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Civilization V To Use Steamworks

Posted by Soulskill on from the hope-it-doesn't-get-you-in-hot-water dept.

sopssa writes "2K Games today announced that Civilization V will be using Steamworks for online matchmaking, automated updates, downloadable content and DRM for the game. Steam's Civ V store page is also available now, revealing some new information about the game. There will be an 'In-Game Community Hub' for online matchmaking, communication, and for sharing scenarios between players. While including Steamworks might put some people off, it might also indicate better online gameplay than in the previous Civilization games, where it was almost impossible to have a good game without playing with just friends."

29 of 295 comments (clear)

  1. Civ was my offline game by T.E.D. · · Score: 3, Funny

    The thing that really sucks about this is that Civiliation has always been my go to game when my internet connection is down.

    Next they will take away HOMM, and I'll be stuck talking to my family or something when internet goes down. (shudder)

    1. Re:Civ was my offline game by Krneki · · Score: 4, Insightful

      I always bought CIV, but if this DRM is too restrictive I'll just get it for free.
      Why would I pay to have more problems?

      I'll wait and see.

      --
      Love many, trust a few, do harm to none.
    2. Re:Civ was my offline game by smallfries · · Score: 4, Insightful

      That's exactly what I was thinking. I've got a row of boxes sitting on a shelf with Civ1 - 4/Warlords. If they put something on there that is a problem it will be the first cracked version that I've downloaded for free.

      --
      Slashdot: where don knuth is an idiot because he cant grasp the awesome power of php
    3. Re:Civ was my offline game by bmecoli · · Score: 5, Insightful

      I've use Steam, and not once have I ever had an issue with it. their download/DRM model works rather well and isn't nearly as bad as say, Ubisoft's. I mean, their whole business model is what has made the platform so successful in the first place, so I wouldn't worry about CIV V being on Steam.

    4. Re:Civ was my offline game by Mr.+Freeman · · Score: 5, Informative

      And that's exactly the problem with game and media execs these days, they completely fail to realize that there is absolutely no way to stop piracy and that adding more DRM just encourages more illegal activity. Ignoring reality doesn't make it go away.

      Of course, you're assuming that the DRM is legal in the first place, which it isn't. It removes your ability to make back-up copies as allowed by law.

      --
      -1 disagree is not a modifier for a reason. -1 troll, flaimbait, redundant, overrated are NOT acceptable substitutes.
    5. Re:Civ was my offline game by Thanshin · · Score: 3, Interesting

      It's quite annoying. You always have to start the Steam-client to play.

      It autostarts as you click your game icon.

      For some reason you cannot copy&paste passwords so you have to always type it.

      I don't even know my steam pass. I entered it once, maybe years ago.

      There's supposed to be an offline mode but that disables itself all the time and you have to log in to play.

      Disables itself?!? I download the game, set it as offline and that's all.

      It's one of the more cumbersome DRM systems because it comes with all those useless bells and whistles.

      I think you have a problem with your steam installation, or your computer. I've never encountered nor heard about the problems you speak about, and some sound pretty strange; it's as if you lost the configuration every time, or something. I'd check the properties of your steam folders.

    6. Re:Civ was my offline game by El_Muerte_TDS · · Score: 5, Informative

      That direct link will still first start Steam. And steam in offline mode doesn't work as well as a lot of people claim. When I was playing the game Torchlight my ISP sucked big time and had a very unstable internet, or no internet connection at all. Due to the fact that the PC was connected to an internal network I had to wait for the Steam connection to timeout before it allowed me to go into offline mode, so I had to wait 5 minutes before the game would start. If I simply disabled all network connections on that machine it would prompt for offline mode within a minute. Another problem is that steam constantly tries to go out of offline mode. One time it managed to get through to the steam servers and saw there was an update for Torchlight. The result, I could no longer play Torchlight in offline mode because there was an update I was required to install. Of course with my ISP still sucking big time I could not download the files.

      During this who crappy ISP period I regularly used tethering through my phone (using tetherbot) to browse the web, read email, etc. But what I couldn't do was tell Steam to connect to the proxy so it could access the internet so that I could finally unlock the game again.

    7. Re:Civ was my offline game by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Who modded all the "It's just Steam" posts in this discussion flamebait? From all the DRM systems out there, Steam is the least intrusive one and it actually gives you more value to the game (community, in-game browser, archievements). I take Steam over Ubisoft's intrusive always-online DRM (with nothing to gain) or SecuROM/StarForce that install hidden kernel drivers in your system any day.

    8. Re:Civ was my offline game by mcvos · · Score: 3, Interesting

      And that's exactly the problem with piracy these days. People think that restrictive DRM warrants an illegal download while the only legal solution to your problem would be to simply not play Civ V at all if you don't like the DRM.

      Depends on where you live. Buying and installing a patch that removes the DRM is also legal in many places. And I think that where I live, not buying but downloading a complete cracked version is also legal, as long as I don't use torrent to do it (because then I'd be uploading at the same time).

    9. Re:Civ was my offline game by HungryHobo · · Score: 4, Insightful

      In most countries if your bank account is compromised there's regulations to protect you.
      If on the other hand you have a large number of games the steam admins can simply confiscate your property and you have no recourse.

    10. Re:Civ was my offline game by HungryHobo · · Score: 5, Insightful

      The most annoying thing is that if you raise the issue of these awful design problems steam fanboys leap in with shit like
      "nobody with dialup/tethering plays games"(bonus if they link to a steam poll showing that yes in fact hardly anyone with dialup uses steam),
      "THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH STEAM",
      "HURR HURR HURR, GET A BETTER ISP"

      Etc etc

      the fanboys are far far more iritating than the devs.

    11. Re:Civ was my offline game by Richard_at_work · · Score: 4, Informative

      Nowhere in 'the law' does it say that content providers must allow you unhindered ability to make a backup copy, it merely states that you are allowed to make a backup copy within the limitations of copyright law - its not illegal to hinder that at all.

    12. Re:Civ was my offline game by Narishma · · Score: 5, Informative

      You can make backups of Steam games, not to mention that you can re-download them as many times as you want, even on different computers. You can also play them offline, so I don't see what your problem is.

      --
      Mada mada dane.
    13. Re:Civ was my offline game by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

      From all the DRM systems out there, Steam is the least intrusive one and it actually gives you more value to the game (community, in-game browser, archievements).

      That's pure fanboy nonsense.

      There are many less intrusive DRM systems out there. I've had many games with online activiation DRM systems that ever only showed me a single "activating game once" window that was gone after 5 seconds, never to be seen again.

      You complain about DRM systems that install drivers, yet happily install Steam system-wide.

      Steam is one of the most intrusive systems out there (forced use of a client, adds a second DRM layer on top of whatever the publisher already has, forced management of game installations, integration into OS, offline mode that wants to go online whenever it feels like it, total dependance on Valve to be able to play games, etc.).

      All that community stuff just adds to the burden of the DRM.

    14. Re:Civ was my offline game by MogNuts · · Score: 3, Interesting

      With everything that is going on these past few years with DRM, I do not disagree with you whatsoever. More power to you.

      This is directed to all Slashdotters, not you. I've said it before, I think we should stop think of PC games as owning them, and treating them as rentals. That's how the companies are treating us, so we should respond in kind. And I don't mean to just roll over and accept it. I mean the following:

      Only buy games, new or used, at a rental price-point. When there is a special on Steam like when Bioshock was out for $5, then you buy it. Or wait until it gets to $15-20 new. Most games nowadays hit the mark around 6 mo. - 1 yr. It has an added benefit of having all the bugs ironed out and the game is fully playable.

      This way when they screw you (no, the servers will *not* be still on for games like RE5, AC2 in 5-7 years and you can't play then), you are out the appropriate amount. And they only receive what the game is truly worth.

      As a side note, something helpful: I find when they hype a game I want it right now. But it's only because it's on your mind. If you focus on something else, you don't even remember you want it. So to still get the game, what I do is when I see a game I want right now, I just put it on a list. I have a list of like 20 games right now. Then you pick it up when its super cheap. I have about 30 games on steam right now that I haven't paid more than $10 now (and good ones, like Bioshock, Dead Space, etc.).

    15. Re:Civ was my offline game by TheThiefMaster · · Score: 3, Informative

      You can disable the auto-update of games to prevent this.

      Though I'll admit that it's annoying as hell that I can't play the older version of a game while the new version downloads...

    16. Re:Civ was my offline game by HungryHobo · · Score: 4, Interesting

      thing is that steam is utterly retarded when it comes to network connections.
      If there's *any* kind of network, no matter if it's just a point to point between 2 laptops, a local lan with no net connection or anything which looks like a network connection then steam will decide that you don't really want to be in offline mode, obviously you made a mistake when clicking "offline mode" and so it kicks you out of offline mode and freaks out because it can't connect to the steam servers and locks itself up.

      Even worse is when it does this while I'm using my edge dongle (very low bandwidth) and it decides that it absolutely positively has to download the 100mb patch for that single player game I was trying to play before it will even think about letting my play it.

      If you've never experienced problems with steam then you're on a high bandwidth, high reliability, always-on, unrestricted net connection.
      In that situation steam is the best thing since sliced bread.

      Otherwise steam has very very real problems and hordes of dedicated fanboys who deny those problems even exist.

      "Either you're offline (or just dont let steam connect), and you get no update notifications, or you're online and connected, in which case you must download the updates, which I would, anyway."

      This tells me how little thought you've put into this.
      I'm on 3 different networks regularly.

      1: home, DSL, steam is pretty good on this except when it decides I really really need that massive patch for the game I want to play in single player.
      2: university wireless, steam doesn't like this at all since it can't get at the steam servers but there is an active net connection so it decides I don't really want to be in offline mode then locks up because it can't get at the steam servers.
      3: wireless dongle when I'm traveling, if I make the mistake of trying to play steam without first pulling out the dongle it will decide I need all the latest patches.... over an edge connection wherever I may be.
      this is where steam really goes to shit.

      uncommon:
      4: I'm on any kind of LAN without a net connection or if my ISP goes down.

    17. Re:Civ was my offline game by HungryHobo · · Score: 5, Funny

      For those wondering about the stunningly arrogant and annoying fanboys I was refering to whos personality problems far surpass any problems with the platform please see exibit A above.

    18. Re:Civ was my offline game by hechacker1 · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Steam is slightly better than the absolute worst of the DRM systems yes, but it still can take all your games away if you so much as look at it funny. Even SecuROM or StarForce can't do that. If you travel with a laptop, I suggest you buy your games somewhere else. Steam has a tendency to lock accounts that log in from multiple IP addresses. 'Cause, you know, that's a crime.

      I call bullshit on that. I regularly use Steam from school, my apartment, and my parents house and on many different machines. My brother also logs into my account to access my game libarary and vice versa.

      Really the only ban is for cheating on VAC secured servers and games. Even if you get banned for cheating, it's still possible to play on non VAC secured games and servers.

    19. Re:Civ was my offline game by Shrike82 · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Slashdot, where anecdotes and hearsay are modded insightful...

      --
      You can advertise in this sig from as little as £99.99 a month!
    20. Re:Civ was my offline game by williamhb · · Score: 3, Interesting

      The one that is a bit iffy however is that it does hinder your Right of First Sale. Purchase a real game and you can sell it second hand. Purchase a Steam game, and it's much harder (including a fee to Valve). You also have to realise that this really is an explicit intention of Steam. The record execs might care about piracy. The game companies care about second hand sales. Whatever number of BitTorrenting pirates there might be out there, there's an EBGames or a GameStop with a wall-ful of second hand copies in every shopping centre.

    21. Re:Civ was my offline game by blind+biker · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Can you resell your game?
      Can you activate your game without Steam?
      If one day Steam goes down, how long will you still be able to play your game?

      Can you, with a straight face, and with honesty, claim that a Steam game is 100% under your control? Can you answer this last question without "but"s?

      --
      "The agriculture ministry is not in charge of Gundam" - Japanese ministry official.
  2. What, it start with Steamworks? by Bugamn · · Score: 5, Funny

    In my time Civ started with dirt and road, if you were lucky.

  3. Achievement: by bersl2 · · Score: 3, Funny

    Your phalanx unit successfully defends against an attack from an enemy battleship.

  4. How long will it last by Paul+Carver · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I still play Civilization Call to Power. It is my all time favorite addiction. I don't pull it out often because when I do I can easily play all night and not even realize that dawn has arrived. But I do pull it out occasionally and I'm glad I can play it without worrying about whether the company will still let me.

    I guess I'm bad for the games industry by enjoying a game that's so old, but I won't even contemplate buying a game with DRM because I just don't trust that I'd be able to play it long after it stops being the hit new thing.

  5. I second that by drinkypoo · · Score: 3, Informative

    Civ 5 was going to be my first PC game purchased in literally years (besides the humble indie bundle, who could pass that up? But I'm talking about going to a store and buying a box.) But I am diametrically opposed to Steam's attack on First Sale law, and will not purchase any game which uses Steam again. I already went through it with Half-Life 2; I did not find any of the mods worth playing, so to me the game has zero replay value, and I would like to re-sell it, but I can't, even though I bought it on a disc at the store. Just say no to Steam. I will not be paying for Civ 5.

    --
    "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
    1. Re:I second that by drinkypoo · · Score: 3, Informative

      Do not forget that steamworks DRM is also included on boxed copies.

      What part of my story about buying Half-Life 2 in a store and not being able to resell it led you to believe that I would not understand that the DRM was included with boxed copies as well? The truly abusive thing about Steam to me is that you can't even play a backup without installing and updating Steam. Steam 'backups' are not backups because they are not playable. So I can't sell it, and I can't play it? What the heck did I pay for? Shelf space? Die, Valve, Die.

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
    2. Re:I second that by drinkypoo · · Score: 4, Informative

      Correct me if I am wrong but I think steam lets you gift your games to other users so what is stoping you from doing that?

      This:

      What is a Steam gift purchase?

      When you purchase a game on Steam, we offer the option to "gift" the item to anyone you choose, whether or not the recipient is a current Steam user. The recipient will receive the gift as an attractive e-mail card with a personal message from you and instructions to redeem the game.

      A Steam gift purchase is a one-time transfer--after the recipient has activated and installed the game, it is a non-refundable game in his or her Steam games collection. Also note that you may only gift new purchases--you may not transfer games you already own. That'd be like wrapping up and presenting the toaster you've used every morning for the past year.

      In other words, Valve does not recognize your right to sell (or give away) a used toaster. Personally, I know people without a toaster, who would appreciate it if I wrapped mine up and gave it to them, even though it is lame. Steam was designed to prevent you from exercising your First Sale rights, period, the end. All this digital download shit is an incentive to the user to give away their rights. It's about preventing resale first, and about selling you games second.

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
  6. USE STEAM BEFORE SLAGGING IT OFF by wintermute000 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Seriously

    Everyone who is slagging off steam, try it before you complain.
    I have had ZERO problems with steam, before I was a sceptic and now I am a convert.
    The auto-patching auto-updating goodness is worth its weight in gold.
    Never had a problem playing offline or whatever.
    Rebuild a PC? no issue, unlimited re-downloads, much easier to kick off steam and walk away than dig out masses of discs, then go through hours or hunt and patch, etc.
    Games are CHEAP esp if you bag them on sale (GTA4 for 7 bucks USD, Op. Flashpoint Dragon Rising for 5 bucks etc.)

    Put it this way: its so good and convenient that I buy games (on sale of course lol) that I can pirate in front of me. I see the pirate bay / rapidshare / usenet link in front of me at the same time as a steam sale. Guess who wins 10/10.

    Steam: DRM done right - non intrusive, value added (auto patching, friends lists/voice/matchmaking etc., forget about juggling masses of CDs and cases), cheaper than boxed retail.

    If you want to sell a used game then OK you are SOTL but thats the bargain you are making.