This has all happened before.

This will all happen again.

Replace Steam with OS/2 and you now know what OS/2 users felt like when we started developing Windows games and apps.  The exact same response.  

If I had had my way, none of you Windows users would have our games in the first place. We'd be OS/2 only.  But sometimes, principles conflict and there's no win-win.

Okay, since SD are going to be going with Steam for SINS, i guess it's reasonable to assume further releases will follow. I know the main reason is to do with MP, and games like FE, or a future GalCiv3 are not MP centric, but lets assume they use steamworks anyway.

This means, if i wish to remain a loyal SD customer, which i do, i will have to embrace client gaming with Steam.

That being said, and i know no one has a crystal ball, but any reasonable assumption will do, will SD only use steamworks, and not the full steam client?

As i am given to understand, steamworks requires steam to be installed but not to play your title. Where if a developer uses the full steam client, steam runs in the background?

Will Sd be embracing all aspects of steam in the furture, or just be using steamworks for the MP advantages?

If SD are jumping into Steam with both feet, i guess i need to as well, although i am still reserved about this, i do not like clients, but if i have to use it, i guess i better be more informed.

Best guesses will do here.

As a note, I am able to successfully run Steam in Offline Mode with Rebellion. With this setup I am able to connect to ICO (no desyncs yet) and have yet to test out LAN and Direct Connection in offline mode.

For me and my crew at least it is exciting because we can still have our LAN parties, just have to turn Steam into Offline Mode and jam away.

I just wanted to add that Project Red was able to have steam distribute a DRM free version of Witcher 2 through steam, I don't have a ton of details, (I bought it through GOG.com) but it is possible to do. Perhaps Stardock could investigate this.

Well, Trinity is was without copy protection and without any real DRM... and it was released on Steam too...

Steam is used as distribution platform and you don't need to include Steamwork for it... if Steamwork was added to Rebellion, it was too please the multiplayer communauty... you know, these very little group who are maybe in the hundred, almost nothing when compare the the millions who don't play the game online...

Some guy have orgasm now because they can show their achievment online, when previously, it was only internal to the game...

Well, it is not the subject... in short, the reason of the Stardock move to Steam is not DRM related...

NOt all titles sold on Steam require Steamworks after activation: three of the top of my head that don't:

Mount and Blade series, Dungeons of Dredmor, Crusader Kings II.  THink Sword of the Stars II as well, but that doesn't count as a running game yet, right?  (is it ok to make that joke on here yet?)

The impression I'm getting is that if you play SP-only, this won't require Steamworks to run either.

There's not a single system in the world that isn't capable of being hacked. That means it might take extraordinary effort to bypass such securities, but it can be done and, as the technology becomes more available, it will be done.

Keep in mind that although we get the term pirate from colonial era, maritime theives, pirates in the most basic terms have been around since a monkey snuck away with another monkey's mango.

The first written use of the word pirate:

"My King, the evil Pharaoh has pirated your cookies!  He intends to convert them to pudding!" 

Is that in Exodus?  Must be the updated version...

Accountability would be nice if it were for everybody but... for everybody? I could die laughing just by thinking about that. People with power will keep stealing while those at the bottom lose their freedom. 

Gattaca's main character laughs at DNA keys anyway.

So just because 'some people' get away with murder etc. we should scrap the idea of convicting using DNA?

Have either of you 'lost your freedoms' because there are labs processing DNA samples?

Whether you like to admit it or not, the advent of using DNA in convicting someone of wrongdoing changed the criminal landscape.  Sure many still get away, but how many more would never have been caught without it.

EDIT:

Using DNA isn't a foolproof system, it is however better than nothing.  Which is exactly what we have when it comes to digital-accountability.........nothing.

I don't think you get what I'm talking about. I'm just speaking where using the net is concerned. And keep in mind that I can go stab someone and leave all sorts of DNA, but if no one suspects me, they never obtain a comparison sample.

Okay, main point... If you tag people, I'm in disagreement and would gladly fight you. If you're asking for fingerprints, social security logins, or prick tests (DNA), that could go under consideration, but there are more ways around that than I can even begin to list. So you can incorporate it, but it should be done in measured amounts to determine if it has any viability.

Oh, and you can get all the evidence you want against someone, but they still have a surprisingly good chance of getting off.