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.

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.

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.

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

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

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 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.

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.

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.

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

^ All that can be asked.

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

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.'

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.