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General discussionHow many of you actually boycott Steam games?(1376 posts)(1376 posts)
(1376 posts)
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This is my favourite topic
Posted December 30, 2015
I personally don't see why it's such a huge deal. Yes, it's annoying, yes, it's intrusive, but it's not bad enough that I'd completely ditch Steam altogether. Some companies are just overly-paranoid of piraters, and, honestly, I can understand why, to some extent. It can be a useful tool for organizing gaming events/tournaments and chatting with friends. It's not downright evil, just a bit irritating sometimes, but I really see no humongous, boycott-deserving problem with it as long as you have a stable internet connection.
I'll admit I was pretty reluctant to use it for some time, but used it because some games are only on Steam. Plus, it's easy to get really nice games either for free or in trading in the forums with it, since people hate Steam so much, they're just itching to get rid of their keys for a GOG game.
Posted December 30, 2015
Since I last posted in this thread I ended up getting two more steam products, both outside of Valve.

First was 3d Realms Anthology since it will be having the Duke games removed in a couple days. This was from a bundle key to which I backed up the games after downloading to run separately later on. The other was Doom 3 BFG at retail for a dollar. After downloading the game files, I moved them over to run with RBDOOM3-BFG without any DRM.

I realize using steam to download files to run outside of it isn't really a boycott, but since the end result was games I can play DRM free, I went ahead and got them.
Posted December 30, 2015
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ValamirCleaver: I won't consider purchasing any game that requires any form of...
, time or money on games tied to a proprietary client.
What if everything you got on Steam etc. didn't cost you anything? What if they were free, and the only inconvenience is online actitivation/DRM? Would you still feel negatively towards the platform?

Steam is the only place right now that gives free money to its users for being loyal/active/<word for making smart investments>, to the point where many of its top users have actually profited off of it and have a wallet surplus rather than a deficit. Maybe if people stopped thinking of it as a retail platform/client and more like an MMO then it'd make more sense. :P
Posted December 30, 2015
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AccurateArt: I don't boycott Steam, but I have re-bought a large portion of my Steam games here on GOG.
This is also what I do. I buy games on GOG to support DRM-free distribution and GOG, I buy games on Steam because they're easier to install, maintain, mod and update, also because of the multiplayer functions. Some games overlap, since Steam also sell DRM free games (a fact that's somehow unknown to most people). I try to get those games both on Steam and on GOG if available.
Posted December 30, 2015
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MaximumBunny: What if everything you got on Steam etc. didn't cost you anything? What if they were free, and the only inconvenience is online actitivation/DRM? Would you still feel negatively towards the platform?

Steam is the only place right now that gives free money to its users for being loyal/active/<word for making smart investments>, to the point where many of its top users have actually profited off of it and have a wallet surplus rather than a deficit. Maybe if people stopped thinking of it as a retail platform/client and more like an MMO then it'd make more sense. :P
I bought 40 USD worth of games without using my real money this Steam Winter Sale.

Thanks to Steam Card and trading, I made enough profit.

Let's see..

1. Nobunaga: Sphere of Influence
2. PopCap Complete Pack

and a few others to make it 40+.
Posted December 30, 2015
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AccurateArt: I just love online shooters too much to go without Steam/Origin cold turkey! :)
I could never get into 1st person shooters. I even tried playing Hexxen and Heretic back in the back in the latter half of the 90s, still didn't appeal to me.

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zeogold: I personally don't see why it's such a huge deal.
Yes, you do; you just stated it.
Yes, it's annoying, yes, it's intrusive
Yes, exactly; that's exactly it.
it's not bad enough that I'd completely ditch Steam altogether.
For me it's bad enough that registering a Steam account was never a consideration. I've also never had an iTunes account nor have I ever reddemed the "free" iTunes songs from when I would buy concert tickets for the same reasons as not redeeming Steam keys I receive when purchasing DRM free games on Humble Bundle. Just like I have GOG & Humble Bundle for games instead of Steam, for music I have &amp; [url=https://www.hdtracks.com/]HDtracks instead of iTunes. (I also think it's ridiculous to pay even as little as 99¢ per song for MP3s, AACs or other lossy formats; but I'll willingly pay for FLACs from or [url=https://www.hdtracks.com/]HDtracks. I'll purchase CDs & rip them myself before considering iTunes.)
Some companies are just overly-paranoid of piraters, and, honestly, I can understand why, to some extent.
I honestly don't understand why so many will willingly pay to endure the difficulties of being treated as assumed potential pirates. Would you want to give continued patronage to a brick & mortar retailer that not only followed you breathing down your neck the entire time you you were on the premises; but also frisked & searched you for merchandise every 5 minutes? That's how I feel about online DRM.
It can be a useful tool for organizing gaming events/tournaments and chatting with friends.
One can do that with Facebook, other social networking services, Skype, other VoIP communications, Internet Messengers, Internet Forums, Text Messaging, et cetera; without having to seek after purchase permission and/or endure after purchase surveillance.
It's not downright evil
In my opinion it's , I rather not have dealings with [url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mammon]Mammon.
just a bit irritating sometimes, but I really see no humongous, boycott-deserving problem with it as long as you have a stable internet connection.
If a company wants my business, then they have to not treat me in a way that leads me to believe the they consider me a potential pirate. Whether or not I have a reliable Internet connection (which I do) is irrelevant. My continuing use of games for which I made lawful payment should not be subject to the continued existence nor subject to changing whims of the publisher nor the retailer.
I'll admit I was pretty reluctant to use it for some time, but used it because some games are only on Steam.
No game is worth that me. I have more than 400+ DRM free games that can occupy me for the rest of my natural life. I also have music to which to listen, books to read, videos to watch, et cetera. No game is worth enduring being treated as an assumed potential pirate, especially after I have lawfully paid for it.
Plus, it's easy to get really nice games either for free or in trading in the forums with it, since people hate Steam so much, they're just itching to get rid of their keys for a GOG game.
and [url=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Libre_%28word%29]Libre aren't the same thing, I'm not willing to give up for [url=http://www.wired.com/2006/09/free-as-in-beer/]beer without direct, up-front monetary remuneration.

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MaximumBunny: What if everything you got on Steam etc. didn't cost you anything? What if they were free, and the only inconvenience is online actitivation/DRM? Would you still feel negatively towards the platform?
I'm not willing to forgo liberty (by accepting DRM) in exchange for gratis beer (games without direct, up-front monetary remuneration). Hypothetical questions aside In Real Life we know that what you've proposed has no realistic chance of actually happening.
Steam is the only place right now that gives free money to its users for being loyal/active/<word for making smart investments>, to the point where many of its top users have actually profited off of it and have a wallet surplus rather than a deficit.
Really, Steam hands out free cash with no preconditions? One can take this "money given freely by Steam" somewhere independent of Steam and dispose of it in whatever way as one pleases without an additional input or other contact with Steam? If that is the literal truth, that's news to me. How come I haven't encountered any gaming website articles touting Steams' altruism?

I have no firsthand knowledge of what you're describing, but I have a suspicion you're omitting a lot of relevant stipulations on the part of Steam. It sounds like what you're describing is some form of . I also have a feeling that what your describing is an example of one of the ways Steam creates [url=https://blog.intercom.io/overcoming-customer-inertia/]customer inertia and therefore vendor lock-in.
Maybe if people stopped thinking of it as a retail platform/client and more like an MMO then it'd make more sense. :P
I don't play MMOs because the premise makes no sense for me as a customer. I won't willingly pay for software as a service. I remember hearing about Ultima Online and EverQuest back in the late 90s and shaking my head to myself once I had a clear picture of the economic cost for a customer.

"Do I understand this correctly? First I need to buy the game, then I need to pay a monthly subscription in addition to the initial software purchase to have continued access to my character & it's in game progress irregardless of whether or not I had time during any one moth to actually play the game and for some reason if I am unable or otherwise stop paying the monthly subscription I lose my character & it's in game progress? Why would anyone even consider doing that???..."

Also you need to realize at the time I was in the Air Force at the time so not being able to pay non-essential bills & not having access to my personal computer for many months at a time because I may have been deployed without a lot of longterm fore warning were not unrealistic possibilities. Despite the fact that I greatly enjoy both tabletop & computer RPG gaming, the economic concept behind MMOs have left a bad taste in my mouth ever since then. I've never purchased nor subscribed to one...
Posted December 30, 2015
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ValamirCleaver: I'm not willing to forgo liberty (by accepting DRM) in exchange for gratis beer (games without direct, up-front monetary remuneration). Hypothetical questions aside In Real Life we know that what you've proposed has no realistic chance of actually happening.
It does happen though. That's why a lot of us use Steam. :P

And the MMO analogy was just because if you view Steam as a free to play game with games as the micro-transaction store and trading cards/item drops as the currency you grind for then it makes more sense to see why people use it. If everyone bought their games with actual money then of course they'd hate Steam. But that's not where it shines.
Posted December 30, 2015
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MaximumBunny: It does happen though. That's why a lot of us use Steam. :P
I'm not willing to consider ingesting. I consider the potential cost too great for what's being offered.
And the MMO analogy was just because if you view Steam as a free to play game with games as the micro-transaction store and trading cards/item drops as the currency you grind for then it makes more sense to see why people use it. If everyone bought their games with actual money then of course they'd hate Steam. But that's not where it shines.
Another reason why I don't bother with MMOs is because I don't like being "nickle & dimed". So the "freebies" are the lotuses to get one to stay and accept everything else? Like I said, I consider the potential cost too great for what's being offered.

The Venture Bros. Eeney, Meeney, Miney... Magic!
Posted December 30, 2015
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sunshinecorp: This is also what I do. I buy games on GOG to support DRM-free distribution and GOG, I buy games on Steam because they're easier to install, maintain, mod and update, also because of the multiplayer functions. Some games overlap, since Steam also sell DRM free games (a fact that's somehow unknown to most people). I try to get those games both on Steam and on GOG if available.
Translation: "there are suckers who will buy twice if we first release on Steam and then few years later on GoG"... not a developer stance I would want to support with my money. If I like dev that much, I can buy another copy here and gift it. Obviously, it doesn't apply if they release on both platforms at the same time - still it doesn't mean I have to support Steam too.

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sunshinecorp: ... since Steam also sell DRM free games (a fact that's somehow unknown to most people).
Known to me, not enough to consider having Steam account.
- DRM free or not, there is still mandatory client to download and install. From GoG, I download INSTALLER, and as long as I keep that, I can install it on windows 2050, regardless of GoG or publisher wishes, ToS or even existence at that time (or wine if windows get too incompatible by then)
- the titles I would be interested in are definitely NOT offered DRM free
- consolidation - having all eggs in one basket is bad practice in general, but with offline installers it's not that bad, and brings considerable ease of management, and saves system bresources from running multiple clients

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sunshinecorp: I buy games on Steam because they're easier to install, maintain, mod and update, also because of the multiplayer functions
I'll give you multiplayer - if nothing else, they have larger usebase and you are more likely to meet someone. Galaxy is supposed to have something like that, but I never tried it, and I'm not interested in MP anyway. The rest... can't imagine that Steam could get it any easier than to click Install and then after a while click Play. Which is exactly what Galaxy does too. Including autoupdate (if you use default), or update notification + manual update button, if you like to be in control. "Ease of mod" - if you mean Steam workshop then I'm not interested, that one needs to die for various reasons already beaten to death elsewhere - foremost for me is that is is another tool to strenghten their monopoly. I don't blame Steam for trying, it's natural thing to do for any company, I'm just sad that customers are falling for it (again, like for many similar schemes in the past), and it's even considered as one of Steam benefits. Luckily, only very few games are worthy of modding AND support it at the same time, so it's not that big deal for now.

Still, I don't think I boycott Steam, games are not important enough issue for that. To me boycott is much more active opposition than just not buying there - otherwise I would be boycotting 99.457% of businesses all around the planet that I never heard of. I have no problem with browsing their forums when looking for solution to a problem, read reviews or browse through the "related" to see what might be interesting when it comes here. They just need some healthy competition, they have enough customers already without me joining them.
Posted December 30, 2015
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huan: TL;DC
Sucker for giving more money to a developer I actually like just because I do it through Steam and not TWICE through GOG? You're a confused little man, aren't you?
Posted December 31, 2015
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MaximumBunny: What if everything you got on Steam etc. didn't cost you anything? What if they were free, and the only inconvenience is online actitivation/DRM? Would you still feel negatively towards the platform?

Steam is the only place right now that gives free money to its users for being loyal/active/<word for making smart investments>, to the point where many of its top users have actually profited off of it and have a wallet surplus rather than a deficit. Maybe if people stopped thinking of it as a retail platform/client and more like an MMO then it'd make more sense. :P
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zeroxxx: I bought 40 USD worth of games without using my real money this Steam Winter Sale.

Thanks to Steam Card and trading, I made enough profit.

Let's see..

1. Nobunaga: Sphere of Influence
2. PopCap Complete Pack

and a few others to make it 40+.
US$460.12 and counting since I started selling cards August last year :)
Posted December 31, 2015
Havent bought one or even a bundle containing a steam game for quite a few months now
Posted December 31, 2015
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zeogold: I personally don't see why it's such a huge deal. Yes, it's annoying, yes, it's intrusive, but it's not bad enough that I'd completely ditch Steam altogether.
It only seems like not a big deal until you try to do without it. Either by circumstance forced on you, or by choice.

Scenario #1: You decide to uninstall steam but keep the games. Some games work, some don't.
That's annoying, but just reinstalling the client and they will work most likely.

Scenario #2: You copied the game files as a backup in case your hard drive crashed. It crashed, so you restore the files but they won't work without steam installed. So you install steam, get it verified and it works fine.

Scenario #3: You get a new computer after you move (lets say you went to a college out of state). But internet is down and inaccessible in the area at all for some non-specific reason; The games now insist steam not only HAS to be installed and you HAVE to verify your installation before you can resume. Games are unplayable at all because you can't verify your licenses.

Scenario #4: You manage to backup your games and licenses and your steam installer, but with all the work involved... why not just a simple installer exe? Otherwise it's more complicated than it has to be. Most people won't backup their games and instead will just re-install steam and re-download all their games.

Scenario #5: Expanded to what MS WANTED the XBone to be, which is always online. You get a system, get called into service and get sent overseas. Internet is choppy at best and otherwise unusable. Assuming you get the checkin to work, then you MIGHT be able to play single-player games for 24 hours before it requires you to check in again, else you can only look at the Error 37 prompt you always get...

--

To be honest i tried to avoid the steam client myself. Either for privacy reasons, it was on a machine that i knew was more powerful but i didn't WANT the steam features, and i wanted to just play games the way they used to be (put them in and they work). Getting slapped 7 times by DRM totally turned me off for steam in it's entirety, even if games are DRM-free after you get the game downloaded (like Dungeons of Dredmore) i've refused all steam-only games and replaced all the games i could with GoG's or Hunble Bundle games.
Post edited December 31, 2015 by rtcvb32
Posted December 31, 2015
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Post edited December 31, 2015 by Fairfox
Posted December 31, 2015
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rtcvb32: It only seems like not a big deal until you try to do without it. Either by circumstance forced on you, or by choice.

Scenario #1: You decide to uninstall steam but keep the games. Some games work, some don't.
That's annoying, but just reinstalling the client and they will work most likely.

Scenario #2: You copied the game files as a backup in case your hard drive crashed. It crashed, so you restore the files but they won't work without steam installed. So you install steam, get it verified and it works fine.

Scenario #3: You get a new computer after you move (lets say you went to a college out of state). But internet is down and inaccessible in the area at all for some non-specific reason; The games now insist steam not only HAS to be installed and you HAVE to verify your installation before you can resume. Games are unplayable at all because you can't verify your licenses.

Scenario #4: You manage to backup your games and licenses and your steam installer, but with all the work involved... why not just a simple installer exe? Otherwise it's more complicated than it has to be. Most people won't backup their games and instead will just re-install steam and re-download all their games.

Scenario #5: Expanded to what MS WANTED the XBone to be, which is always online. You get a system, get called into service and get sent overseas. Internet is choppy at best and otherwise unusable. Assuming you get the checkin to work, then you MIGHT be able to play single-player games for 24 hours before it requires you to check in again, else you can only look at the Error 37 prompt you always get...

--

To be honest i tried to avoid the steam client myself. Either for privacy reasons, it was on a machine that i knew was more powerful but i didn't WANT the steam features, and i wanted to just play games the way they used to be (put them in and they work). Getting slapped 7 times by DRM totally turned me off for steam in it's entirety, even if games are DRM-free after you get the game downloaded (like Dungeons of Dredmore) i've refused all steam-only games and replaced all the games i could with GoG's or Hunble Bundle games.
I was without internet for almost two years, due to financial difficulty, in that time I was able to play my Steam games without any problem, didn't had one that refused to run. During the time without Internet I removed a few of my steam games to make way for other games. Added these games back to steam, via a DVD backup I made, and no didn't use steam's tools, just plain copy & paste of folders, and they worked without asking for the internet, and no it's not indie games, games like Duke Nukem Forever, Dead Island & Sonic Generations.

Played some of my Steam games on my brother-in-laws PC, when I was helping out on their farm, with Steam not installed, using only LumaEmu
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This is my favourite topic
Community
General discussionHow many of you actually boycott Steam games?(1376 posts)(1376 posts)
(1376 posts)