Steam update, can't play Skyrim

[NemesisTheWarlock]

So, here we have the latest from Steam -

12 Message by Support Tech Kel on Sat, 9th Feb 2013 3:37 am

Hello Nemesis,

 

The other user did not illegally obtain their copy; a duplicate CD Key was inserted into a game case by the manufacturer by mistake.

 

As the other user could not register their copy of the CD Key, it was necessary to verify ownership of the CD Key, this procedure was applied to both you and the other user.

 

You can find your CD Key by right-clicking on the game in your Library and selecting 'View Game CD Key'.

 

Please be aware that if you are unable to see your entire key at once, the product column, as well as the window itself, can both be resized. The column can be widened by dragging the black bar next to "Product Code", and the window can be resized by dragging on the bottom right corner where the white dots appear.

 

If the 'View Game CD Key' option is not available, you may need to verify the game files for this game.

And with this, Steam closed the query, no apology, no explanation for why they did not inform me of the issue and no offer of any kind of reparations. I haven't let it lie, but we'll see how it goes.

[NemesisTheWarlock]

So today I tried to verify my game cache, as, no surprise, the CD key was NOT available. After it finished the verification, still no CD key but now, Skyrim doesn't damn well work AGAIN!!! Let this be a lesson, don't trust them!! Skyrim now launches but then drops out to windows, I can go back in, but roughly every 30 seconds or so, it drops me out to windows again.

I tried verifying the game cache again (about 6 times!) but it keeps saying that 1 file needs to be reacquired, it says it's done it, but no joy. I'm now in the position, I believe, of having to do a reinstall to get my game to work and retrieve my CD key but, of course, I can't reinstall because I NO LONGER HAVE A VALID CD KEY!!!! Could this get any more maddening? I'm climbing the damn walls here trying to figure out how to get this sorted but having to wait on a roughly 4 line response every few days. Seriously, I'm just not sure it's worth the bother any more, I'd have been better off just buying a new game and starting from scratch. Unless I find a way to sort this, if this happens to you, just accept that you've been mugged and robbed by Steam and buy a new game or simply ditch it :wallbash:

[NemesisTheWarlock]

Thought others might be interested in these responses from Steam when I reported my latest problem -

 

OK, this is now a game issue and not a Steam issue. If the game loads and runs, you need to post system specs and a good description of what happens in a thread in the area for the game.

If you can't find a solution, you will need to contact support for the game.

 

when I pointed out Steam caused the problem in the first place -

 

No, I mean you need to contact the developers/publishers of the game as this is now a game problem, not a Steam problem. Steam support does not support every game on Steam. They support Steam and Valve's games.

I would try a file verification if available...

So first it was the retailer's problem, then Bethesda's yet, strangely, neither of them have molested my machine with their grubby mits unlike Steam!!

I can't help thinking I'm being politely told to disappear................

[Iainmore]

I wish I had seen this forum before I purchased the Skyrim game! I have same issue and others with STEAM. In fact it has turned me into a total hater, so much so that I will now only pirate PC games. I am sick to my back teeth with what I regard as a rip off, so eff them!

 

As we do not support pirated games - or pirates of any software, you no longer have a reason to be here.

Banned for piracy

Bben46

[Iainmore]

Oh and I forgot to add - total silence from Bethesda on the issue! Sucks!

[NemesisTheWarlock]

I have now had a response from Bethesda regarding this and their opinion, like my own, is that Steam's explanation for why this happened makes absolutely no sense whatsoever. Unlike Steam, Bethesda's technical support actually seem to give a damn and have promised to sort it out, not sure what they can do, but they seem positive.

After virtually begging Steam to tell me what my new CD key is, they have FINALLY and reluctantly done so as they haven't found any other way for me to obtain it. Given how helpful Steam have been, I thought it would be useful for Bethesda to have a full copy of Steam's accusations against them, we'll see if Bethesda choose to challenge them over it.

Edited February 25, 2013 by NemesisTheWarlock

[NemesisTheWarlock]

Latest and probably final response on this. Bethesda have looked into it and said it was Steam's fault but there's nothing they can do about it. Steam can apparently do what they like to you and, although Bethesda were sympathetic, they will not be reviewing their relationship with Steam and intend to only be releasing their products through Steam in the future. Sounds like we now know for sure who the dominant partner in the relationship is. So, for all those, like me, who were hoping for a GOTY edition or the like of Skyrim without Steam, it won't be happening I'm afraid. My game's been broken, my machine messed up and the distillation of their response is, "Tough! We can do what we like and if you don't like it, you know what you can do."

The final analysis it seems, is that we are all going to be Steam's play things from now on if we wish to play PC games, at least until they have done this sort of thing to enough people or a good lawyer. I, for one, will be looking forward to seeing Steam getting their just desserts, just like the greedy, immoral game companies of the eighties.

Edited February 25, 2013 by NemesisTheWarlock

[Hoamaii]

@ NemesisTheWarlock: I've had endless problems with Steam too until I decided to play exclusively offline. Though I never had your key problem, many of my issues were "simply" triggered by their stupid client updates though you'd think it should have nothing to do with the game itself.

 

Since you obviously own a legit copy of the game installed on your computer, have you tried to launch it offline?

[NemesisTheWarlock]

My suspicion is that playing offline is actually what made Steam remove my game. I only play offline in general to avoid the sorts of problems that you and others have experienced and the solution given to me by Bethesda was to play offline with the internet disconnected which does at least allow me to play now.

[Hoamaii]

Yeah, this happened to me a couple of times too: Steam blocking my game even though I was playing offline but my Internet connection was still running in the background.

 

My experience is Steam's support is completely useless (and their advices are better left unfollowed), Bethesda's support is more reliable to a certain extent - but all my issues were in the end always solved with the help of other players, more often than not the Nexus. I'd say keep trying, another player may have a solution to offer that'll help you.

 

If at least you can play offline, I'd also advise that you back up all your files on another disk.

 

Sorry I can't be of more help than that.