Getting the patch and authenticitating

I have read everything on this forum about everything i think i need to know, but still don't get it 100% Correct me if i'm wrong(please):

Buy the game

Install it, goes automatically to steam where you fill out/do everything it says to activate the game, at some point you authenticitate, then the patch automatically downloads, and then you don't need to out the disc in, then you play and in future it downloads patches automatically i just want to be 100% SURE.

P.S When you get future patches do you have to start a new game if you want to use the updated patch e.g. 9.0.2

Cheers, Thanks a lot for any help

not sure about steam as I have never used it before but would have thought it would be the same as buying the CD and last years version. You will have to download the patch as and when they are on the web and then install it yourself. Thats the way it's always been. There is usally a button in the game (main menu screen) that you can click and it will check if there are any updates from the version you are playing. Which then takes you to the link to download.

Hope this helps.

im not sure as i have never used steam before fm 09. but i would assume that it auto downloads the patch and lets you install it yourself.

When you use STEAM you dont install the game and then patch, what STEAM do is incorporate the patch into the game and then transfer it to you.

If you have the disc, install it, then authenticate via STEAM when you load up FM09 STEAM will have already updated the game for you as it is set to automatic updating, future patches will be the same.

Patches do fix things in current saves but any data changes require you to start a new game.

Cheers a lot homerjnick, just one last question , how do i authenticitate???

There is a thread about it:

http://community.sigames.com/showthread.php?t=58966