GC2 Ultimate

Technically, once redeemed on Steam, when you go to activate, you are given a Stardock style serial number. This would let you download the game from us from here: https://store.stardock.com/myaccount/products

That way, you would be able to play and not have to use Steam.

 

And I wouldn't have to install the Steam Client????

 

 

Only at first to get the serial number to activate the game. After that, you could get rid of it.

ahhh well, that's too bad....

 

I bought gal civ1 and DL from amazon and ultimate from game shop on disc format try game online store to see if they've got any stock or try amazon.my galciv 1+2 were listed as 2nd hand but when I got them they had the original selothane still on them and were in perfect condition.

Hmm... how unfortunate. I tried to find some means for you to buy GalCiv 2 without steam, but I can't find any. It would seam that all the old routes are now gone. Even the Stardock store says that GalCiv 2 needs steam.

I downloaded GalCiv 2 through the GameStop recently (within the last 6 months), but I'm a person who bought the game at a store shortly after release, registered it to get updates, and have been pre-ordered the expansions. I guess old timers like myself are the only ones who download the game without steam right now. Unfortunate as I don't buy games that require steam... so this might exclude me from GalCiv 3 when Stardock feels time to start development of it.

I'll do some looking and see if I can get around this problem. I'll be upset if I can't.

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By the way, are you interested in GalCiv 1? You can buy it through Good Old Games. If its through GOG, then it would be DRM free.
http://www.gog.com/gamecard/galactic_civilizations_i_ultimate_edition

Yeah, they moved to Steam-only with all their games last February. Only found out about it by accident, because there was no announcement.


Same here. Well, except for DA. I didn't had a CC or PayPal back then, so I ordered the retail Gold-edition.


Seems so. In hindsight, I'm even gladder now, that I bought the Ultimate Edition at the end of 2011 to replace my old versions (and get rid of Gamestop). 


Again, same here. I got a free copy of Legendary Heroes, because I pre-ordered E:WoM back in the day, but I'm not playing it because of the Steam-requirement. Should GalCiv 3 require Steam too, I'm not going to buy it, even though I absolutely love the lore and want to see how the story continues.


Good luck with that. The European retail-edition might be Steam-free, but I'm not sure, if it is still being made. It probably won't be cheap either. In any case, I hope GOG adds GalCiv 2 to their catalog soon.

I am another that will not go the Steam route, which is why I gave up on the TW series and the Civ series.

 

 

You can just go to the steam program folder, then apps and then common and then the game of your choosing and make a short cut, it will not launch steam and still play the game.

Indeed.  So far as I know, all it will mean is it won't log your ridiculous number of hours, 'cause there's no Steam achievements for it or anything.

The main reason I and many others don't do Steam is having to have their client on our computers. Also not really owning our games since if anything happens to Steam our games wont work. Its mostly a principle thing.

 

 

Alright, I'm fairly certain at this point that there is no means to buy a digital copy GalCiv 2 without steam any more. I'm not happy about it. I don't like steam and I don't use it out of principle.

Given this trend for companies to move to steam, I feel the need to do some research and reading up on why they persist in favoring steam.

I think it boils down to 'that's where the competition is' and if a game isn't on Steam then people who do use Steam aren't going to see it in the store.  Obviously.

 

I dont really understand this whole aversion to Steam.

It should be obvious by now that most new games that come out are gonna require Steam. Get on board now or get left behind.....

 

Then offer the game both ways and support the widest possible market group....

 

Hi all.

 

I'm also not a big fan of Steam either, however with Gal Civ 2 Ultimate edition and Sins of a Solar Empire (Trinity) not Rebellion you only need Steam to purchase the game(s) initially and obtain the Serial number.

 

Once you do that, you can create an account at Stardock using that serial and download the very latest versions from here. As soon as you get the serial, you can uninstall Steam as it is no longer needed.

 

You don't need to download anything from Steam whatsoever, so no need to make shortcuts to the Steam folder as there's nothing there.

 

All that's subsequently required is a one time Internet activation with Stardock not Steam after installation and you're finished. If you want to re-install later then just keep a back-up of the Stardock file. As long as your hardware doesn't change then you will not be bothered by re-activation prompts. With Gal Civ II, save a copy of 'sig.bin' (in C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Stardock\GC2UL) and you won't even need to re-activate over the Internet after a re-install as long as the hardware hasn't changed.

 

@DivineWrath

 

I assume game publishers prefer Steam as games have zero second-hand value. Once activated they can't be re-sold, transferred or whatever, but Stardock applied that policy beforehand anyway, so no difference there. Once a game was registered here it couldn't be transferred to another user.

 

You can get a non-Steam purchase of Gal Civ 2 Unlimited from retail packs such as 'Space Unlimited' from Amazon or similar. The game is completely outdated of course, but again, all you need is the serial and you download from here for the latest 2.04.017 .exe version.

 

Hope this helps? It's basically what Gargabee said above, but with more detail filled out. I don't even understand why Stardock allow this but it's much appreciated while it lasts anyway.