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Lemont Elwood

Lemont Elwood

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Jun 10, 2011
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Dear Paradox,

I love you, I really do. You've definitely earned my business, and I want to buy all of your main, in-house series (CK2, EU4, MOTE, V2, HOI3, EVW) and all of the good DLCs. But I have a problem: you ****** yourself out to Steam.

Okay, it was a good business move, I'll give you that. But still, Steam is a shifty *******. Right to revoke my games? Totally ignore me when the download doesn't work. **** them. But you all are good to your customers, I trust you.

So here's what I need to know. I see that you have a webshop with all your games on it. Although I prefer doing my business with Amazon, it's no hassle to make an account. But I hear that since Steam is your pimp, you require Steam for basically any sort of support, even the ability to play your games, in the future?

So what I'm wondering is how far this goes. Now, what I understand is that the web shop isn't part of Steam itself, but does tie in with Steam. So I could make a Steam account and play your wonderful games, without having to buy anything from those thieves. Is this true? Am I golden just buying from your shop, or do I really need to switch over to Steam?

Love,
- Lemont Elwood

ADMIN EDIT: for Language
 
Oh, well, yeah, it is a Steam download. But I mean more generally, am I downloading FROM Steam or from your own site?
 
If you buy from the webshop (or any other retailer, you could most likely use Amazon), you get a code that you redeem on Steam, and the game downloads from Steam. However, Steam won't get any money unless you buy it directly from Steam.
 
What makes steam thieves, and what did they ever do to you? They didn't "whore" themselves out to steam either steam is what the majority of pc players use, and is where almost ninety percent of paradox's sales come from. Also never once has steam revoked one of my games, and I've never had a problem with their service department as i have never needed it.

Also in order to probably play paradox games in the future your need the steam app to be downloaded onto your system as I dont believe you can launch or download games directly from the website, but you only need to install the game from your library and then you can launch it from the games folder, that way you dont even have to open steam, but I personally like steam as its one of the few places where you can buy a fifty dollar game for less then 10 dollars (steam sales)

edit- Post above me is right, if you buy from GreenmanGaming or Gamers Gate or whatever then they get the money, but your still need to download steam to activate the code and download the game.
 
Well, I suppose the complainers are the loudest.

I've never actually used Steam, but I've heard a lot of complaints and horror stories.

So, to review:
1) Steam is a necessity, in some form or another (doesn't really matter where I buy from, I still need it to run the games).

2) You obviously need Internet to make downloads and installs (duh, it's the same case with Amazon), but you don't need Internet to play the game (which is really basic).

My buddy in real-life has Steam and he says that he's never had a problem with his ten games. And I've got to admit, the ability to play a Steam game on any OS (that is true, right? I don't buy a PC or Mac version, I buy a universal one?) sounds excellent, since I'll be getting a newer Mac soon.
 
Lemont Elwood said:
And I've got to admit, the ability to play a Steam game on any OS (that is true, right? I don't buy a PC or Mac version, I buy a universal one?) sounds excellent, since I'll be getting a newer Mac soon.
Click to expand...
Yes that's true, and it now coves Linux as well - you buy the game once, play it on any OS (assuming the developer makes a Linux version of course). So far GamersGate have not announced supporting CK2 on Linux for instance, whereas it's there on Steam right now.
 
Yeah, I guess it's all an undeserved hatedom. I made an account anyways, I just need to install.
 
Lemont Elwood said:
My buddy in real-life has Steam and he says that he's never had a problem with his ten games.
Click to expand...

I got about 70 games (plus dlcs) registered on steam and never had an issue.

But i have seen people getting banned because they bought CD keys from questionable sources, questionables sources that eventually had gotten their CD keys through piracy (like in the case of dirt 3). I had some friends for instance that had several games but because of one pirated cd key they got the whole account banned for good - real pain, specially if you got the cd key via a legal game trade or something.

Also (sorry for going a bit off-topic), speaking of paradox's webshop, can someone please explain how does this work? I connect to http://www.gameplayoutlet.com/eu_store/ but it got only king arthur 2 / east india companies for sale. Where are the other games? And are those digital or physical copies for sale?
 
BurningEGO said:
I got about 70 games (plus dlcs) registered on steam and never had an issue.

But i have seen people getting banned because they bought CD keys from questionable sources, questionables sources that eventually had gotten their CD keys through piracy (like in the case of dirt 3). I had some friends for instance that had several games but because of one pirated cd key they got the whole account banned for good - real pain, specially if you got the cd key via a legal game trade or something.

Also (sorry for going a bit off-topic), speaking of paradox's webshop, can someone please explain how does this work? I connect to http://www.gameplayoutlet.com/eu_store/ but it got only king arthur 2 / east india companies for sale. Where are the other games? And are those digital or physical copies for sale?
Click to expand...

never bought directly from paradox but would assume you go here http://www.paradoxplaza.com/games Choose the game you want and buy, but I also live in America so it might be different four European users.

edit- Sorry about the link but I assume since it leads here its okay?
 
I have Victoria II on Amazon. If I buy the expansions from Steam, will it work? (If not, I'll pick up the Steam version when it goes on sale.)
 
I Use Steam, but even I Think there a little shifty as well. I have over 452 games on Steam. If I had to estimate I have about $600 to about $800 in games on my account. So in turn obviously I use Steam for all of my PC purchases.

I absolutely love Steam. But some of their "policies" are just plain down dirty. To tell you truth I'm very deeply afraid of losing my account. (Not as if I do anything that would jeopardize my account.) See the problem is I to have heard of these horror stories. They are very real and very scary. And no they have not done something wrong on purpose that would get their accounts locked/suspended/banned. There are very interesting and good or stories to read into. All you really have to do is just type "Steam horror stories". And there are some very very interesting stories.

There was one story about a man accepting a gift that was supposedly purchased with a stolen credit card. This man claimed to have think about 500 games. Anyways because of this days later he had his account suspended/locked. In the words he was screwed. It took a very long battle with Steam support to get his account back.

There was another story about a man who purchased a game that was on sale for $2.50. Made the purchased got the game and play a little bit. Days later the account was banned for fraud. This man claimed to have about $1000-$1200 worth of games on his account. Long story short it turns out that Steam's automated billing messed up that day and never sent the billing to his bank account. So they banned him on the idea that he committed fraud. So this man had to take a week to battle with Steam and sort things out with his bank account. Eventually he got his account back but Steam made him pay for the game again at the full price of $10 and to add insult to injury told him if he ever had this problem again that there would be a permanent deactivation of his account.

Not only that Steam's Terms of Service state that they can deactivate your account at any time or for any reason without telling you why and without notifying you.

In my opinion that is right out theft. As far as I'm concerned they can deactivate your account but the games that are linked with an account that are legally yours. And they have no right to take your games away.

Tell your truth if this was ever to happen to me I would take them to small claims court. Even though that's against their Terms of Service. As far as I'm concerned Their Terms of Services wouldn't hold up in court do to the fact that is not illegal document. I just wouldn't let go about somewhere between $600-$800 worth of legally purchased software.

Another thing as I said before it's in their Terms of Services that you cannot legally take them to court. Now isn't that a little shady to you?

Like I said I absolutely love Steam. They're convenient and have great sales. Also a great platform. But I do like to keep an eye on them. I've only had one very small little problem with them. But it isn't even that important to even mention. So Steam is great and I'm happy that Paradox Interactive is going exclusively with them. I still worry.
 
Having a game with Steam fuctionalitry is a big plus for me, I never buy games not on steam anymore (whether it be on disc or download / product key)
 
So long as we can move our games out of the Steam folder to mod/beta patch/run without Steam, I have no problem with Paradox using Steam. I am sad to see them move away from Gamersgate though - I liked rooting for the underdog in the digital distribution business, but I pretty much only buy Paradox games so I won't be able to support them much anymore :unsure:
 
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