How do you feel about PC games that require Steam installed?

[KissofKetchup]

Dead set against steam. Too monopolistic, and the service isn't without it's problems, like that Bioshock lockout when it was released... for example. Just seems unreliable and has too much potential to rule the PC market with an iron fist. I just don't like monopolized distribution like these. :/

What about the massive deals they had around New Year's? Or the discounts that they have fairly often? Valve doesn't really abuse it's power in my opinion.

 

[himemiya1650]

Steam is pretty useful, I think its business model is better than Gamestop's and Walmart. Pricing is defiantly better and their DRM is the least infringing I'm not that bothered it'll probably be the future of gaming

 

[Rebel44]

I love Steam so I dont have problem when some games require it.

 

[RhombusHatesYou]

Most recent and worst example of this is the gold edition of DOW2. It's got the chaos expansion data on disc, but not the original DOW2. This confuses steam to the point where it will stall at 10kb/s and after a couple minutes actually crash.
You have to manually cancel all the DLs, delete all the DOW content and tell steam to DL only the first one first, to avoid this.

I had none of these problems with DoW2 Gold.

In fact the only thing that really shat me off was it using Steam for Install, DRM, and auto update but then switching to GFWL for everything else. What the fuck is up with that?

 

[Icehearted]

Dead set against steam. Too monopolistic, and the service isn't without it's problems, like that Bioshock lockout when it was released... for example. Just seems unreliable and has too much potential to rule the PC market with an iron fist. I just don't like monopolized distribution like these. :/

What about the massive deals they had around New Year's? Or the discounts that they have fairly often? Valve doesn't really abuse it's power in my opinion.

I dunno, might just be a matter of time.

On a completely unrelated note your name cracked me up and I don't know why.

 

[Turbulenssi]

Well I play most of my games through steam so I don't mind at all.

 

[Last Bullet]

Love Steam. I have absolutely no problem with it -- most of the games I get are either Valve games to begin with, and the others are generally multiplayer anyway. Don't get that many errors with it... Well, none really, that weren't patched within a day.

 

[Skobvs]

As long as the game is a good one and you don't plan to return it after you play it, steam is great! This is why I always test a game on a mates pc (usually someone will have it) before I buy it.

 

[masher]

Steam has great customer support and feedback. My account was hacked, and within 24 hours or less, I was happy, playing TF2, and cursing the life of that hacking bastard. Steam/Valve listen to you, and that's great! Plus, there's a sale like every week. I love Steam! XD

 

[Catalyst6]

Almost all of my games are through Steam, so I suppose I'm just so used to it. I really do like having a persistent persona as well as the extra interface.

I'd say that the only problem with Steam is that you HAVE to be online to use it without jumping through a bunch of hoops. Example: My university's network blocks the ports Steam needs to start, so unless I disable the wireless on my laptop and open it offline then it won't work.

Still, it is great overall.

 

[SultanP]

I would be bothered if it didn't usually mean no other forms of DRM, being able to play without the cd, and not having to look for patches yourself. I also like to see a list of my games, even though only a fraction of the games I own are on Steam.

 

[cooluc]

I love steam, except one thing:
I'm forced to install all my games in the same directory. Let me explain why:
I have 2 different storage volumes: a 500 gb hard drive, used to store data and play games that require a less powerful system (This is where STEAM is installed)
A 140gb RAID0 between two Raptor drives, where windows is installed, along with the more demanding games.
Sadly, steam forces me to put all my games in the same directory, so games like crysis, DA:O, and others, I buy either boxed or from D2D

 

[crobulator]

6 gigabyte download limit .....nuff said

 

[Ldude893]

PRO: I don't need disks to play a game.
CON: Useless without internet connection.

 

[veloper]

Most recent and worst example of this is the gold edition of DOW2. It's got the chaos expansion data on disc, but not the original DOW2. This confuses steam to the point where it will stall at 10kb/s and after a couple minutes actually crash.
You have to manually cancel all the DLs, delete all the DOW content and tell steam to DL only the first one first, to avoid this.

I had none of these problems with DoW2 Gold.

In fact the only thing that really shat me off was it using Steam for Install, DRM, and auto update but then switching to GFWL for everything else. What the fuck is up with that?

It could be a different localization. Mine's the french + UK version.

 

[AWAR]

I cant understand why people hate it, can someone explain this to me?

 

[Doug]

For example, in order to play Modern Warfare 2 on the PC, you need to install Steam and link your game key code to your account. Apparently it means they can't sell it later.

Well, I don't often sell my games, and they end up rotting in storage as is, so I don't mind not having a physical copy and having it accessible to reinstall, heh - and who would want to buy Modern Warfare 2 on PC now the truth about how shitty its multiplayer is on the PC?

But I can see why people hate that some games require Steam.

 

[Flames66]

I'm not amazingly keen on it. I prefer the steam option to all the other DRM options because I trust valve, but I still want it on a disk that just installs.

 

[ShrapnelHound]

I think it is a good thing, it gives people are platform to for pc games to find the games they want and new games they didnt know about, its helping to keep pc gaming alive