Been playing ten minutes: so much better!  Thanks SD!

I recommend you give Steam another go. They constantly update the client. I been running the beta version for months now with zero issues.

Well, the client is only part of my issues with Steam (although the most frustrating one). The biggest issue is the EULA, along with a couple other things. Some of it can be circumvented by just not buying any more games from Steam, just using it for the games I already have there, but a lot of it goes against my principles.

I really don't want to turn this into a Steam-bashing thread, so I best leave it at that.

'I recommend you give Steam another go. They constantly update the client. I been running the beta version for months now with zero issues.'

Steam just forced Skyrim's latest patch on me and wrecked my current save game.  That just re-enforces my resolve to never buy another single player game that requires Steam.

As good as this looks, I'll pass.

Is it okay to laugh at the Steam martyrs?

You can turn off auto-update if you prefer.

I really love the way Stardock is supporting those who bought into this game early. It's truly fantastic.

But...

I now have Galactic Civilizations I and Galactic Civilizations II and all expansions for both, bought from Stardock that now require me have Gamstop's PC app.

I have Sins of the Solar Empre and all expansions, bought from Stardock that now requires Gamestop's app for the earlier stuff and Steam for the most recent expansion.

And now I have Elemental, also bought from Stardock, the latest expansion of which also requires Steam.

I bought these games from Stardock because I wanted to support Stardock and in particular Brad's enlightened attitude toward DRM and how it punishes legitimate customers. If I wanted to support Gamestop or Steam, I would have bought from Gamestop or Steam.

However legitimate the business decisions and restructuring have been at Stardock over the last few years, I do feel like I've been the victim of a bait'n'switch to a certain extent. I don't want these 3rd-party apps on my systems and, with all due respect to some of the other posters, the fact they have no problem with it doesn't negate the fact that I do.

I really, really encourage you to pursue releasing your catalogue on gog.com. I will buy every single one of these games again via gog.

I once owned many Stardock games. I would like to again.

a gog.com release would be nice

Beta is very nice, well worth the money. I particularly love the new level up system.

Proof of this games' goodness is the fact that I don't want to go to bed... but I have to. Looking forward to playing more tomorrow night!

I don't have an issue with it releasing on Steam. I have an issue with it releasing only on Steam.

I'm what you might call a Steam newbie, having only installed and used it for Skyrim.  In the past, when beta testing Stardock products (GC, GC2, EWoM, E:FE) I've installed them on several machines that I own in order to be able to test on different hardware/software combinations.  Is that still allowed (legally, that is) with this release of E:LH on Steam?  I've read through the Steam license and didn't see a restriction on installing a product to a single machine, but I might have missed it.

Oh yeah, Steam is far better than Origin. Origin is just ludicrous. There's malware coming out of eastern europe that has more value for the end user than Origin.

And yeah, you're right. Stardock even has their own perfectly fine download/update app that does that and only that. But it's now got to the point that of all the games I've bought from Stardock, I can now only use their own app for precisely 1 of them.

Then Stardock has lost my business for I won't play any game that requires Steam.