mrkgnao: However, I always do the installations on my Windows 7 desktop and I often play the games on my Windows 10 laptop (copying the folder, or playing directly from the portable HDD) --- and so far, in over a year and tens of games, I have not yet encountered a single problem of a game working on the original desktop and not on the migrated-to laptop. So for me, it remains --- for now --- a theoretical problem.
Can you pratically make my FF 13, FF 8 or a new Tomb Raider work without Steam using your "tricks" or is it impossible because it is now "AAA"-Games?
Small Indies are rarely fully DRMed... i am glad you noticed.
mrkgnao: Here are a some games that became client-free for me after adding Goldberg (I have played all, except the last one):
- Tell Me Why
- Labyrinthine Dreams
- Fae Tactics
- Rollers of the Realm
- Glass Masquerade (1 and 2)
- Ticket to Earth
- Card Quest
- The Solitaire Conspiracy
- Disgaea PC (haven't played this one yet, just tested that it launches and reaches the main menu)
There were additionally games that required Steamless + Goldberg, like:
- Hitman GO
- Grotesque Tactics Evil Heroes
Well yeah, the only game i actually got on this list is Disgaea... but i doubt that it would work without a launcher, at least not "out of the box".
The other games rarely are "AAA" so you indeed got some luck with your taste.
Sure, you can make many Steam games "work" with your tricks but rarely the ones that truly counts for many of us.
What, you needed 2 "countermeasures" for a 5-buck standard-price C-game such as Hitman GO? Okay... no way this is DRM free. no matter how you "handle" your DRM-free.
Besides "Labyrinthine Dreams" is now 50 cent on Steam, but they could aswell just give it free... because it is as good as free anyway. I mean... your reality is simply "special", but it may not count for a lot of us. I think, it is not even worth it trying to "enable" it... if you lose it just buy it another time.
mrkgnao: I definitely prefer indie games over AA or AAA games. None of the three games you list holds any interest for me --- I probably wouldn't buy any of them, even for a buck.
Fact is: You could get DRM free almost everywhere, with a chance of at least 50% but other people do not... some gamers not even a little bit.
On Steam, from the games i had interest... less than 10 was DRM free... and the ones who got DRM, those you will not be able to "enable" it with your methods, i assume.
There are tens of thousands of games on Steam... but exactly the 10% most of the people got the most interest... they are as good as never DRM free (some rare exception is for example Witcher 3... and indeed... every platform). if it comes to money... the 10% that are rarely DRM free are actually the ones that will generate the highest revenue...
You are using a perspective that simply is not realistic for the majority, however... at least some people who may enjoy small indies may get some "light"...