Just thought I'd add something I hadn't seen mentioned yet... if all games switch to authentication systems like Steam, used games will cease to exist outside EBay, where they will instead be used keys and passwords. This sucks for 56kers like me who actually buy the odd used game from EB or elsewhere. I've never pirated, so this new wave of "innovation" doesn't look good for me.

When I brought home HL2 and tried to install it for 7 hours, I got irritated and tried to take it back. The original store wouldn't take it because I may have already used the CD key. Then the used store wouldn't buy it because... I almost certainly would have used the CD key. My only resort if I decide to get rid of it (finished installing it after 17 hours of downloads...) is to sell my account on EBay, violating my end user agreement. I can't legally get any of my money back. Because of all the difficulties involved, it seems that their anti-piracy software actually encourages pirating.

The enormous downloads and queing, unnecessary use of system resources, inability to play singleplayer without an internet connection, and general suspicious treatment as if I were on parole while the actual pirates skip Steam altogether makes me realize something... I'll never buy another game by Valve, regardless of how good it is or seems to be.

It's cool to be a non-conformist like oSiRiS. Don't fall prey to the Valve machine! Liberate those caught in its machinations!

So...should I even get HL2? A few of my friends/classmates are building a map that is of my school campus. I would really like to play said map. Also, I've seen/heard good things about HL2. Yes, this Steam thing worries me. No way in hell should I be denied MY game playing after I bought the game because YOUR network(s) is/are down. That's bull**** plain and simple.

get it, but be ready to b**** at it when steam refuses to work. Or better yet, buy it and skip steam entirely.

Ok help the uneducated one.

I am required to use Steam for all games no matter what true or false?

If above is false, by not using Steam do I incur disadvantages over those who do use Steam (list examples)?

You are required to use steam no matter what, however you can play offline if you don't have internet access all the time, but you do need it to install the game. If you buy it, you only need to use steam to authorize the game copy, otherwise you need to download the whole thing through steam.

Also, be prepared for Steam to have to download and install a few patches before you can play.

Steam has given me no troubles since I bought HL2. Never has it been down.

No MP

The Friends system has NEVER EVER actually run for me. EVER. Now, I've said I don't use it much, but in the period that I played DoD, which was about a month, it never worked.

And I'm very well aware that I can go buy a physical copy. I was refering to the fact that if the way of the future is to make all of the games downloadable only, I won't do it. I want a physical manifestation of what I paid for in my hand.



Yeah, I kinda said that half-way down the first page when I was explaining how much I went through to get it installed. Take note of the "Dial in" and "Disconnect" parts.

If I came off as complaining about how long it took, that's not what I meant. I completely hate anything that starts downloading updates without asking, and without telling me how much time is remaining (in the case of updates for Steam). It did the same thing with the demo. It updated without asking. And yes, "Do not Auto-Update" was turned on. It worked brilliantly this time. I only complain about the time when it's an update I haven't asked it to download, and there was no prior indication I was going to be downloading it.

Dealing with a 56k connection is an annoyance, yes. Am I angry about it? Hell no. This is a free connection. No one is paying for it, and there are no strings attached, and it isn't illegal. So lets think for a minute here. I have the choice of paying nothing for an internet connection that works, but is slow, or I can upgrade, pay a monthly fee, and have lots of speed. I choose to stick with not paying anything. It's slow, but it works, and I pocket that money. That right there is a prime reason why our family hasn't gone high speed. We get service free, why start paying again?



Yes, because we all know that any opinion that is even remotely different from yours is quite obviously wrong and bad.

i'd just like to point out again as everyone seems to miss this point when its posted....you can play hl2 offline, I installed hl2, registered the game, downloaded the updates back in december and since the 31st of december steam has not been able to connect because on my uni network it can't (ports blocked)....hence I play in offline mode.

As for updating the game, k I have boardband at home, don't know how big the update file was but it didn't take long, if I update any other game, Theif, SW: Battlefront, etc....even download a mod/map for JO/JA most of the time the file size is around or in excess of 25mb....if you have 56k, which I did until the previous Nov, its gonna take a while but thats the price you pay for having a slower, cheaper internet connection...

I brought my copy of HL2 (collectors edition, ~£5 more than standard verison, came on a DVD, one disc worth the extra for the free t-shirt alone) from amazon, wouldn't have downloaded from steam anyhow, only thing I have to download is the updates and everyone should do that anyhow to fix bugs and flaws in the game (it'd be better if there weren't any...), as soon as the initial updates were downloaded I put steam into offline mode and thats it, if I want updates I turn it back on....

I can't see people's issues with steam bar the occasional server downtime (which I've never experienced), if your playing MP you need the updated version of any game to be compatable with that of others, if your installing it for the first time, register the game and then disconnect, setup offline mode and just never update the game unless required....

yeah steam may be a pain in the arse but then updating graphics drivers on a monthly basis is also, thats a roughly 25mb download each time...

Sort of. You can use it offline unless you accidentally try to login to steam while steam is down, in which case you lose your ability to play in offline mode until the servers come back up.