and my prediction of being unable to update comes to pass.....

Well if you could get access to a library maybe you can access their internet with your computer. Assuming you are in a small town they may let you do so and that would solve your problem.

You can download patches/games from your impulse account on any computer connected to the internet and then archive them and put them on something portable so you can take it to a pc without internet or really slow internet.

You can also archive your games so you can re-install them - your issue is you can't patch them, which is an issue for you anyway since you have no internet!!!

Why did you move to a home with no internet?

You can also download the latest version archives (without needing Impulse installed on the machine you're downloading from) from http://anywhere.impulsedriven.com

These archives need Impulse to extract, but they do not need an active internet connection. Unfortunately Anywhere does not currently offer patches themselves, it's only updated with the full latest version software that you own.

Its sounds made up like you created this situation just to prove a point ... and the service is good, but why would you move to a house with no internet knowing that you need Impulse to update?

Don't think it's necessary to question the man's moving decisions, much easier and more effective to just show him he made some rather incorrect assumptions about Impulse

lol you're probably right, im just an a-hole sometimes

Well first off, I did not make this up.  I am 46 years old, both military and law enforcement experienced and now being fully retired due to injuries sustained in the line of duty in both careers.  The 'home' I am moving to is in rural Wisconsin.  There are MANY MANY locations in this country that are not even close to getting high speed internet.  My youngest daughter lives 20 minutes south of Chicago.... they cannot even get regular TV channels let alone internet.

Based on some of the comments, it seems that many many people forget that those outside big cities do not have the same access and luxuries those living in the city do.  Feel free to come on up here if you still do not believe me.  Might as well leave your cell phone behind though because it will not work here.

As for why I chose where to live.... how about 80 acres of wooded, rolling hills, lakes, couple small streams and PEACE and QUIET!   I have the V.A. benefit of a home loan and for me wasting something like that to buy a small little plot in the middle of a noisy, crime infected city where in reality the city and its ordnances actually own the place you live is not my idea of fun.  Before this I was living in the big city.  At one point power went offline so I plugged in a generator.  The city came by and put an immediate stop to it PLUS said that if we did not get power back asap, we would have to vacate the house in 24 hours or they would forcibly remove us.. even though the situation had NOTHING to do with anything we did or did not do.  There is no way I will ever buy a house in any city or suburb because of the bull crap rules and ordnances being passed right and left.

Anyhow, back to the subject...

It is not feasible for me to drag my computer system to the library nor would any library I know of allow me to just walk in and hook up to their network.

I did archive the games... that is not the issue here.  The issue is patching those games.  In my opinion there is an easy way to resolve this...   We need to have the ability as registered paying customers to ALSO download and archive patches for offline installation.  Tie the patch to a serial number if need be.  If a particular serial gets out into hacker world, go after the person that serial is assigned to...    Regardless, something different needs to be done because I am not the only person out here I am sure in this situation.   And I would be willing to bet there are many people who do not even make purchases just because of this type situation.

Could you imagine if I had all my personal files, letters, legal documents or anything else in some online portal site like Google or Microsoft or those other 'online productivity software' companies?   I would be completely isolated from my own personal files in this case.

Perhaps someday when we have a "true" world wide internet that reaches all reasonable locations then this will not be such an issue.  For now though, that is a very long way away from reality.   And I, for one, am NOT willing to trust anyone nor any company to be around forever because I have experienced first hand how things can go.  I have purchased packages of software only to find years later the company died and now the software I came to rely on is no longer updatable, supportable or patchable.  In two cases, that same software I cannot even install anymore because my 'license' keys only allowed a certain number of installs and I have used those up.

It is situations like this and those I have talked about that are the main reasons I do not cater to this type of system.  I agree Impulse is a nice, easy to use package and very convenient for organization.  I am not disputing that by any means.  What I AM disputing or having a problem with is the REQUIREMENT of being able to use what I purchased AND being able to update what I purchased based on an internet connection.

Malakie

based on this comment you are assuming that none of us have or are still living in such an area as you. I did for most of my youth and was able to use the internet at the library in the little town I lived near. Admittedly my parents only had 5 acres of land to their name and I am currently in a small town by a city but dont assume that I and some others dont understand what you are dealing with. It is in fact the biggest reason why I do not like "Steam" because you always have to be online. So I apologize if the solution I proposed that worked for me does not work for you.

And personally I would love to live where you are at and plan on doing that when I retire. I hate the city and its rules too. So to the others who question this gentleman's decision to move out into the country, "GROW UP!" and try to help the guy.

I Know how this bloke feels and even though i now have no problems with internet, i think the thrust of his argument lies in the fact of having to have an internet connection in the first place to be able to get your patch on a product that you have paid for, and i suppose this will also cover the whole DRM stuff as well. But Remember you paid for a product so you expect to be able to get problems fixed in any way possible.

I am not giving any arguments for or aginst the DRM set just stating the fact that this bloke should be able to get patches to his paid for game without any access to the net (ie: CD Patches on gaming mags or even from the company).

You also need a pipe to pay for the water you use... If it is broken and gushing you still get charged and if it is turned off at the meter, you still pay the connection fee.

The user bought a game which he has received. Patches are NOT a guranteed thing as he didn not enter into any warrenty or support agreement (extra $$$). So he gets them for free in a format that the supplier finds conveinient - unfortunate for him but that is how it is...

I'll send you an archived copy of the game every time it updates because you served in the military and as a police officer.

Just tell me what version of Windows you have, and hopefully I have a computer running that OS so I can accommodate you.

Send me a PM.

I was just trying to make the point that if someone complains that I convinced them to buy Cordial and they then turn round to me and say I just moved to a house with no running water your advice was rubish, my opinion is that the guys created his own downfall.

Not that I convinced him, it was his decision alone but his whole original post was like he was blaming the rest of the world not himself, amusing.

I am glad you conveniently over-looked my post that explains how to patch offline PCs. I was trying to give you the benefit of the doubt that you just didn't know, but now it seems like you just want to get on a high horse and complain, which I suppose is up to you. But you won't really get any sympathy here since you're complaining about something that isn't true.

Not true again.. living in the country I have my own well and soon will produce my own electrical power and not have to pay for power.

That is not the point.  The point is as others have stated.  I do not want to live in a society where all my actions and decisions are controlled by others.  THIS is what is occurring.  Do you really want to be tied to something specific and not have the freedom to CHOOSE yourself where, when, how and why you do something?   Whether it is playing a game or painting your house weird colors...   The point is that allowing someone else to control what I can and cannot do is not something I am willing to just accept.  

How would you feel if the 'product' were something else like.. your car?   Let's see, you cannot drive your car unless you call in or connect to the car dealership for permission to unlock the doors so you can get in to drive it.   Or even better, you have to call them to even start the motor... because it can only be done remotely by you calling them first.

Think about this situation in broader terms than just this game.  THAT is what the argument is based on.

In the meantime, something must change even for this game because as others have noted, I AM a paying customer that currently is not satisfied with a product that was purchased.  I have no online means to update past this next week.  Every single other software package I have purchased has at least allowed me to download and archive all the latest patches AND should more patches be released in the future, then I CAN go to the library and download them for those products...

But that is NOT the case for Impulse and SINS purchases (as well as other things I bought the same day.)

Malakie

Hi, thanks for the offer.  It is much appreciated.  I am at my daughters today and brought my system so I could update everything one last time.  I will be here through mid week before going to my new home permanently.  Should be completed and ready for me sometime mid week if all holds to schedule.

And before someone says something about coming to her house to get internet.. coming to her home is not feasible since we live a very long ways apart.  I probably will not be able to come back here for a couple years although they will come to me I am sure..  Now if we could find a network extension cable that was about 2000 miles long.. she could bring internet to me!  LOL

Anyhow, thanks again for the offer.  Perhaps I will need that for the next update unless, hopefully, Impulse/Stardock make some minor changes to the updating and update download functionality.

Malakie

It is easy to argue from your point of view when you are not in my position.   Nor is it reasonable to expect me to 'choose' where I want to live just to have internet service.  That is ridiculous.   Plus show me ANY city that would sell me 80 acres of wooded, hilly and awesome land with clean well springs for water and the peace and quiet I think I have earned.

I am not saying I demand they do anything.  What I AM saying is that as a paying customer of their products, just like ANY other product, my satisfaction and support (as it should be with any customer) should be first and foremost.  If they elect to NOT do anything about this and make the system allow registered users to download patches for archiving and later offline install, then I am sure I am not the only customer that will be lost to them.  I know I am not the only person in this boat.

As this thread has shown there is a much larger issue than just this one software product though... the trend seems to be going to STEAM/IMPULSE/GAMERS GATE etc type digital releases.  The problem is though that they are forgetting about thousands of customers out here who are not hooked into the internet full time or do not have the income to hook into the internet full time.

As I mentioned, I am now a disabled Veteran and my sole income due to those injuries is my disability from the V.A.  I looked into satellite service.  I cannot afford it when I take into consideration my other responsibilities.  And that was the ONLY option available to me.  I do not buy 20 new games a month.  I buy those that interest me and that I think will be fully supported for years to come.  And with sat service, just like those new 3G data network cards, satellite service has both bandwidth AND usage limits per month.

Maybe you have all the money in the world or perhaps you like living in the city.  More power to you.  But not everyone is like you nor does everyone have the means that perhaps you do have.

Malakie'

Already there - I'm engaged!!!

ah but wait until your actually MARRIED!  LOL

Seriously, congrats.  I hope your one of the lucky ones that has something for life with her. 

Malakie

Maybe I missed something . . but while stand-alone patches are not available to download (which I think is what you want), you can use ImpulseAnywhere to get those the fully integrated patches.

In both cases, you are required to have internet to get the new files and a method to transfer them to the "off-line" PC.

The fact is, that if you used impulse to get the patch files, the download would be smaller than a stand-alone patch.

If I've misunderstood something, please correct me.

You have not. How many times did you run that through a spell checker?

This is a confusing statement.  Do you want the system to allow registered users to download patches for archiving and later offline install, or not?

ImpulseAnywhere does allow registered users to download patches for archiving and later offline install.  Actually, it does one better, it lets you download the entire game, already patched, for archiving and later offline install.

All you would really need is a USB thumb drive.

We are giving you that option, with ImpulseAnywhere.

Why is it everyone is assuming I am bitching just to bitch?

Let's make this simple.   If someone has a REASONABLE answer to these questions, then I will shut up.   Here is some info you should know about my habits..   I am a coder as well so I CLEAN my systems or wipe them usually twice a year.  I do professional code and software beta testing of software and hardware under contract now as a new career I am moving into so I also routinely change out HD's forcing reinstalls of software.  Keeping that in mind....

1)  How do I patch REASONABLY in the future?    Take into account, a 2 hour drive, wear and tear on vehicle, cost of fuel and hardware needed to copy and transport the files.

2)  So now I have driven and got to someplace to patch... and instead encounter a) there is no new patch since I have no way to know when one is available, some technical issue does not allow me to get the patch, c) the library or location I go to does not allow me to plug any external device into their systems or is perhaps admin locked from allowing certain functions and downloads.   How do I reconcile that loss of time and effort?

3)  When I do replace an HD or system due to hardware failures or upgrades, how to I clean install and patch up?  I know of NO library that will allow me to carry my machine in and simply plug into their network.   And of course all the questions of #2 above come into play as well.

Instead of berating me, calling me names or ASSUMING something about me, read what I have written in the entire thread, my explanations of the situation as well as my thoughts on this and then answer these questions.

Put YOURSELF in my shoes...  would YOU put up with or do all this?  Would you consider it truly reasonable and not a hassle at all in your life?  Can you truly tell me here that you would happily and gladly live with this situation?

Perhaps many of you are willing to give up even more freedoms and control of your lives.  I am not.   It is debates like this that set me back and make me sometimes wonder WHY the hell I fought for freedom and was injured doing so and why I fought for our way of life if everyone is simply going to sit back and let someone else control it instead.  Sure this is a software/purchased product issue here but if you look at the big picture, it is not just this one thing.  Giving up ones rights, ones control of what they can do, when they can do it, how they can do it, and where they can do it is ultimately what this all leads up to.  If we accept something this way now, where is it going to lead in the big picture?

Malakie