It seems that you're using an outdated browser. Some things may not work as they should (or don't work at all).
We suggest you upgrade newer and better browser like: Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer or Opera

×
avatar
Aningan: I don't think everyone understood that OP has Linux and Windows and only Windows doesn't have an internet connection.
And then there are people like me who understood that, but don't understand why.
avatar
Aningan: I don't think everyone understood that OP has Linux and Windows and only Windows doesn't have an internet connection.
avatar
bazilisek: And then there are people like me who understood that, but don't understand why.
And it do not change the problem of not being able to patch or fix the games, does it? hmm, unless using a downloaded patch off course. please ignore.
Post edited February 29, 2012 by amok
avatar
bazilisek: And then there are people like me who understood that, but don't understand why.
avatar
amok: And it do not change the problem of not being able to patch or fix the games, does it?
If you can download the game you can download the patch or a patch version.


Ahhh, ninja edit!
Post edited February 29, 2012 by Aningan
avatar
amok: And it do not change the problem of not being able to patch or fix the games, does it?
avatar
Aningan: If you can download the game you can download the patch or a patch version.


Ahhh, ninja edit!
Honestly, I never ever want to search for patches again. Autopatching is one of the best features that I would really miss if it would be gone. I still have several back ups CDs with countless patches and patch installation guides for all those '90s games.
avatar
Aningan: If you can download the game you can download the patch or a patch version.


Ahhh, ninja edit!
avatar
SimonG: Honestly, I never ever want to search for patches again. Autopatching is one of the best features that I would really miss if it would be gone. I still have several back ups CDs with countless patches and patch installation guides for all those '90s games.
I fear auto-patching. New patches frequently alter game balance, break mods, and change save file formats. Not having the option of going back makes me uncomfortable. :/
avatar
Snickersnack: snip
That's my stand on autoupdates for mods. Because I never know where this mod might be going.

I hardly had any bad experience with patches. The worst I can think of now was when my Fallout 2 saves became invalid. But that was a patch I got from a PC magazine. And, if you remember Fallout 2 pre-patch, you know that skipping it wasn't really an option. I usually only mod a game once I've beaten it, most patches are already through and mod compatibility isn't a big problem.

I find autopatching extremly good when I start up "old" games, where all the patches are already released, so I don't have to scavenge the internet for them. Or GOG as an alternative. One of the reasons I no longer bother with my retail game collection from the '90s is the fact that I'm to lazy to hunt down all the patches.
No they require an activation at least once.
Post edited February 29, 2012 by EC-
avatar
SimonG: <snip>
Patching by definition is liable to cause problems with regression. It's happened a number of times with Skyrim (backward-flying dragons anyone?) and it obliterated my Sonic 4 save game a while back, which pissed me off good and proper.

Autoupdating is all well and good if you can exclude the possibility of regression, but you can't. It's part and parcel of development.

That, and waiting for Steam to download patches sometimes measuring hundreds of megabytes is severely annoying. The new content system was supposed to address this, but it hasn't. You still can't play while it's patching your "staging" version of the game.

If Steam asked me for permission to update beforehand, I wouldn't mind, but it doesn't. Not even "do not keep up to date" option in the game's properties works - it'll still update anyway regardless.
Yeah I was out of internet for months last year. I had to go to a friends house download my steam games and then put them into offline mode, then disconnect them and take my pc home.
avatar
Fred_DM: tl;dr: no PC gaming without internet access. it's no use lamenting or praising this. it is what it is. deal with it, or get a console. no online activation there. not this generation anyway.
Even console gaming now feels "wrong" offline, and all those patches and DLCs are DRM'd and dependent on the console controller. Fallout: New Vegas might technically be DRM free on Xbox compared to Steamified on PC, but would anyone here want to play New Vegas completely unpatched and with no DLC? I sure wouldn't.

The internet is being used by publishers to control games, yes, but they also add features and abilities people want, so they accept it. It's never going to get better, so either accept it or stick to the classics, like you say. All you can do.
avatar
Fred_DM: without an internet connection - at least on demand - you're not gonna get far in PC gaming these days. i'm not just talking about Steam - which is absolutely dominating the PC market - but about new PC games in general. there are very few games released today that do NOT require some form of online activation or account;

- UbiSoft games need a Uplay account and in some cases a persistent internet connection.
- EA games require at least an online activation as part of the install process. the latest games require an Origin account (same as Steam, but EA-exclusive).
- Blizzard games require a Battle.net account. Diablo 3 will require a persistent connection as well.
- almost everyone else uses SteamWorks or another third-party DRM scheme such as Tages, SolidShield or SecuROM.

tl;dr: no PC gaming without internet access. it's no use lamenting or praising this. it is what it is. deal with it, or get a console. no online activation there. not this generation anyway.
This. Youd better forget about playing newer PC games without an internet connection. You need at least an one time activaion for most titles.
avatar
kavazovangel: You can pirate it if you want.
avatar
StingingVelvet: Requires an internet connection!
Somewhere along the line, yes, but you can sneakernet from the broadband computer to yours.
avatar
Fred_DM: without an internet connection - at least on demand - you're not gonna get far in PC gaming these days. i'm not just talking about Steam - which is absolutely dominating the PC market - but about new PC games in general. there are very few games released today that do NOT require some form of online activation or account;

- UbiSoft games need a Uplay account and in some cases a persistent internet connection.
- EA games require at least an online activation as part of the install process. the latest games require an Origin account (same as Steam, but EA-exclusive).
- Blizzard games require a Battle.net account. Diablo 3 will require a persistent connection as well.
- almost everyone else uses SteamWorks or another third-party DRM scheme such as Tages, SolidShield or SecuROM.

tl;dr: no PC gaming without internet access. it's no use lamenting or praising this. it is what it is. deal with it, or get a console. no online activation there. not this generation anyway.
avatar
Neobr10: This. Youd better forget about playing newer PC games without an internet connection. You need at least an one time activaion for most titles.
Not true unless you count downloading a game from Steam as "activation".

1. Buy Steam game.
2. Download steam game.
4. End Steam task
.
5. Download crack\Steam emulator for game. (Depending on how anal you are about updates you'll need to periodically sync your game with steam for updates and download an updated crack)

6. Play game steam free.
An online service doesn't cater to people who go out of their way to ensure they have no internet access? Bizarre.
avatar
Mephe: An online service doesn't cater to people who go out of their way to ensure they have no internet access? Bizarre.
Yes, it's not like we have online digital distribution services that allow people to download a game, copy it to a DVD or external drive and install it on a completely walled-off computer, is it? That would just be ridiculous. *facepalm*