Urbex, you should get off your high horse and quit judging people from behind your monitor. I admitted to not being knowledgable about these things, is there really a reason for you to put me, and most other posters, down? We were exchanging information as people do on forums, no need to get rude and superior. I would like to thank all of you again for all the answers. And thank you for informing me on how the game DOES NOT work without INTERNETS(yes its a Bush-ism) To those who say that gaming has been like this for years, i think youre wrong. i got oblivion when it came out, i did not need to patch it. it did not have all kinds of bugs in it - controles were great, quests worked, dragons didnt fly backwards. oblivion gates did what they were supposed to. IMO Beth released too soon (like a teenage boy) and now we all get to pay the price. Thank you as well for the tips on steam. if i didnt have to use it i wouldnt. I didnt buy skyrim from them, i dont plan on buying any other games. i dont want them to keep track of my achievements, this isnt wow. im sure someone will come up with a mod to do that for me, i dont need to be attached at the hip to some company i dont want to support. My boyfriend begged me just get the cracked version, and had i known that was the way to avoid steam, i would have listened. But Noooo I had to be righteous and say something stupid like 'well if i dont BUY it, how will they know that i want them to make more!' yes ignorant i know but it seemed like a good idea at the time. but thanks for all your time and your ranting, its good to know im not the only one in this position.