After a week of testing offline, I can say with certainty that with Steam online enabled, I suffer more and worse bugs playing than in offline mode. First is the unplayed audio cues. I see wolves too late, they attack silently, and only opening the journal plays the queued audio. Then just try conjuring a bound bow. Did it appear? No? Tough. Run around, go through all the menus, the journal, change slot assignments... maybe after a while you can get it to work.

I was willing to think it was somehow hardware related, going to the lengths of removing the entire installation and reloading onto an SSD. I even bought a dedicated sound card, despite the onboard audio being more than able. I don't regret that, though. It improved the sound immensely.

I just took my mage to High Hrothgar for the initiation into the Greybeard's tests. After some considerable delay, the second word of the shout was revealed, but the following test failed utterly. I was supposed to attack summoned targets, but they never appeared, even when they (apparently) summoned a dozen. I'd shout at the space they should occupy, but, no! nothing. Only exiting Skyrim and reloading could I get one (1) target to appear. I had no trouble with this in offline mode.

The week I spent in offline mode was rocky at first, but I think it was the save files settling down. Eventually, all the audio delays and conjuring glitches went away. It was fun being able to actually play! There was the occasional glitch, like the familiar arrow-not-shot-when-I-loose-it thing, but I've gotten so good at expecting that that I use it to my advantage. I suspect it's the game AI trying to delay my shot in order to move the target out of harm's way and failing.

I don't know what parasitic effect Steam belabors Skyrim with, but I want it dead. Dead, dead, dead! I've tried disabling every possible online interaction, and it's still not enough. Today I decided to go "online" and at first all was well. But the longer I played, the worse it got. It eventually got right back to the point I described above in the first paragraph.

Going offline now for good. Useless, invasive software has no place on my PC.

Steam has nothing to do with your problems with the game.

The standard steps are as follows:

1) Remove any and all mods
2) Refresh the INI files
3) Verify files

For Steam discussion in general, keep it here: http://www.gamesas.com/topic/1359009-unofficial-steamdrm-discussion-27/

It's strange because I've never had an issue with it. In my opinion any game is better when it's on Steam.

Yep best bet is to run the game in offline mode not that I have the issues you are having but early release version was more stable for me with it in offline. Also you won't get patches until you are sure they are in your best interest which is an added bonus.