I agree Tridus.

Steam's been known to do that because their updater wants to update files that were changed. Witcher 2 was really bad for that, because the DRM patch removed DRM from the 2GB data file. Steam wanted to download 2GB. The GOG updater needed a 10MB patch to do it.

Just a few days ago actually Steam did an update to the download service that will allow them to do delta patches instead, which going forward should start to erase the problem.

Small udate
Fotball Manager is running fine for now. Will test offline functionality when I have the time. I wonder if I have to be online to set offline mode. Have heard it both ways on forums.

Oh shit, I have friends in Norway!

Chapter 3: Online Mode

Went to my parents cottage last monday. Did not set Steam to offline mode before I went. When I came to the cottage with no Internet connection, Steam asked to start in offline mode. Football Manager worked just fine. Once does not have to be online to switch mode. At least not for Football Manager. Thats good.

Chapter 4: Civ V

Civ IV is my favorite game ever and Civ V was gonna be the game to make me try Steam. After reading countless hours on the civ forums I decieded not to buy it. I have bought CIV to CIV IV on release, so thats a first. CIV V was on sale the other day at 66% off. I was surprised when I couldnt be bothered to buy it still. Its just not intresting....

Chapter 5: Annoying shutdown

Every time I do a computer shutdown, my laptop hangs some seconds on "Steam screenshot manager" or something similar. I am asked if I want to force close it, but it will go down after a few seconds by itself. This is annoying. 

Lol try and play Shogun 2 with steam cloud enabled. That is a great reason to not have steam. 

Steam is a cancer.  You should never inbuild a digital distribution platform into any game to run the multiplayer services.  Sales are great, but Impulse does the same (just not as big of a library). 

I see it as adding more DRM on top of the already existing DRM.  I'll repost bullet points from my argument over at the Ubi forums:

-You have a separate version of the game that's made to be compliant with Steam. It's not the same build of the game when you install off of a disc (unless it uses Steamworks for the multiplayer, which most games don't).

-You HAVE to use Steam to handle the updating of the game (you'll be hard pressed to find a Steam-bought game you can update with an external patch without it fucking up on you due to the different build).  I used my Mass Effect 2 copy as an example.  I bought this off of Impulse, and was able to update it with an external patch.  I read on the Steam boards of people not wanting to wait for the Steam patch and tried the external.  It would fail (in other titles, it would screw the game up).

-It also requires something to be done to the game to be able to play them in offline mode (DRM like element due to the different build) or you to be logged in through Steam to play in multiplayer even if it's not handled by Steam services itself.

How is this any different than traits used by other DRM?

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Take in mind, I'm referring to bigger, mainstream titles coming out of the larger, worldwide companies.  More regional/indie companies, I don't take anything away from releasing their products on Steam.  They don't have the capital to handle the running of multiplayer services on their own forums or the PR/marketing power to make their games well known in the marketplace, so, to them, Steam is a blessing (digital distribution, it's core element, is a good thing).  On top of that, they are usually make or break with each title.  A bad selling title can destroy them. 

Essentially, Steam has overstepped their boundaries as a digital distributor and spread into territories it shouldn't. 

How many have done that, though?  That's still overstepping their bounds.  The consumer base doesn't want more DRM.

You sure?  Can you bring up examples of games that have actually done that without issue?  Even if it is a choice, I haven't seen any cases of them doing that.

The build should be uniform, regardless.  Steam should not be changing the product (even if they don't handle the multiplayer services or not).  And are you using the beta patches through Steam or external ones?

In the past, you had to download a good chunk of data to have games in offline mod.  Either way put, you shouldn't need Steam to be run to play any game (save for Valve products that I expect to use Steamworks).

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This was touched on by another poster earlier, but, I forgot to mention how easy Steam can fuck up in their patching process.  I've had it fubar too many times.

For years I was a Steam hater.  Those who frequent these forums I'm sure saw some of my posts on it.  After the sale of Impulse I tried Steam again since I refuse to do business with Gamestop no matter what.

Guess what...Steam rocks and I have no problem with it at all.  The Store aspect is light years ahead of what Impulse was.  And the sales are incredible.

To add to the answers above:

2) Europa Universalis III.   Heck, any Paradox game. 

3) EU3.  In fact the last patch for the game isn't available on Steam  Easy enough to load the patch from the developer web site or in game.  Many games I have can use beta patches no problem and they aren't from Steam.   And you can turn off auto-patching which I plan to do with Skyrim so I don't break any mods I'm using.

Offline mode needs to be manually turned on before going offline.

I hate that about Steam...