Modding Question??
 

So if you buy the game through the OOTP site instead of STEAM do you still have Workshop access somewhere? If so, how?

As one that uses the stand-alone, non-Steam version, I assure you there are plenty of mods for the game that don't require Steam. Were there particular ones you subscribe to in Steam, if so, list a few and those that use them in the regular game can confirm the availability of each of them.

Yeah, essentially what Steam does - and it's a pretty big thing - is that it makes it a lot easier to import already extant mods into your game. I'd be surprised that there's any mod that's really and truly Steam-only.