I've also travelled quite a bit, and haven't experienced that country problem you describe.
Luckily, that is mostly not a problem for me, as I game from home usually. If it is for you, then I'm sorry about that.
But I do not agree to your terms when it comes to defining "always online". As that has come to mean "a constant connection to the internet during the entire game session". Call it what it is, periodically online DRM check.
Steam does fill my needs as is. Even though I'm not happy about DRM, I am a realist, and realize that a lot of the games I do have in steam today wouldn't have been sold digitally without DRM. Besides, it's not Valve/Steam that imposes DRM on the users, that is the distributors/developers choice. There are a lot of games sold on steam that doesn't use DRM (Try unhooking your net connection, and start the executables directly and have a look see).
Another pretty much untouched subject on this topic is that Steam is today a lot more than just a digital shop for games, it is also pretty much a social channel for friends. Atleast that is how me and my friends us it. That is also one of the reasons I'm butt hurt about all those other clients like origin etc. popping up, which is also breaking up said community functions.
While that is said; I'd also like to state that _I_ like Steam, and prefer it. I am not for "Steam exclusivity" or anything similar. Steam is my platform of choice. I am pro other shops like eg. gog.com selling the same games. But I do want everything through the one channel I've chosen, rather having to shop around for it.
Are you claiming you have _no_ internet connection? WTF do you use Steam/digital distribution for then in the first place? It is still not "always online" SP.
So do I. And since I enjoy causing problems for myself, I game on a native resolution of 2560x1440.
I seldom get those problems, and if I do, it's even rarer that Steam is the one causing them. It's not like it's a prerequisite that games need the Source engine to work on steam now is it?
Multiplayer through steam is by far the best solution out there. If you know of any conistently better solution, I'd like to hear about it. And if you want to enjoy "steam free" singleplayer, go offline.
I forgot to answer the claim of "...and an internet connection, even for single player". That is simply not true. There is offline mode. It works. And it can be enabled _after_ you lose connection, albeit it's a bit of a hassle then.
As with most DRM services, you do have to log in every once in a while to update the info.
Gun crime is so low in Norway, I in no way feel intimidated by that.
I know a madman can obtain weapons illegally. But using Breivik as an example in this setting is borderline stupid, as he obtained his weapons legally. Except the magazines, which he bought legally _in_the_US_ and smuggled to Norway (30 shot 5.56 STANAG mags + 30 shot hi-cap 9mm Glock magazines). He specifically chose the Ruger Mini-14 because of it's capacity to use 5.56 STANAG magazines.
This is one of the reasons the Mini-14 has been used specifically in the gun debate here at home before Breivik ever got into the picture, as the law only permits semi auto hunting rifles with a 2+1 capacity. The magazines you buy in Norway are blocked with those laws in mind, as according to the Berne treaty http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Convention_on_the_Conservation_of_European_Wildlife_and_Natural_Habitats Even though the Mini-14 can be used for hunting, it is not designed with that in mind. There are better hunting rifles out there.
And before you write me off as an "Anti-gun-nut", as is so common in these debates, consider the following: 1 ) I know more about weapons than the average gun nut. 2 ) I've been an active pistol shooter. 3 ) I had applied for gun smith school, to get a career out of mending guns. Didn't get in unfortunately, as there is way to many applying for those classes. (it's a three year college equivalent). 4) I learned to disassemble and assemble an H&K G3 (Norwegian military model name: AG3) 7 years old.
But here is where the biggest difference between Norway and the US comes in: Most Norwegians doesn't approve of using guns for self defence. Most consider it a gross over reaction, and also makes you a liability. Also, precedence in Norwegian courts states that the responce to a threat/unlawful activity can not be bigger than the threat in the first place. That means if you shoot and kill an unarmed burglar _within_your_own_home_, you will still be charged with murder. You might get off those charges, but that is up to the court to decide.
Also, the Norwegian police is unarmed. They do have weapons in their patrol cars, but do not carry.
You see, not all of the world is as blood thirsty as the US.
My over 4, soon 5 years old rig was a Q9550 with 8GB mem. It didn't pose a problem there neither. And before that I had a E6400 (upgraded to Q6600) with 4GB of mem, still no probs. Before that, OK, Steam used a notable portion of your system resources.
But if you're gaming on a 8+ years old rig, maybe PC gaming ain't your thang?
Been a Steam user for going on 9 years. With the amounts of difficulties I've had, which is to say hardly any, compared to what I gain from the platform, I have no qualms recommending it.
On a 4,3GHz quad core, with 32GB mem, how is it a problem that Steam runs in the background? It's not as if the games are 64bit and use most of the mem anyway.
I can appreciate that bloat sucks, but that is hardly a problem for modern machines (say made in the last 4 years).
Personally, I'd be just as worried, if not more so, firing a cast iron gun than a 3D printed gun. Both are potential pipe bombs. So are all firearms, but most have been tested to a fault many times over to see what they can take, so you fire it within a known tolerance.
Any change you try to make, however moderate, will bring its own group of whining a*holes complaining how you do it wrong. It gets tiresome after a while. In the end you stop trying.
Although I've experienced gaggles of fudgenuts gathered around people lying either with seizures or actually literally bleeding in the street, taking photos and filming. Even go as far as commenting on their own video how "nobody is helping", where I as last responder have to help _and_ dial the emergency number.
That Sir, angers me.
PS: 1 1 3 , One-One-Three, for medical emergencies in Norway
Slashdot Mirror
All consoles are irrelevant.
Obey the PC Master Gamer race!
Just don't dream while that magnet is driving fast by close to your head.
I did receive the mail. And I was able to login with old credentials.
I've also travelled quite a bit, and haven't experienced that country problem you describe.
Luckily, that is mostly not a problem for me, as I game from home usually. If it is for you, then I'm sorry about that.
But I do not agree to your terms when it comes to defining "always online". As that has come to mean "a constant connection to the internet during the entire game session". Call it what it is, periodically online DRM check.
Steam does fill my needs as is. Even though I'm not happy about DRM, I am a realist, and realize that a lot of the games I do have in steam today wouldn't have been sold digitally without DRM. Besides, it's not Valve/Steam that imposes DRM on the users, that is the distributors/developers choice. There are a lot of games sold on steam that doesn't use DRM (Try unhooking your net connection, and start the executables directly and have a look see).
Another pretty much untouched subject on this topic is that Steam is today a lot more than just a digital shop for games, it is also pretty much a social channel for friends. Atleast that is how me and my friends us it. That is also one of the reasons I'm butt hurt about all those other clients like origin etc. popping up, which is also breaking up said community functions.
While that is said; I'd also like to state that _I_ like Steam, and prefer it. I am not for "Steam exclusivity" or anything similar. Steam is my platform of choice. I am pro other shops like eg. gog.com selling the same games. But I do want everything through the one channel I've chosen, rather having to shop around for it.
How so?
Are you claiming you have _no_ internet connection? WTF do you use Steam/digital distribution for then in the first place?
It is still not "always online" SP.
So do I. And since I enjoy causing problems for myself, I game on a native resolution of 2560x1440.
I seldom get those problems, and if I do, it's even rarer that Steam is the one causing them.
It's not like it's a prerequisite that games need the Source engine to work on steam now is it?
Multiplayer through steam is by far the best solution out there. If you know of any conistently better solution, I'd like to hear about it.
And if you want to enjoy "steam free" singleplayer, go offline.
I forgot to answer the claim of "...and an internet connection, even for single player".
That is simply not true. There is offline mode. It works. And it can be enabled _after_ you lose connection, albeit it's a bit of a hassle then.
As with most DRM services, you do have to log in every once in a while to update the info.
Gun crime is so low in Norway, I in no way feel intimidated by that.
I know a madman can obtain weapons illegally. But using Breivik as an example in this setting is borderline stupid, as he obtained his weapons legally. Except the magazines, which he bought legally _in_the_US_ and smuggled to Norway (30 shot 5.56 STANAG mags + 30 shot hi-cap 9mm Glock magazines). He specifically chose the Ruger Mini-14 because of it's capacity to use 5.56 STANAG magazines.
This is one of the reasons the Mini-14 has been used specifically in the gun debate here at home before Breivik ever got into the picture, as the law only permits semi auto hunting rifles with a 2+1 capacity. The magazines you buy in Norway are blocked with those laws in mind, as according to the Berne treaty http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Convention_on_the_Conservation_of_European_Wildlife_and_Natural_Habitats
Even though the Mini-14 can be used for hunting, it is not designed with that in mind. There are better hunting rifles out there.
And before you write me off as an "Anti-gun-nut", as is so common in these debates, consider the following:
1 ) I know more about weapons than the average gun nut.
2 ) I've been an active pistol shooter.
3 ) I had applied for gun smith school, to get a career out of mending guns. Didn't get in unfortunately, as there is way to many applying for those classes. (it's a three year college equivalent).
4) I learned to disassemble and assemble an H&K G3 (Norwegian military model name: AG3) 7 years old.
But here is where the biggest difference between Norway and the US comes in: Most Norwegians doesn't approve of using guns for self defence. Most consider it a gross over reaction, and also makes you a liability.
Also, precedence in Norwegian courts states that the responce to a threat/unlawful activity can not be bigger than the threat in the first place. That means if you shoot and kill an unarmed burglar _within_your_own_home_, you will still be charged with murder. You might get off those charges, but that is up to the court to decide.
Also, the Norwegian police is unarmed. They do have weapons in their patrol cars, but do not carry.
You see, not all of the world is as blood thirsty as the US.
And my name is Nobody.
My over 4, soon 5 years old rig was a Q9550 with 8GB mem. It didn't pose a problem there neither.
And before that I had a E6400 (upgraded to Q6600) with 4GB of mem, still no probs.
Before that, OK, Steam used a notable portion of your system resources.
But if you're gaming on a 8+ years old rig, maybe PC gaming ain't your thang?
I second that.
Been a Steam user for going on 9 years. With the amounts of difficulties I've had, which is to say hardly any, compared to what I gain from the platform, I have no qualms recommending it.
On a 4,3GHz quad core, with 32GB mem, how is it a problem that Steam runs in the background? It's not as if the games are 64bit and use most of the mem anyway.
I can appreciate that bloat sucks, but that is hardly a problem for modern machines (say made in the last 4 years).
Or in my case: Don't =)
Around these here parts of the woods (Norway) it's against the law. I am actually fine with that.
Time to ban all but 3D printed guns.
Personally, I'd be just as worried, if not more so, firing a cast iron gun than a 3D printed gun. Both are potential pipe bombs. So are all firearms, but most have been tested to a fault many times over to see what they can take, so you fire it within a known tolerance.
Coward
Uhm, yeah, and then you die.
Any change you try to make, however moderate, will bring its own group of whining a*holes complaining how you do it wrong. It gets tiresome after a while. In the end you stop trying.
How was this modded Insightful?
"You can watch the entire progression here"
Rather could, before it got slashdotted.
Comic sans comic. Yet still I return.
"But it's a taste sensation!"
It sure is: http://blog.khymos.org/2010/03/21/a-pinch-of-salt-for-your-coffee-sir/
Shame I'm out of mod points, I'd mod that insightful.
That is true.
Although I've experienced gaggles of fudgenuts gathered around people lying either with seizures or actually literally bleeding in the street, taking photos and filming. Even go as far as commenting on their own video how "nobody is helping", where I as last responder have to help _and_ dial the emergency number.
That Sir, angers me.
PS: 1 1 3 , One-One-Three, for medical emergencies in Norway
You mean that twitter/facebook/instragram update device come camera?
Nobody calls emergency services anymore, they just film the tragedy.
And I totally failed at posting anon, lol.