How to avoid unnecessary DRM

[Pingzioren]

Yes, of course I will. The problem with Steam is they require you to install their Game Purchasing Software in order to play a game even if you bought it from another retailer.

They do this so you will be all setup to make all your future purchases from them. The idea is that Steam is already there, it has to be, and you won't bother looking at their competitors when you buy future games.

Such anti-competitive policies are not only unethical, but likely illegal. See Microsoft having to pay massive fines for using similar tactics with IE. But lawsuits are slow and they were too late to save Netscape et al. Microsoft had to change their practices, but they already achieved their goal of putting all competitors out of business. And it was years before Mozilla and others were able capitalize on those rulings and we could get a decent browser again.

The last thing we want as game consumers and game developers is for one company to do the same thing to the gaming industry.

It's bad for customers, it's bad for developers, it's bad for pricing, it's bad for product quality, and it's lethal to other digital distributors.

Steam will never go on my computers. Simple as that. And it's right that we let Paradox know they will lose us as customers if they try to require us to use it as a condition of buying their products.

I assume you think that releasing exclusive console games are unethical and 'likely illegal' aswell?

The next Mario game isn't released on XBOX? Let's sue them.

 

[Flybynight]

Steam is useless junk I don't need whose only function is to slow down my computer by wasting its limited resources. If I want a game I will buy a game, I don't need some bloatware to download it for me. I know how to download things myself.

Well, I suppose if you're still playing games on a 386DX Steam might possibly be considered 'bloatware'. For the rest of us with computer made post 1990 it doesn't even make a blip on the ol' CPU. Can I suggest upgrading your computer?

Otherwise, good luck 'downloading' EU4 if you're interested in the game.

 

[Communard]

Well, I suppose if you're still playing games on a 386DX Steam might possibly be considered 'bloatware'. For the rest of us with computer made post 1990 it doesn't even make a blip on the ol' CPU. Can I suggest upgrading your computer?

Otherwise, good luck 'downloading' EU4 if you're interested in the game.

Very droll. Steam is software that serves no actual purpose, so it is a waste of resources to install it. Just because I have a lot of space in my house doesn't mean I will fill parts of it with junk.

 

[zaikantos]

Very droll. Steam is software that serves no actual purpose, so it is a waste of resources to install it. Just because I have a lot of space in my house doesn't mean I will fill parts of it with junk.

If it has no purpose it wouldn't be needed.

 

[duhsveti]

Very droll. Steam is software that serves no actual purpose, so it is a waste of resources to install it. Just because I have a lot of space in my house doesn't mean I will fill parts of it with junk.

That analogy doesn't work because you don't live in a computer. Also you can hardly call something using a dozen or so MB's of your RAM, bloatware.

 

[Killzerslaul]

Steam is useless junk I don't need whose only function is to slow down my computer by wasting its limited resources. If I want a game I will buy a game, I don't need some bloatware to download it for me. I know how to download things myself.

As the developers have clearly stated, Steamworks has streamlined their development process and provided important contributions to the game, allowing EU4 to be greater than it could otherwise be. It is anything but "useless junk".

 

[Darsara]

That analogy doesn't work because you don't live in a computer. Also you can hardly call something using a dozen or so MB's of your RAM, bloatware.

For a modern computer in a modern north American house, I think Steam on itself would be a fairly small, thin picture frame with a folding stand and a wall hanger. Enough to be noticed, but not enough on its own to be a hassle. At worst it's a single bulb desk lamp.

 

[Hvymtlboy]

If you don't want the NSA to know what game you bought, you'll have to buy them second hand, cash and with a paper bag over your head

I have several paper bags and tinfoil hats for just that purpose, and it doesn't extend to only games.

 

[ryu2999]

Thanks for these posts Johan:

http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum...essary-DRM&p=15615242&viewfull=1#post15615242

http://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum...essary-DRM&p=15615242&viewfull=1#post15615242

At least now we can quote them and nip in the bud every thread that gets dragged down and derailed to the same old moaning.

 

[GreatSlayer]

That analogy doesn't work because you don't live in a computer. Also you can hardly call something using a dozen or so MB's of your RAM, bloatware.

That's actually my only issue with Steam. It uses 200 mb RAM for me. Is there any way to decrease it while running games?

 

[Emperor Marcus]

The only issue i have with steam is that its SO god dam good it doesn't have any decent competition... Origin? dont make me laugh... But thus far Valve has proven itself to relatively benevolent service provider so most of these fears of them abusing their dominance in the market is brushed aside. Because they are simply fears and most cant be substantiated with any evidence.

And even if it was a all domineering monopoly its hardly the only one you ever deal with on a daily basis and rely on for services.. Power companies, and most cable providers are like that too.

I think the biggest problem i have ever had with a steam game was more due to the asshole decisions some game studio made notably L.A Noire. Purchased it on steam, tried to play it but its unplayable due to a widespread bug in the game where it freezes on start up. Rockstar continues to deny people their money and refuses to fix the dam bug so it was a utter waste of money and time trying to get help from them.

 

[Emperor Marcus]

That's actually my only issue with Steam. It uses 200 mb RAM for me. Is there any way to decrease it while running games?

Thats probably with it providing you access to ingame steam services like chat etc without needing to exit the game. Aka what you access when you press shift+tab. Go under settings, to Ingame tab and un-check the "enable steam community in-game".

That should probably fix that issue.

 

[stilgarpl]

That's actually my only issue with Steam. It uses 200 mb RAM for me. Is there any way to decrease it while running games?

How much RAM do you have? 200MB isn't that much, even Firefox usually takes about 1GB
If you have at least 4GB, then 200MB should not be a problem, since Windows won't let the game use more than 2-3GB.

 

[GreatSlayer]

Thats probably with it providing you access to ingame steam services like chat etc without needing to exit the game. Aka what you access when you press shift+tab. Go under settings, to Ingame tab and un-check the "enable steam community in-game".

That should probably fix that issue.

I would like to use chat though. Guess I'll just have to buy those RAM sticks I promised myself for my birthday 3 years ago. :'(

How much RAM do you have? 200MB isn't that much, even Firefox usually takes about 1GB
If you have at least 4GB, then 200MB should not be a problem, since Windows won't let the game use more than 2-3GB.

4 GB. It does show when you have multiple tasks, and try to save memory. Foobar+CKII+steam+arbitrarywindowstasksandNSAspybots can lead to some stuttering. Ironically, Civ V is my biggest hog. Not Skyrim, or bioinfinite.

 

[Emperor Marcus]

I would like to use chat though. Guess I'll just have to buy those RAM sticks I promised myself for my birthday 3 years ago. :'(

You can but its far less convenient. You have to minimize the game and have steam chat up to actually type in anything. Doesnt affect anything if your already in a voice chat with someone.

 

[Darkrenown]

For our oldest active member on the forum, I'd say we can arrange that. But the beer helps

I thought RELee was our oldest member?

 

[Archaalen]

I've never used steam, not out of fear but simply because I was a late-adopter to the whole online-distribution thing. I now have accounts with gamersgate, GOG, and Impulse, but not Steam. I'd simply like to avoid having to create yet another one of these accounts to keep track of all of the games that I own, but if steam is my only option then I will simply have to get one because my need for new EU is to strong. I just wish I could consolidate all of my games into one single service, you know? Is steam really superior to all of these as a distribution platform?

 

[unmerged(465279)]

Steam is not even the biggest problem, it's the new Crusader Kings 2 way of adding new content to the game. I spend hundreds of hours playing EU3 and I only had to buy the game once, I spent some extra cash on new units but thats all just flavour. I seriously wonder how much money I'm going to end up spending before EU4 is on the level of content of EU3, it's probably going to be over €100...

Using Steam just makes these things more exspensive as Gamersgate and Amazon usually have better and more frequent sales than Steam does, so we get double screwed.

Oh well at least EU3 is still fun.

 

[Tempiic]

I would like to use chat though. Guess I'll just have to buy those RAM sticks I promised myself for my birthday 3 years ago. :'(

4 GB. It does show when you have multiple tasks, and try to save memory. Foobar+CKII+steam+arbitrarywindowstasksandNSAspybots can lead to some stuttering. Ironically, Civ V is my biggest hog. Not Skyrim, or bioinfinite.

Would your O/S be Win7? If so, you shouldn't worry about that as it is supposed to work like that "hogging" some or all of your ram, freeing it up as soon as some application requires more. If running XP, yeah I can understand. May want to recheck on unneccesary tasks/services running. Though the stuttering may as well be caused by CPU cycles and a lack of cores. Or an automatic set file cache that is too low by default, delaying the system when increasing it. Or maybe disabling NSA spybot when playing or make it stop checking your ck2 process?

 

[stilgarpl]

I just wish I could consolidate all of my games into one single service, you know? Is steam really superior to all of these as a distribution platform?

It's partially possible. If you own a game from that list: https://support.steampowered.com/kb_article.php?ref=7480-wusf-3601 you can register it on steam and play it from there, even if you bought it somewhere else (cd key format must match).