What are the benefits of using steam??

Currently I am playing the demo via Steam. Its the first time ive used Steam and so far its running smoothly and i have no complaints. I was just wondering what the community thought were the benefits of using Steam. Im trying to make my mind up weather to purchase the game via Steam or not??

FM 2010 included the 2009 skin if you activated your game with Steam. I don't know if they'll do that again this year or not.

As for the Steam platform itself, the only real benefit I can think of is that the game runs from your machine; no need for the DVD, even if you bought the DVD version and activated it with Steam.

Personally, if I was in your position, I'd go with the DVD version. You can activate and use it with Steam, but if you end up not liking it that way, you'll have the traditional hard-copy to fall back on.

Of course, this is assuming they continue with the optional install that FM 2010 had, where you could choose to install in Steam, or offline.

Automatic updates and for some games they let you download a few days before release so you can play at 00:01 on release day.

If you're only going to have 1 game then it doesn't make a lot of difference. If you got maybe 10 games on steam you see really making your life easier with no discs to faff about with and automatic updates and things.

So if you install the game from the DVD through steam you wouldn't need the disc in at all times as you do when installling it offline?

-Automatic updates

-No discs (i.e. it doesn't matter if you lose/break a disc, you can still have your game)

-Price (no shipping costs and, at least in the US, no sales tax- though, unlike Europe, sales tax isn't already included in the prices of things here. For example, I bought two beers today marked at $10.99 and $8.99 and paid about $21, makes no sense and Steam saves that BS).

-Achievements (not necessary, but fun- don't know if they exist in the boxed version or not)

- Automatic patching

- You can play without the disk

- Can easily download demos and other games

- You can see what achievements you have unlocked

- Talk to friends via steam during gameplay

The "no discs" bit was a big help for me when I got a new PC a few weeks ago, I could install all my steam games on the new PC just by logging in to my account and downloading them. Definitely a big help as there's no way I would have been able to find all the old discs.

(And these were all games I'd bought the actual discs for but had activated through Steam, I'd never actually bought a game through Steam as I still preferred to buy the physical copies.)

In the future I'm more likely to buy games through Steam as it's just less hassle.

Do you have to log in to Steam - and thus be connected to the internet - every time you start the game?

Do you have to log in to Steam - and thus be connected to the internet - every time you start the game?

No, you can play offline through Steam provided you've activated the game previously.

I was just wondering if I bought FM2011 via steam and downloaded it to my computer and then went to one of my mates house and logged in could I also download it for his computer? Or would steam block it?

I was just wondering if I bought FM2011 via steam and downloaded it to my computer and then went to one of my mates house and logged in could I also download it for his computer? Or would steam block it?

You can- however, if you were logged on to your account at home and he was logged on at his house it wouldn't allow you both to play simultaneously.

I was just wondering if I bought FM2011 via steam and downloaded it to my computer and then went to one of my mates house and logged in could I also download it for his computer? Or would steam block it?

Hmm not completely sure tbh, but from what I've read I think you can only be logged in to Steam on 1 PC at a time, if you sign in on a 2nd PC it will sign you out of the other one.

So I think you could download the game on to a 2nd PC but you'd only be able to log in to your Steam account to play it on one PC at a time.

Edit - or what ArranoBeltza said, which confirms what I thought.

Alright fair enough thanks for the quick replies

Hmm not completely sure tbh, but from what I've read I think you can only be logged in to Steam on 1 PC at a time, if you sign in on a 2nd PC it will sign you out of the other one.

So I think you could download the game on to a 2nd PC but you'd only be able to log in to your Steam account to play it on one PC at a time.

Edit - or what ArranoBeltza said, which confirms what I thought.

Yes, this is correct. I use steam on my main PC and decided just to load the demo on the laptop via steam, and only one computer could be connected to steam at a time with the same account.

I've usually found steam games cheaper to buy than from a shop in Oz. Although in this case, if the Aussie exchange rate wouldn't have been so strong I would have waited for the box version due to the price.

Cheers,

Boony

it's just convenient, especially for patching and stuff. i, for one, love steam and use it whenever i can.

So if you install the game from the DVD through steam you wouldn't need the disc in at all times as you do when installling it offline?

Based on my own experience with FM 2010, you're correct. It installs from the DVD, but then runs like a digital version. I always thought no-DVD was overrated, but it's actually kind of nice.

what if my pc broke and had to reinstall windows how would that work wanting to get the game again?

the mac version of the steam demo was full of bugs. so no benefit there. Got the normal version for mac without steam, much better.

what if my pc broke and had to reinstall windows how would that work wanting to get the game again?

As long as you remember your steam account details, you can just re-install the steam client and all you 'steam' games will be on the list (will lose your saved games). You will probably need to' re-install' them again though.

I backup my steam folder and when I re-install windows or re-build my PC I just install the steam client, restore this folder and away I go, saves having to 're-install' all my steam games again, considering they now run into gigabytes.

I beleive steam does have a backup/restore facility too.

Cheers,

Boony

the mac version of the steam demo was full of bugs. so no benefit there. Got the normal version for mac without steam, much better.

That surprises me I would have thought both FM11 versions (steam/DVD) would be the same code. It was the case with FM10 as I use to run both versions.

Unless you mean steam, can't comment with steam on a MAC as I use windows.

cheers boony will prob give steam a try this year.

That surprises me I would have thought both FM11 versions (steam/DVD) would be the same code. It was the case with FM10 as I use to run both versions.

Unless you mean steam, can't comment with steam on a MAC as I use windows.

I remember reading somewhere that SI accidentally put their Beta version of the demo on steam for mac users, instead of the gold version of the demo that the PC users got, but they had plans to update and fix it.

Either way, as you stated, the actual game should be exactly the same.

And lets not forget if you use teh game on steam, you can have your FM 2011 acheivements posted in the Managers room on footballmanager.com

it wont let you access the Managers room if you don't use steam

I have used Steam for the past 3 versions of FM and had no issues what so ever. It's nice to just turn my computer on and not worry about a disc, especially now I have a one year old walking and grabbing onto shiny things. I got a new computer last year and just reinstalled Steam , my games were there. I enjoy Steam a lot and will get FM 11 on it as well.

Not sure if i like steam ? Dont think it is fair that you have to be connected to internet to install the game. Like Total War Napolean and Empire etc. I have a top computer i use for just games only not internet

Yes, this is correct. I use steam on my main PC and decided just to load the demo on the laptop via steam, and only one computer could be connected to steam at a time with the same account.

Cheers,

Boony

OK, so let's say you install Steam and FM on one computer, and then disconnect it from the internet. You then log out from this computer and install steam and FM on another computer, and then disconnect this one from the internet too.

If you now try to start FM on both computers, will you not be able to play it on them both at the same time?

OK, so let's say you install Steam and FM on one computer, and then disconnect it from the internet. You then log out from this computer and install steam and FM on another computer, and then disconnect this one from the internet too.

If you now try to start FM on both computers, will you not be able to play it on them both at the same time?

Bump.................

Just buy the boxed version.

You could theoretically activate it via steam on one PC and use a normal DVD install on another at the same time without any issues at all.

(quite why you need to do this, I'm not sure, beyond trying to gyp on paying for two copies for two completely separate people).