So, we can have
1. Some crappy copyprotection, wich installs some drivers and causes lots of trouble and forces us to seek the dammned CD everytime we want to play.
or
2. Authenticate our games *once* online as we install it, and we don't have to bother findig the [nocando] CD when we want to play.
I prefer the second option, thanks.
I hope Steam is the first step to kill the publishers. At least for the self funding, independent studios.
I hope they come up w/ better protection than this.
It's crap that to play the SP that one buys at the store, you have to actually authenticate the game online from Valve. What for? I think The CD Key check should be enough proof that the game is legit --- this is my big objection w/ STEAM. HL2 does a CD Key Check & STEAM Validation, so you are hit w/ a double-whammy.
STEAM is taking liberties granted to the gamer in the past and basically stomping all over them. STEAM is not the worst offender. Crusader is right: Bioware's NWN Premium Mod sounds much worse. Each time you begin a new game in the Premium Mod or load a Saved Game from it, then it does an Online Validation Check.
I do like the idea of buying a game online & able to download it, yet not needing a CD period. It's a nice thought, but at what cost?
Until they come up w/ less intrusive measures for validation checks, count me out.
