As I already had to install Steam for RO it was no barrage for me anymore. But I understand youre point peacemaker. I was also againts Steam in the beginning. But I must say that I start to like it. When I’d to put up my new pc I just connected to Steam and I had my games back without any problems. After playing Empires a few hours it was automatically updated to the latest version and some gfx-bugs were gone.
Regarding the Activation: I bought the DVD-version in the shop before activation was started. And when Empires was downloadable and activation started I had absolutely no problems with it even the Servers were more than full.
Till now I only got one CTD in the game itself and it wasn’t reproduceable.
Only really annoying thing is, that the campaign map starts to get really slow after some rounds even though the FPS are high, but they say they will fix it.
Otherwise I am very impressed with this game. The AI has become much better than in MedievalII, just dont play the mini-campaign and put the AI higher.
Example: In an early battle I was fighting against Poland. My army was less people but I had good Line-Infantry with cannons but no cavalry against militia and alot of cavalry. From the demo I thought I have not to fear the cavalry because they will be shot before they reach my lines. The AI put cavalry on the flanks that got into my back and whiped out my canons.
As my Line-Infantry were in an eraly stage only the first row could fire and reloading is very slow. So my firepower was not good and the cavalry broke through my lines going into closefight I had no chance. Also I just had the simpliest bajonette which has to, once put on the rifle, stay there and blocks the gunbarrel. To have abit of chance I put the bajonnette on to fight in close combat but soon after that the cavalry was running back to their lines. Now the AI formed up the militia which was giving my Line-Infantry the rest from the distance. Before my Infantry could reach them to poull them into close fight (remember, bajonette blocks the barrel) theyve been shot up so badly all were fleeing.
Somehow this defeat put a smile on my face 
Yes, Paf. The game itself is very good indeed.
I do like the way the AI tries to flank. I had one battle where I was fighting the Swedes. On start his main force marched towards my defenders whom I was ready for. Unknown to me he sent his cavalry far round to my right flank. And I mean FAR. It was sheer luck that I spotted him like half a mile away to my right and that was only because I had Unit Flags on!
I also had some of my American colonies decide they wanted to become Independent. Ahem, can`t have that. These new Americans gave me the right run around in this city, hiding in all the buildings until I finally flushed them out. Finally tea was shared for all again. 
Steam automatically patched the game, now the battles giving me a CTD.
From reading forums this only happens to german version 
So, playing now in english and it works.
With new patch the campaign map and loading times are much faster!
One thing I don`t like. The AI Nations are VERY passive.
Europeans simply do not attack you unless you enter their territory. I have East Prussia that I captured between France and another country. I handled my economy crap so that the Nations either side of me have produced mighty stacks with better technology. I could only afford a small army, yet they just sit there!
When I realised this I took my sweet time and just kept hitting the next turn button until my fiinanaces started builidng up. I never bothered to build up my armies at all except in the Americas. (I just did my art while hitting return since the turns are quite long).
I now have about 400000 cash!
I also used the time to build up the buildings that allow for the better ships like the 2nd and 1st rates!
No attacks from the AI. No attempted ship invasions on Britain. Yet they have massive fleets and armies sitting about.
Now by rights I should have been destroyed while I was weak. It would`ve happened in MTW2. I also know that historically, the French, for one, did not sit back where Britain was concerned.
This is on Hard campaign. I`m going to try VH Campaign to see if this wakes the Europeans up.
Yes Ming, thats the patch thats causing problems for german version. In english I have no problems at all.
Peacemaker thats strange. I am playing prussia and I got attacked by poland and austria.
‘Empire: Total War - Patch 3 with multithreading support’
Ming
50% off at the moment on Steam
Ming
Bought it off steam this morning
Ive had it for a while and imho its not reached its potential at all. It has been very buggy (and not due to hardware) and the AI is not great in the strategy, in fact pretty awful. For instance the Campaign AI cannot naval invade which is important if you play Britain. Battle AI was screwed with last patch (1.2) too as soldiers keep meleeing instead of staying back and shooting it out. Sieges are pretty awful too.
To end on a brighter note, the 1.3 Patch is out on Monday and this is supposed to fix nearly everything apart form the weak naval invasions and sieges.
Graphics and all that is nice of course. Be sure to install the fyffes and drums and smoke mod (if your PC can handle it) as it increases the immersion of ground battles one hundred fold.
Bought it off steam this morning
Downloading as we speak
Ming
Back to basics after sending Isaac Newton to Maryland (seemed like a good idea at the time) and then starting a battle with a Cherokee army. We had 1200 men and they had 40 I had no estimate of their strength honest. While we were wasting time doing that things started looking tricky at home. Here we go again. Tons of replay value
Ming
Steam’s updating it now
Ming
Burning the HMS Victory, BLASPHEMY!
Empire does not do it for me, its lacking something not sure what tho?
They never fixed Empire, so I`m not giving away money for Napoleon, no matter how smart the CGI talking face looks.
MTW2 is better in my book.
Peace, there’s lots of ongoing work on Empire with numerous fixes and several concerns addressed. Hopefully they’ll make it what it should have been on release.
I’m really looking forward to N:TW - it’s my favourite period in history second to WW2 aviation so they better get it right!
Cheers,
WB.
Ah Historex them were the days Under Two Flags <sigh>
Ming
Well, I`ll have another look when the next Patch is out.
I just hope they return to Rome again:o