Slitherine

quote:

ORIGINAL: Joe Black

Sent a private message to one of the Valve guys on the forum. He got back to me immediately to tell me that the support ticket was on the list but the person had been ill. He apologised and said it would hopefully be sorted out today or tomorrow.

So that may be a bit of advice for any of you chaps to use in future if you have issues and no response to a ticket.

No contact from support yet.

(If you want me to stop this monologue just say so, I have no idea if people are finding it useful).

EDIT:
I should add all the Steam / Valve staff I have managed to speak to have been helpful and polite. The issue seems to be the process and the time it takes to get to speak to someone.

quote:

ORIGINAL: junk2drive

Yes and keyboard overlays too.

quote:

ORIGINAL: wodin

quote:

ORIGINAL: junk2drive

Yes and keyboard overlays too.

How Ive wished for keyboard overlays...especially with flight sims. The last flight sim I bought with a keyboard overlay was in about '98. Can't remember the name...think it was Total Air War. It was agreat game anywya. Also the first game I played to use anti aialising.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Arctic Blast

I'd say keep it going if you still want to, Joe.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Joe Black

Although I have my money back (thank you Paypal)

quote:

ORIGINAL: Joe Black

quote:

ORIGINAL: Arctic Blast

I'd say keep it going if you still want to, Joe.

Okay

And to spell out "Talk to Seller" level at Paypal. When you raise a dispute this is the first level. Paypal do not get involved, they just register the start of the dispute process and leave you to "Talk to the Seller". If it's resolved then the dispute is closed by you and Paypal never get involved.

If you are getting nowhere, then you raise the "Talk to Seller" to the next level. At this level you lose control of the dispute. Paypal take over and talk to the seller. They then make a decision and that is that. If they find in your favor, they recover your money, easier to do with a big company like Steam, obviously.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Arctic Blast

quote:

ORIGINAL: Joe Black

quote:

ORIGINAL: Arctic Blast

I'd say keep it going if you still want to, Joe.

Okay

And to spell out "Talk to Seller" level at Paypal. When you raise a dispute this is the first level. Paypal do not get involved, they just register the start of the dispute process and leave you to "Talk to the Seller". If it's resolved then the dispute is closed by you and Paypal never get involved.

If you are getting nowhere, then you raise the "Talk to Seller" to the next level. At this level you lose control of the dispute. Paypal take over and talk to the seller. They then make a decision and that is that. If they find in your favor, they recover your money, easier to do with a big company like Steam, obviously.

I'm glad you got in to a bit more detail about the dispute process, because I had been under the impression that there was only one. You dispute a charge, that's it.

So if I understand correctly, at the time of the account hijinx, you had taken it only to the first level where Paypal themselves aren't involved, correct?

quote:

ORIGINAL: Prince of Eckmühl

Let me invite everyone to put up or shut up, on this one, at least as regards Matrix Games. If you want them to go on publishing DRM-free games, YOU are going to have to BUY as many as you can possibly play. They can't stay in business otherwise. And no more grousing about the prices please! If the games are worth investing your time in, they're also worth forty or sixty or eighty-dollars.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Joe Black

Final Installment of the Steam Saga:

I laid out my in a constructive manner in my last email to them, pointing out the process issues. I made it clear that this was not a personal attack on them or their integrity, just constructive critisism of there processes. I asked them to close my account as I no longer had faith in the method they use to control games.

In reply, I received a full apology from them and "deep regret" for the whole episode. They have told me that they will be using my ticket for training purposes as they don't want this to happen again. They asked me to reconsider closing my account.

I thanked them for the considerate mail and asked them to go ahead and close the account. I pointed out that they, along with many publishers had lost contact with their paying customers. I said I was willing to accept installation activation (as per Matrix, Gamers Gate) or no activation on old games (as per GOG) but their current method was not to my liking and this incident had shown why it was not customer freindly.

So I have closed my account, lost the games I owned on Steam (fortunately I had played most of them, and the others were old games that I will buy elsewhere). I actually feel very happy with my decision. It feels like I have broken a habit (just like an adict). I am no longer willing to bend over and take one just to play a computer game. Thanks to companies like Matrix, GOG (and to a lesser degree Gamers Gate) for listening to their customers and treating them like.... well.... customers.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Joe Black

Final Installment of the Steam Saga:

I laid out my in a constructive manner in my last email to them, pointing out the process issues. I made it clear that this was not a personal attack on them or their integrity, just constructive critisism of there processes. I asked them to close my account as I no longer had faith in the method they use to control games.

In reply, I received a full apology from them and "deep regret" for the whole episode. They have told me that they will be using my ticket for training purposes as they don't want this to happen again. They asked me to reconsider closing my account.

I thanked them for the considerate mail and asked them to go ahead and close the account. I pointed out that they, along with many publishers had lost contact with their paying customers. I said I was willing to accept installation activation (as per Matrix, Gamers Gate) or no activation on old games (as per GOG) but their current method was not to my liking and this incident had shown why it was not customer freindly.

So I have closed my account, lost the games I owned on Steam (fortunately I had played most of them, and the others were old games that I will buy elsewhere). I actually feel very happy with my decision. It feels like I have broken a habit (just like an adict). I am no longer willing to bend over and take one just to play a computer game. Thanks to companies like Matrix, GOG (and to a lesser degree Gamers Gate) for listening to their customers and treating them like.... well.... customers.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Joe Black

Final Installment of the Steam Saga:

I laid out my in a constructive manner in my last email to them, pointing out the process issues. I made it clear that this was not a personal attack on them or their integrity, just constructive critisism of there processes. I asked them to close my account as I no longer had faith in the method they use to control games.

In reply, I received a full apology from them and "deep regret" for the whole episode. They have told me that they will be using my ticket for training purposes as they don't want this to happen again. They asked me to reconsider closing my account.

I thanked them for the considerate mail and asked them to go ahead and close the account. I pointed out that they, along with many publishers had lost contact with their paying customers. I said I was willing to accept installation activation (as per Matrix, Gamers Gate) or no activation on old games (as per GOG) but their current method was not to my liking and this incident had shown why it was not customer freindly.

So I have closed my account, lost the games I owned on Steam (fortunately I had played most of them, and the others were old games that I will buy elsewhere). I actually feel very happy with my decision. It feels like I have broken a habit (just like an adict). I am no longer willing to bend over and take one just to play a computer game. Thanks to companies like Matrix, GOG (and to a lesser degree Gamers Gate) for listening to their customers and treating them like.... well.... customers.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Arctic Blast
If you don't mind the way that Gamersgate works, you might also want to look at Direct2Drive. They're similar, but you download installer packages that you can back up somewhere. They're standard installers that don't need to access anything before running. The one big minus, if DRM is a concern for you, is that D2D is pretty terrible when it comes to mentioning third party DRM used on the games...so you have to do a little side research.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Prince of Eckmühl

Hats off to you for having kept such an "even-strain" through this mini-ordeal.

I'd have wanted someones head on a pole.

quote:

ORIGINAL: NefariousKoel

Good to see another enlightened convert.

Too bad it often takes horrible incidents such as this before realization hits.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Joe Black

quote:

ORIGINAL: NefariousKoel

Good to see another enlightened convert.

Too bad it often takes horrible incidents such as this before realization hits.

Ain't that the truth.

Why use such a system when it appears that there are companies willing to give you the same service but without the draconian restrictions?

Doesn't matter how old you are, you live and learn.

quote:

ORIGINAL: Joe Black

quote:

ORIGINAL: Arctic Blast
If you don't mind the way that Gamersgate works, you might also want to look at Direct2Drive. They're similar, but you download installer packages that you can back up somewhere. They're standard installers that don't need to access anything before running. The one big minus, if DRM is a concern for you, is that D2D is pretty terrible when it comes to mentioning third party DRM used on the games...so you have to do a little side research.

Thanks AB,

I'll get a look at D2D. I was holding off because I thought they were more draconian than GG. It looks like they are actually better. So with D2D, just to confirm, once you download the application and the installer it will install anywhere without activation. They sound like a good option.