Offline Mode no longer available

[Spugmaster]

I bought HL2 on it's release day (box CE edition), installed and created steam account, validated yadda yadda. Everything was cool. I could run the game in offline mode no problems.

Last week I went to fire it up and it said that my steam information was no longer stored on my computer and that I would have to update steam. So I updated steam (which, on a 56k connection is a bit of a pain) and now it keeps saying that "Game is not ready to be played in offline mode" I connected to steam last night and updated, plus when I run HL2 in online mode it updated game files for about 30 mins.

I can play in online mode fine, but as I said I have a 56k connection which I pay for by the hour and I don't want to get slugged for this when there is no reason I can see for the game not to run offline.

Any ideas are most welcome.

 

[Ranga]

a temporary solution is to run it in online mode, then cut ur internet connection. it'll still think u r in online. just hibernate ur comp instead of turning it off. its a bit of a pain, but that's what i did for a while.

 

[Spugmaster]

So pull the cable out of the wall - or just drop the connection by clicking on "Disconnect" on my systray modem icon...?

 

[Ranga]

either... but just disconnecting would probably be more economical, ie. no wasted effort. it is only a temporary fix, but it works

 

[Spugmaster]

Thanks, I'll try that.

 

[Sid Burn]

lol... let me try that either wen I buy the original copy.

 

[Spugmaster]

lol... let me try that either wen I buy the original copy.

Ok - that post made no sense...

 

[Ranga]

Ok - that post made no sense...

yeah, neither. care to write in English English?

 

[Spugmaster]

Hey Ranga - I just noticed that you are in Australia. I'm in Brisbane right now - at work...

 

[Ranga]

Hey Ranga - I just noticed that you are in Australia. I'm in Brisbane right now - at work...

u guys really use hl2.net at ur work?

 

[Spugmaster]

I'm at work - I didn't say I was working...

 

[Ranga]

I'm at work - I didn't say I was working...

lol! ur working at like 11:00PM?

[Edit] Oops...my bad, 9:45 [/Edit]

 

[PhaTox]

could be, that your update process is not yet completed: therefore, you cant go offline. check that out in clicking on laying games-->then rightclick on halflife2-->properties:--> is the game 100% ready, or is anything missing? that was my reason for not beeing able to play offline
hope that helps. greetz pTx

 

[DEATH eVADER]

I have reformatted my HardDrive and installed a copy of Win98 on my system for a temporary solution (gettin WinXP this thursday). As this is a copy, there are no internet files or folders on disc that are needed to create an internet database. So I can't play until monday when I get back from home.

 

[$kelet0r]

Steam won't let me play offline anymore even though i could a week ago.
all my steam games are at 100%
i love hl2
i hate steam

 

[Spugmaster]

Steam won't let me play offline anymore even though i could a week ago.
all my steam games are at 100%
i love hl2
i hate steam

At least I'm not the only one having this problem. I share your sentiments about both HL2 and steam. Even if I had cable connection I just don't like the fact that I can't run the game offline without having to run steam as well.

Hell, I would be happy to provide Valve with any personal information to prove I own a legit copy of the game just so I didn't have to run the steam client (even offline) just to play single player. I guess it's just lucky I have already finished the game 3 times before this problem came up... If I had just bought it and REALLY wanted to play it offline but couldn't, I would be furious.

 

[Pai-Mei]

I had this problem quite a bit as well (before I got broadband)... there was one easy solution for me. STEAM likes to change the pathways of its games to go through the Steam program.

If you just run Hl2.exe, which is usually something like C:\Valve\Steam\SteamApps\USERNAME\half-life 2
it will usually allow you to play in offline mode.

 

[Spugmaster]

I used the disconnect option. I dial up, launch the game and it detects my Steam account, then I choose the disconnect option on my modem icon in the systray when it says "Preparing to Play HL2"

The game keeps loading but I am not online anymore. Still costs me to dial up in the first place but at least I am only online for a minute or so...

 

[$kelet0r]

i've resorted to lugging my laptop into town on weekends to connect to steam then hibernate with steam still active
its annoying when i have to reboot after a crash or install