StingingVelvet wrote on Jul 26, 2011, 15:15:
verrul wrote on Jul 26, 2011, 15:02:
you can go to steamapps folder and open commonapps and make your own shortcuts and outside of VALVE and some online games you do NOT NEED STEAM LOADED. just for the activation one time that's it.
This is not true. For most non-steamworks games sold on Steam this can be done, but not for steamworks titles. Since Steamworks titles are mostly the only games I buy on Steam that doesn't really help me.
Correct, and even for games that can be run outside of Steam (which are very rare) there could be issues. I installed Indiana Jones and Fate of Atlantis over Steam and tried running it through DOSBox (for Roland sound) a few days back. It didn't work because one of the files in the game was packed into a Steam created launcher app (basically making the game to not run from the original atlantis.exe file)
I hate these type of things, and that's why download services such as GoG (with no DRM) are so much appreciated. While they do provide their own launchers (to make the game work on different OS), the entire content of the game is always available in its original form.
Even DRM based services like Amazon and EADM/Origin are much better than Steam, because you purchase and download the exact retail versions of the games that can be patched, backed up and re-installed without running the download utility.
For me, Steamworks is the most restrictive of all DRMs out there. It's sad to see Risen 2 going that route.