What do you mean? Steam does stop steam downloads when you launch a game but you can alt tab and set the download off again.

Hey you're right, thanks. It worked when I paused the download and resumed. It didn't work when I used the "resume all" button though, so I just assumed it wasn't possible to download and play at the same time. Still, it's an inconvenient way to enable something that should be rather simple for Valve to include as an option that you turn always off or on.

@zlimness: No problem man

And people called me crazy for keeping all my discs and backing up all my patches and save games.

Ahahaha xD

(and yeah if you dont like DRM go with GoG, they're pretty much the evangelist for anti-DRM)

You should quit PC gaming altogether and fully embrace the next generation of consoles. I'm sure you'll have a blast with the not-DRMed, not-Internet-required PS4 and Xbox One.

I can't believe someone would even write that.

Weird. Steam offline mode usually works for me if I start up my laptop when I'm not at home, for example. In any case, to avoid this from happening again, just buy a bunch of old 50+ hour RPGs from GOG so that if when the inevitable apocalypse comes and the only internet left is communication between government-created bunkers you can spend the rest of your days huddled in the vault playing Wizardry 8, or whatever.

Chrono Trigger is out on phones, better get that quick!

@intro: i had the same issue with assassins creed revalations...its virtually a brick sitting on my desktop and eatting up space....however i dont blame steam, cuz i got through their end of it, it was that uplay drm bullshit that ate my code and didnt let me play still, i will never buy an assassin's creed game on pc again, lesson learned

@joeyravn: please take the xbone off of that statement...lol they haven't invented a word for the drm microsoft has yet

im quite sure people will be jailbreaking it like ios when it launches..such a shame

@jouseldelka: If you are having these issues with your internet, as this is where the issue really seem to be(i hate how steam offline works too, I never use it, but still) you need to have a long serious talk with your internet provider and consider changing your provider, having an unstable internet connection is unacceptable today. This isnt' the 90's with dial up, and users need to be more direct with their ISP standing up for what is their right for something you pay money for. So the issues is boiling down to people complaining, on a forum, or reddit and what not. Instead of going to the source of the issue, and making handling it with them.

PC gaming and console gaming has become blurred. It's more viable to own a console today than it is to own a PC. Only the hardcore online gamers and enthusiasts are going to remain PC gamers after this gen.

@skareo: Questionable. For some reason that is claimed every cycle, but it's even less true this time. If anything the "blurring" is in favor of the PCs, not the consoles. Extensive DRM on the Xbone means that the console market now also has restrictive DRM but it remains to be seen whether that actually translates to Steam-like sales or not. The option of buying everything digital is good news for the consoles of course, but the reason it's so embraced on the PC is mainly the combination of dynamic pricing and cheap hard-drives.

The PC has seen some major improvements this gen. Game compatibility has become much more streamlined, to the point that f you buy something from Steam or GoG.com and fulfill the requirements it will run without issues 19 times out of 20, the remaining requiring only few minor adjustments most of the time. Driver updates and compatibility have also been greatly improved - you can even upgrade them throug Steam now.The PC now has a wealth of online storefronts, from the omnipresent Steam to the cheap Greenman Gaming to the excellent Good Old Games that focuses on selling cheap older games that are optimized to run on current hardware as well as some selected newer titles, all DRM free.

Then there is the very recent rise of controller compatibility and plug-and-play compatibility with TVs - meaning that if you have the right set-up you can easily play your PC games in your couch with your controller on your TV. In fact, I'm writing this on a TV right now and plan to play some WItcher 2 after I'm done, using my 360 controller. On my TV. At max settings and at 60 FPS.

Consoles based on x86 hardware should also, if all goes well, give us better optimized ports.

I think this gen is shaping up really well for the PC. I think it could establish itself as the "other" platform for a lot of people, not just the hardcore PC players. The only downside is that it's still more expensive (for most people) but you DO get your money's worth.