Wait, what? What was announced that made this a legitimate concern?

Edit: Just checked out the Bethesda forums, and apparently even the retail/disc version requires a Steam install. What the fuck? If this is another 'you have to have a constant internet connection to play' anti-piracy bullshit tactic, then I know what site I'm getting my copy from. And it ain't Steam.

 

Skyrim is confirmed as using Steamworks. Steamworks is an API that allows developers to have cloud saves, achievements, voice chat, player authentication, etc. by tapping into the Steam client.

There was a Skyrim tweet about it. It's a bit of a relief, because for a while it was suspected we'd have to put up with Games For Windows Live instead.

http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2011/08/17/steamy-skyrim-definitely-using-steamworks/

 

So.... Why exactly do we need any of this bullshit, again?

 

I haven't seen any indication of that, and I think we would've heard if that was going to be the case. You should be able to play Skyrim in offline mode.

If this works like every other Steamworks game, then you have to be online when you authenticate the game during purchase/install, but after that can switch Steam to offline mode. I used offline mode for about a month while I was travelling. Even in online mode, the game won't cut out just because your internet goes down. This isn't "always on" DRM.

edit:

Because it provides additional value to the game without the developers having to program it all themselves. Because Steam users represent a huge segment of the market and value games with Steamworks integration over those that don't. Because it provides a simple, relatively well regarded DRM solution that isn't overly restrictive but still keeps the game publishers [and most gamers] happy.

 

Assuming I don't get any issues like being unable to sign in to offline mode because I'm offline, or some other stupid bug?

I'm still not a fan, but I suppose that counts for something. My internet craps out at least once every few hours on a good day.

I realize that it's pointless to bitch, but I still have issues with the idea of it ever being on. Before I got SC2, I hadn't registered a game in my life, and had absolutely no plans to start. I still can't get into my account because I can't remember my password, and password recovery requires the name you signed up with. Except I lied, since they have no reason to know my name, so I'm pretty much fucked. :facepalm I miss owning everything I bought, no questions asked.

 

That's not a bug. It's counter-intuitive, but that's how it's supposed to behave. To play your entire game library in offline mode, you first have to be in online mode. I assume this is so the Steam client can confirm with Steam's servers that your account is legit and provide temporary authentication tokens for all of your game .exe files.

If Steam is in online mode and your internet goes down while you're playing Skyrim, there's no problem. Keep on playing. You won't have cloud saves, achievements, etc. but the game should be fine.

If your internet goes down before you start playing Skyrim... well, you'll just have to wait until it comes back up. I just tried this on another Steamworks game I own: Nation Red. Steam was in online mode. I pulled the internet connection. I tried to play Nation Red. After a minute it told me it couldn't connect to the internet so save files may not sync online, but would I like to play anyway? Yes, please. It worked. I played a level, completed it, exited Nation Red, plugged the network cable back in, Steam noticed it automatically, I started Nation Red in online mode again, and it remembered the mission I'd completed.

That's better than I'd remembered.

I know what a crappy internet connection is like. It's the biggest argument against "always on" DRM and has rendered some games nearly unplayable in Australia. Ubisoft, Spore, I'm looking at you.

When your internet is up, is it reasonably stable? If it is, then Steam shouldn't be a problem. If it's flaky, then you'd be taking a chance. Your best bet is to download Steam now, and try some of the free games available. If the service doesn't hold up, then at least you'll know.

Here's a list of free Steam games: http://forums.steampowered.com/forums/showthread.php?t=851573

If none of those game names mean anything to you, then try Portal: First Slice, Peggle Extreme, Sam & Max Episode 104: Abe Lincoln Must Die!, Team Fortress 2, and TrackMania Nations Forever.

Personally, I don't count Steam games amongst the list of "games requiring registration", because Steam sort of came up on me sideways and I was quickly using it 100% of the time and bought a heap of games on it. It became a "game library" more than a registration shackle. I did feel the same as you when I had to register with G4WL to play GTA4 and with EA to play Mass Effect 2 and Dragon Age: Origins. I felt dirty just doing it.

It was an negative feeling being forced to sign up for some crap that I didn't want so that I could play a game. I pay close attention to which DRM scheme I'm using nowadays. I've settled okay with Steam and Steamworks, but do understand why other people would find it distasteful.

Lol, yeah. I've been there. I use two fake names for all of my online services. It makes it easy to remember.

Yes... Steamworks integration means software as a service [SAAS] rather than as a product. I hope you weren't intending to sell Skyrim 2nd hand afterwards, because it'll be forever locked to your Steam account. No more scratched or missing discs to worry about. Even a hdd failure won't lose your saves. The trade off is no re-selling. You could re-sell your entire Steam account, but its not allowed and you have to be sneaky.

It's no loss to me, because I've never resold a game even when they all came in boxes with diskettes. I sure have lost a lot of games due to missing, scratched, or over-written discs over the years though.

I think Steam introduced a feature recently where you could transfer specific games to someone else's Steam account if you'd never played them... or something. I forget the details. Steam usually improves user experience and rights, but it's a gradual process balanced against publisher demands.

 

Alright. It still sounds like a bit of a pain, but I can live with it. Worst case scenario, I'm sure someone will make a crack sooner or later. I'm more annoyed that it won't give me the option, especially since I'm not interested in any of the online features. Aside from that, needing an 'okay' from anyone to play something I payed for just rubs me the wrong way, especially considering all the ways it could potentially go wrong.

Thanks, I'll take a look at that. It has it's good days and bad days, but the bad ones... Well, for the better part of last week, I had to refresh FFN four or five times in order to get the page to load. On the good days it's reasonably stable, but not enough for me to try and run an MMO.

I wouldn't be that annoyed by this if I were actually buying it through Steam, but since it's a retail copy it feels like I'm being seriously taken advantage of somehow. I don't even want any of the features this is being used to support, but it's forced on me if I want to play the game.

I have a couple I've used off an on, but I tried every combo I could think of and every one was denied. Stupidest part is, I specifically remember choosing to not write down the password because I thought it was so easy to remember.

I've never resold a game for any system, though I do like having the option. Only times I've lost games was when they were loaned out and never returned, and even then I have a habit of making back-ups just in case. It's hard to permanently lose anything when you have a copy tucked away in a CD case on a shelf in your closet, and I typically trust the physical game more then a virtual promise. That said, I really wouldn't be that annoyed by the trade-off if I had ever been given a choice in the matter.

Steam sounds alright on the whole, and there are definitely some things I like about it, but this sort of thing kinda pisses me off.

 

To add to what Yak said about Steam; I've found that if you exit Steam properly (not via End Process, which is what I do sometimes), you can open it again without the internet. It'll say your internet connection isn't working, and give you the option to use offline mode. As Yak said, you just need to let your client confirm with the servers that your account is legitimate first.

 

I have a decent amount of games on steam, simply because my love of bargain hunting can not resist the sales.

If you really don't like steam and are worried about offline access start steam, open the library/store brower winow, top left hand corner menu. Steam -> Go Offline.

It will restart in offline mode, all your shit available and if you close steam(by hitting exit, not crashing/ending process) next time you start it to play something, even if you're online it will ask you whether to go online or stay offline. I've left it in this state on my laptop for extended periods without worries.

As far as DRM measures go, it really isn't much of an issue unless your gaming rig has no internet access at all to install it, if that's the case fair enough, it sucks.

 

Wow, seems like that's a bit of confu- Oh wait I'm using XBOX.

/Consoletrollroll

 

Thought I'd share my thoughts on Steam while I'm here:

As I'm at home from college this weekend, I don't have any internet connections available other than dial-up, which obviously won't work with my laptop as it doesn't have a phone jack. When I try to open Steam in offline mode on my laptop, I can't because... I have to be online to log into my Steam account in order to use offline mode.

This is pants-on-head retarded, and my biggest complaint with Steam. I can't play any of my damn Steam games when I'm at home during the summer or over holiday breaks, even with my desktop (which does have a phone jack), because over dial-up it can never reach the servers or some shit. I can only play my games when I'm at college, basically.

 

Where the fuck do you live that you're using Dial-up? I have horse and carts trotting past my house and I still have high speed broadband. :/

 

Hickville, New York. We actually do have access to broadband now, I think, but only in the last year or so. Before that we lived in a "dead zone" basically, where broadband was available to people a few miles away, but not to us. And now that it is available, my dad refuses to pay for it because it's "too expensive."

 

Why don't you just turn Offline mode on before you go home? That would seem to be the obvious solution.

According to Beonid, he doesn't even need to do that. Steam will go to offline mode for him even when there's no internet connection under specific circumstances. Play around with your laptop for half an hour at college and see what works when you unplug it from the network.

 

When my internet died for a fortnight earlier this month I could use steam in offline mode no problem.

 

Me having internet access isn't really the problem. I don't like Steam. I fucking hate it for games. It doesn't let me install the games where I want them. So fuck'em, they're not gettin' my money.

BF3 is doing the same bullshit (except with a differently titled program similar to Steam), so I'm not buying that shit either. Their programs can kiss my ass.

 

I'm sure they're heartbroken.

 

A new concept arts trailer.

The music is just :awesome