I work and live in Afghanistan as an IT contractor with the forces here. I gave this statement first so everyone reading this will understand that not only do I work and live in a remote area, but internet isn't exactly speedy. I still get better than dial up speeds, but it still isn't up to par with the lowest end cable internet package in the US. For some reason it takes forever to connect to the Steam servers, and due to this issue Steam keeps crashing. This wouldn't be an issue, but it crashes during the install of New Vegas. This is unsatisfactory. Fallout 3 never had this problem going through Games for Windows Live. I want to know what bonehead decided to use Steam exclusively? I really hope someone from Valve gave that individual the greatest physical pleasure they have ever had. I have a freaking disk that I pre-ordered. Why the heck do I need to use Steam? Heck, my copy of Far Cry 2 went to it's own server, registered properly, updated, and installed in a reasonable amount of time. Far Cry 2 doesn't use the Steam servers. Copy protection without Steam can be done. My XBox 360 games even download patches without issue when I have the box hooked to the network here.

Steam is nothing but a virus with tons of bugs. If I installed programs this buggy on my clients' workstations I wouldn't have a job. Why am I being forced to use not only a third party application, but one that is so half baked a simple process of client sign in takes five to twenty minutes? Yahoo Messenger doesn't even take that long and they are shutting down servers to save money. Does this mean I can't even play the game once it installs without being signed into Steam? Because Steam crashes way before I'm signed in or decides the servers are out of reach for that particular day.

Heck, I can register copies of Windows over a phone from here with less issues than it is to install New Vegas via Steam. And why the heck does Steam try to reinstall the game via the internet when I have the disk after it says it's installed?

Someone at Bethesda messed up and they messed up hard. My recommendation is to put out a fix where you don't need Steam to install the game for one, and two, release any patches from a server where anyone can download it and manually install it. I really don't care if I have to have the disk in the tray or not to play the game, I just want to play the game. The third recommendation is to hand a pink slip to the person who thought Steam was a great idea to install the game. However, I'll run my companies and crews as I see fit, and you guys take care of things how you think you should. I would have fired them on the spot and anybody who went along with the idea.

Heck, we should all be able to register to get a disk straight from Bethesda that doesn't use Steam for the install and you can call it Fallout New Vegas: Non-We Todd Did Edition.

And I don't want any responses stating the issue lies with Steam and my location. Bethesda decided to go with Steam for the install of their product, thus it's their problem. That's the biggest issue with third party deals when it comes to making software, or anything work. One side will always blame the other for the shortcomings of the end product.

How does the quality of the end user experience go from fantastic and easy to this nightmare? I can play Morrowind GOTY Edition no problem, Oblivion GOTY Edition no problem, and Fallout 3 GOTY Edition no problem. However, it's like someone went out of their way to lose over a decade's worth of goodwill with one game.

The point is, we all spent our money to play New Vegas, not dike with Steam for hours on end just to get a game start up screen, which I have yet to see as of this writing.

You can bypass connecting to Steam by switching to offline mode once you've registered the game online once. It's in the top left corner of Steam's window.

Sounds like the usual bandwagon drivel to me, I own 120 games on steam over the course of 3 years and I've never had any major problems with it

^ this

The issue I have with Steam is connectivity. I have at least 1 satty hop and probably a few more to get to the servers in the US. Insinuating someone is a moron does not bode well for stating your case. I'm happy for you that you have no issues. However, the issues I have takes a few thousand gamers that would usually be able to play a game out of the market due to Steam's server issues. Considering most gamers out here use laptops instead of consoles for portability and ease of use, this is a lot of lost revenue for Bethesda.




Thanks for this post. However, every time I try to reinstall the game Steam tries to verify my key, which it does, then after the reinstall initiates the crashing continues due to lost connectivity to Steam servers.



No bandwagons, just pure frustration. If you used Steam to download your install, that's good on you, but I don't have the luxury of waiting weeks for Gigs to install. If you purchase a disk it's expected that it should work. Even Microsoft gives you the option of registering your product via phone just in case you don't have an internet connection. And before you think I'm a MSFT really devoted fan, I prefer Linux for everything except playing games for obvious reasons.

Hi JDorfler,
Yes you are 100% correct.

Yes Steam is heavily overloaded, I'm on it a lot and it has never been like this in recent memory...
Don't you guys notice, that it's bogged down?
Saying it has always worked fine is exactly the point, because it isn't right now.

Agree that's crazy, where you buy the DVD then have to download stuff (somebody said 2GB+ or something - ack!)
Seriously bogus.
And the whole Steam Cloud thing, I was shocked to find that enabled by default on my rig.
That's what caused everyone to lose all their savegames, but I disabled anyway, stupid Steam.

Hey man you can't even play NV without crashes (I can't at least) so you're not missing much.
In a coupla weeks things will calm down and a major patch should be released...
I've put it aside and not even playing.
Hang in there,
Regards

^ this.

Thanks for the post. I really do appreciate what you said, and when I am able to get this game going I know what settings to hit so that I won't run into even more issues. Thanks again.

Not sure if you already read this or if it will even work but see http://www.gamesas.com/index.php?/topic/1120441-please-read-before-posting/page__view__findpost__p__16522627. (Or read the quote. They know about it, so cross your fingers a permanent fix comes along.)



Worth a shot if not tried before.

Something else to try is install Steam/game as an admin.

Good luck.

P.S.

And I mean right click>Run as admin. Not just on an admin account. If it wasn't clear. (Sorry if it was.)

It's your internet connection that's the problem I think. By the way I support you being in the forces 110%!!! Way to go you guys!

I'm not sure what you mean by Steam being heavily overloaded, my preload installed in no time averaging 650 kb/s, maxing out my internet connection easily. I thought it was pretty good for my 5 mbps-ish connection. Subjective perhaps?

you're forced to use steam because they want you to BUY the game instead of pirating it.

for those with a bad connection you drew the short straw. Just download the game and install it, even if it takes you around 4 days. Then put steam in offline mode and you wont have to worry about steams connection when trying to play.

There should be no reason that you're connecting to US Steam servers.

Steam->Settings-> Downloads+Cloud ->Download Region-> pick whichever country/region best applies to you.

Yeah I pre-loaded too, and it wasn't bad, maxed out at around 650 KB/s for me as well.
But it's the flood of guys that hit them on the first Saturday since release! Brutal.
Whatever, this guy is having Steam problems and he keeps disconnecting.
(He even purchased the DVD, so he's upset, completely understandable.)
I found Steam really slow and unresponsive myself, and mentioned how unusual that is.
Buddy can know Steam is acting unusually, he can see what part of the world I'm reporting from, it's called community.
It's a good thing.
But Steam is definitely bogged down and slower than usual, you can tell right away if you're very famliar with it like I am.
L8R

I did. From what I'm gathering Steam is trying to go ahead and download and install the updates and DLC content that came with my pre-order. After Steam crashes at this point and is restarted it tries to download the full game as if it wasn't installed.



I support the forces as well. Unfortunately I'm no longer one of them. Just one of those contractors trying to make things better for the guys and gals out here trying to make a difference. I'll let them know what you said. They always like hearing their being supported. The news back home doesn't paint a good picture of support for the folks out here. Just hearing one person is cheering them on brings a whole load of smiles. Thanks for your post by the way.

I'm very familiar with Steam also, I've had it since the Half Life 2 release and have used it to purchase and play dozens of games over the years. I don't see it really being any slower than it usually is. I'm sorry you and other people are seeing issues with it, I'm just saying perhaps the fault lies in other sectors instead of immediately blaming Steam for your woes like so many people seem to be doing. Overall I, and I'm sure many others agree that it's a brilliant service. That being said, I HATE their voice chat client...

When it comes to games, you will never meet someone more anti-pirate than I am. However, DRM has been counter productive on what it was intended to do. It's a whole other issue and can of worms that I don't think this forum is a proper place for. MaximumPC did a great article on it recently. I highly recommend it. Good read.



It's having me connect to the server in Los Angeles for some reason. However, it's been connecting me to that server automatically saying it's the fastest server for my content as per the wording underneath the server list. I'll try different servers in Europe since that's my Satty's distant end and closest point to my gateway. There might be issues due to all my games being region 1. I'll let you know.

couldn't agree more.. thanks for posting this man..

When I bought fallout new vegas on disc all I wanted was a darn game, not being forced, yes forced, to install
a bunch of crap on my machine that I don't have the slightest interest in....

I'm just as against pirating as anyone, but this is not the way to fight it... it's not my fault there are people out there doing that...
there are plenty of ways to validate that work just fine that do not force the user to install a bunch of crap on their machine..
the HDD in my PC's and the data on them are my personal property and it's illegal for anyone to screw with them in any way...

I'm extremely careful with what gets installed on my PCs and don't appreciate when some bozo thinks it's okay to force me to install
a bunch of crap I don't want otherwise I can't use something I've already paid for.. what a load of BS...

I live in the US so I don't have any connectivity issues... and even so I have NOT installed this POS because of that very reason
and probably won't until I see something change that will allow me to install from the disc and bypass the whole steam debacle...
if that never happens I will take this worthless piece of crap to a store and trade it in for something else....

sorry but that's just how I feel about it...

M

So the OP is pissed because he's got a slow internet connection. Is he pissed when he has to download large patches for other games that don't require Steam? As far as I know patches aren't on a retail disc, so who are you pissed at when you have to download patches? You aren't forced to use anything. Buy a different game.

My take on steam is it is a good way to fight those other alternatives such as the ugly DRM. Steam itself is considered DRM but it is a way for the companies to protect thier intellectual property from piracy, which is growing larger by the number. I think it is important to realize that steam is very useful, as it keeps all my games in one account that can be accessed by other pc's when I switch between my laptop and desktop PC.

Also, there is no limit to how many installs you can have on steam, you just cannot be logged in with multiple pc's at the same time on one account.

Steam is great in my opinion, and it probably is one of the only reasons besides gamersgate why games are still being made for the computer.

Console games are increasing in popularity, which is sad because computer gaming is much more open to modding and other types of editing. The death of computer games could happen because we must look at how much money a company loses by releasing a game that is later pirated. When it is pirated, the company starts to hurt to keep up with profit to make the next big game, and this cuts into the employee pensions, health care, etc.

If you want games not to have solutions against pirates, then go buy a game console and play a limited version of a largely potential pc version. If people were not a bunch of aholes, then companies wouldn't have to give us honest customers hell with the DRM being made.

But as I said, I love steam.

Steam has over 30 million subscribers...............well of course they do, when your FORCED to use it. This is the type of bs marketing that kills companies for me. Bethesda hit the list among all those using steam, valve svcks as a forced marketing partner for anyone. Trying to to tell the world you have 30 million of anything because you force people to subscribe doesnt mean anything other than you have sorry a$$ marketing skills and are not confident enough to sell your product on its own merit, valve devs are a sad set of folks.

I wouldn't necessarily say Steam (the optional digi-distribution system) in of itself is garbage, but the forced usage of Steam as a DRM AKA Steamworks is garbage IMO

As to why are publishers clamoring for Steamworks, that's easy, it's offered for free.

I'm banging my head against a wall right now for falling for this utter pile of guar [censored].


This is the THIRD. STEAM. GAME. I have bought - WITH THE SAME DAMN ISSUES EVERYTIME. I can't get Steam to even log on - it freezes up and eventually just closes itself out with an error report. Yes, I have dialup - and before you say "Go somewhere with high speed" or "you're full of [censored] it works fine" PULL YOUR HEAD OUT YOUR ASS. If I had any access to high speed I'd use it! If you have any idea what it's like to buy a fifty dollar piece of plastic that's good for nothing other than shelf filler - you know what I mean.

I will NOT buy another Steam game ever again. EVER. I'm tired of giving my money away to a company with a "SCREW YOU" attitude to narrow-band gamers. I'd rather go out and buy cyanide.

On this bizarre assertion that steam has any effect whatsoever on reducing piracy, all I have to say is: [citation needed]. It sure doesn't look that way.

...that said, steam has terrific potential, and I keep hoping Bethesda will put it to use. As a tool for crowdsourcing testing and distributing patches in realtime, it could be the greatest thing that ever happened for the robustness of proprietary software. If they released a patch, even a small patch, every few days, to where people could watch the improvement and contribute to it with their feedback, people would, I think, be happy to forgive the current level of brokenness.

Because in terms of user friendliness and stability it far surpasses any other DRM or digital distribution platform.

OP: It is sad that you are having problems installing and activating the game, but there's a war out there and the enemy is Uplay which requiers you to have a constant connection to play the game. GFWL is a dead fish in the water, it smells bad and it's going nowhere.


There will always exist pirates, the question is where do you draw the line, we could force Uplay down upon everyone but if that happened alot of people would turn to piracy out of spite, or because they could never access their product.