only launch it if it needs launching)

Check the Start up menu for a link to Steam. Delete it, and Steam won't launch at start up.

*unless its in the registry (I don't recall, and can't check the Steam settings at the moment).

Steam games will usually create a shortcut to Steam, that will launch it and have it run the correct game. Just double-click like any other game shortcut.

» Sun Mar 13, 2011 4:09 pm

That too. It goes against common fair trade and implies greed by refusing the customer's option to sell something they don't want; requiring others to buy direct instead of from a friend.

Yeah, I don't think I've ever sold a game, to be honest. I've given some away that I didn't like, but I tend to hoard my entire gaming history in a closet.

I even have old game cartridges...came across a few Commodore64 carts the other day. Made me smile.

Anyway, I tend to not get rid of games, but the fact that I'm not given a choice does bug me.

» Sun Mar 13, 2011 5:14 pm

Yeah, I don't think I've ever sold a game, to be honest. I've given some away that I didn't like, but I tend to hoard my entire gaming history in a closet.

I even have old game cartridges...came across a few Commodore64 carts the other day. Made me smile.

Anyway, I tend to not get rid of games, but the fact that I'm not given a choice does bug me.

:foodndrink:
http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj125/Gizmojunk/Curse-1.jpg

» Mon Mar 14, 2011 1:23 am

:foodndrink:
http://i271.photobucket.com/albums/jj125/Gizmojunk/Curse-1.jpg

Hehe...that's a great game. Code wheels...take them apart and scan them or buy a fire-proof lock box?

» Sun Mar 13, 2011 1:06 pm

Hehe...that's a great game. Code wheels...take them apart and scan them or buy a fire-proof lock box?

At one time, I could read the challenge symbols and just type the answer.

» Mon Mar 14, 2011 3:46 am

At one time, I could read the challenge symbols and just type the answer.

Hax!

» Mon Mar 14, 2011 1:04 am

Neat... I won't kid anyone, I can't stand Steam. Currently none of my Steam games can be played, as it has lost my password and will not accept it when entered manually.

Spoiler

The Password recovery UI really [REALLY!] needs work. When I try to reset my password it asks for my account name, then sends me a code and asks me my secret question. When I type the answers and click "next", it then asks for my new password.

This seems well and good until it becomes clear that Steam has not checked that the secret question answer is correct ~This is VERY counter intuitive, and becomes a compounded problem when you consider that the password dialog-box does not allow the user to paste in their password, but actually REQUIRES them to type it blind ~twice; (One could argue that this is a good thing, but that argument falls apart when Steam refuses to accept the password because the answer to the secret question was wrong). This encourages crap passwords.

I use the GUID generator from Visual Studio for all important passwords (like FTP logins). Steam it seems cannot accept a strong password, so I've had to cripple my password strength to drop down to it's level. Typing this blind ~twice into the password reset box is a pain, especially when it refuses me every time, with the excuse that either I don't know my own "mother's maiden name", or that my new password was invalid.

Right now Steam is useless to me and the commercial products that I have "bought" via Steam are non-functional.

I would check what happens when you try to close close or kill Steam outright during a game ~but I cannot run any at the moment.

I'm stuck waiting for someone to get back to me ~again. (this is the second time in two months)

That too. It goes against common fair trade and implies greed by refusing the customer's option to sell something they don't want; requiring others to buy direct instead of from a friend.

Sheesh, that's pretty bad Gizmo, hope it gets sorted out soon (And I thought I had it rough that first day of having Steam.)

Yeah, that does stink. I wish people would stop being so naughty so folks wouldn't feel the need to secure their stuff to the point of being a pain to use.

I do wonder if Beth went with Steamworks because of people aaying they wanted FO3 DLC from Steam

And Steamworks is tempting me to be "naughty" NOO! must resist the darkside

» Sun Mar 13, 2011 7:01 pm

When are people going to learn. It's not greed its called protecting your investment. All they are doing is making sure they minimize there losses. Theres nothing wrong with that.

» Sun Mar 13, 2011 3:26 pm

When are people going to learn. It's not greed its called protecting your investment. All they are doing is making sure they minimize there losses. Theres nothing wrong with that.

What loss? If I do a painting ... if I sell a PRINT of a painting... Should I demand that my customer cannot ever sell "their" print at a yard sale, but MUST have their neighbor buy another print from me directly instead of just buying the first one? I already sold it; my concern should be that they don't color copy it, not that they'll sell it off.

Steam should be required (utterly) to allow paid customers to transfer the ownership rights to products that they have paid for regardless of possible losses they may (and would) incur.

» Mon Mar 14, 2011 4:21 am

What loss? If I do a painting ... if I sell a PRINT of a painting... Should I demand that my customer cannot ever sell "their" print at a yard sale, but MUST have their neighbor buy another print from me directly instead of just buying the first one? I already sold it; my concern should be that they don't color copy it, not that they'll sell it off.

Steam should be required (utterly) to allow paid customers to transfer the ownership rights to products that they have paid for regardless of possible losses they may (and would) incur.

Good anology there Gizmo