HA HA HA HA HA HA.. AAAH HA HA HA HA... Ha Ha Ha Ha... ha ha ha ha ha ha. ahhh!

Thanks, that was good for a laugh!

You see I feel the exact opposite. I looked at all the features that Steam offers, like cloud saves and the launcher and the overlay and whatnot, and said "pass" I don't really need any of that, I really don't even want any of it. Well this is easy, I just won't buy anything from Steam, sounds simple. So I instead go to an actual store and buy a physical disc and guess what, it won't install unless I log into the Steam account I don't want. I also can't take the game back to the store because it has been opened and the store is afraid that I just used the one time use activation code and am now trying to return a useless disc. So now my options are to just throw away $50 worth of game I was really looking forward to playing or just accepting Steam. And hey since I have to logon to Steam anytime I'm in the mood to play a game why not have it show me ads for other games. Since I'm already at my computer and the games I want all require Steam anyways why not just buy all my games through Steam. Meanwhile Valve is keeping track of how many new users they are getting because people didn't know what they were buying and they are using that figure in their sales pitch to other developers to entice them to use Steamworks on all their upcoming games.

I feel that Steam is crammed down my throat, and that all they do is manipulate the customer.

It seems that you might be correct. I thought that all instances of region-based availability and pricing disparity on Steam were the result of other publishers wanting to do so (Steam has to strike a balance between being sensible to consumers and making publishers happy, which is why they allow region-restricted games and even , which is seemingly contrary to their stances), but here you go: a [url=http://www.shacknews.com/article/49656/valve-responds-to-steam-territory]region-restricted copy of The Orange Box, a Valve title.

This is the part where I cop-out and try to be apologetic of Valve, and say that I am willing to put-up with some of Valve's lesser-evils because Steam's convenience and large publisher-availability makes it worth it, and that me actually moving to another region where my games might be restricted is unlikely to ever happen.

As I detailed earlier, one's tolerance of Steam's DRM is closely tied into whether or not the Steam platform actually gives them any value. In your instance, it did not, so your stance is entirely justified - but please don't mock me for thinking contrarily.

And as far as the problem you encountered at the store, I'd say the fault is with the publisher for not properly labelling it as a Steamworks game, not with Valve or Steam.

Regarding more and more games being Steamworks-based: In Valve, We Trust.

I've heard of the game since it was released but I still haven't played it. Can't be bothered. (I also don't own it)

Maybe I should have rephrased the question a bit.....

Who wants the Steam version of Psychonauts?

i want and would try

I've never played it. I've read good things about it but it always have just looked a bit too weird to buy when I got some money. I would love to get that one.

Got it on Steam during a sale. Havent played it (as other tons of games on backlog lol).
Whats the big deal?

No worries, I'm done now.

Glaring, and perhaps even foreboding leering, shall befall those who mention condensation-based services in this thread again.

Edit: I am now leering at myself (forebodingly, I might add). You all know what this implicates.

I cheated, I usually would have waited a bit more and than random.org'ed a winner. But from what I read on the forums, this games was made for antimateria.

Enjoy!

Oh.. That was a nice surprise to this morning. Unfair to others but fair to me (random numbers hate me), so I like it. =) Thank you very much. My space in the hard drive is low but I still put that thing coming through the magic of internet.

He didn't even say anything that was that laughable considering he was comparing it to something like xbox live, so no need for the obnoxious laughing. Also it's pretty easy to avoid ads using steam. Go to settings, then interface and turn off notifications, and also have it set so that it opens up your game library page, not the store page.
Also all DD sites keep track of how many customers they are getting as a way to entice publishers, and they all manipulate customers. Yes, even gog

Psychonauts is one of the more overrated games if you ask me, nothing special about that 3d platforming and kiddy characters/story, couldn't keep my interest.

No Psychoanauts and Portal are two games that I heard a lot of good things about and never had to opportunity to play.

When you are unemployed you can't be careless and buy anything you want, I have to finish the game I bought not long ago (The witcher) before buying anything else.

Since the game is already gone, I can reply.

I've played Psychonauts only on my PS2, briefly. The graphics were surprisingly crappy and bland at least in the beginning IIRC, and the gameplay didn't seem that interesting, but I'll give it a second chance at some point because so many people have praised it.

I guess I originally bought it because "hey isn't it the game made by the Grim Fandango creator, and I love Grim Fandango?", or something similar.

Since I own it also from GOG, which is better, PS2 or PC version? I presume the PC version has better graphics, but does the PS2 version have e.g. better controls? I seem to recall someone complaining of slowdown problems on the PS2 version?

Portal is quite good and original game, but quite short. Even for a slow gamer like me, I completed it practically in one day, including the extra levels with higher difficulty. I'm not sure if just having more levels would have made the game better, but just so that you're warned you will probably not be playing it for weeks or anything.

Too bad you missed it when Valve was offering it for free, that's when I got it.

By the way, IMHO Portal is another good example (along with e.g. ICO) of an end-boss fight done right. Ie., challenging at first, but when you get the gist of it, not so hard.

I might look into Portal 2 at some point.