Really getting sick of requiring net access ....

[CaptainHaplo]

Blasted EIC company promised a free directors cut - which basically is a major patch - to come out on the 27th.

Ok - if you bought it through Steam/Impulse you can get it - but those of us that bought the shiny round disk - no joy.

I don't EVER get games online. I tried once - with DoW2 - and have vowed never again.

I bought E:TW from the store. I WANT disks because I rebuild my machines way too often to have to worry about data loss. If its on disk, I can lay my hand on it and reinstall.

I despise Steam. I want to just be able to download my patch, apply it, and roll. I don't want to "autoupdate" - half the time I run mods that HOSE the updates - I want control over my own blasted machine and what goes on it - and when!

I don't let Windows autoupdate either. The ONLY thing I allow to autoupdate by choice - is AV software, which is only common sense.

But promising content, then delivering it only to a certain subset of users is just wrong. I was really happy with the way EIC was progressing. 3 days, and still no download available.

OH but wait - if you BUY the new add on - THEN you can download the promised FREE content now.... Even though that would make it NOT FREE.

Its called a stand alone patch - its not hard, its been done for many a year.

I don't have a problem if folks want to buy their stuff online. That is their right. But companies doing all they can to FORCE us users to go that route is just wrong, and I am blasted tired of it.

[Shearwater]

I bought E:TW from the store. I WANT disks because I rebuild my machines way too often to have to worry about data loss. If its on disk, I can lay my hand on it and reinstall.

100% agree. Ironically, the internet (and the crap I get from it despite updating my security software regularly) is part of that problem.

On the whole, I'm rather annoyed (if that's the right word, probably still too mild) by all that online stuff. You've metioned update -which are basically fine - (and I'm not a person that allows any piece of software to update itself without my prior consent), but except for the stuff that is really necessary, like AV software or the OS, it's IMO a bit of a pretext for rushed programming.
All I want is a nice, working copy out of the box. No more, no less.

[stabiz]

I`m with you, the old ways are best.

[Ilpalazzo]

Right on.

I do get kinda picky about what goes on with my system. Turning off auto-update or auto-start features is one of the things I look for after I install something. I guess I don't have a good reason for that when it comes to some things. The OS, drivers, and games though, I need control over them. I hate when an auto-update ruins something (not that it always happens, just saying).

While I'm at it. I freaking hate those online services they throw in before the game. GTA 4 anybody? Freaking hate that. I prefer to just click a shortcut that takes me DIRECTLY to the game's main menu. No internet services, no disc checks, no logos, no intros. It is such a satisfying feeling to be able to set a game up to go directly to the main menu.

PS. I hate having to go through those extra folders in steam when I want to access the game's files.:O:

[Torplexed]

This just reinforces my decision to stay away from Steam. However, I can see where the long-term trend is going.

[HunterICX]

I don't praise STEAM but I don't hate it neither.

Its nice to have your games listed and have a friendlist which gives you the option to invite them to a game or track them on which server they are playing and join it.

it's also nice that the games I have installed that needed steam do not require the disk in the drive. so I only need them when reinstalling it.

the auto update...well I'm 50/50 on this (you can turn this off per game if you want too)
with games that runs mods yeh, I rather would have manual patches to apply on them if needed or when the latest patch messes up something with the game at my end I would like to roll back to the previous version.
but other games that require to be up to date to keep on playing online (fps games for example) its nice not to worry about it and let steam download and patch the game up.

I think STEAM is ok, but it has its Pro's and Con's.
I choose this over CP's like Starforce or Securom anyday.

HunterICX

[goldorak]

I've hated Steam with a passion from the first day it came online. Its nothing more than an attempt to close down the open nature of pc gaming. Its EVIL, real EVIL but most players are complacent, and under the convinience banner will accept even a deal with the devil oops I meant Steam.

I have proudly over 50 games, dating back as far as the early ninties. Not one of them requires Steam. And I will never buy a game that requires third party authorization to play, even if its a game I find interesting and would otherwise buy in a heartbeat.

[Wolfehunter]

I don't care what the publishers slap us with... <edited> them back with whatever it takes to have my purchased games run the way I want them too.

This doesn't bother me one bit... :O:

<edited by NeonSamurai>

[FIREWALL]

Maybe not same topic but was reason I didn't buy ROF.

I might be stranded on a desert island with my Solarpowered computer and no internet and want to play all my games. :D

[NeonSamurai]

I don't like buying games through the internet or games that require an online connection, or limited installs. I don't even like buying mp3's. I prefer to have a permanent physical object in my hands that I can use any time (including the future) I like, under any circumstances I choose, provided I have the right hardware to use that object.

I also don't like steam and similar for a number of reasons beyond copy protection. One good one being the amount of bandwidth it can chew through (here in Canada, almost all ISPs limit bandwidth usage and charge fees if you go over the limit) if I don't physically own the game(s).

Also most games that I buy I will come back to in the future. I don't like totally disposable games of the play once or twice and discard variety. I have games going back into the 80's (though in their case the data has been transferred to my external drive since I don't have a floppy drive any more).

If the industry ever shifts fully away from physical media, to online, that is when I will turn away from it.

[CaptainHaplo]

Well - the reason for the rant was EIC.

And - to the credit of the publisher - they finally made a stand alone patch for those of us that bought the game.

6 days later than anyone else got it, but its out at least. Still not happy, still don't like online software supply with its "preferential patch" treatment, but the company finally did what they should, so I wanted to set the record straight.

[TteFAboB]

What everybody said.

If I may repeat myself, here's what I wrote at the Dragon Age thread:

While the game itself is great, it is absurd that I must be logged in each and every time I intend to play the game with extra pre-order content, in other words, each time I want to load a saved-game with extra content. This is the first offline-online chimera game I've ever heard of. You must login, but what for? It's a singleplayer offline game isn't it?

Put under this light, the default, non-deluxe, non-pre-ordered simple version is a superior version of the game, for you can just fire it up and play, anytime, anywhere.

And I, who payed more for these trinckets, on the contrary, am punished with an obligation to play only with an internet connection, as if this were an online game.

There must be another way to do this special edition thing, less moronic, less cheapsteak, less punishing to the customer who goes the extra buck.

Now I can only imagine what will happen if years from now I decide to play my Dragon Age deluxe edition, as I did again with Knights of the Old Republic a few weeks ago. Will my special content be available? Will the old game still be supported? Will Bioware's subscriber system still exist?

I want to own the game, install and play it when I want as I see fit, not have to become a subscriber to an offline-online game, not become the hostage of an internet connection and a company's clubhouse.

What happened to owning the damn game?!

Many thumbs down to Bioware for implementing such a system. Yes, the game is great, but this system is retarded, it is like a <edited>

<edited by NeonSamurai>

[papa_smurf]

It is getting ridiculous, especially with games that use Games for Windows LIVE - you can't do anything unless your logged in, even with single player games. Nor does it let you update properly without the servers crashing - ugh!

Wish games were like in the "good 'ole days", with just discs and no need for the internet. But with the way things are going, I'll have to put up with it for now.

[Wolfehunter]

It is getting ridiculous, especially with games that use Games for Windows LIVE - you can't do anything unless your logged in, even with single player games. Nor does it let you update properly without the servers crashing - ugh!

Wish games were like in the "good 'ole days", with just discs and no need for the internet. But with the way things are going, I'll have to put up with it for now.This is why I uninstalled DOWII.. same crappy concept.. you need all these kind of backround programs running and internet authentications bull****... I'm tired of it all.

The only solution fixing your game exe file to remove these restrictions.

Can you imagine if they do that to your car..? You put your key's in and then you have to call the company to let them send a GPS code to your car to unlock it.. lol... The irony... :haha:

Wait are they doing that already? :-?

[Schroeder]

Wish games were like in the "good 'ole days", with just discs and no need for the internet. But with the way things are going, I'll have to put up with it for now.
Well, there is only one cure to that: Don't buy it!
If enough people decide that they don't want that BS then the software companies might think about implementing such restrictions. If we just complain and buy it anyway then the companies don't see a reason to change their policy.
I have to say without the constant internet connection thingy I would have given RoF a try but as it is it doesn't matter how good the games is I won't buy it!