I'm about to buy this game to play on my new computer, but I dont have an internet connection on it and I wont for awhile. It says internet is required in the system requirements, and I always hear about the so called "Steam headache". What is Steam, and do I need internet to authenticate it or something?

As far as I know, you not only need an internet connection to authenticate, but you need it each time you play. But I don't have the game, so I'm not sure on that.

Steam is Valve's content delivery system. And yes, you must install it to authenticate your game. No Steam, no game.

edit - to vinny's post - you don't need to be online every time you want to play. Just to authenticate. Though, I've heard that some have had trouble with Steam asking them to be online every time they want to play, but it hasn't happened to anyone I know.

It's basicly your account name to play Half-Life, CS:S, and HL DM. And yes, if I remember right, you authenticate your account with your CD code, correct me if I'm wrong, it's been awhile since I installed it. It's a big game, too. 5 disks, so make sure you have enough space.

or DVD format! don't forget!

I wish they'd all just go to DVD already.

Its possible to play the game without the net connection, it mentions it somewhere in the manual.

And vin - I have it on dvd, what are you talking about?

I'm just saying it'd be great if all PC games went to DVD.

Here's the lowdown:

You must have the internet when you first install the game. Steam will install, validate it via the internet, and update the game.

But once you have validated it, you do not need the internet any longer. Steam will just run in what is called "Offline mode" when an internet connection is not present.

my dvd drive is semi-broken that wouldn't make me happy

Manual? I didn't get a manual? Did anybody else get a manual with HL2?

Mine too

But Akhbar would probably 'splode if I tried to run Half Life 2 on him.

basically the headache is only when you decide to play multiplayer and when you first install it. btw there's a -

Since when has anyone cared if you were happy, Genki?

I care.

Scottish don't count.

My "manual" is a 1-page PDF file listing the default key bindings (which I changed anyways to match JK).

And CM got the Steam requirements right on the money.

Some other things you should be know about:
- There are some multiplayer servers called VAC secure servers. Anyone who cheats on these servers will be autobanned from all secure servers FOREVER. So don't.
- Even if someone else uses your account and gets you banned, the ban will not be lifted for any reason, so take good care of it and don't let others use it unless you live close enough to them so you can force them to buy you another copy of the game. :p
- If you get internet access and are willing to DOWNLOAD all the HL2 content, you should purchase the HL2 Silver package online from [url]www.steampowered.com.[/url] You get every HL2 and HL game Valve has available on Steam, some 14 games, for $60. Not bad if you don't have any of 'em.
- Steam keeps a file called clientregistry.blob that keeps track of the Steam directory, where the games are stored, some server info, and whether you are authenticated for offline mode. If this file is deleted you will need to reconnect to the internet through Steam.
- If you have access to the internet through a proxy (ie I do at college), you can make Steam to work with it using some 3rd party programs. Key words are proxy, TCP, and winsock. http://www.proxifier.com/ is an example of such a program, but that is trialware.
- If Steam begins to update a game, it MUST finish updating before you can play the game. If you try to launch it, it will insist on finishing the update. If you try to launch it in offline mode, it will refuse to launch it and ask you to restart in online mode. You can keep a game from updating by changing the option in it's Steam properties, but if it is currently updating you will still have to wait for that update to finish.
- Wait until a game has reached 100% downloading in its Steam properties before playing (it can drop below that if it's being updated, and of course if you're just downloading it). Steam sometimes let's you launch a game when it has downloaded the core files, but you may seem to get stuck at a Loading screen, when what is actually happening is Steam is trying to download files it needs to load. If you wait a few hours it will finish :p but it's best if you just let it download it all before running the game.

That's all the things I can think of off the top of my head that I've heard/discovered while using Steam.

I didn't even see your username, but I immediately knew it was you who made that comment, just because you're the only one I know that actually uses the names that you've named your computers.

Do the retail package version still have the "bug" where you have to select to install CS:S to install the whole thing properly?