paradox anti-drm? not from my experience.

[bmountney]

I tried that (with AoD), and for some reason, after moving it it always crashed (maybe I did something wrong? :unsure: )

As TheLoneGunman suggested, besides copying over the game folder it may need registry keys to be copied or created, and one way to find out what they are is to look at the file "installscript.vdf" that you will find in the main game folder of many games on Steam. This file specifies what happens the first time you run a game on Steam in order to complete the installation, and it's a plain text file you can open in Notepad. There will be section titled "Registry" that lists the keys and values that will be added, as well as other sections that would script other prerequisites such as running MS DirectX, VC++ or .Net installers beforehand to make sure you have the required versions. Anything that would be run automatically from that file you should be able to complete manually, as well.

Another way to troubleshoot something like this is with a utility like ProcMon from Microsoft SysInternals, which shows which files and or registry keys a process is attempting to access, and which attempts failed.

But that serves as a good example of how even a completely DRM-free game on Steam may not be quite as simple as just copying the folder to install it without Steam. It should still be entirely possible, though, as long as you get all the right pieces in place.

Bill

 

[sbr]

That is the case with current PDS Steam games, which I have been entirely okay with. If that was still the case with EU IV, if I could just install the game and all that comes with it via Steam, and then do what I please with it, I wouldn't be here. I'd shrug at the fact that I had to install with Steam and forget about it, I have the client installed anyway.

But wonder why I'm making such a clear distinction (if you read my earlier post) between base game and the "final" one (with the eventual DLCs)?



Judging by this, when Steam goes under the DLCs (and considering the DLC policy that CK II has been using, a large part of the game) are going to be absolutely lost, dead, no matter what the user does on his/her end, when the hardware/OS combinations where he/she has the game installed have all perished, and we all know stuff like that isn't eternal. Again, if someone figures that this isn't true then please correct me. I'd absolutely love to be wrong...

I know I'm in the minority, but I'm very leery of purchasing games I can't play for the rest of my life should I choose to do so. If there are limitations to that it's a rotten way to spend my money IMO. I own one game already that's unplayable because the "call home" server isn't around anymore, and when I found out about that - let's just say that I was absolutely livid, uncharacteristically so; I felt that the purchase price had been stolen from me (yes, I know that customer rights for software don't see it that way, but they should in my opinion). If one can love a software company I love Paradox, and I don't want to end up feeling like that about them.



As far as I'm concerned, because chances are that for some time I'll be able to get a version of Windows I want on a computer I have, and when I can't someone will have come up with something Dosbox-y. If the game install itself can be stored and controlled, I could then run the game in that situation. I see what you mean though - there are more fundamental issues in play - but that's for another day and another thread I believe.

So in the hypothetical where Steam goes under and doesn't unlock everyone's games before the servers are turned off, do you really think it will take longer than 2 hours for a No-Steam Crack to go public for every Steam game ever made? They are probably all already out there (I haven't looked) but I guarantee that the tens of millions of Steam users won't let their hundreds of millions of games just sit and rot because the servers are turned off.

 

[AdkEric]

I'll also probably have to give up MP, since I'm pretty sure MP match-making will be integrated to the Steam client.

I've been wondering if this is that case myself. Paradox reps keep saying you'll only need Steam to install the game though. Is this definitely also true if you want to play MP? Or will Steam be required for MP?

 

[James The 1st]

So in the hypothetical where Steam goes under and doesn't unlock everyone's games before the servers are turned off, do you really think it will take longer than 2 hours for a No-Steam Crack to go public for every Steam game ever made? They are probably all already out there (I haven't looked) but I guarantee that the tens of millions of Steam users won't let their hundreds of millions of games just sit and rot because the servers are turned off.

Valve has also said that they have a built in solution to disable the online check if the doomsday scenario happens.

 

[Pellaken]

Valve has also said that they have a built in solution to disable the online check if the doomsday scenario happens.

This is the type of thing I hope the devs asked.

 

[TheLoneGunman]

I've been wondering if this is that case myself. Paradox reps keep saying you'll only need Steam to install the game though. Is this definitely also true if you want to play MP? Or will Steam be required for MP?

Keep in mind, this was merely me wondering out loud. I don't have any idea if that is how it will work.

 

[sbr]

Valve has also said that they have a built in solution to disable the online check if the doomsday scenario happens.

Yep, though they sort of have to say that. Though who knows how high a priority that would be if they somehow did go out of business.

 

[Pellaken]

How would they go out of business though? It's not like an airline, they have a captive audience. If the servers were fried, they'd do this because they'd want to get back up and running one day. If they went bankrupt, someone would want that captive audience, and someone would buy all the customer accounts.

 

[sbr]

How would they go out of business though? It's not like an airline, they have a captive audience. If the servers were fried, they'd do this because they'd want to get back up and running one day. If they went bankrupt, someone would want that captive audience, and someone would buy all the customer accounts.

Agreed. I can't figure out how they could ever 'go under', but that seems to be a concern for a lot of people.

I don't really have a problem with Steam in general, but on the other hand I usually only buy games that are on sale for very cheap there. Of my ~120 games on Steam I have paid more than $20 for 4 of them and only more than $30 on 1. I don't usually buy any games at release for full price, but I would be far less likely to do so for a game on Steam.

 

[Pellaken]

I really don't give a hoot if they go under, that does not really concern me, all I care about is Paradox having a backup plan. From what I read, it seems they do have one, but they've never told me the answer I've been looking for despite asking. Why? Is it a secret? No. It's because my concerns get lumped in with the so-called "tinfoil" folks who hate Steam (this term comes from a self-admitted steam hater who referred to himself that way in another thread) and thus my concerns, real, serious, valid, non-tinfoil concerns, get ignored. That DOES concern me, because it tells me that these people are actually harming Paradox.

 

[AdkEric]

Keep in mind, this was merely me wondering out loud. I don't have any idea if that is how it will work.

Aye.. I understood that. I was wondering aloud with you.

My question was more directed at someone from Paradox. I'm very likely to not buy EU4 at all as it's Steam only. However it keeps being said that you only need Steam to install the game.

If I truly will only have to use Steam once and only once to download the game, I could probably make an exception to my boycott of Steam and use Steam for those few moments, and do my best to look at it no different than I do the GamersGate or Amazon downloader. If I need Steam to play multiplayer or get a patch, there's just no way... even if EU4 came with a beautiful Swedish lady who wished to satisfy all my desires.

 

[Chromos]

STEAM is about "money". Much money. if you can sell on a ~35 million customer market or on local with some hundred thousands..
You will most times get more sales on the first one.

With the success of Magicka, Paradox was known as a brand suddenly much more as before.
And then maybe the "big market effect" kicked in. STEAM customers bought more Paradox games as customers bought before. Maybe.
CKII stormed not only it is solid made, but it has a much bigger market as say EU3 has or HoI3..
With that in mind, It is maybe a bit "unfair" to say the non STEAM buyers of CKII where so few. I just don't think that the non-STEAM buyers where much less as before, but the STEAM buyers where just much much more as the others suddenly. So thats a quite different view on the whole topic.

Maybe most vocal non STEAM buyers are often long time customers who supported the company "in good and in bad times". And As such feel maybe "betrayed" now as the "greater success" kicks in, and they have also to go to STEAM, wich they don't like.
And in the past, STEAM was not the distribution channel with the least problems around. And hard to solve because of STEAM's behaviour as a company.
There were problems because of STEAM. So the "solution" is now to drop the other distrtibution ways and so "solve" the problems. Just use STEAM and there will be only "STEAM problems" anymore, but no more "STEAM and others" problems..
And sure a company will make more money if not having the need to support different distribution platforms. How could Paradox then survive all the years without STEAM?
Now that the company has even greater success, they could not afford that modell anymore? That sounds maybe not really understandable from a customers perspective.
Since the days of EU3 the comp. grew by ~4 times, and now is not able to support that old business modell anymore? "Just" because of maximizing profit? Tweak the modell until the most money comes around? That approach is legit as a company, as it is also legit as a customer to raise its opinion about that approach. At least in my opinion.

There are people out there wich dislike STEAM because of several reasons.
It is quite different to, say GamersGate, because yo have to install the third party software with STEAM. That is not the case with solutions like GamersGate!
So I have used STEAM myself, but really dislike to use it so far too and most times will not buy games there even if they have nice sales.
So this extra needed step is not a classical DRM in regard to Paradox Development Studio games, but an additional annoying step.(Imagine you must have set up a payback card account, wich gathers all your customer behaviour, until you can buy some food..)
If many people have no problems with the EULA that comes along with STEAM is up to them. Maybe they just never read them. I read it once and found them not very customer friendly.
And of course STEAM also has nice features for some customers. If that wouldn't be the case, STEAM wouldn't be as big as it is today.

I made also STEAM group for players of my Mod, so I'm no kind of "anti STEAM fighter". But I can clearly say I don't prefer it over the other ways/offers.
Mayby that would change if I would earn much money with it.

In the end all vote with their wallet. And if the mass market of STEAM is the way to go for Paradox, than thats up to them.
And if we still buy their games if STEAM only then is up to us.

In Vicky2 terms, consciousness +10.

 

[Marshall18]

What I worry the most about is that even though Paradox really takes care of it's users/consumers (f.x. some old games still get patches), this patches are not updated on steam any more because (this is what I was told here in the forum, I can't confirm or deny) "that game doesn't sell any more".

Paradox is awesome because they keep working on games many years later, but is Steam willing to use resources in games that don't sell that much any more?

 

[Johan]

for the record, steam was by far the biggest for us since we started selling there.. has nothing to do with magicka.

 

[podcat]

If I need Steam to play multiplayer or get a patch, there's just no way... even if EU4 came with a beautiful Swedish lady who wished to satisfy all my desires.

 

[unmerged(296173)]

I think people who have a problem with using steam are just looking to have a problem some where. I've used it since HL2 came out and have had one problem in that entire time, and it was dealt with quickly and efficiently by them.

Steam a) won't go under. Unless Gabe is embezzling 90% of their profits, but no it won't go under. b) it HELPS Paradox to sell games, to make money, to make more games.

I really don't get what people are complaining about.

 

[TheLoneGunman]

I think people who have a problem with using steam are just looking to have a problem some where. I've used it since HL2 came out and have had one problem in that entire time, and it was dealt with quickly and efficiently by them.

Steam a) won't go under. Unless Gabe is embezzling 90% of their profits, but no it won't go under. b) it HELPS Paradox to sell games, to make money, to make more games.

I really don't get what people are complaining about.

I'm complaining because I can't spit without hitting a game that REQUIRES Steam be installed before I can install that game.

 

[unmerged(296173)]

I'm complaining because I can't spit without hitting a game that REQUIRES Steam be installed before I can install that game.

You know you only have to install it once right? Once it's installed it's done. You don't have to install it every time. Like I said, people complaining about Steam, are just complaining for the sake of it.

 

[Lor Dric]

You know you only have to install it once right? Once it's installed it's done. You don't have to install it every time. Like I said, people complaining about Steam, are just complaining for the sake of it.

We don't want it on our machines.

 

[TheLoneGunman]

You know you only have to install it once right? Once it's installed it's done. You don't have to install it every time. Like I said, people complaining about Steam, are just complaining for the sake of it.

Once, for every game on the market.