But which platform for digital content is more user friendly than Steam? EA Download manager? xD

Sheppard212

Oh gee I don't know, Impulse?

You get brownie points for assuming things about me. Congratulations, you are completely wrong. From there, your argument falls to shambles worse than safety protocols at the CNPP.

Sheppard212

You mean when you outright asked what the alternatives were and the only one you could think of is the EA Downloader? Sorry if I assumed wrong it's because you gave the impression that Steam is pretty much all you know. Would you care to explain what about my argument falls to shambles exactly?

I'm baffled. I really am, VH. I can't recall when Valve ever said Steamw as pirate-proof, nor will folks stop playing the platform because of it.Sheppard212

One of their big selling points when trying to get companies to launch Steam Exclusive titles is the absolute lie that Steam is effective against Piracy.

But which platform for digital content is more user friendly than Steam? EA Download manager? xDSheppard212

That's the only reason most people defend Steam. You don't even know about Impulse or GG or D2D do you? Valve has been so successful at ensuring that they have a virtual monopoly over the Digitial Distribution market that they're all many people even know. Valve is by far one of the least user friendly of the Digital Distribution services, but they nearly have a monopoly they're intent on keeping it that way for at least a few more years. That's why they continue to outright lie about their service preventing Piracy when we all know it doesn't.

But if you think Steam is as bad as Kane and Lynch then...well, I'm stumped. How can you go around saying this? By the way: Saying "google search it!" is a nice cop out. I'm asking you for a link, probably the one(s) you've signed. But I found this, and I have to say "Golly gee whiz, I REALLY want to boycott steam now!"Sheppard212

I said I'd like to see Yatzee rip into it like he did with Kain and Lynch, but seriously if the only game you had ever played or even knew about in your entire life was Kain and Lynch you might think it's a good game.

Steam and MMO's are the best way to combat piracy.. Furthermore it by no means is as invasive or annoying as other systems out there.. ESPECIALLY when most pc gamers who are into their hobby have a broad band connection.sSubZerOo

Wrong, Steam is absolutely useless for preventing Piracy. Steam games are Pirated on launch date. Sorry.

The ironic part is that piracy does create jobs and revenue.

Those companies which make the DRM love it.

Hakkai007

That really is Ironic. You know what's funny is I'm not Anti-DRM, Steam just isn't effective as DRM. I honestly think the best example of DRM is online only features like virtual kingdoms and stuff, UbiSoft half had the right idea. Forcing people to be online to play a game doesn't work unless it's an online game, people will still crack it as that whole Settlers 7 debacal shows us, but providing lots of cool content that you need an internet connection to use is a really good idea. You can hold it over their heads like you're teasing a dog with a steak, a lot of people will jump for it. Major developers and publishers need to learn from the Free2Play MMO market, because people will literally pay $40 USD for a collectable sword and armor that doesn't even do anything, or access to a one room area with virtually no content (AdventureQuest I'm thinking of you!).

Steam as a pure distribution system with a large gaming database is fine, steam as DRM is worthless and Valve should win a con-artistry award for selling the Golden Lie that it actually stops piracy, if anything at this point in time it encourages it. Steam doesn't prevent Piracy, period. Valve just cooks the books to make sure their corporate finances are covered, their little fairy tale of Piracy Prevention is just a trick to con publishers into using their service exclusively so that they can keep a virtual monopoly over the digital distribution market for a few more years. Gradually companies using Steam are going to see that it's not making a damn bit of difference and they're going to stop making Steam exclusive agreements, they'll still pay that ridiculous fee to sell their games on Steam but they'll also use other more user friendly distribution networks because they've got a vested interest in maximizing their own sales.

As for people boycotting steam, there have been a lot of threads for it, and a few petitions for it, a simple google search should bring it up. I would love to see Lord Yatzee rip into Steam like he ripped into Kain & Lynch.

Yech Sorry for the double post by the way

I'd suggest that the best way to combat piracy is to hold online only content over the gamer's head like you're teasing a dog with a steak.

[QUOTE="face_ripper"]

Nothing stops piracy, Devs ruin their games by adding them to steam.

kieranb2000

Steam offers nothing you can't get from other Digitial Download distributers except a larger selection. The fact that so many are now boycotting steam and that Steam not only FAILS as DRM but in fact encourages piracy by adgitating steam haters is reason enough for companies to avoid steam.

Steam doesn't even reduce piracy, that's pretty much proven with a simple google search, steam games are pirated and cracked all the time. There are a LOT of reasons people hate steam, I'm not even going to go into them but sufficed to say Steam DOES caus problems with a lot of games, including unavailability of patches, Steam only bugs, Mod Incompatibility, and much more. These are Valve problems, Steam problems, that you don't get from other Distributers.

What's hilarious is that they pretend like they prevent piracy, when in fact they only encourage it. Games distributed over steam are constantly pirated. I'm not advocating piracy I just think it's funny that steam is such an epic fail as DRM, that so many steam games have been and will be pirated, and yet they continue to successfully decieve out of touch companies into thinking they make games safe. How gullible are these publishers and developers who still buy that golden lie?

Best DRM is likely online only content honestly, not this "You must log in to play" crap because that's a proven fail, but instead saying "If you don't log in, you can't use this, this, and this, because it's online only content".