How will it be done?

[Tiddalick]

One of the many reasons that I am ordering HL2 through retail and not over steam is I do not have steam yet. I figured I would use it when HL2 arrived at my front door.
Now after reading how the preloads have worked, here is my question.

Those experienced with steam, how will the CD install itself on my machine....
What I mean in this is, will it install itself say how Doom3 did, in a directory by itself. Or do you think it is more likely that it will install steam and then just the HL2 steam file things that you have all been preloading.
It seems a waste then going retail if effectively I could recreate basically the install disc through a downloaded copy of steam and the relevant HL2 files.

So, for example, you have CS Source now. Does it have its own EXE? Is the program itself whole and it just requires steam to do the extra stuff...and would HL2 once unlocked be the same?.

 

[Jadewolf5675]

All the HL2 files will come off of the CD.

 

[The Bait]

I think you are gonna need Steam to play. But if your internet is being gay for some reason I think you can use the Offline mode. I am not sure so correct me if I am wrong.

 

[Tiddalick]

All the HL2 files will come off of the CD.

Well yes, I gathered that...
But does anyone know how it will be done.
Basically what Steam currently does with the games

 

[Shrink]

They are in their own directory in one of the Steam subdirectories. It is actually quite painless. The install files can also be burned to cd/dvd so you can reformat without losing them and having to redownload. It's actually pretty convenient IMHO.

 

[SAJ]

Good question, but I doubt that anyone here knows the answer.
Perhaps an email to valve is called for?

Seeing as steam will be used to verify the single player game, I would guess that retail will create an identical steam directory, but thats just my guess.

 

[MetalliMyers]

You will take the HL2 Discs and install HL2. This subsequently installs Steam also. You then open Steam and you have a list of games you have, and a list that are available for purchase. You select the game you want to play and it opens. Yes the games have EXE's, but Steam is the program that organizes and runs them.

When you install HL2, you will probably have to create a Steam account. If you don't have an internet connection, I'm not completely sure what happens, but my guess would be that you would play in offline mode.

 

[cadaveca]

http://www.halflife2.net/forums/showthread.php?t=42360


answers are here.

 

[Tiddalick]

Thanks for the replys.
I knew that noone would know for sure, but I figured I might see how they have thought with their other games.

They are in their own directory in one of the Steam subdirectories. It is actually quite painless. The install files can also be burned to cd/dvd so you can reformat without losing them and having to redownload. It's actually pretty convenient IMHO.

These install files that you speak of, what are they? Are they the preload files that you have been downloading? Is installing as simple as putting the files back into the preload directory or something?

 

[cadaveca]

yep..all you need is to copy the gcf's and the installer.. i assume it will be the same for the retail, although i suspect the gcf's will be smaller from retail versions.