Did you email people to let them know that steam is required like we recommended? Many people probably still don't know steam is now required, considering that's been known for less than two weeks and you've been taking preorders for the better part of a year. I suspect you'll get a bigger head ache once you charge them and release the beta, once people start complaining that it requires steam and they didn't even know it.

E-mails really need to be sent out. It's simple in that regard.

That's okay. One article called those of us that don't care for Steam 'pirates' and others have called me 'behind-the-times' or 'paranoid'. Given that I spend less than 5 hours of my time every week gaming, I just don't care anymore. I've developed a taste for things that have existed long before video games and are often free.

So between the feces flinging and my growing ambivalence, I'm walking away from the lot of this like I did so many other annoying gaming experiences.

*shrugs* Ultimately it's everyone's individual choice. I do not go in any direction, for any reason except I want go when I want to go.

I'm right with you Draak on most all of that. Kids these days eh?

Oh I see "Mr. Highroad".  You think those of us who don't have a problem with STEAMWORKS simply for the sake of having a problem with STEAMWORKS also must not have a life eh?

Glad you have developed "a taste for things that have existed long before video games and are often free".  Sorry to burst your little bubble though, I raised three children which (whether I wanted it or not) forced me to appreciate so much more about life than "gaming" long ago.  Guess what?  I still don't have a single problem with STEAM.

Kids these days?  Well then leave 'gaming' to the "kids these days" and get on with your fulfilled life already......

Sounds like that's what they (he?) are doing.  I've already done it myself, though I poke into forums now and then just to see people spin their wheels over the most utterly asinine things.

You do realize just how defensive you sound about this whole escapade don't you?

What I don't get about the Steamers is just how riled up they get whenever someone says they don't want to deal with Steam (or Steamworks or whatever this crap is about).  It's as though it's a personal affront to the Steamers.  If you're raised 3 kids then surely you're beyond getting worked up over someone disagreeing with your opinion.

I've given up on many games for many reasons, but the one thing for certain is that if I share those reasons some group of butthurt fanbois are going to take it personally and try to trash my opinion or me or just the internet generally.  So...  knowing this, why am I posting this?

Because I'm a total basterd

thank you, I was going to say the same thing.  Ive been using Steam since day one. and not once have I ever had issues with my games or personal files or info getting hacked or whatever these paranoids are think is going on.  To me, this is a pitiful excuse to not use Steam.  you all have your right to do whatever you want and choose what ever gaming client you use.  but Steam is a much better platform then most others out there.

No more defensive than the other posts were offensive or condescending.

I wasn't getting "riled up about someone disagreeing with my opinion".  I took offense at the implication his post was making and responded.  Simple as that.

Just like you seem to get a kick out of people you perceive to be on the defensive about something; I also get a kick out of the "steam-haters" who of course have no real reason to hate it except that they are (like so many people these days) in it for the act of hating on something.......hell anything.   Makes me laugh every time. 

And again, what stake do you have in defending Steam?  Just ignore it, haters gonna hate or something.

But yah, I don't care for Steam myself, I won't bore anyone with any reasons why, I won't try to convince anyone they should or shouldn't use it, I really just don't care.  If Steam ruins PC gaming for me then it ruins it for me, *shrug* there's more to life than worrying about where/how I'm going to play my next game.  [and there's more games out there that one can play besides]

And if my reasons for not wanting to deal with Steam prove unfounded, then I have lost... nothing that I cared about anyway.

So why do Steamers care so much to convince me that Steam is the best thing possible?  That is kind of rhetorical, like asking why are fanbois fanbois.  I know the general reason why it happens, but that doesn't apply to everyone certainly.

   I'm not defending STEAM right now.  You responded to my repsonses to the posts of Draakjacht and boshimi336 near the top of this page neither of which had anything to do with STEAM specifically.

EDIT:  My position with regard to STEAM and STEAMWORKS-integration is well-known and documented on earlier pages in this thread.  I will not reiterate.  The responses I made to the posters near the top of this page were made as I saw their posts to be unecessarily inflammatory so I responded somewhat in kind.  Nothing more.

I think it (STEAM/STEAMWORKS) is an added annoyance/red tape to SP gaming ...

but probably an improvement to MP gaming.

As I'm only interested in MP after many fun hours of SP ... it leads to me not wanting to get a game with extra red tape just to play SP, with the off chance that I might end up playing MP.

They are Borg. Prepare to be assimilated. Resistance is futile.

In principle I would hate to use steam to play single player.  But if multi player is greatly improved then I would overlook personally the inconvenience of having to always use steam.

So in posts which mention Steam, which you find offensive (the posts, not Steam) and demanded a reply from you (though you weren't mentioned in those posts), you aren't defending Steam.

You're just defending the fact that you use and like Steam?

In any case, I think you over reacted to those two posts, regardless of whatever you think you were responding to.

I didn't cancel a pre-order because I never pre-ordered since I don't trust Stardock any longer. I was planning to purchase when release was imminent, but I was waiting because I wanted to see what the actual requirements would be.

I used to trust Stardock, but since they've demonstrated they don't care about my concerns, they've lost all goodwill and customer loyalty from me.

I've tried to make a poll about Staemworks and Stardock games but it breaks the forums. nvm...

okay...

 It's all good.

People are insulting me over personal preferences. It alienates me from the community.

I do not have enough investment to bother with something I don't care for.

I'm getting into a lot of other things than gaming.

I'm being insulted and don't game as much, so I'm leaving.

You'll notice none of these things are 'high road' or address anyone else. I do not imply as I feel it's wasteful. If you believe I have made implications, I believe it speaks more on your perception than on my reality.

It would appear you haven't read my other posts, here or elsewhere. You know nothing of my reasons.

I know the feeling.

If I played MP, then I would agree with this statement. I do not play MP, so...

...I end up feeling that way.

cute

Pre-Order e-mails are going out. Definitely didn't get any sort of notification. Hoping to get a response from a representative for cancelling my Pre-Order.

Pre-post addition: Just got my response from [email protected]:

Hello,
Unfortunately the game is only being released on Steam right now, we will eventually release it on Impulse but right now it is going to be a Steam exclusive.
-------------

Evan Kathawa

Technical Adviser

^ All that can be asked.

Thank you to Stardock for making sure to take care of your customers.

I am a steam user... sure, it is not perfect ( in the years, i have know my share of problem ) but it is better that nothing...

The real problem is not about steam but about Stardock having not inform their customer about the change from impulse reactor like it was writen until recently on the order page to Steam... in fact, people have discover about Steam via a external article... i find it to be somehow a dishonest practice and my trust in Stardock is almost low as nothing now...

Will not stop me to buy the game and use it on Steam... but i will not believe anything that Stardock say or wrote from now...

Was it so difficult to send a e-mail to all people who have pre-order when the decision to use Steamwork was made ??? was it so difficult to make a announcement on the sins forum before to slip the info at the end of a externe review article??? was it difficult to modify the order page once the decision to use Steamwork was made ??? People don't need to hate Steam for not like what have happen...

the_Monk what the hell did I do to piss you off so much? Sheesh. I just said that everyone has their own opinion and their own reasons and it was not necessary for anyone to freak out over any of this stuff in the first place. If someone has different demands on their free time and they are unable to dedicate x amount of hours to video games a week then so be it. If the community is abrasive to people that don't embrace every new thing with wide open arms why fault him of that decision?

Either way it is HIS decision to do what he wants in life for HIS reasons just as it is YOUR decision to lash out at ME by telling me to get on with my fulfilled life ... which brings me to the question once again of 'What the hell did I ever do to you?! Chill dude and get off your soap-box.'

Doesn't matter, as a steam works game you'll still need to use steam even if you get it from Impulse. If you don't want to deal with that redouble your efforts to cancel your preorder immediately.

My issue isn't Steam or the services it offers to players, it's the DRM.

I don't like having to prove I bought an item every time I go to use it. I don't need my TV to scan my receipt when I turn it on. My car doesn't require a password to start. I'm not a criminal or a thief and I have no desire to be treated as one.

I supported Stardock solely based on their commitment to never use DRM. The fact the Sins is a great game is more a bonus.

I have purchased every Stardock title. Demigod was one of the worst experiences in gaming I have ever had and I played it maybe 5 times but felt that my money was in a good place. I bought Elemental and was disappointed I couldn't play LAN without buying two copies but that was acceptable and I would have purchased another but no one I knew wanted to play the game because it was a mess. Still I felt I had placed my money in a good place.

Now I've literally been deceived. This hasn't been a decision that was made in the last two weeks and that is why I am so bothered. You never once asked anyone who has supported you about this and whether this move was acceptable. I was never sent an E-mail warning that Stardock had abandoned it's mission statement and the bill of rights that made it stand out so that I could receive achievements (something that is already in the base game).

The worst thing is the way I have always talked about your company. The way you were going to lead the way even as other companies are tightening their own restrictions. I brought support to your company based on what you claimed your beliefs were. That is really what I'll have the hardest time forgiving. You made me a liar.

You made me a liar and no matter what your excuse is, that's unacceptable.

Shame on you.

I'm not sure what I'm going to do right now because I don't want to support DRM. I don't want you to receive my money after this decision because I don't want this move to be rewarded. I want to believe you will realize this is a mistake before you release the game but it sounds like you feel that you don't have the skill to deliver a solid multiplayer experience. 

I guess it's laughable I was worried about Gamespot taking over Impluse. At least they aren't shoving DRM down my throat and they never said they wouldn't (in fact they reserved the rights to do exactly that). In fact I continue to support them by buying any DRM-free games they provide. That shows you where you rank on my list. 

Sorry about the long post but this ruined my day.