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Post by amgepo on Aug 22, 2011 18:36:59 GMT
There is much controversy about steam as many users see this as an excellent service while others see this as a horrible spyware. I didn't tried it but as I had been following the Skyrim thread in Bethsoft forums and this is one of the fears and hopes of many people, I had learned something about it. Sadly there is not such thing as impartiality here. What I write could be biased as I myself after what I heard am totally against steam being forced (steam can be optional sometimes, but not in the case of Skyrim).
THE PROS: -You can purchase other products (downloading, not physical copy) with a discount. -There seems to be a forum and you can play multiplayer games (not with Skyrim, as it's not multiplayer) -The game official patches will be downloaded and installed automatically (regardless you want it or not), making unnecessary to search for them. -You can download the game as much times as you want. Handy if your physical copy is destroyed or lost.
THE CONS: -You need to download a patch (not for Skyrim, but for steam) make a steam account and validate your game online for playing in one computer. -Your computer will try to connect to steam periodically. You'll need to make such connections if you want to play the game. If there is an update (for Skyrim OR for steam), they will be automatically downloaded and installed (or you won't be able to play the game). You can disable this and play offline, which despite it's name won't avoid said upgradings, it will only make them less frequent. Obviously most of the upgrades are for steam. -Steam can ban your account without giving you any explanation (already happened, twice, both times solved, one of them without the user knowing why the ban or readmit him) and you won't be able to play your game. -The game is not legally yours, the owner is steam. You haven't purchased a good but a service (the ability to play the game). -You aren't able to give or resell your game to another person (neither having it in more than one computer apparently. Maybe you need to invalidate via steam one installation to be able to validate another one, not sure).
CONTROVERSY: -Much people claim that it's a need to avoid piracy. -Some people argue that steam is not effective against piracy at all and many steam tittles are pirated the release day. -There are people saying that the real reason is to avoid second hand sales. -There is much people claiming being buggy and (Spookyfix, the author of dukepatrics mods. Apparently not a technologically inept person, says he renounced to play New Vegas after much trying), while other people claim not having a problem ever.
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Post by steamteck on Aug 22, 2011 19:15:08 GMT
It was certainly a nightmare for us while others have had no problem. My best friend is the head IT guy for the local county and he finally had us connect the PC to a hard line for the big updates and it seemed to fix most of the problems which were caused by our Wireless connection. Now theonly real issue is it forgets its setting frequently and goes baclk to its default. This kept my son from playing his single player game recently as it forgot it was supposed to be in offline mode and our internet went out.
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Post by loriel on Aug 24, 2011 20:58:49 GMT
I would certainly be disappointed if it is only available on Steam - that will undoubtedly add to the difficulties of running it on Linux, apart from all the other reservations about it.
I have been following the production of the Xtended Terran Conflict ("XTC") mod for X3-Terran Conflict ("X3TC"), and have observed the problems caused by Steam there with some concern (though they probably don't apply to Skyrim and its mods). The situation with XTC was that versions 1.0 and 1.1 were based on version 3.0 of X3TC, and when Steam automatically updated X3TC from 3.0 to 3.1, then also added some "bonus" content, this broke XTC. Version 1.2 of XTC has now been rebased on X3TC version 3.1, and it isn't anticipated that any further updates for X3TC will be released, but if they are then the same thing will probably happen again...
Having wandered around a few computer games stores today, for the first time in ages, I was shocked at how few PC games were available, everything seems to be geared to consoles. In this context, I can understand that releasing Skyrim on Steam would look attractive, but failing to release it in "hardcopy" version seems like a bad idea, as there still seems to be a reasonable market for such games via Amazon etc. I'm not convinced that the anti-piracy justification makes sense, as the DRM in existing Elder Scrolls games is very mild by current industry standards (and therefore probably not very effective).
Returning to the original question - yes, I will probably buy it (though that becomes less likely if it is Steam-only), but will wait for a while to see how well it is likely to perform on my relatively modestly powered Linux system.
Loriel
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Post by plenty250 on Aug 24, 2011 21:23:09 GMT
In this context, I can understand that releasing Skyrim on Steam would look attractive, but failing to release it in "hardcopy" version seems like a bad idea A release on Steam only, without having DVD's in stores, doesn't seem credible at all. Where does this story come from anyway? I'm quite sure that a link with Steam will only mean that it will be used as a form of registration, and nothing more unless you want to (for instance to track your ingame achievements). I bought Modern Warfare (COD4) in a store for instance, but the game required registration on Steam. But that was it. I could simply play the game without much bother from its Steam connection, and I never had any trouble. Since then I haven't been able to resist some of its cheap offers (and those games were Steam-only, of course) but I never had any trouble with those either. So I don't see why anyone should be afraid of a Steam connection. After all you register all over the place on the internet anyway, right? As for the main topic here, I will most likely (if not certainly) get Skyrim, I'm just not sure yet if I'll get it on 11-11-11.
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Post by golddragon on Aug 25, 2011 0:25:17 GMT
Considering that I have a (fully paid for) pre-ordered copy at Gamestop, I think there will be a Disk version. That statement also answers the Topic Question.
Also, IIRC, I saw disks in one of the pre-order pics, so I am curious as to the reason why everyone says that there won't be any disks......
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Post by amgepo on Aug 25, 2011 1:59:28 GMT
Of course there will be physical copies. BUT those copies will require steam to work. It was confirmed in Bethsoft forums by Gstaf (who is more or less bethesda's boice in said forum).
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Post by loriel on Aug 25, 2011 7:59:53 GMT
The only firm information seems to be at twitter.com/ElderScrolls/statuses/103844894413557760?_escaped_fragment_=/ElderScrolls/status/103844894413557760#!/ElderScrolls/status/103844894413557760 - "We can confirm today that we're using Steamworks for Skyrim" This implies that Steamworks might be used for activation or for auto-downloading patches, bonus packs, etc. as Amra suggests. There appear to be "pre-order" facilities for the DVD version on Amazon etc, so the "Skyrim available only on Steam" meme appears to be false. I understand that Fallout New Vegas used Steamworks - reading the descriptions of using it with Wine suggest that the Steam aspects didn't add any significant problems, so I hope that Skyrim will be similar. Loriel
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Post by ghastley on Aug 25, 2011 20:57:55 GMT
Requiring Steam may be enough to stop me buying it. I don't like having my gaming machine connected to the internet, as connection requires active AV, and active AV causes games to stutter.
I also get the impression that you won't be able to activate your disk-installed game without getting automatic patches. I want to be able to download and install patches as two separate processes, so that I can control which ones get applied (and be able to re-apply them selectively if I re-install).
So even if I only have to connect to Steam for activation, I won't buy.
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Post by candesco on Aug 28, 2011 9:09:54 GMT
Well, then i guess the game isn't for you, as it requires Steam for activation and permanent connection. Bethesda follows with that the big companies, who also do that. More and more you see this.
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nakiarogue
Just Arrived
A friendly rogue.
Posts: 20
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Post by nakiarogue on Sept 15, 2011 2:17:42 GMT
I will be playing Skyrim. I am not happy about Steam as I don't like being forced to use a third party system. I am happy having a disk and have no problem living with that. If I weren't an addicted TES fan I would not be playing it.
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Post by wotan on Sept 25, 2011 19:51:00 GMT
Of course I'll play it -- I've played every game since Arena, not counting Redguard. There's going to be a game story, in time, too. I've got plenty of other planned stories to put together too, though, so not sure when I'll launch this one.
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Post by acdeck on Sept 26, 2011 13:22:00 GMT
Yes. I started playing and modding elder scrolls when Morrowind came out. When Oblivion came out, the game itself was superior to Morrowind in many ways. However, I feel as if something was missing. To me Oblivion lacked the mystery, unknown, exploration, and discovery I remember so fondly about Morrowind. Not to say Oblivion is not any of those things.....just not as much so. I am hoping Skyrim catches the best parts of oblivion and morrowind. Time will tell. So there is my long answer to your short question.
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Post by steamteck on Oct 8, 2011 22:46:22 GMT
I will be playing Skyrim. I am not happy about Steam as I don't like being forced to use a third party system. I am happy having a disk and have no problem living with that. If I weren't an addicted TES fan I would not be playing it. Pretty much where I am also. For my wife however, Steam is too much to ask. My oldest daughter is OK with it and my best friend is still on the fence.
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Post by Jac on Oct 9, 2011 2:37:02 GMT
Pretty much where I am also. For my wife however, Steam is too much to ask. My oldest daughter is OK with it and my best friend is still on the fence. Elaura got turned off of Steam when we bought Fallout: New Vegas. I wouldn't have minded it so much if I was able to get patches for that game somewhere else besides having to have Steam download them. We're on metered Internet and it's not monetarily worth it to us to go over just from patching a game.
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Post by Emma on Oct 9, 2011 8:56:16 GMT
I don't like the Steam-dependancy. And I loathe horned helmets.
Is that going to stop me from playing Skyrim? Of course not!
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