Fallout: New Vegas uses STEAM, but why...?

[MrDave]

I purchased FONV from D2D, who had no warning about Steam whatsoever. The only thing mentioned at all was "Required third party download to install...". I am not fond of spyware, and Steam is exactly that. After downloading the game from D2D, I hit their install via DLM and went to make a cup of coffee. When I got back, there were no pop ups, or anything on my screen, so I clicked the install via DLM again, only to have Steam start up and tell me my system specs and ask me if I wanted to search for updated drivers through their browser. I was enraged. Now came the several hours long additional download Steam had to do for the actual install of the game. What the bloody hell was I downloading for the past 12 hours?

I contacted D2D and let them know I would never be making another purchase from them again, and that I would be warning others on the multitude of forums to which I belong about their underhanded tactics of no mention of Steam. Below is their response,

 

"Hi David,

Thank you for contacting us!

I am very sorry you feel that way, but we have provided all the information to you about Steam prior to your purchase.

Please have a look at the purchase requirements, which Bethesda requires us to put that on the pages.

“This product is not eligible for refunds. This title installs and requires a 3rd party client install to play.” This was noted to you prior to purchase.

Bethesda, the publisher, is who decided this. You will not find it without Steam. Steam is the DRM system used to activate the game. Like Games for Windows Live etc... This is not something we’ve done to the game.

Regards, "

 

And my response to them,

"Howdy,

The ONLY statements made on the purchase page were these, as you pointed out:

“This product is not eligible for refunds. This title installs and requires a 3rd party client install to play.”

I am aware that Steam was not your choosing, but saying, "This title installs and requires a 3rd party client install to play." is a far cry from saying something more accurate, such as, "This title installs and requires Steam to play.".

I would have never purchased it with that knowledge, and am currently posting to every online game magazine with which I am associated, so that others may be forewarned."

 

They have subsequently offered to refund my money, but the damage has already been done.

The issues, other than Steam spying on my every keystroke, are frequent CTDs (expected when Gamebryo is mentioned somewhere in the production, and not Steam's fault), random minimizing of the game by Steam for pop up ads, Steam taking random times to launch the game (anywhere from 40 seconds to 12 minutes with the average being 3-6 minutes), no access at all to the game manual (I submitted a ticket on this, and Steam responded 5 days later saying update Adobe reader. NOPE. Still get the same thing, the manual is broken and cannot be repaired or accessed), Steam constantly overwriting the .ini file if started in online mode.

 

This will undoubtedly be my last purchase of a Steam game (never again will I buy a 'required third party...' game without knowledge of what that third party is), a Bethesda game, and Obsidian game, or anything from D2D. Already went through this kind of garbage from EA back with BF2142, where they forced spyware upon installation so they could spam players with appropriate in game billboard ads based on web browsing habits. Haven't bought an EA game since, and never will again.

 

So yeah, those of you who do not wish to use Steam, let these companies KNOW and do not buy their games. Contact them and tell them the reason they don't have your money is because of their decision to implement Steam.

 

Side Note: The game has a lot more wicked, twisted humor than FO3, but is horribly unbalanced.

[Delusibeta]

The issues, other than Steam spying on my every keystroke(1), are frequent CTDs (expected when Gamebryo is mentioned somewhere in the production, and not Steam's fault), random minimizing of the game by Steam for pop up ads (2), Steam taking random times to launch the game (anywhere from 40 seconds to 12 minutes with the average being 3-6 minutes)(3), no access at all to the game manual (I submitted a ticket on this, and Steam responded 5 days later saying update Adobe reader. NOPE. Still get the same thing, the manual is broken and cannot be repaired or accessed)(4), Steam constantly overwriting the .ini file if started in online mode(5).

 

This will undoubtedly be my last purchase of a Steam game (never again will I buy a 'required third party...' game without knowledge of what that third party is), a Bethesda game, and Obsidian game, or anything from D2D. Already went through this kind of garbage from EA back with BF2142, where they forced spyware upon installation so they could spam players with appropriate in game billboard ads based on web browsing habits. Haven't bought an EA game since, and never will again. (6)

 

So yeah, those of you who do not wish to use Steam, let these companies KNOW and do not buy their games. Contact them and tell them the reason they don't have your money is because of their decision to implement Steam.

 

Side Note: The game has a lot more wicked, twisted humor than FO3, but is horribly unbalanced.

(1) Excuse the language, but bulls***. Steam doesn't track keystrokes. It does detect the hardware you're using, but so does pretty much every major game these days. You have the option to send in your hardware stats if you get picked for their Hardware Surveys.

(2) Steam, Settings, Interface, Uncheck "Notify me...", OK. Problem solved.

(3) I suspect something's wrong at your end. 30-45 seconds is plausable, not 12 minutes.

(4) Fair point, the .pdf is borked.

(5) Launcher problem. Blame Bethesda and/or Obsidian. I hear there's a mod for that.

(6) You'll be a console gamer by next week then, especially when you find out what Ubisoft includes in their games. http://www.thenexusforums.com/public/style_emoticons/dark/tongue.gif

[BloXboX]

I Serously hate Steam. I have my reasons so don't flame me either.

 

I can't get New Vegas yet. My CD Rom is broken FFFUUUU-

[KDStudios]

And now Steam has broken my New Vegas game with an update!

 

YAY!

 

Nice one Valve, Bethesda and Obsidian! Really made my day!

 

I bet the pirates are laughing at us now ¬_¬

[TheOriginalEvilD]

So if you lose your internet connection, can you play it or is this just mandatory at installation?

 

This is really stupid...i go through periods where i don't even have internet, and if i find myself in a situation where i can't play the game because of it, then i won't even buy it to begin with.

[LadyMilla]

So if you lose your internet connection, can you play it or is this just mandatory at installation?

 

This is really stupid...i go through periods where i don't even have internet, and if i find myself in a situation where i can't play the game because of it, then i won't even buy it to begin with.

 

You need to set Steam to offline mode and you can play as you like.

[KDStudios]

I found a fix for the crash but still, patch caused it ¬_¬

 

And yeah Evil D.

It's needed for installation, then set it to offline mode like LadyMilla said :)

Do it as soon as possible, the patches seem to break the game more and more :P

[evilneko]

Steam is not spyware. :rolleyes:

[TheGrimHarvester]

Dude, for one, Steam is great. It's renowned as one of the best game platforms today. Plus, I would much rather use the Steam activation method than try to slog through DRM, that's just a nightmare.

[Skotte]

Dude, for one, Steam is great. It's renowned as one of the best game platforms today. Plus, I would much rather use the Steam activation method than try to slog through DRM, that's just a nightmare.

 

while it's great that it works wonderfully for you but the fact remains that it's not the best option for everyone & after my personal experience with Steamworks I would love typical offline DRM especially with a disc-based game.