Alternative to Steam

[Topolino.]

Good evening,
I wanted to make the suggestion to ship the SCS games also on another platform than Steam, like gog.com.
What annoys me on Steam: The Steam daemon always has to run in the background when you want to play the game. This takes additional time to start the game, as well as it needs additional CPU and RAM resources which should better be used for the game. I do not use Steam's features like friends and so on, Steam is only an annoying factor while running the game. I also dislike the fact that my games are linked to an online account, which makes it impossible to play when, for example, Steam gets discontinued, or Steam deletes my account.
I know, if the game was on gog.com, there wouldn't be stuff like Inventory Items or Cloud Profiles, but personally I do not really need those features.
Another point for SCS to consider is piracy. Of course, Steam makes it harder to pirate the game, but it makes also harder to play the game.
However Steam doesn't prevent people from cracking: I've seen multiple illegal uploads on the internet. There are cracks anyway, no matter if the game is protected by Steam's DRM or not.
Years ago, there were non-Steam versions of the game, but as far as I know you can get the newer DLCs only through Steam, don't you? Also, the non-Steam version is not available for Linux and macOS.

[I don't know if this was the right subforum...]

[xXCARL1992Xx]

you can get it via Origin, but no DLCs at all, SCS most likely wont move the game away from steam because it has steam features integrated, namely inventory for events and Steam Workshop, it is only a matter of time before SCS abandons the non steam version for good so they dont have to compile 2 version of the game every time, so the chances for ETS or ATS to release outside of Steam are pretty much non existent

[TINO]

The cracks for every SCS game are released within 15 minutes after every major update of the games. It's not like SCS uses Denuvo. With GOG would be even faster. You can download the .exe for every GOG game for free from hundrets of website with a simple Google search.

If you complain about CPU and RAM used by Steam, you must have a very low-end PC... You can disable the Steam injection in the Steam options, if you think you have a bad performance because of Steam.

[Topolino.]

you can get it via Origin, but no DLCs at all,

Really? I haven't found it there ...
However, does Origin needs to be running while starting the game, and does it needs to be linked with an only account? If yes, that's not a very good alternative.

SCS most likely wont move the game away from steam because it has steam features integrated, namely inventory for events and Steam Workshop, it is only a matter of time before SCS abandons the non steam version for good so they dont have to compile 2 version of the game every time, so the chances for ETS or ATS to release outside of Steam are pretty much non existent

Might be true, but I think it would not require much effort to remove those features for the non-Steam version. In fact, when I start Steam in offline mode, I also don't have those features and the game still works, so there would not even be the need for two different version.

The cracks for every SCS game are released within 15 minutes after every major update of the games. It's not like SCS uses Denuvo. With GOG would be even faster. You can download the .exe for every GOG game for free from hundrets of website with a simple Google search.

And you think those 15 minutes are worth the additional harm for the players that are annoyed by Steam?

If you complain about CPU and RAM used by Steam, you must have a very low-end PC... You can disable the Steam injection in the Steam options, if you think you have a bad performance because of Steam.

Well, it's about 300 MB of RAM. On a computer with, for example, 6 GB RAM, this could make a difference in the frame rate of the game. Those 300 MB are just unneeded and wasted.

[xXCARL1992Xx]

just because you run the game with steam offline doesnt mean they are removed from the code, SCS has to physically compile 2 version of the game every time, one for Steam and on for Non Steam

"And you think those 15 minutes are worth the additional harm for the players that are annoyed by Steam?"

this group is so small it is negligible

"Well, it's about 300 MB of RAM. On a computer with, for example, 6 GB RAM, this could make a difference in the frame rate of the game. Those 300 MB are just unneeded and wasted."

unused RAM is wasted RAM, the game recommends 6GB this also includes Windows and Steam, if you use mods this in on you, also RAM has nothing to do with FPS, this is entirely a CPU and GPU job, more a CPU one for ETS and ATS in this case then GPU

[JD6]

Just say you want it the "old way" which is unrealistic now. There are new features as well as requirements for gaming across all platforms. it just is how it works, man. If 300MB are bothersome in 2020 then you need more RAM. The background services running are negligible these days. Try playing RDR2, GTA or AC on Epic game Store. You will have 2 launchers running.

[TINO]

"And you think those 15 minutes are worth the additional harm for the players that are annoyed by Steam?"

What harm? Viruses? Then you don't have good sources.

[Mohegan13]

SCS use Steam because it is the best delivery method for them. At the end of the day, it is better SCS do what is right for them overall. There's always going to be people who moan about XYZ, but they are generally in very small number.

Over the past few years even their own legacy version has started to take a backseat, DLC no longer released, game updates becoming slower to release. Sooner or later Steam will be the only supported version. You may not like that, many people don't. But if it is the best thing for SCS for the future then that's what will happen.

[plykkegaard]

However, does Origin needs to be running while starting the game, and does it needs to be linked with an only account? If yes, that's not a very good alternative.

Yes you need an online account and the Origina launcher will run while running the game

---

... impossible to play when, for example, Steam gets discontinued, or Steam deletes my account.

Maybe someday Steam will be replaced with something else but not in a foreseen future
With 1 billion accounts it could give a roar large enough to be heard
And why should Valve discontinue Steam it is a nice and steady income

Please note: Your account will be locked if you violate VAC rules or otherwise violate your Steam Client agreement
I don't see why it should get deleted otherwise?

With two factor authentication your account is as safe as it can be
Actually as secure as your credit card

[Topolino.]

unused RAM is wasted RAM, the game recommends 6GB this also includes Windows and Steam, if you use mods this in on you, also RAM has nothing to do with FPS, this is entirely a CPU and GPU job, more a CPU one for ETS and ATS in this case then GPU

*Linux and Steam.
Well, if the game needs more RAM than the hardware has, it will get slow.
However, I am also referring to the additional time that is taken to start Steam. About 10 seconds every time I want to launch the game.

Just say you want it the "old way" which is unrealistic now.

Yeah, I want the - I call it "normal" way.

There are new features as well as requirements for gaming across all platforms. it just is how it works, man.

But why? It worked fine without any launcher.

What harm? Viruses? Then you don't have good sources.

The harm to start Steam every time which takes time, and the harm to agree to Steam's License Agreement and sad Privacy Policy (which is, by the way, not GDPR compatible since the Privacy Shield is not valuable any more).
Also, Steam is proprietary software, a black box of 1 GB (= 500 000 books) software that runs on your system. You don't know whether it has a backdoor which leaks data to NSA or similar. (Saying this as a Linux user. ) I trust SCS, but I don't really trust Valve.

And why should Valve discontinue Steam it is a nice and steady income

Maybe, one day, in 10 years, when it's not so popular any more. Once Steam is discontinued, you won't be able to play your own games on your own computer bought by your own money.

Please note: Your account will be locked if you violate VAC rules or otherwise violate your Steam Client agreement
I don't see why it should get deleted otherwise?

I have heard that Micro$oft very often blocks accounts while the persons don't know what they have done wrong. [I only have a link to a German article right now.]