Steam vs Retail things that are hardly ever mentioned

1. no. You can still add mods
2. Maybe - depends on game
3. Yes - the games are downloaded and installed on your HDD.
4. You don't have to sign in to play games - you can play in off-line mode. But you do need internet to download and install games.
5. You have to have 2 copies of the game to play the game on 2 computers at once. It doesn't matter if it's Steam or retail. Family sharing lets you play the game on several different pc's at home(same network), but not at the same time.
6. Download and install patches from internet. There are sites that have patches for games.
7. Buy as many copies of the game as you need.

Hi. I've been using steam for about 10 yrs and it hasn't changed much in how it operates.
It is possible to run mods on steam. It will depend more on the publisher updates on how well the mods will work. Steam has community mods through its app as well.
Here's a new trend, retail discs tend to link to steam accounts or EA's origin anyways. Physical discs are starting to be just a sales ploy to get you into the store.
Yes, steam has an offline mode provided the game was downloaded and installed before disconnecting. It can stay offline for days without a login.
Retail games typically require an online element to run, some of it is for updates, sometime activations. Its a mix result.

Overall, steam is safe and can be used in different ways. If you have serial numbers for physical copies they can sometimes be transferred to steam for free. I've done that and put half my discs into storage. You can download multiple times,on different system but it can only be accessed by one person on any online system.Steam is a DRM app so it's only supposed to be one person per copy.

1. Yes, you can install mods for single player but for multiplayer the other players need to be using the same mod. ENB, yes.
7. If you use the same Steam account on different computers you can download the games to each computer but only 1 computer can play the game at any one time.

keep this part of steams agreement in mind when you hit I AGREE

For reasons that include, without limitation, system security, stability, and multiplayer interoperability, Steam may need to automatically update, pre-load, create new versions of or otherwise enhance the Content and Services and accordingly, the system requirements to use the Content and Services may change over time. You consent to such automatic updating.

so what there saying is you give the full control of your hard drive to make changes as they want or feel they need to and that your system security is included [ without limitation] that means you cant limit them .. hmmmm

ya , sure I will agree to all that [not] suckers

Just delete the game if you don't want to spend a few $$$ to buy another HDD. All purchased content is stored on the Steam Cloud server and can be re-downloaded at will.
You're making too much of nothing about Steam services. Use them or not, your choice.

1. Steam installs the games int the Steam library - a game directory under Steam.
2. Games can be modified, but Steam also does some anti-cheating stuff, and so they may be checking for modified dlls and stuff.
3. Game publishers put out game patches, and they usually have the patches on their official game site. Yes there are a lot of scams and sites with altered(bloatware or malware) patches so you do have to be careful.
4. I've had a Steam account for about as long as they've been around. I have over 200 games in my library - not all of them are installed. I don't pay with a lot of mods, so I can't say a lot about that. The thing I like is that I don't have to keep disks or game keys around anymore. I log into Steam, and they have all my games, and they keep them updated for me. I haven't purchased a physical game disk in several years. The last few times I did, I just entered my keys into steam, and they put the game into my library, and started downloading and installing it - I really didn't need the disks. My son has access to all my games on his computer(I have access to his games), and can install any of them on his computer and can play on-line against other people, but unless he and I both have a game in our own libraries, we can't both play at the same time against each other. Also I have has 4 or 5 machines since I created my account, and have never had any issue with Steam, I just install the client log in and I have access to my game library on my new machine. They do require verification when you log in from a different machine. I haven't had any issues with it - I even take my laptop on vacation and can log in from wherever I am and play.

.How on earth can i update a retail game ? if you type "game" updates you'll end up in warez sites and there are no legal sites offering legal updates for a retail game . for example . ArmA III

for real pc games you went to the games site or like file planet

steam offers nothing that we never had before but there client spying on you .. that's it


did steam ...

stop pirating ? no
cheating ? no

can you load or play with out them ? no

was internet connection required ? no

did I need them before ?? no

was I able to M.P with out steam ? yes

was I able to get maps and updates ? yes

were they forced on me as with steam ?? no -if I did not want it that was fine could still load and play full game not beg steam to allow me to and then need to get the rest of the game from them I mean you pay 60 bucks for a game on a disk but still need to download content from the 3ed partys [steam -origin- uplay] in order to use ,load or play ?? I guess a fool and there money are soon parted

really you don't buy pc games anymore you just rent from the 3ed party [steam -origin- uplay] cause with out them and there mandatory clients/content / download you got nothing but may as well be a blank disk overall

ya they see you guys coming a mile away [lol]

1. you won't get banned unless you harass other people on Steam, try to circumvent the TOS, modify their software, or in general act a fool.

2. Your account is as safe as any online account. Steam does have two step authentication available now which makes it a little more secure. The average bad guy won't ever get access to your account as long as your password isn't password, etc. If a skilled person wants your info they can get it but that is true of any network connected system and if you live in fear of that you should unplug all of your ethernet cables it is time to give up.

3. No fees. just the cost of games.

4. Steam is pretty good about updates, patches, etc. They go out of their way to keep games running. They have limited friend requests and the like by only allowing people who have purchased at least something to use those functions so there aren't many issues. The forums are as civil as any other forums for the most part as well.

Steam is a pretty solid system. They have lots of great sales, plenty of free to play options, and lots of resources available to players. Either you like the digital concept or you don't but one way or another physical media will eventually go the way of the dodo.

Don't just limit yourself to Steam. Check out Origin, Uplay, Good old Games, etc. They all have something to offer and miscellaneous freebies. None of them have any membership fees you just pay for what you buy. Happy gaming

The biggest issue(and it hasn't happened in a loong time) is with the system going down. I think when the Orange box was released, there were issues because there were so many users that they didn't scale up fast enough.

My account hasn't been hacked. They alert me(by email) every time a new machine is logs onto Steam with my account, and you have to verify that that is your machine. So your Steam account and your email account would both have to be hacked(supposedly).

As far as being banned, you'd have to read their terms of service. As long as you aren't doing anything dishonest(cheating) you should be fine.

Finally there is no monthly fee. Get the client, set up an account, and buy games. that's it. They run sales often.

1. Depends on game. Some Steam games don't need any activation since it's all handled simply by downloadling, others need third party activations that are as annoying as the retail versions where you need to register separate accounts and so on.

2. Steam downloads all updates automatically, but there's an option to turn that off. Many retail games use online platforms like Origin or Uplay (or Steam, for that matter) for updates, some have their own built in updaters, but for some you have to track down updates on the official site or on various download sites that have legal updates but lot of ad banners that take you to weird things.

3. Steam runs offline, but requires you to log in periodically. Other than that, it also depends on game. Some retail games only allow a certain number of activations and need to check in periodically, and sometimes things get messed up with de-activations that don't work as they are supposed to after a certain number of re-installs. Some games on Steam also use the same activation schemes and are affected by the same mess-ups. It's better than it was a couple of years ago, though.

4. Related to number 3 and number of machines the game can be activated on if there's a limit. With games with online play your CD key gets tied to whatever account the game uses, so anyone who loans your game (or buys it second hand) won't be able to play online. Same goes with DLC Generally, so assume that modern retail games are single user deals that are tied to one account or another.

5. Probably not. Steam has a family sharing feature, where up to five different accounts can access your game library when you're not using it (if you're in a game none of your games are accessible by anyone else).

It's a bit messy, so the above answers may not apply in all situations...

I've used Steam for almost five years, and I haven't bought retail since. I've even stopped pirating games because it's so much easier without cracks and crackfixes and cracked updates that need even more crackfixes... plus if you keep your eyes open most games usually show up on 50% sales within six months of release and even lower than that before they are a year old.

Just to touch on a question. Retail updates, it use to be you went to the publishers website and look up the game,which is sometimes time consuming. But companies dont like maintaining server downloads for long periods so you end up going to archive website for older game.
EA and Ubisoft both have had issues with alway online requirements, so check the game ahead of time. Steam usually has all requirements posted the each games info page.

''i'm so sad that pirating and cheating made such a hard situation for Gamers .''

no you don't get that its things like steam that drove more folks to that way.. a boot leg copy is better then there malware clients [opinion]
there cracked games are ready to go and not rely on someone like steam to be in control or scanting your system at all times you connect to the net or forcing there content on you weather you like/want it or not

so you opay for that steam game and they decide to cut you off drop your account stop supporting the game for what ever reason then what// do you get your money back because nothing you got in hand is the full game cause you got to get downloads from them for it to work , right ?? so rtealy what did you buy ?? nothing...

lol ..good one . like most all you can do is poke fun and not explain where or how I'm wrong about this

thing is they cant say why else is it there and mandatory ?? just to keep tabs on what your up to and why do they need to add your security ?? your forced to accept there content/downloads/updates and idf they do harm to your system well that's just too bad for you - take it or don't play

name one thing steam or other 3ed party clients do that you could not do before ?? nothing, also back when you got a retail disk you got the whole game ready to play

no added content no internet connection required no nothing but you your computer and the game disk .. as I said just read the agreement and see what you give up just to play a game ?? keep it, but I do understand most folks are just that desperate to play a game and don't care about security .

why is it today you ''buy'' a game disk that you got to go to steam to get the game and there client ?? really you don't buy you rent like I said if you don't accept there client you got nothing - I do like the threads like '' steams server is down or something and I cant play '' seems like you got your moneys worth .. funny, steam and the rest of them [origin-uplay] can burn in hell and it don't affect any of my games at all I still load them right up and play 24-7 till the day I die [LOL]

''i prefer to go with retail version of games '' good luck with that there all near gone eaven the good old ones pulled from the market and now only available from them steam type places .. so you will accept there spyware or you don't play -- I'm glad I'm a old gamer and got 100"s of games B.S [before steam] and don't ever need to worry about them

there you go . you buy = you support it . you know pirates keep coming up . dude they been around from day one just like cheats do you see steam controlling that ?? but they do put the control on you the honest guy. look at there site and see all the posts on that from them - no better today then it was 10 years ago ??
the pirates got the better deal , no steam origin or uplay [now I don't mean to say they have not slipped something in on you ] but you do get the whole playable game from them ready to go at all times

I wonder how much cash there game developers loose due to guys like me that will not buy there games due to steam type clients ? but cry they are losing money . I got money but as long as something like steam is involved , no sale and then look at the quality of the games being released there crap buggy beta releases it seems with patches ''in the works'' ya i''l give bucks for that [not]