You have a choice; Buy a game with Steamworks DRM or don't. That's your choice, and even then games with compulsory Steam(works) DRM forms a minor number of releases.
Kind of a shitty choice, dont you think?
I'll tell you what it boils down to, its my money and my computer, I spent the dosh and I built it, I'll say what goes on it, not some ott intrusive datadigger like Steam, what I play or how often or for how long is my bussines and so called achievements mean jack, I dont like what Steam offers, I dont want what Steam offers, I play for me, nobody else. If Steam had played fair with me when things went wrong I probably wouldn't feel so strongly, but I still wouldn't have liked being forced to use it. After the way they acted I now know I can trust them about as far as I could dropkick a Range Rover, I'll have nothing more to do with them.
As for offline mode, dont make me laugh, do you really believe that?
Check your net traffic while your in so called offline mode, use your heads, how on earth does it know theres patches available when its supposed to be offline?
And said patches are forced upon you whether you want them or not.
As for Fallout NV, you can buy it where ever you like but you still need Steam installed to play it, so where you buy it from also means jack.
As for Valve releasing a patch that will make all games none Steam dependant if Steam goes tits up, bovine cack! are you seriously telling me that you think they would relinquish all that control? Thats even more bullshit. They would sell that control to the highest bidder and that winning bidder would squeeze you for every last penny they could get. And the Steam SSA you agreed to would mean they could do it quite legally too. Theres coffee on the stove, time you woke up and smelled it.
You Steam fans make me laugh, if anyone was forcing you to do something in any other area of your lives, you'd all be screaming blue murder.
I'll leave you with this thought.
A monopoly is never a good thing no matter how well intentioned.
Steams intentions are making money and having total control, so keep feeding the monster if you wish, but it will all end in tears.
