Alternative to steam?

[SlayerX]

I don't have steam. I'm not a gamer, nor will I ever be, so I haven't no desire to be a part of that particular cult.

Is there any alternative to steam?

I think if you buy a physical copy of a computer game, you should be able to play it out of the box, and whichever way you choose. I'm old fashioned like that.

[XaW]

You can use Epic or Xbox Game Pass, I think.

And while I don't disagree with you in principle, those types of distributive services also works as a soft DRM and an easy way to distribute the game. I mean, even the physical copies you buy in stores, most games often don't have a CD/DVD in them any more, but rather a redeem code to Steam or other platforms anyway.

Also, not quite sure why you brand Steam as a cult. I've had the service for years and never had the feeling I was in a cult. What's the reason for not wanting Steam anyway, other than not being able to use software isolated? This is a genuine question and not meant as condescending or anything.

[sdx15]

Just create a Steam account, donwload the game and play it like any other normal person does.. Steam will not ask you for your soul.

[SlayerX]

13 hours ago, XaW said:

You can use Epic or Xbox Game Pass, I think.

And while I don't disagree with you in principle, those types of distributive services also works as a soft DRM and an easy way to distribute the game. I mean, even the physical copies you buy in stores, most games often don't have a CD/DVD in them any more, but rather a redeem code to Steam or other platforms anyway.

Also, not quite sure why you brand Steam as a cult. I've had the service for years and never had the feeling I was in a cult. What's the reason for not wanting Steam anyway, other than not being able to use software isolated? This is a genuine question and not meant as condescending or anything.

It's a piece of software that essentially spys on your activities 

It's glorified spyware.

[XaW]

2 minutes ago, SlayerX said:

It's a piece of software that essentially spys on your activities 

It's glorified spyware.

What do you base that off? As far as I can tell, you have to "opt in" to share HW specs, and other than the games you use, I don't really see what Steam would monitor?

If you base your sense of spyware on it knowing what you play, you might as well chuck all browsers, OS's, and pretty much all other software into that pile. Unless you know of something I don't, of course, and if you do, please share (unless it's some conspiracy theory blog or something, because I see enough of that nonsense anyway).

[SlayerX]

7 minutes ago, XaW said:

What do you base that off? As far as I can tell, you have to "opt in" to share HW specs, and other than the games you use, I don't really see what Steam would monitor?

If you base your sense of spyware on it knowing what you play, you might as well chuck all browsers, OS's, and pretty much all other software into that pile. Unless you know of something I don't, of course, and if you do, please share (unless it's some conspiracy theory blog or something, because I see enough of that nonsense anyway).

Yeah. I know that the vast majority of software contain a certain amount if spyware, etc. However, things like OS's and  whatnot are pretty much essential to using a computer and/or using the net.

Steam isn't essential. It's just another slice of your privacy being taken.

Have you heard of the spyware called "Hard Shell"? It's in Steam.

Hard Shell has the ability to detect what you're watching, your social media actities and it collects cookies, etc.  Is that any different from Microsoft, etc? No. But as I said, I'm not going to offer up my privacy to play a computer game.

The reason I stopped playing Football Manager in the first place was because of the introduction of Steam. 

 

[XaW]

5 minutes ago, SlayerX said:

Yeah. I know that the vast majority of software contain a certain amount if spyware, etc. However, things like OS's and  whatnot are pretty much essential to using a computer and/or using the net.

Steam isn't essential. It's just another slice of your privacy being taken.

Have you heard of the spyware called "Hard Shell"? It's in Steam.

Hard Shell has the ability to detect what you're watching, your social media actities and it collects cookies, etc.  Is that any different from Microsoft, etc? No. But as I said, I'm not going to offer up my privacy to play a computer game.

The reason I stopped playing Football Manager in the first place was because of the introduction of Steam. 

 

No, I haven't heard of it, and I tried to google it, but all I found where steamed hard shell crabs... Can you offer some reputable links that describes this, as I'd be most interested in reading up on it.

[SlayerX]

3 minutes ago, XaW said:

No, I haven't heard of it, and I tried to google it, but all I found where steamed hard shell crabs... Can you offer some reputable links that describes this, as I'd be most interested in reading up on it.

lol

Sorry. Red Shell. 

(Serves me right for multitasking)

[XaW]

3 minutes ago, SlayerX said:

lol

Sorry. Red Shell. 

(Serves me right for multitasking)

Not something I was very familiar with, but based on what I can see that is built into certain game by the developer themselves rather than Steam. And looking at it, it's involved in the game no matter how it's distributed. I also couldn't find any evidence of it being built into FM. So based on the available evidence I've seen, installing Steam and FM only would not add Red Shell. Unless, I'm missing anything, of course, I have only looked for a few minutes, so I could very well not have seen some information contradicting this.

[SlayerX]

3 minutes ago, XaW said:

Not something I was very familiar with, but based on what I can see that is built into certain game by the developer themselves rather than Steam. And looking at it, it's involved in the game no matter how it's distributed. I also couldn't find any evidence of it being built into FM. So based on the available evidence I've seen, installing Steam and FM only would not add Red Shell. Unless, I'm missing anything, of course, I have only looked for a few minutes, so I could very well not have seen some information contradicting this.

 

I'm lead to believe that Red Shell is implementing with all games that run with Steam.

When it was leaked, several companies removed it from their titles (50 or so). SI (or football manager) is not one of them.

[XaW]

3 minutes ago, SlayerX said:

 

I'm lead to believe that Red Shell is implementing with all games that run with Steam.

When it was leaked, several companies removed it from their titles (50 or so). SI (or football manager) is not one of them.

Yeah, as I said, if you have any info regarding it being built into Steam, I'm more than happy to look into it myself, but as far as I could tell by googling it, most of the articles (from around 2018) refer to the games themselves, not any platform.

[HUNT3R]

19 minutes ago, SlayerX said:

 

I'm lead to believe that Red Shell is implementing with all games that run with Steam.

When it was leaked, several companies removed it from their titles (50 or so). SI (or football manager) is not one of them.

Do you have a link that supports this? Everything that I have been able to find (this was new to me as well) suggests that this isn't the case (it being tied to Steam) and that there were a few games using it. FM wasn't one of them.

https://www.pcgamer.com/red-shell-analytics-software-causes-privacy-uproar-over-a-dozen-developers-vow-to-drop-it/

I would assume PCGamer is a decent source of information.

[SlayerX]

2 minutes ago, HUNT3R said:

Do you have a link that supports this? Everything that I have been able to find suggests that this isn't the case and that there were a few games using it. FM wasn't one of them.

https://www.pcgamer.com/red-shell-analytics-software-causes-privacy-uproar-over-a-dozen-developers-vow-to-drop-it/

A link? I don't.

But at one point the majority of companies were implementing it. (If people are going to get away with something, there'll do it)

I have no reason to believe that SI weren't one of them.

[Neil Brock]

Just to confirm you can buy/activate the game through Windows Store/Game Pass, Epic or Steam. 

If you buy a boxed copy it can only be activated through Steam for FM22.

[SlayerX]

3 minutes ago, Neil Brock said:

Just to confirm you can buy/activate the game through Windows Store/Game Pass, Epic or Steam. 

If you buy a boxed copy it can only be activated through Steam for FM22.

Thank you.

if I bought it via Windows Store would I be required to have steam?

[SlayerX]

Cool.

Thanks.

Just looked it up. No. You can't play Football Manager 2022 without steam

God help the poor sods who live in places with zero internet or people who treasure their privacy. 

*goes back to pre-Steam Football Manager*

Edited July 14, 2022 by SlayerX

[EdL]

Yes Epic or MS store do not use Steam.

But We do not ship red shell and never had on steam or any other platform.

[Marko1989]

This has to be the strangest thing I have ever read on these forums. Tens of millions of Steam users and you think.. It does not matter, anyway - 

You can invest a bit in your PC if you want to play FM in the future without Steam looking at your Facebook selfies. Buy another Hard Drive.

On that Hard Drive install some Windows for dual-boot with your main Windows ( or detach main hard drive completely when playing FM ).

Instead of Windows you can also install Ubuntu for example, if it is possible to play FM on linux. 

And on that Windows/Ubuntu install only Steam, don't log-in to social media, don't use browsers or anything else, use it just for FM. 

Edited July 15, 2022 by Marko1989

[rusty217]

5 hours ago, SlayerX said:

Cool.

Thanks.

Just looked it up. No. You can't play Football Manager 2022 without steam

God help the poor sods who live in places with zero internet or people who treasure their privacy. 

*goes back to pre-Steam Football Manager*

I doubt there are many, if any, people trying to play computer games in places that actually have "zero internet".

You certainly don't need a permanent internet connection to play FM though, just to download it and start it up the first time. Personally I nearly always play offline. Even if I'm not using the official offline mode my FM PC only has wired internet access, and with only 1 wire coming out of my router it often isn't even connected to that PC, so I'm still playing with no actual connect to Steam or their servers. It works fine.

[SlayerX]

10 hours ago, rusty217 said:

I doubt there are many, if any, people trying to play computer games in places that actually have "zero internet".

You certainly don't need a permanent internet connection to play FM though, just to download it and start it up the first time. Personally I nearly always play offline. Even if I'm not using the official offline mode my FM PC only has wired internet access, and with only 1 wire coming out of my router it often isn't even connected to that PC, so I'm still playing with no actual connect to Steam or their servers. It works fine.

At last check 1/3 of the World is still internet-less. I'm sure some of those 2.7 billion people wouldn't mind playing Football Manager. 

I know.  The fact that you even have to use Steam is emblematic of what I hate about the virtual world we currently live in.

It Is what it is, though. I won't moan about it.

[FrazT]

OK- your question has been answered by SI so I will close this now.