Retail ver of HL2 install needs Steam acct to authenticate!

Roman · Post by **Roman** » Fri Oct 22, 2004 9:50 am

http://www.bluesnews.com/ and over at http://pc.gamespy.com/pc/half-life-2/558931p1.html

I really hate having to "abort" an install to authenticate. I remember that original HL took 2 installs for me to get it right thanks to a timeout issue when trying to authenticate the code.

Sucks!

Roman

LawBeefaroni · Post by **LawBeefaroni** » Fri Oct 22, 2004 11:58 am

That's what I was afraid of. F'ing Steam.

Eduardo X · Post by **Eduardo X** » Fri Oct 22, 2004 12:17 pm

Yup. This means no Half-Life 2 for me.
Fuck Valve for forcing people to have an internet connection. I see this as an extension of evil copy protection like Starforce. If I still lived in Crested Butte, I simply wouldn't be able to play this game. That's not right.

Al · Post by Al » Fri Oct 22, 2004 12:49 pm

Since I already bought HL2 over Steam this one's a non issue to me. As a copy protection measure, an online model is less invasive than Starforce, so I'm at a bit of a loss as why this is generating the outrage that it is.

noxiousdog · Post by **noxiousdog** » Fri Oct 22, 2004 12:54 pm

Al wrote:Since I already bought HL2 over Steam this one's a non issue to me. As a copy protection measure, an online model is less invasive than Starforce, so I'm at a bit of a loss as why this is generating the outrage that it is.

Me too. The online licence model that Out of the Park, and Front Office Football uses is great. No boxes, no discs, two installs, no going to the store...

Eduardo X · Post by **Eduardo X** » Fri Oct 22, 2004 1:28 pm

I don't like it because it can prove to be a huge problem.
I bought Hollywood Mogul online and couldn't play it because I had no internet on my gaming PC. This meant that to play, I had to be connected to the internet.
What happens a few years on when you are trying to reinstall Half-Life 2 and valve has gone under? Or you're in the BFMN?

Blackhawk · Post by **Blackhawk** » Fri Oct 22, 2004 1:38 pm

A few years ago when after a cross-country move, I found myself without internet access for some nine months. No patches, no technical support. That was bad enough. This would completely prevent me from playing a game I had paid for.

Some people intentionally keep their gaming rigs off of the internet - they don't even have networking hardware. They prefer it that way because they can turn off all of the resource-hog security features and not have to worry. They download patches to a different machine and transfer them on burned CD.

Some people live and game from behind college/military networks that don't allow connections to something like Steam.

Some people are going to go out next month and plop down cash for this game, and then find themselves in one of the above situations a year from now, their money wasted.

Al · Post by Al » Fri Oct 22, 2004 1:40 pm

Eduardo X wrote:I don't like it because it can prove to be a huge problem.

I can see it being a problem. Retailers will have to make sure thiner customers are informed and that's always a problem.

What happens a few years on when you are trying to reinstall Half-Life 2 and valve has gone under? Or you're in the BFMN?

I have a hard time seeing Valve going under in a few years. At any rate, I'd imagine whoever buys them out will either support the game or they'll post some kind of unlocker. Or you'll have to download the crack that was released about 80 seconds after it hit the shelves.

And what's BFMN? Google couldn't even cough that one up.

Ranulf · Post by **Ranulf** » Fri Oct 22, 2004 2:21 pm

BFMN.. I'm guessing Buttfucking middle of no-where.

I prefer "out in BFE" myself. E standing for egypt.

This doesn't bother me too much but I think its the wrong way to go about it, especially if there isn't a phone number to call like with MS and XP. I do know that there better no damn copy protection on the disc AT ALL. I better be able to make backups of all 6 discs or the dvd version.

I also don't like all of those what-ifs Al. Sure I don't see them going under (well.. given their lack of security..) but thats a lot of things to count on to be sure you can play a game you paid for.

Al · Post by Al » Fri Oct 22, 2004 2:30 pm

Ranulf wrote:BFMN.. I'm guessing Buttfucking middle of no-where.

I prefer "out in BFE" myself. E standing for egypt.

Ohhhh. Yeah, BFE is the preferred TLA.

I also don't like all of those what-ifs Al. Sure I don't see them going under (well.. given their lack of security..) but thats a lot of things to count on to be sure you can play a game you paid for.

The market has already shown that gamers are willing to take that kind of risk. What will happen to people who bought EQ or SWG if Sony goes under? What happened to people who bought Motor City Online when EA pulled the plug?

Ranulf · Post by **Ranulf** » Fri Oct 22, 2004 2:39 pm

TLA?

Well, for me I view mmorpg's differently than single player/non massive multiplayer games. I expect them to die, its the nature of the beast because its a multiplayer game with central servers.

One, I'd probably be burnt out on it by the time it goes away (look at how long UO has been around) and two, many of those old/abandoned mmorpgs have folks running free servers for them or are working on it.

Al · Post by Al » Fri Oct 22, 2004 2:50 pm

Ranulf wrote:TLA?

Three Letter Acronym.

One, I'd probably be burnt out on it by the time it goes away (look at how long UO has been around) and two, many of those old/abandoned mmorpgs have folks running free servers for them or are working on it.

But there's still more risk involved in the MMO case. You're paying for the game on a monthly basis and there's no guarantee that you'll get burned out before the plug is pulled. I mean someone had to have bought MCO and found out a week later that the rug was going to get pulled out from under them, right?

And at the same time, there's a better chance that someone is out there working on a crack (assuming that Valve doesn't in it's dying breath release one on their own) then there is that someone is working on a server that will allow MCO players to keep playing.

Eduardo X · Post by **Eduardo X** » Fri Oct 22, 2004 4:04 pm

Another thing I don't like is that you must install Steam to play it. It seems a bit heavy handed.

I don't want to pretend that this is as bad as Starforce. In fact, it would be a good idea, as they could have this as the only way they protect the game. However, for times when you are in the buttfuck middle of nevada, and you have a new PC, it would suck. Those 2 times.

Al · Post by Al » Fri Oct 22, 2004 4:14 pm

Eduardo X wrote:Another thing I don't like is that you must install Steam to play it. It seems a bit heavy handed.

HL2 uses Steam for patches, so I don't really see any way around it. Steam does have an offline mode, so assuming you could get the update files to your unnetworked PC somehow, you should still be able to update HL2.

However, for times when you are in the buttfuck middle of nevada, and you have a new PC, it would suck.

The middle of Nevada doesn't have phone service? A cheap, $10 modem and a Netzero account will at least let you activate it.

Eduardo X · Post by **Eduardo X** » Fri Oct 22, 2004 4:26 pm

Al wrote:
Eduardo X wrote:Another thing I don't like is that you must install Steam to play it. It seems a bit heavy handed.
HL2 uses Steam for patches, so I don't really see any way around it. Steam does have an offline mode, so assuming you could get the update files to your unnetworked PC somehow, you should still be able to update HL2.
However, for times when you are in the buttfuck middle of nevada, and you have a new PC, it would suck.
The middle of Nevada doesn't have phone service? A cheap, $10 modem and a Netzero account will at least let you activate it.

For these reasons, I don't think it is TOO awful, but I still don't like it.

snoleopard · Post by **snoleopard** » Fri Oct 22, 2004 4:28 pm

I know this is long, but I went to the Valve site to find out about having to have Steam for a retail version, and what to do to get your Retail version to work if you're not on the internet. This is a bummer for me as I have two PC's, one of which is my gaming PC (except for online play). I don't like it, but I want to play HL2, so I guess I just have to do what I have to do. Hope this helps someone else out.

How To Make Steam Offline Mode Work

Answer

How To Make Steam Offline Mode Work
last edited 09/03/2004 02:05:09 PM by qUiCkSiLvEr

Special Note:
If a game says "100%" but "Not Ready" for offline play, it may be because the purchase process for that game (cd-key or cc purchase transaction) has not yet completed. You need to wait for that to complete before playing offline.

Two Scenarios:
1. My friend has no Internet connection, how can he set things up so he can play offline?

2. I want to be able to play at a LAN party and they won't have an internet connection there, how can we all play offline?

Answer:
There are several ways to do this that will work for players without Internet access as well as for LAN Parties where there won't be internet access.

Note:
You have to be online somewhere at least once to perform all of the following steps.

The first step here is to perform the latest update and capture it. This is very important to make sure you get the latest content and bug fixes. Everyone that will be participating at the LAN event must have the latest update!

Easiest way
Bring the computer that will be playing offline to an available internet connection at a friend's house, school or perhaps business. Log into the account and do all the updates, make sure it all works.

Then "exit" (do not log out!) from Steam, go to the Steam folder and make a copy of the clientregistry.blob file (just in case). Write-protect the copy (mark it Read/Only).

Physically unplug the computer from the internet, start up Steam and let it fall back into offline mode. Make sure the computer will play both Listenserver (LAN), client and the single player ok, then exit from Steam again.

WIN98
If this is a WIN98 computer, it will act like it's stuck updating and not logging in, JUST WAIT! It will take about 90 seconds for it to finally figure out that there isn't an active internet connection then it will prompt you to retry or go into offline mode.

The computer is now ready to play offline at home unless he accidentally logs out ...

If he does this he won't be able to play unless he verifies online again >> or << exits from Steam, then copies the copy of the clientregistry.blob file back which will restore his offline play.

NOTE: MAKE SURE THE ACTIVE ClientRegistry.blob FILE IS NOT WRITE PROTECTED!

It certainly wouldn't hurt to burn a CD of the working offline installation for him.

Next Easiest way
Do all the above on a different computer, IE: install Steam, log into his account, do all the updates, exit from Steam, make the copy of the Clientregistry.blob file, start up and let it fall back into offline mode, make sure it all works, then exit again.

Then burn a CD of the install and take the CD to the remote computer and copy the install there.

Very Important! Make sure the files are placed on the exact same Disk and Path!

LAN Party Setup:
Clients
All clients that are going to play on the LAN should have unique Steam Accounts. You might also have to assign unique clientports to each computer if they are going to play online as well as offline. Please refer to this FAQ for help in configuring multiple clients behind a router.

Most home DLS and cable connections will only be able to support 6 or 8 players on a 128K uplink and 12 to 16 players on a 256K uplink, assuming that they are using a reasonable rate (7500) and cl_cmdrate (30) settings. You might have to lower the cl_cmdrate to 20.

The Server
The first step is to decide if the server is going to be a Listen Server or a Dedicated Server.

If this is a small party (4 players or less) just for fun, then a Listen server will probably be the easiest way to host a quick party, but it's important to remember that the player who's computer is running the Server has an advantage over all the other players.

If there are going to be more players, or if the players are more serious players and want a level playing field, then a Dedicated Server is the best way to go, and assigning a computer to run only the Dedicated Server (no clients) is the very best.

If this is for a Stand-Alone Dedicated Server, be sure to get the latest Server update.

If family and friends want to watch, then it is a good idea to set up a couple of extra computers for spectators and run the HLTV spectator proxy.

The first requirement is that you need a 10/100 switch or router for setting up the core network. This can be part of a router, and you can daisy-chain several switches to connect everyone else if you need more ports.

The key here is to use that one switch or router (we'll call it switch #1) to join up to 4 additional switches (assuming it's a 4-port switch) which then can support up to 16 players (at 4 ports each). This way, there is one central switch/router and up to four other switches.

If there is internet access available, then the central router can connect everyone on the network for authentication and web browsing if they need to.

For best performance, plug the Game Server into the central router or switch, that way it will have 1/2 the delay to everyone (you'll only have 3 ports then to connect additional switches to). It's a good idea to make sure the Server has a 100mbit Ethernet adapter.

NOTE: Do not use mixed ethernet speeds with "dumb hubs" they can't handle it. If you have a hub and not a switch, you'll have to make sure that all ethernet connections on the network are all 10MBit only.

Speeding up Fallback into Offline Play:
It's actually quite easy to make Steam fall back into offline mode with almost no delay.

1. go to network properties
2. right-click on your internet connection "local area connection"
3. disable it
4. start Steam - it only takes about 2 seconds to pop up to the start in offline mode.
5. then re-enable your connection and you can play on LAN.

One warning, XP might get upset if you disable your NIC and think that you are changing the hardware in your computer (happens when you re-boot, so enable the NIC before rebooting!).

XP identifies 7 devices on the system when it is installed and if the identity of those devices changes too much then XP will complain and may require you to re-activate.

A very useful tool to check this is here: XPInfo

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

* XPInfo compares the current hardware configuration - as seen by the WPA mechanism - to the hardware configuration at the time of product activation and displays the components in which the configurations differ.

bluefugue · Post by **bluefugue** » Fri Oct 22, 2004 4:33 pm

Eduardo X wrote:Yup. This means no Half-Life 2 for me.
Fuck Valve for forcing people to have an internet connection. I see this as an extension of evil copy protection like Starforce. If I still lived in Crested Butte, I simply wouldn't be able to play this game. That's not right.

It absolutely sucks. Unfortunately I want HL2 so much that this will not deter me. My dollar vote is neutered.

Eduardo X · Post by **Eduardo X** » Fri Oct 22, 2004 5:16 pm

It is going to be interesting to see if this gets pirated at all.

martindemon · Post by **martindemon** » Fri Oct 22, 2004 5:24 pm

I will probably buy HL2 the day it is cracked so that I don't need to plug to steam to autentificate. I will never (really never) buy a game dependant upon some server that can go out anytime. When I pay for a game, I want to be able to always (and really always, even 69 years after it's out) install it anytime without any problem.

Bob · Post by **Bob** » Fri Oct 22, 2004 6:01 pm

Those "how to set it up offline" instructions crack me up. Could that process be any less friendly?

Interloper · Post by **Interloper** » Fri Oct 22, 2004 6:52 pm

I too have had to go without online access for large sums of time. Granted, for most it isn't a problem, but to the fella who wants this game but has no ability to go online it sucks bad. And ya, those "offline" instructions are joke. My favorite:

Easiest way
Bring the computer that will be playing offline to an available internet connection at a friend's house, school or perhaps business. Log into the account and do all the updates, make sure it all works.

Hmm, dunno bout you, but if I brought my pc into work and updated it via their connection, I'd be fired on the spot. Either way what a pain in the arse if you can't go online. It's getting to where an internet connection is required anymore though. My current job accepted resume's online ONLY. This is just another step that way.

ThirdDynasty · Post by **ThirdDynasty** » Fri Oct 22, 2004 9:07 pm

As someone who plays a lot of old games, I think this will set a terrible precedent for PC gaming. I’m looking at my collection of games and I estimate about 75% of them were developed/published by companies no longer in business.

What if all of those Infinity Engine RPGs had an authentication system like Steam. With Interplay gone how would you be able to play Baldur’s Gate or Planescape again. I am not comfortable with relying on hackers to make my old games playable.

FU Valve.

Turtle · Post by **Turtle** » Fri Oct 22, 2004 10:02 pm

The installation is just as easily cracked as the .exe. Remember Microsoft's deal with activation? Yet there's still a perfectly useable version of windows out there that requires no activation.

Since there is no return policy at any stores these days, there'll be bloody hell for this.

I'm torn as to whether I will get this now. I know it'll be a good game, but I really can't support such a bad business decision.

Oh well, I guess Helo 2 gets my money. I'll still get Bloodlines, though.

Giles Habibula · Post by **Giles Habibula** » Fri Oct 22, 2004 10:25 pm

martindemon wrote:I will probably buy HL2 the day it is cracked so that I don't need to plug to steam to autentificate. I will never (really never) buy a game dependant upon some server that can go out anytime. When I pay for a game, I want to be able to always (and really always, even 69 years after it's out) install it anytime without any problem.

Martin, you took the words right out of my mouth. Only I won't be buying it even if it is cracked. I refuse to contribute in the slightest to this "Wave of the future" sweeping over us.

Thus far, I've even managed to get by without WinXP for the exact same reasons. You pay good money for a game; it should be fully self-contained on the CD and ready to go, even many years later when the company is pushing up daisies.

I still have 6 computers from varying eras fully functional around my house for the express purpose of reliving moments from old games. Thief? Not a problem. Frontier: Elite 2? Runs like a dream. The original Elite on Commodore 64? Yep, I've got a C-64 here just for that purpose.

The thought of paying $50 for a game, I don't care how great it is, if there's a possibility I won't be able to play it again in 10 or 20 or 30 years because it's just so 'outdated', or because I'm now trying to install it on another machine and it's already been tied to the machine I registered it with, makes that purchase more like a very expensive rental. Good only for the short term.

Disposable in other words. And what bugs me is there are now so many gamers who are perfectly happy to play a great game once and then forget it and move on to the next big thing. They never heard of 'nostalgia' yet. Maybe they're too young.

Seriously. If this model is the wave of the future, then I am going to stop my plans for my newest rig right now, and focus instead on buying spare parts for my old ones.

Yeah, "get with the times!", you are saying. Sorry. But if flushing good money down the crapper is what it takes to keep with the latest and greatest, I'll just have to be happy with the backlog I've currently got. And now I'm actually happy to have this backlog.

Giles Habibula · Post by **Giles Habibula** » Fri Oct 22, 2004 10:34 pm

I mean this is ridiculous! Look at that list of arcane crap that snoleopard posted up there on just getting the game to run in offline mode. What a load of crap! Really, I think the old days of editing your config.sys and autoexec.bat files were a lot less complicated, and once you had a setup you liked, you'd just put it on a disk and it'd work for several different games.

Now it seems like just getting a game to run requires lessons in real magic, what with EACH game having it's own long and convoluted list of spells you have to use to summon the .exe god...

...mostly because of piracy concerns. Folks, there HAS to be a better way...

PC game cartridges anyone?

Al · Post by Al » Fri Oct 22, 2004 10:57 pm

Giles Habibula wrote:The thought of paying $50 for a game, I don't care how great it is, if there's a possibility I won't be able to play it again in 10 or 20 or 30 years because it's just so 'outdated', or because I'm now trying to install it on another machine and it's already been tied to the machine I registered it with, makes that purchase more like a very expensive rental.

I take it you don't buy MMO games then?

Eduardo X · Post by **Eduardo X** » Fri Oct 22, 2004 11:02 pm

Al wrote:
Giles Habibula wrote:The thought of paying $50 for a game, I don't care how great it is, if there's a possibility I won't be able to play it again in 10 or 20 or 30 years because it's just so 'outdated', or because I'm now trying to install it on another machine and it's already been tied to the machine I registered it with, makes that purchase more like a very expensive rental.
I take it you don't buy MMO games then?

I think most gamers don't.
I may be wrong about that, but it seems that MMO games are a bit expensive for what you get.

Turtle · Post by **Turtle** » Fri Oct 22, 2004 11:12 pm

MMO gamers were, for a while, the smallest group of gamers on the market. I don't know what the numbers are now, but I suspect it's still a pretty small market segment. The way MMOs make their seemingly amazing money amounts are the subscription fees from fans.

I've decided that I can wait to buy HL2, I'll have Halo 2 and Bloodlines to play. By then, either there will be enough outrage to make them change it, or it will never change at all. Either way I'll just wait until it goes down in price.

No wonder Valve has kept this decision under wraps until now, the outrage over this decision would have forced them to change it way back then, but now it's a little too late to do so.

Giles Habibula · Post by **Giles Habibula** » Fri Oct 22, 2004 11:18 pm

Al wrote:
Giles Habibula wrote:The thought of paying $50 for a game, I don't care how great it is, if there's a possibility I won't be able to play it again in 10 or 20 or 30 years because it's just so 'outdated', or because I'm now trying to install it on another machine and it's already been tied to the machine I registered it with, makes that purchase more like a very expensive rental.
I take it you don't buy MMO games then?

No, I don't. I have not the slightest interest in dragging 'real world' people with me while I escape into a fantasy world.

Actually, last Sunday I spent a lot of the day composing a "Speak Out" article for Computer Games Magazine in which I address this very topic. I thought it turned out really good. Time will tell if it actually gets published...

Caine · Post by **Caine** » Sat Oct 23, 2004 1:43 am

it's unfortunate that they decided to go through with this. it will just piss off the honest people and result in a small lag in the crackd game going out.

i hope they think the bad taste this leaves in many a gamer's mouth was worth a week off the pirate sites.

tals · Post by **tals** » Sat Oct 23, 2004 6:19 am

In preparation for Half Life 2, I thought i'd dust off my old Half Life stuff. So I put the CD Key into Steam and hey presto I now own Opposing force as well as an easy way to grab the Counter Strike (non source stuff).

I have it set to only run when I want it to - rather than at windows startup but i'm pro this type of working, I can easily get the game, patched with whichever mods I want. Has to be agood thing. I remember when Counterstrike pre steam where you're constantly working on getting the right version of Half Life with the right version of Counterstrike.

So thumbs up here i'm afraid

Tals

Blackhawk · Post by **Blackhawk** » Sat Oct 23, 2004 9:41 am

I take it you haven't tried Blue Shift, then, which is Steam incompatible, including the updated models.

tals · Post by **tals** » Sat Oct 23, 2004 9:56 am

You would be right

I haven't tried opposing forces yet but certainly looking forward to that one. Just depends how much I can drag myself away from RTW to get back into the Half Life world

sgoldj · Post by **sgoldj** » Sat Oct 23, 2004 11:39 am

I'll have to bow out completely from HL2.

Those of you who have seen other posts from me know that I'm a bargin bin gamer. By the time HL2 has hit my price range, there is a medium possibility that the servers will be less active.

I also have to couple that with when I would actually play HL2. As one of those with a considerable backlog (I still haven't opened Planscape: Torment or Bladerunner yet. Now just starting Battle Realms after the Rat Tattoo Murder) I can't see even getting to HL2 until 2008 or 2009.

knob · Post by **knob** » Sat Oct 23, 2004 12:34 pm

Blackhawk wrote:I take it you haven't tried Blue Shift, then, which is Steam incompatible, including the updated models.

From what I understand, Blue Shift is absolutely horrible compared to the vanilla HL and Opposing Force anyways.

This whole steam thing doesn't really bother me, though. But I guess that's obvious since I've already purchased the Silver Steam package.

JayG · Post by **JayG** » Sat Oct 23, 2004 1:14 pm

Not too bothered myself. I was going to buy a new PC for gaming, and without Internet access, but If it means improved sales of PC games I'm for it. Can't be half as bad as the monstrosity that is Starforce. Sure if I buy Everquest 2 I'm gonna need on-line access anyway. My biggest problem is that there is around 6 great games coming out 2 days within each other.

Two Sheds · Post by **Two Sheds** » Sat Oct 23, 2004 2:45 pm

The Steam thing really isn't a big deal to me either, but then I've been using Steam for quite a while now and I don't have a problem with it. And I've already bought the Silver package, as well.

By the time HL2 has hit my price range, there is a medium possibility that the servers will be less active.

I really, really, really doubt that. I mean, right now, according to the Steam website, there are over 115,000 people playing plain old Half-Life 1 Counter Strike. There are thousands of others playing various other Half-Life mods. I don't know, I just can't imagine Half-Life 2 being anything less than gigantic on the multiplayer front.

dangerballs · Post by **dangerballs** » Sat Oct 23, 2004 3:31 pm

Valael wrote:From what I understand, Blue Shift is absolutely horrible compared to the vanilla HL and Opposing Force anyways.

I enjoyed Blue Shift. It was quite a bit shorter than Opposing Force, but it still was pretty fun. The High-Def pack that came with it also had some very nice models that I hope they use in HL1: Source.

Greg Wak · Post by **Greg Wak** » Sat Oct 23, 2004 3:40 pm

Obviously piracy must be starting to really effect bottom lines. I guess people think there will be a crack for this in notime. I have no idea if there will or won't be. But for everyone dead set against this, how do you suggest they protect their investment?

tals · Post by **tals** » Sat Oct 23, 2004 5:31 pm

I think Steam is a much bigger picture than Piracy, Steam is how they will sell us updates, new content etc. This is the real cash cow for Valve.

Tals