Do you HONESTLY think that pirating a game like this is hard?

[Coppermantis]

My only issue with Steam is how it often refuses to start in offline mode. If I'm not connected to the internet, it launches then says "Starrt in offline mode?" I say yes, then it reports that it could not connect and to go to the website to contact support then tells me "This application could not launch while Steam is in offline mode.

So apparently Steam cannot launch Steam in offline mode. Other than that, I'm not finding anything else about Steam an issue.

[eRe4s3r]

the do not update setting is not even working atm, steam can set updates to ignore this setting, and nearly all major AAA games have the option set to ignore your own setting. And maybe worse, once you get an update for the steam client, your settings for this have vanished

Happy 2012 by the way For me its already 3am in 2012

[Coppermantis]

Indeed, happy new-year! Well, I still have six hours left, but close enough.

[keith.lamothe]

I explicitly set this option in Skyrim (the do not update option) so as not to break any mods and it STILL downloaded updates.  I asked steam about it and they basically wanted me to delete EVERTHING (minus games) in my steam folder and re-download the program.  Why can it not work properly right now?!?

Ok, fair enough if the feature doesn't actually work, I didn't realize that

I have no problems with steam and I used to abhor the offline mode.  I was locked out of my games so much when I didn't have access to internet but now it seems to be better.

Yea, offline mode is a strange and wonderful beast.  More strange than wonderful.  Generally works for me, thankfully.

[Mánagarmr]

On a side note: It's now been confirmed that ALL versions of Mass Effect 3 WILL require Origin. There is absolutely no opt out, even for boxed versions. FU EA... Will not buy

[keith.lamothe]

On a side note: It's not been confirmed

Not, or now confirmed?

[KingIsaacLinksr]

On a side note: It's not been confirmed

Not, or now confirmed?

He meant now.


LoL

And yeah..not buying me3 if they are going to force Origin down my throat either.

King

[keith.lamothe]

Ok, found an article.

A pity it won't be offered on steam.  At first, anyway.

Also a pity that EA seems to be practicing deception by implying that other portals don't  have similar restrictions with regard to selling stuff from your own in-game (or accessed-through-game) store through a game running in their client.  Because Valve absolutely does not stop delivery of new content through the game itself (look how all our games do their beta updates). 

I'm not sure how to read "Mass Effect 3 on PC will require one-time online authentication before the single-player game can be played."  As in, once on install?  Or once each time before playing?  Or more precisely: I can see that it's intended to be read as the former, but I don't trust them to not be planning to actually implement the latter or something worse.

Anyway, looks like I won't be getting it near release, but my plan is:
1) Watch my news sources for kerfluffles on Origin devouring machines, etc.  Particularly relating to trying to play the game in single-player while not connected to the internet.
2) If after, say, 3 months not very many people have been slain by the single-player DRM, investigate if the following approach is viable and not-destructive-to-computers :
- Download Origin
- Buy and download ME3
- Do one-time online authentication and start playing
- Have my firewall block the Origin and ME3 executables from all contact with the internet ever again (I might occasionally let it out for sunlight and updates, maybe).
3) If so, probably buy it.  If not, probably not.

[KingIsaacLinksr]

Ok, found an article.

A pity it won't be offered on steam.  At first, anyway.

Also a pity that EA seems to be practicing deception by implying that other portals don't  have similar restrictions with regard to selling stuff from your own in-game (or accessed-through-game) store through a game running in their client.  Because Valve absolutely does not stop delivery of new content through the game itself (look how all our games do their beta updates). 

I'm not sure how to read "Mass Effect 3 on PC will require one-time online authentication before the single-player game can be played."  As in, once on install?  Or once each time before playing?  Or more precisely: I can see that it's intended to be read as the former, but I don't trust them to not be planning to actually implement the latter or something worse.

Anyway, looks like I won't be getting it near release, but my plan is:
1) Watch my news sources for kerfluffles on Origin devouring machines, etc.  Particularly relating to trying to play the game in single-player while not connected to the internet.
2) If after, say, 3 months not very many people have been slain by the single-player DRM, investigate if the following approach is viable and not-destructive-to-computers :
- Download Origin
- Buy and download ME3
- Do one-time online authentication and start playing
- Have my firewall block the Origin and ME3 executables from all contact with the internet ever again (I might occasionally let it out for sunlight and updates, maybe).
3) If so, probably buy it.  If not, probably not.

Their statement on their forum was so dang vague, that it's shady.  My suspicion is that Valve is blocking them from selling DLC only on their website without selling it on Steam and EA would have none of that, wanting max $$ for their mostly overpriced DLC.  Because I've heard very little complaint about these "restrictive rules" from other developers.  EA never states clearly what's keeping them off Steam so that's my best guess.  If that's true, I really don't want to support them.  You provide the best experience that you can by allowing the customers choose.  Buying DLC on their website is a pain in the butt and is certainly not the "best experience" they could provide. 

Granted, it's all speculation.  it could just be that EA wants to force Origin on us no matter what and wants to cut Steam off by saying that restrictive rules are keeping them away when really they just want to build their service. 

Yeah, that authentication has me wary too, they don't spell it out very clearly how it operates. 

It's just really annoying how vague EA has been over this incident.  Which smells shady to me and I won't buy from companies that act this shady. 

King

[Wanderer]

Another company, similar to Steam, called Impulse, is how I found this game.  I've heard no customer complaints about them and their offerings and service have been amazing so far.

[Mánagarmr]

On a side note: It's not been confirmed

Not, or now confirmed?

ARF! Edited. >_<

[Mánagarmr]

Another company, similar to Steam, called Impulse, is how I found this game.  I've heard no customer complaints about them and their offerings and service have been amazing so far.

Yeah, Impulse was very good back in the day when it was owned by Stardock. But as far as I know, they've sold the whole service to the same company that owns the Gamestop brick and mortar stores. That is enough for me to avoid it these days :/

[Wanderer]

Another company, similar to Steam, called Impulse, is how I found this game.  I've heard no customer complaints about them and their offerings and service have been amazing so far.

Yeah, Impulse was very good back in the day when it was owned by Stardock. But as far as I know, they've sold the whole service to the same company that owns the Gamestop brick and mortar stores. That is enough for me to avoid it these days :/

Out of curiousity, what's your grief with Gamestop?  I've been very happy with them.

[KingIsaacLinksr]

Another company, similar to Steam, called Impulse, is how I found this game.  I've heard no customer complaints about them and their offerings and service have been amazing so far.

Yeah, Impulse was very good back in the day when it was owned by Stardock. But as far as I know, they've sold the whole service to the same company that owns the Gamestop brick and mortar stores. That is enough for me to avoid it these days :/

Out of curiousity, what's your grief with Gamestop?  I've been very happy with them.

idk what his issue is with Gamestop, but mine is just being a scummy retail outlet (which is the tl;dr version).

The longer version is the policies they have.  The pre-order scams they have pulled off, the constant and unending wish for you to sign up for ______ thing.  The buyback program is...laughable.  And used/refurbished consoles are poorly tested and like to die within a few months.  I don't have any examples that I can link to, but Gamestop has been a bad experience for me and I avoid it like the plague.  Unless I'm at the mall and want to see what the latest thing is for consoles, but I only look, no buy.  And I keep hearing horror stories from dealing with Gamestop and not too many positive ones which says a lot. 

In short, they don't care that much about their customers and the feeling is mutual for me.  Apparently other people have had better experiences so maybe I'm just unlucky.  Or maybe not. 

King

[Cyborg]

gamestop has had some awful press. I wouldn't trust them. A quick perusal of Google should get you up to date. The future of videogames is not brick-and-mortar, so unless they change their business, they're going to end up like Blockbuster.