CptPicardi: What would one have to do to get completely cut off? Not being able to access my 200+ games would suck but I don't think I'd be doing anything that would cause that to happen. I don't mind the client and really like the community that is set up around it, just like with GOG.com. GOG and Steam make an awesome combination.
Damuna: There would never be any reason they would have to give you to cut you off. Maybe they don't like you, maybe their system accidentally flags you as being bad, or someone hacks your account and screws about - bam, you're gone, and so is your collection. It makes me very uneasy. and their baseline DRM makes your games totally useless in such a scenario unless you want to go ahead and crack it (for which they would also cancel your account).
I don't know how you are being screwed over by them, but by being in Australia I get crazy deals from them since games cost around 100 AUD here.
Damuna: I've been trying to play Batman: Arkham Asylum. First I'm locked into the client, and then I'm forced to use Windows Live (which I don't believe was advertised), because the game won't save unless I'm on a Live profile. despite the fact that the game itself saves to the hard drive. I've spent the last few days unable to play the damn game because Microsoft's absolutely brilliant parental controls, which locked me, a 19-year-old, out of my game because my account was still set as a child account despite it knowing my date of birth - to top that off, I couldn't change my account to an adult account via PC because it's retardedly difficult to do that way, and I didn't have access to an Xbox 360 that would have been incredibly simple to make the change on.
That sort of partnership - allowing such completely ridiculous DRM - is unacceptable, and I can't tolerate Steam for acting as though they're saints while they knowingly screw over their customers through their partners.
If you did a little research, you'd know that GFWL has a completely offline mode, which is barely intrusive. It's almost DRM free, allowing you to play without the CD key, back up your saves and DLC, and play the game on any computer without the need for the net. I brought the retail version which features a simple disk check since buying the steam version is a joke, you get securom WITH rolling activations. I made a non game shortcut of it on steam and get all the features of it, which I use heavily.
Steam didn't screw you in this situation, since IT IS listed on the store page it uses GFWL with terrible securom, you screwed yourself, unfortunately. The BEST thing to do with any purchase on steam is to hit the game's steam forum. This way you can see what DRM is on the game(except from steam) and get help with whatever problem you have. The forums get a bad rep, but they are very helpful if you have a problem.
