rec.autos.simulators

by **KCB** » Sun, 19 Nov 2006 23:13:41

>> Partly incorrect ;-).

>> With HL2 I went to a friend with Internet connection and was able to
>> install
>> and set it up for off-line play.
>> It worked for about a month and, I don't know why, it ask me back to
>> connect.
>> (If someone know why it would ask to go back online, it could be
>> usefull if
>> I disconnect from the Web again)
>> I had 2 solutions:
>> - Moving my PC again to my friends place.
>> - Desinstall.

>> I selected the easiest.

> Any system that forces you to have to "talk" to a provider to keep it
> running is a VERY
> BAD THING. Aside from the privacy issues, what if the company goes
> belly up, dosen't release an unlock patch, and you get to sit with a
> dead game that you can no longer play?

There's already a Steamless HL2 out there, so that argument gets tossed.

by **==--=** » Mon, 20 Nov 2006 07:36:39

You should try to at least once describe some problem with Steam. Aside
from just accusing -- where is your proof that Steam is doing ANYTHING????

I've had no problems with Steam since day1

(I would "prefer" that the online interface closed with the game - but I
understand why they do that and it is not too difficult for me to right
click and close manually)

==--==

by bp » Mon, 20 Nov 2006 07:44:29

>>Ex-Starforce Publisher turns to STEAM!

>>SimBin a well known and PROUD Starforce Publisher has UPGRADED
>>its copy-protection system to a even more AGRESSIVE one, and
>>off course it had to be STEAM, the top of the line in AGRESSIVE
>>copy-protection.

>>SimBin's "RACE - The Official WTCC Game" will be STEAM INFECTED!
>>http://www.race-game.org/

>Excellent.

>I'm currently loading Medieval 2 and I will be loading RACE. I'm
>personally saving $25 per game due to having to pay US price.
>Local price for games is around $75US!

Good for you
All I get is a full retail price, no CD, and many times no
documentation all at the same price as the store version that has all
that other stuff.

- Show quoted text -

by **Hank the Rappe** » Mon, 20 Nov 2006 07:46:33

> Ex-Starforce Publisher turns to STEAM!

Wow! What else can he turn into?

by **Tim** » Mon, 20 Nov 2006 10:41:34

I have HL2, and I'm not really pro or anti-STEAM yet, but I see this
game being released on STEAM as a positive. I like race sims, and many
of the World Touring and Rally sims are difficult to find in the US.
Since the market isn't huge here, some are delayed by months after a
European market push, and some don't make it here at all.

This is one case where I welcome the availability to download. I've
never once used a download service for a retail game. This might be
the one.

by **Byron Forbe** » Mon, 20 Nov 2006 15:14:44

I have always had a liking for NFL type computer games/sims - in fact I
owned a thing called Broderbund Playmaker Football b4 I even owned my 1st
PC. This is why I got the PC! :)

Anyway, I was keen to get NFL Head Coach by EA but it is not relesed in
Australia. It would have taken a few weeks to get it shipped by a local
company for an overall cost of $40 including postal costs. Then I realised I
could download it via EA Link and it only cost me $27. I only have a 512kb
connection and it took me over 24hrs to finally get the entire 2.1 GB down
but that is a lot better than the alternative. It's by far the cheapest non
bargain bin game I have ever purchased and there is no stuffing about
hunting a copy down or waiting for shipping.

This sort of thing is a great developement. The only thing is that
refunds/exchanges are a no go so you need to be sure it's what you want.

>>SimBin's "RACE - The Official WTCC Game" will be STEAM INFECTED!
>>http://www.race-game.org/

> I have HL2, and I'm not really pro or anti-STEAM yet, but I see this
> game being released on STEAM as a positive. I like race sims, and many
> of the World Touring and Rally sims are difficult to find in the US.
> Since the market isn't huge here, some are delayed by months after a
> European market push, and some don't make it here at all.

> This is one case where I welcome the availability to download. I've
> never once used a download service for a retail game. This might be
> the one.

by **Vinc** » Mon, 20 Nov 2006 21:09:43

"Hank the Rapper" wrote

>> Ex-Starforce Publisher turns to STEAM!
> Wow! What else can he turn into?

Is he a Super hero?

by **JAB** » Mon, 20 Nov 2006 21:18:32

> "Hank the Rapper" wrote

>>> Ex-Starforce Publisher turns to STEAM!

>> Wow! What else can he turn into?

> Is he a Super hero?

Is it some fog, is it a car exhaust on a cold morning, is it a bonfire,
no it's Steam Man ...

by **Tim** » Tue, 21 Nov 2006 04:48:39

>Is it some fog, is it a car exhaust on a cold morning, is it a bonfire,
>no it's Steam Man ...

"Stop right there evil-do'ers, or I'll humidify you!"

by **Larr** » Wed, 22 Nov 2006 00:07:35

"Well Starforce the version used in Retail PC Games is nothing
more than a disk based copy-protection system... yes it is
driver based, it creates incompatibility and stability issues
and overall its a major headache and inconvenience for users,
but that is it, it has no other reach."

Yeah, just like Diarheaa is only a minor inconvience.

Thanks for the monday-morning laugh!

-Larry

by **Larr** » Wed, 22 Nov 2006 00:13:53

It's a good point though. If a developer goes under, one could lose access
to something they paid good money for.

It's already happened once in the Software industry.

The same thing applies to digital music downloads. You could spend $1000 on
music, and the music store could go under. With all the cut-throat dealing
going on in that industry right now, I have no doubt that someone,
eventually, will throw in the towel and the courts are gonna get a good
workout over it.

-Larry

>> Any system that forces you to have to "talk" to a provider to
>> keep it running is a VERY BAD THING.

> In theory, yes. In practice, I'm sure it's unlikely Steam would just
> vanish without a parting shot of patches.

> Bottom line though... life's short, and we're talking about games, not a
> cure for cancer or throwing away thousands of lives in Iraq. The older I
> get, the harder I find it to get upset about ***.

> Andrew McP

by **Larr** » Wed, 22 Nov 2006 00:15:18

I dunno. Some people just care about such things as privacy and freedom. I
realize they ain't in-vogue these days, but some people do care.

-Larry

> Usually the only people who yell the loudest about privacy and freedom,
> are
> those that have something to hide... like copying games.

by **Cox** » Wed, 22 Nov 2006 07:17:28

Larry has brought this to us :

> I dunno. Some people just care about such things as privacy and freedom. I
> realize they ain't in-vogue these days, but some people do care.

> -Larry

>> Usually the only people who yell the loudest about privacy and freedom, are
>> those that have something to hide... like copying games.

I love freedom and privacy too, don't get me wrong, hell, I'm in the
military for crying out loud and defend it every day! I just don't
think every person out there is evil and trying to do sinister things
with my data.

His email struck me as paranoid and over the top. It's like the
NSA/CIA wiretapping overseas calls from terrorists fiasco, everyone was
screaming about privacy and freedom relating to that too, but if you're
talking to terrorists....

That was my point, if you scream the loudest, you are usually the one
doing wrong and not wanting to get caught.

by **zeez** » Thu, 23 Nov 2006 00:48:53

> > Any system that forces you to have to "talk" to a provider to
> > keep it running is a VERY BAD THING.

> In theory, yes. In practice, I'm sure it's unlikely Steam would just
> vanish without a parting shot of patches.

That is, if they decide to do this in the first place. Right now,
gamers can only *hope* that
if Steam goes under, that it will indeed release patches, rather than
just disappear one day leaving their customers***. I don't want to
invest hundreds or even thousands of dollars
in games with Steam only to find my self one day finding that I will no
longer be able to
play what I paid for if they decide to close down and skip town.

Well, I imagine you would still get POed if something you put alot of
money in became completely worthless and unusable. Bottom line, don't
rely on others to keep your software running, especialy a company.

by **zeez** » Thu, 23 Nov 2006 00:59:14

> It's a good point though. If a developer goes under, one could lose access
> to something they paid good money for.

> It's already happened once in the Software industry.

> The same thing applies to digital music downloads. You could spend $1000 on
> music, and the music store could go under.

Great point. Thankfuly, the music can still be captured via analog,
and re recorded in
a non "protected" format. ( though there is a group of people
*cough*TRUSTEDCOMPUTINGGROUP*cough* that are working hard to close this
loophole, but it doeen't affect the current hardware on the market.)

The dot-BOMB bubble of the late 1990's/early 2000's was a great lesson
on just why you don't want to put too much failth in companies.

> -Larry

> >> Any system that forces you to have to "talk" to a provider to
> >> keep it running is a VERY BAD THING.

> > In theory, yes. In practice, I'm sure it's unlikely Steam would just
> > vanish without a parting shot of patches.

> > Bottom line though... life's short, and we're talking about games, not a
> > cure for cancer or throwing away thousands of lives in Iraq. The older I
> > get, the harder I find it to get upset about ***.

> > Andrew McP