Since when is Valve...

[Laivasse]

Check your settings, Valve has only recently released the official Offline Mode.

I don't know what you mean by 'official' offline mode, but I bought HL2 at the same time as this guy (Feb 2005) and offline mode worked fine for me for months. Then I got broadband and didn't particularly care that much any more.

The important thing to remember with offline mode is that once you have it working and you're happy that Steam is updated to a satisfactory state, don't run Steam thereafter while you're connected to the net. Block it with your firewall, or run it while you're disconnected, but if you want to maintain a working offline mode, prevent Steam from connecting to the net since it seems to break arbitrarily after certain Steam updates.

 

[kacation_man]

I'm going to try my hardest to return this game, and get my money back.

Even if you do get some ignorant 13 year old to buy it off you... your missing out on one of the greatest games ever made ( some will argue it is the greates game ) simply because you where far to impatient to wait for some ****'n updates. you failed.

 

[Xendance]

Oh, rEAlly?

YA RLY

 

[Narvi]

I don't know what you mean by 'official' offline mode, but I bought HL2 at the same time as this guy (Feb 2005) and offline mode worked fine for me for months. Then I got broadband and didn't particularly care that much any more.

The important thing to remember with offline mode is that once you have it working and you're happy that Steam is updated to a satisfactory state, don't run Steam thereafter while you're connected to the net. Block it with your firewall, or run it while you're disconnected, but if you want to maintain a working offline mode, prevent Steam from connecting to the net since it seems to break arbitrarily after certain Steam updates.

No, a proper offline mode. Before, you had to disconnect the internet to activate it. It's now available in yonder menu settings.

And I really don't see why people complain. It says right there on the box that you need an internet connection to play it. If you don't like it, don't buy the game.

 

[soulslicer]

steam is really an incredible thing i feel. I have lost my games more than 20 times, I lost my FEAR, my unreal game, quake 4..goddamit, Now I never need to worry about losing my games..furthermore, it provides people with the will to buy games rather than from a box..

 

[bbson john]

steam is really an incredible thing i feel. I have lost my games more than 20 times, I lost my FEAR, my unreal game, quake 4..goddamit, Now I never need to worry about losing my games..furthermore, it provides people with the will to buy games rather than from a box..

Beware of losing your steam account.

 

[Ridge]

What are you talking about? He just said he can buy games without having to buy a box...

But yeah, Steam is brilliant...think of how much of game costs are to cover things like paper manuals and box design and construction...Steam gives you the option of downloading the game, and therefore passes the saving on to you....not to mention no sales tax when you buy from steam!

The OP, to me, sounds like a troll who is just trying to get us all hot and bothered because he joined for the singular purpose of bashing Steam and Valve...

 

[McGooTheWise]

Beware of losing your steam account.

Steam is on a secure database, and I'm sure that valve keeps records of every account and what's on it. If anything did happen to the server (This would take longer than eternity, and be tedious as anything ever) then someone would be able to go look at the records and put everything back in it's proper place.

Now, that's just what I might do if I were going to sell my games through the internet all over the world from my own server. That doesn't necessarily mean Valve does that, but... Ya know...

I'm waiting for the OP'er to come back and go, " You're all right... 3D glasses?"

 

[the_chronricler]

ok ye good point everyone but steam isn't the best in the world no (i got hacked and lost my password and steam didn't help me at all) but steam is still one of the best things that have ever happened! you don't need a cd every time you play an effing game!

i think that your internet is screwed over personally i run on a network with a VERY busy ring and it is still faster...

 

[Rapstah]

ok ye good point everyone but steam isn't the best in the world no (i got hacked and lost my password and steam didn't help me at all)

You mean you gave someone your password.

 

[AntiCitizen]

I like steam for one reason and only one. I hate it for many reasons. I bought HL2 in 2004 and wasn't able to play until i finally got internet access in '07. Can anyone imagine how ripped off i felt, 'should have just bought [insert random singleplayer game name]'. Should my interent access go down i am not able to enjoy the game i payed for; as im not able to find the 'offline' option.

The only thing i like about Steam is convenience. If i can purchase a game from Steam that i cannot find in my local EB great, Steam ftw; but i'd rather spend 20 minutes buying and installing my new toy then 2 hours downloading it.

Disreguarding opinions such as mine, digital distribution is the retail means of the future for our entertainment needs. Its cheaper and mostly univerally accessable.

 

[Absinthe]

So when the first half life came out I played it religiously. Every difficulty, every mod, every expansion...

After being removed from the franchise for a few years now I just bought HL2. I'm really surprised at the way valve presets itself now. Since when did this company become THE MOST crazy facist Video game development company on the planet? Was piracy really that bad with the first game? No it wasn't. I've played tons of different PC games in my time, from tons of compan

YOUR ANGER HAS BEEN TAKEN NOTE OF

Regale us with tales of your vengeful trek back to the Best Buy return counter!

 

[Wleikko]

Steam has taken away from gamers the only physical exercise they've had - Walking to a shop and buying a game manually.

Therefore, Steam's main purpose is to make people lazy and fat.
World domination, anyone?

 

[kupocake]

Old Thread is Old.

 

[Gazork0]

Steam has taken away from gamers the only physical exercise they've had - Walking to a shop and buying a game manually.

Therefore, Steam's main purpose is to make people lazy and fat.
World domination, anyone?

I bought the Orange Box in a shop. It's more comforting to know I actually have something physical like a CD to associate with my games.

 

[Berto]

I bought the Orange Box in a shop. It's more comforting to know I actually have something physical like a CD to associate with my games.

I bought it from Steam and made a backup copy, so i also have on dvd

 

[Gazork0]

I bought it from Steam and made a backup copy, so i also have on dvd

Be that as it may, I have a fancy orange DVD cover in addition to the cover art and content

 

[nurizeko]

OP, when your delivering that angry letter of complaint demanding a refund, can you go see about upgrading from 56k please?, its 2008, son, get with the times.:imu:

 

[kupocake]

Be that as it may, I have a fancy orange DVD cover in addition to the cover art and content

The Orange Box has atrocious boxart and you know it. If you were really bothered about having a box, you'd rush out and buy the new packages they just released. Except you probably have a little bit more sense than money

OP, when your delivering that angry letter of complaint demanding a refund, can you go see about upgrading from 56k please?, its 2008, son, get with the times.:imu:

Well yes, moaning about how your 56k connection isn't supported is no better than moaning about how you Voodoo 2 graphics card isn't covered by the minimum spec either. But telling someone who posted a complaint 8 months ago to 'get with the times' may be a little off-mark.

 

[Gazork0]

The Orange Box has atrocious boxart and you know it. If you were really bothered about having a box, you'd rush out and buy the new packages they just released. Except you probably have a little bit more sense than money

Yeah, you're right. It's utter puerile sh*t. Valve should be ashamed of themselves.

 

[Operational]

OP, when your delivering that angry letter of complaint demanding a refund, can you go see about upgrading from 56k please?, its 2008, son, get with the times.:imu:

Well it was 2007 when he posted, not that that makes a huge difference.

 

[Justincase3]

Alirght, I only read the first quote so I bet the whole subject has shifted a bit at the least. But I'll just state it: Steam is awesome. If you have a low speed connection, I feel for you (I have 200K, about to get 786K). Steam may seem rediculous at first, but there are some excellent benefits to Steam and I wish other developers would allow their CD-Keys to start working through Steam.

Valve is actually far more generous than facist. One of the largest pieces of evidence to this is their release of Steamworks. With the release of Half-Life 2 (I think), Valve practically gave away their Source engine to any and all customers, allowing them to do whatever they want with the engine to create games of their own, on top of that the G-Mod helps as well. Many heavily acclaimed mods have been released through the powerful Source engine and its tools are all accessable through Steam. But just recently, somewhere within the past month or so, Valve released Steam works. Valve knows how hard it can be to get a mod or a game recognized and released properly. So they have given Steam works, which is pretty much access to use Steam just as Valve has in the past three years. Third-party developers will be able to release mods through Steam and players can actually download the mods from there. You get tools such as up-to-the-hour sales tracking, an encryption system, auto-updating, territory control, voice chat, multiplayer matchmaking, social networking (including features such as Achievements) and development tools, including private betas and QA tools. Mod makers can create games and use Steam pretty much exactly as Valve has for the past three years. And if those years show anything, it is an increase in digital distribution and video game service.

On top of that, Steamworks if FREE. Valve is GIVING AWAY just about everything they use to create and release the games they've been releasing for the past three years. Steam is a great tool for conveinience for gamers as well. I just installed Call of Duty 4 a couple days back, and I have it in a boxed version (I like boxes). In the box is a jewel case with the DVD to install the game. I had several errors while installing the game because of scratches. I blame the jewel case, I try to turn the disc in that case, and it rubs against the disc, I can feel it. With Steam, you only have to use the disc once and never again. It is important to keep your key, and I like the boxes so I keep 'em anyways. But through Steam you can just download and install your games without disc scratches and it all runs in the background. If your connection is low, it can take quite a long time to download a game the first time through (especially if the engine it runs on is more individual such as installing the Source engine the first time in Episode Two), but it is not something that is taking up your view. You can close the window, and the download continues in your task bar as you head online or go do something else. You can even run a game while downloading and you are very rarely disturbed while playing the game. When the download finishes, there is no pop-up freezing your game, it just completes and sits there. And with Steamworks, this won't just apply to Valve's games anymore. We could very well be seeing this with mod or third-party developers (which is great for anyone who hates trying to find the newest version of a mod), and possibly even full-time developers who have contributed their games to Steam (Infinity Ward [Activision] or Ubisoft).

It takes getting used to, but you may very well wind up loving Steam. At least you didn't experience Steam when it first came out. What you have on your PC is a very stable and useful tool. I suggest you get to know it a bit more.


Edit: Jeez, I just realized when this first thread was posted. Oh, well, good for working on my argumentative abilities.

 

[Operational]

Jeez, I just realized when this first thread was posted. Oh, well, good for working on my argumentative abilities.

They'll come in handy at some point, trust me a thread like this will be made by someone else soon enough.

 

[Herr Mike]

The Nazis were notorious for similar practices. It was very hard to play a computer game in Nazi Germany. Fascists.

Also, why are people so stupid?

 

[Sabbatai]

How about reading the system requirements prior to purchase? Or reading customer reviews? Had you done either you'd have known what you were buying.

Name one other company that does this? Sure.. Irrational and as a bonus I will counter your counter point about Microsoft not requiring anything out of the norm to play their games with 3 words.. Halo 2 PC.

Smarten up as a consumer bud, otherwise this kind of thing will just keep happening to you.

The end.

 

[Azner]

Steam has allowed me to buy audiosurf which is not avaliable in majority of the shops in my country.

You sir are the facist.