I finished it.

I liked it, it's more or less the game I had in mind when I pledged. The checkpoint auto-save system wasn't as bad as I'd imagined. I would still prefer a standard save system but the checkpoints are serviceable. The linearity didn't bother me, I get the impression they wanted to add more optional sidequests like the extraction mission but couldn't (time/funds?). I think having more of that would have helped a lot though. Also, don't have an issue with the limited cyberware and equipment, but I never played the pen & paper game only the video game adaptations, so I'm only really familiar with the lite versions of Shadowrun, I can understand why fans of the pen and paper might be disappointed. So summing up, DRM debacle aside, I'm generally pleased with how SRR turned out. Really looking forward to what the modding community can do with it now.

I finished it ,too. It was a decent game, worth the money( I pre ordered form their site a couple of month ago). The save system was a definite minus. What was a blessing in disguise was the absence of loot-able corpses. Also, the linearity was bearable. I hope the community and the future DLCs will make this an epic game. All it needs is a more choices that actually have consequences and more exposure to the universe. I mean you're a bad ass in a dark theme universe and don't get to do any of the nasty stuff ( Fallout 2 style)?

It's a shame that it has DRM, though. I would have loved to have it on GOG or Desura( as DRM free).

Another thrust towards more open gameplay: http://www.shadowrun.com/forums/discussion/29727/prototype-daynight-cycle-w-date-time

I realized that so far the one thing that baffles me about the editor is that there are no ElseIf statements. Wwwwhhhhhyyyyy.

I really like it so far. I love the music, and the general feel is really wonderful. I would love to be able to do quarter turns of the camera like you can in XCOM but hey, I'll live. I don't even mind the linearity, and so far the story is really solid (have not finished the game yet). My one problem is the typos. I think I'm going to have to start a new game and just log them from start to finish and send them a list because they just keep destroying my immersion. I'm not even looking for them! Grrrr. Anyways, happy with the product, glad I backed it, and really, really, happy with the game editor. Going to have to try my hand at a mod or two.

Typos bother you now, just wait 'till you get to playing user modules! :D

*To be fair, most user modules are WIPs at the moment so I guess a lack of editing is forgivable.

Anyone know if editor work is saved via Steam cloud? It'd be nice to work on modding when out and about with me laptop, but I started on my mighty desktop so I don't know if that's possible.

Two days in on the editor, gonna throw out some screenshots of my (really not that impressive) work so far.

Firstly, here's the player's crappy apartment. I've improved it since I took that pic. That took me a long time to make, but most of that was Alt-tabbed figuring out how to work the editor. :D

Much faster was my second small scene, The Deadman Bar. It has real NPC interactions and everything. and [url=http://cloud-2.steampowered.com/ugc/1118302360974001935/0450DFC79B7E1B51D3468F7E7F1604D8549B8B62/]#2. Various stuff like the alignment of objects, clutter, and Davis' model are unfinished, but yeah.

So far mapmaking is my least favorite part (writing and conversations are my favorite), so I'm not totally looking forward to making some bigger maps, but whatever! Modding is fun. :)

I don't know if this has already been asked, and I apologize if it's a little off-subject, but has anyone tried to see if the game will run from the installation folder without the Steam client itself running? Maybe requiring the game to be purchased through Steam was enough, and the game itself actually IS technically DRM-free?

Huh. I just tried that and you know what. You are absolutely correct. Just installed the Steam copy (had been playing the Harebrained DRM-free version). Running a Mac OS 10.7.5 the Steam game is stored in Users/..../Library/Application Support/Steam/SteamApps/Common/Shadowrun Returns. I snagged that, opened it up and it looks exactly like the DRM-free version from Harebrained Schemes. Opened it with Steam off and it ran just fine. Opened it with internet completely off and it ran just fine. Your hypothesis seems to be absolutely correct. Opened it with all of the above off, while it was on my desktop and not in the Steam folder at all and again zero complications.

I do not have a Windows around to verify, however I doubt there would be any difference.

Or rather I should amend that to say that the game will run without dialing home or anything. That is not necessarily the same as DRM-free as by purchasing it on Steam a person is signing a contract and agreeing to a EULA and everything else. Legally I'm sure the Steam copy has DRM however it does not appear to have something that requires an internet connection/verification. So legally probably still DRM, it just does not seem to be software enforced.

Running the .exe launches Steam unfortunately for me...

does the 'moved' version still function after deleting all the files in the install folder with 'steam' as part of the filename?
ex:
SteamworksNative.dll
steam_api.dll

Sorry, took me a second to find that. Negative, it does not launch without SteamworksNative.dll. However, the version from Harebrained Schemes also includes that file and will similarly not launch without it.

ouch!

thats all kinds of bad if the HBS "DRM-Free" version even has steam junk gumming up the installers.

thanks for the confirmation that the HBS SRR version is identical in file structure.
even if it involves steams inclusion in the HBS "DRM-Free" version.

maybe this will help further down the line in the event of post Berlin DLC's being able to be 'imported' to the HBS "DRM-Free" versions and not leaving that as a gimped version.

both "DRM-Free" and Steam DL SRRs.exes are the same file sizes though right?
(spacing out on the how to identify the steam-CEG'd files for the moment)

Okay, just did a fresh install of both because I'd been monkeying around and wanted to make sure everything was back how it should be.

HBS SRR - 1.28 GB
Steam SRR - 1.28 GB
HBS SREditor - 42.9 MB
Steam SREditor - 42.9 MB

I have found a difference I missed. Before you go into the Contents folder, the Steam version has an installscript_osx.vdf which the HBS version does not have. (Again, running a Mac so the Windows likely has a slightly different one.)

Inside the Plugins folder both versions have SteamworksNative.bundle and steamwrap.bundle.

I have not found any other differences.

Side note: The file was actually SteamworksManaged.dll not SteamworksNative.dll (in both cases), I'm getting sloppy. [Shadowrun Returns.app>Contents>Data>Managed]

And it's 4 am so I'm headed off. Gnight!

Kickstarters got limited number of downloads for their DRM free installer, I heard? Classy.