Steam
polycounter lvl 18
Well Valve did name this appropriately since that is what is about to shoot out of my ears right now - steam. Remember the good old days when you could buy a game at the store, bring it home, install it and then PLAY the game? Thanks to the wonders of Steam technology, those days are over.
Bought HL2 last night started installing. After the game was installed from the 5 CDs Steam went into gear decrypting the game. By this time it was late so I decided to head off to bed and let Steam work its' magic. I can always play tomorrow night, right?
So tonight I had about an hour of time to myself so I thought I would play some HL2. I double click the icon, nothing happens. I click Steam in the system tray, nothing.
After some fiddling around, inserting the CDs, etc. I go into the task manager and, against the advice of my task manager, close Steam. I double click the Steam icon and FINALLY something happens. I click "Browse Games" and select HL2. Steam thinks about it a bit and then tells me I need to update my video drivers, which is nice because I had not realized that they were out of date.
I update my drivers and reboot. Double click Steam > Browse Games > HL2 ... Steam decides that HL2 needs updating. So, if I had another 2 hours to wait around I MIGHT get to try HL2 tonight. Since I don't, there's always tomorrow.
I am so unbelievably irritated right now that I am on the verge of packing up the box and taking it back to the store. This is so unbelievably inconvenient. WTF? Anyone else had any bad Steam experiences or am I the only lucky one?
Bought HL2 last night started installing. After the game was installed from the 5 CDs Steam went into gear decrypting the game. By this time it was late so I decided to head off to bed and let Steam work its' magic. I can always play tomorrow night, right?
So tonight I had about an hour of time to myself so I thought I would play some HL2. I double click the icon, nothing happens. I click Steam in the system tray, nothing.
After some fiddling around, inserting the CDs, etc. I go into the task manager and, against the advice of my task manager, close Steam. I double click the Steam icon and FINALLY something happens. I click "Browse Games" and select HL2. Steam thinks about it a bit and then tells me I need to update my video drivers, which is nice because I had not realized that they were out of date.
I update my drivers and reboot. Double click Steam > Browse Games > HL2 ... Steam decides that HL2 needs updating. So, if I had another 2 hours to wait around I MIGHT get to try HL2 tonight. Since I don't, there's always tomorrow.
I am so unbelievably irritated right now that I am on the verge of packing up the box and taking it back to the store. This is so unbelievably inconvenient. WTF? Anyone else had any bad Steam experiences or am I the only lucky one?
Replies
Valve was hacked. Their code was stolen. It's MORE than understandable that Valve encrypted thier game heavily. Hell, at E3 this year, I was in a HL2 demo show, and the HD crashed on Gabe, because of an encryption error.
Halflife 2 has also been out for several weeks, who's not to expect an update?
Your problems aren't problems, it's normal. I installed via a STEAM download. I had to wait about 25min for decryption, and another hour for it to validate the files.
You can't blame Valve for being secure with their YEARS of hard work.
Well, I guess I will try and play if I get some free time tomorrow night...
Remember the good old days when you could buy a game at the store, bring it home, install it and then PLAY the game? Thanks to the wonders of Steam technology, those days are over.
[/ QUOTE ]
because you insisted on buying the game through the distribution system that Steam is meant to replace, or at least supercede. in contrast to your experience, here was mine: it strikes midnight on the release date (pacific time). i restart steam, having preloaded the game at my leisure many weeks prior, and the game unlocks itself. within 15 minutes i'm playing HL2 and enjoying it.
so to answer your question, no, i'm not missing those 'good old days' one bit. i know my experience represents more of the ideal and that the Steam system in its current iteration means that Your Mileage May (wildly) Vary, but it's the beginning of something much, much better. i've got Valve's back catalogue completely available to me, without having to hunt down my old copies, i get nice little goodies delivered right over Steam without having to scramble to overloaded FTP sites, and i never have to worry where my HL2 disks are ever again. and perhaps best of all, i know more of my money is going toward Valve, not some grubby distributors.
i'm not one to embrace new technology readily, but Steam really holds the promise of something better and is steadily making good on that promise.
Sundance: please enlighten to mmy why "steam" sucks so much?
I personally am content with steam never given me problems. and the number of patches released over steam and the frequency is quite nice. although at times irritating for some of the patch times. These are only required if you're connected online with steam. try not allowing steam to connect to the internet and you won't have a problem with hl2 being out of date.
It's not like it's installing spyware or anything, it's only trying to improve your gaming experience...
I got the DVD edition at 15 past midnight, installed it all without a hitch, then at 8am (due to time difference in the UK) spent 10-15 minutes unlocking the game files, and then tried starting the game. It told me my graphics card drivers were out of date - I checked the ATI site, and they were out of date, so I got the newest ones. After that everything ran smoothly, and has done since then.
Currently my brother is playing HL2 on his PC using my Steam account. Since he only installed it a few days ago, it patched it before playing - unexpected but quite handy. In fact I wish every game auto-patched (I hear the new Vampire game actually has a bug which means you can't get past a certain level without console commands - quick auto patch please!).
Err, yeah. I don't see much evidence of Steam "sucking" from this end, I'm afraid.
BTW, is there a way to make Steam tell you when it downloads a patch? Or did mine forget to update (yes, it IS set to autoupdate)?
Only positive thing about steam is that it registered my Gunman Chronicles CDKey as HL1 Platinum. My HL1 key was already taken.
Hm, I guess I should continue playing HL2 but Kururin Squash! is just so much more fun...
1) I had a Gift Certificate
2) I like having a physical copy of the game. Silly, I know. I also still like to buy music CDs.
Another ridiculous thing is why am I required to have a CD in the drive to play? If I had bought it through Steam I wouldn't have to.
Oh well. As of this morning it's all patched and ready to go. Maybe I'll get a chance to play it tonight.
I like having a physical copy of the game. Silly, I know. I also still like to buy music CDs.
[/ QUOTE ]
not silly, me too!
That said, it is pretty dumb how they have the whole online authorisation thing every time you play, AND you need the CD/DVD in the drive, even though all the game files are on the hard drive. Doubly silly since the people who downloaded it don't need a CD/DVD in the drive at all, since it auths online
Ahh well, minor nitpicks in an otherwise great product.
I say I'm assuming that - I don't actually know if it does - but if it doesn't, why bother with an "offline mode" for Steam?
That's just wrong.
Who still uses Dial-Up?
That's just wrong.
[/ QUOTE ]
My incredibly underpaid co-worker, that's who
Playing in "Offline Mode": http://forums.steampowered.com/forums/sh...ghlight=offline
Who still uses Dial-Up?
That's just wrong.
[/ QUOTE ]
I'm more than willing to take monthly donations so I can upgrade.
tpe
raises hand
Edit:
BTW where are you getting this 85% of US population has broadband?
I think also that only about 30% of home internet users in the UK have broadband.
It is a bit rich that they effectively force users to pay their phone company though. I wonder if they have a deal with AT&T or something...
I bought the physical copy of HL2 from a retailer for two reasons:
1) I had a Gift Certificate
2) I like having a physical copy of the game. Silly, I know. I also still like to buy music CDs.
Another ridiculous thing is why am I required to have a CD in the drive to play? If I had bought it through Steam I wouldn't have to.
Oh well. As of this morning it's all patched and ready to go. Maybe I'll get a chance to play it tonight.
[/ QUOTE ]
I dont need the CD in the drive to play HL2. I did the first time, but it hasnt asked me for it since. Are you sure it wont let you astro?
when valve first starting to test steam in hl1, I hated it. but now. it rock.
I bought, hl2 gold, (AHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAH, anyone want a fucking hl2 hat, UH), with steam, Preloaded hl2 super fast,then the morning after it was out, I opened steam, did the last update, and I was ready to play in no time.
Cds suck, With steam, I dont have to look for my cds, put it in, and having that ackward loading. I just right click on steam, click hl2, and voila. Its fast and efficient.
U are just scared to loose the cd cases , LAME!
Scott
Scott
maybe when ive used it i will understand why steam is so good , but for now it just sounds like a pain in the ass , designed to protect valve in some way from ppl copying the game ... although im sure they have failed there ...
Hl2dm is nice, but is lacking in maps still at the moment. and it would be nice to have the option to remove all weapons and only receive the physics gun as that generally provides the most fun.
Halflife 2 is my last steam game. (check)
Halflife 2 is my last Valve game. (check)
ZZZzzzz
now.. HL2DM and CSS are another story. stayed on 98 and 99% respectivly for 8hrs or so. they were taking turns downloading little bits at a time. had to tell it to not auto update either of them and then i had to manually start the game to have it update. HL2DM updated in about 5 minutes and CSS will be done in about an hour or so.
so on a MODEM i have had no problems with steam in it's current incarnation. had some problems way back when they first started it but no longer.
and check http://steampowered.custhelp.com/cgi-bin...lPTE*&p_li=
for running in offline mode for offline/LAN play.
also NO CD REQUIRED to play.
havent noticed any memory issues with steam. it's sitting nicely at 5,728 kb
Asherr: yes buy it.