CONFIRMED (again): Internet needed for RETAIL HL2.

[grumpycrab]

I've had a second source confirm from Valve that the Internet (and Steam) is needed to get the Single Player RETAIL game going. Here's the message (it's from Valve Support via the Web and so there are no email headers etc.)

QUOTE

Response (JonH) 10/19/2004 01:18 PM
Hello,

"Will it require setting up a STEAM account so that the game can be authenticated ONLINE at install time? (and then play OFFLINE)"
Exactly, this is how the game will be 'activated'.

UNQUOTE

Most people are happy with this. But many other people are going to have to be educated on the subject, especially Retail (i.e. the shop assistants who will have to cope with the "I cannot get the f*cking game to run" questions.)

I'm trying to get the latest Installation Manual from VU. That should be a laugh

--
Grumps
PS. Here are the requirements for HL2...
http://www.steampowered.com/Steam/Messages/minimum_req/index.php?l=english

 

[Platinum]

yeah dude ... thanks

 

[ailevation]

:dozey: Retarded shit.

 

[GuNzABlaZiN]

I don't think that there are that many people that have computers good enough to run HL2 yet do not have internet connections.

 

[SFLUFAN]

You will need to sign on the net once for an authentication check.

 

[Aknot]

It was always stated a connection was needed (initially). It SHOULD be stated on the box. Doesnt Windows place that disclaimer? But then again who ever reads the manuals.

 

[alan8325]

Clearly an anti-piracy measure. We'll see how well it works. Does anyone know how the pirated CS:S worked? I heard that it has a fake Steam client in it or something that allows it to access real Steam servers without having a CD-key.

 

[TaiFong]

Clearly an anti-piracy measure. We'll see how well it works. Does anyone know how the pirated CS:S worked? I heard that it has a fake Steam client in it or something that allows it to access real Steam servers without having a CD-key.

That's pretty much how it works. No matter what, there are always going to be cracks for games.

 

[otomo]

Just get a crack if you dont want to use it on steam. Yes it will be cracked just like CS was. Forcing the internet connection just makes it more of a pain for those who actually do buy the game.

 

[FLeK0]

I heard that it's not actually a crack, it uses files released by Valve for the cybercafe license server, so they might be able to fix it b4 HL2 launch.

 

[Murray_H]

This is the reason why I won't be able to play HL2 till 15th of December. 2.5Mb connection and Steam won't work ;(

 

[dart321]

I'll be damned.

 

[CptTobie]

It was always stated a connection was needed (initially). It SHOULD be stated on the box. Doesnt Windows place that disclaimer? But then again who ever reads the manuals.

I read the part that talks about weapons...that's it.

 

[Biozeminade]

This is perfectly reasonable. Anyone buying a brand new game in the year 2004 should have an internet connection just like they have a mouse, a keyboard, speakers or a monitor.

 

[Neutrino]

If that's true it's one of the dumbest things I've ever heard of. I know people that don't have access to the internet. So what? They aren't allowed to play the game?

I fail to see the reason either. I mean I can't see it being for piracy since if you don't have the internet you're not going to be downloading any warez.

 

[Aknot]

This is perfectly reasonable. Anyone buying a brand new game in the year 2004 should have an internet connection just like they have a mouse, a keyboard, speakers or a monitor.

Why? I mean I semi agree with you but why should I have an internet connection if I am buying a single player game?

 

[Diablo2k]

Just get a crack if you dont want to use it on steam. Yes it will be cracked just like CS was. Forcing the internet connection just makes it more of a pain for those who actually do buy the game.

Like most anti piracy stuff .. They only end up annoying the honest buyers while the warez monkeys get their stuff without any trouble.

 

[Interloper]

:dozey: Retarded shit.

Why, oh why did you feel the urge to write this?

Just try to contribute. Properly.

 

[blahblahblah]

If that's true it's one of the dumbest things I've ever heard of. I know people that don't have access to the internet. So what? They aren't allowed to play the game?

I fail to see the reason either. I mean I can't see it being for piracy since if you don't have the internet you're not going to be downloading any warez.

I can see Microsoft's influence on Gabe Newell.

 

[otomo]

Retarded shit.

He speaks the truth. No need to overstate the obvious its true.

 

[Lanthanide]

Blah, please delete.

 

[chu]

Looks like I have to go buy a modem just so I can play HL2, that's f***ing great.

 

[Aknot]

Blah, please delete.

Blah, please ignore.

 

[Kanehdian]

This sounds like a good idea. It's better than relying on weak CD copy protection which always gets cracked. Besides, anyone interested in Half-life 2 has an internet connection. Even on a 56k modem (retail buyers), it won't take long to activate the game.

 

[hiln]

Why, oh why did you feel the urge to write this?

Just try to contribute. Properly.

Anyone who can't play because of this would have far harsher things to say. It IS bullshit.

 

[epmode]

Looks like I have to go buy a modem just so I can play HL2, that's f***ing great.

seriously though, if you have a computer capable of running hl2, you *can* afford a modem. (and i'm amazed you don't have one by now)

 

[hiln]

seriously though, if you have a computer capable of running hl2, you *can* afford a modem. (and i'm amazed you don't have one by now)

Some people can't get the internet AT ALL in their location. Some may have spent all their money buying a computer able to play HL2, and don't have the income every month for the internet. Don't give me this bullshit about how everyone should have the net. Alot of people don't, and alot of people can't, you may not know them, but they're there. End of story.

It's easy to say it's not bullshit if you're not in the situation.

 

[epmode]

all you need to do is connect to the internet once. there are dozens of free internet trials floating around, and at worst, you'd only have to place a single long distance call to activate the game.

if you can't afford a modem after buying a hl2-capable computer, you're an idiot for buying out of your price-range.

personally, i don't think the required activation is a great idea, but it's certainly not the end of the world. if you live in america, you have no excuse.

 

[Neutrino]

This sounds like a good idea. It's better than relying on weak CD copy protection which always gets cracked. Besides, anyone interested in Half-life 2 has an internet connection. Even on a 56k modem (retail buyers), it won't take long to activate the game.

No, not everyone interested in HL2 has an internet connection. Don't assume that just because you do that everyone else does. They don't.

all you need to do is connect to the internet once. there are dozens of free internet trials floating around, and at worst, you'd only have to place a single long distance call to activate the game.

if you can't afford a modem after buying a hl2-capable computer, you're an idiot for buying out of your price-range.

personally, i don't think the required activation is a great idea, but it's certainly not the end of the world. if you live in america, you have no excuse.

No, it's not the end of the world. However I fail to see why a person should be forced to go to the trouble of buying a modem and installing a trial version of something in order to play one single game. Why does Valve fee the need to do things differently than every other game company on Earth? It's called inconveniencing the customer, not a good business practice.

Oh and there happens to be a lot of people who don't live in America.

 

[Lanthanide]

if you live in america, you have no excuse.

Perhaps.

But you're forgetting that there are roughly 25 times as many people who don't live in America as do.

Game sales (and movie tickets etc) from the rest of the world tend to make up a little more than 50% of the sales, too. So while a lot of the buyers all come from one country, they aren't the majority.

Also, what do you do if you live somewhere that has very bad phoneline quality?


As for inconveniencing the customer - yes, that's all it is. It's just as easy to beat a online-activation protection as it is to beat a CD-key/CD-check based one.

 

[epmode]

It's called inconveniencing the customer, not a good business practice.

i believe this news.

however, i'd be very interested in hearing the percentage of probable hl2 purchasers that have no way to connect to the internet. i wouldn't be surprised if it's under 1%.

 

[Mr-Fusion]

Hmm we have absolutely no research to indicate what percentage of customers will be incovenienced by this.

It's likely Valve conducted some market research before making such a decision, or got some secondary data. Or something...

 

[PointBlank]

Anyone who can't play because of this would have far harsher things to say. It IS bullshit.

Agreed. 100%. Bullshit. :bonce:

I'm sure tehre will be a crack for this when the game comes out, though, so I'm set.

 

[f|uke]

Why even come into this thread if you think the topic is bullshit? Nobody is making you read this, and some people think this is a worthy topic. So stop whining, bitches.


Ahem. Back to the topic at hand.

I must admit, I dont understand this.

We know its not going to stop piracy. There will be a warez version just like everything else.

So is it going to stop John Doe from giving a copy to all his friends? Well, for John Doe to do that, he'd already have to know about sites like m---games or c-----world. So will there be solutions available on those sites? I'd bet money on it.

Who are they stopping? Who are they even hindering?

Of course it is an absolute minority that is being inconvenienced here. And as a Steam Purchaser, I could care less. But why put these people through trouble if there is nothing to gain?

Well who knows. Maybe this will prove to be a useful tactic for VALVe. We'll just have to see how it goes I guess.

 

[FthrJACK]

No, only Americans have teh intarweb.

there is no world past texas or beyond seattle, well, there Canada but they are really Americans that havent made their minds up yet.

The rest of the world lives in wooden huts in the woods and eats berries, and those English people live in thatched little cottages and everyone stops at 4pm every day to drink tea and eat little cakes, and they all know the queen, personally. they dont have telephones there yet, but i hear that they might have computers soon, they invented the thing but for some reason only us Americans have computers, Oh and those skinny African kids we give our old machines to, i hear they make electricity to run them on using hamsters.

Nice post kid, you just did your country a great dis-service by acting like a stereo type. I wont let it reflect on your American compatriots though, just you and your ilk.

 

[Neutrino]

Agreed. 100%. Bullshit. :bonce:

I'm sure tehre will be a crack for this when the game comes out, though, so I'm set.

Except anyone who doesn't have an internet connection has no way to download such a crack.

 

[epmode]

I'm sure tehre will be a crack for this when the game comes out, though, so I'm set.

how would you get the crack, if not through the internet? or are you worried about valve STEALING YOUR IDENTITY? rolleyes.

blah blah blah

are you talking about me?

 

[Dr. A]

No, only Americans have teh intarweb.

there is no world past texas or beyond seattle, well, there Canada but they are really Americans that havent made their minds up yet.

The rest of the world lives in wooden huts in the woods and eats berries, and those English people live in thatched little cottages and everyone stops at 4pm every day to drink tea and eat little cakes, and they all know the queen, personally. they dont have telephones there yet, but i hear that they might have computers soon, they invented the thing but for some reason only us Americans have computers, Oh and those skinny African kids we give our old machines to, i hear they make electricity to run them on using hamsters.

Nice post kid, you just did your country a great dis-service by acting like a stereo type. I wont let it reflect on your American compatriots though, just you and your ilk.

Ziiiiiiiiing!

 

[FthrJACK]

Except anyone who doesn't have an internet connection has no way to download such a crack.

bah beaten to it, but so frikken true.

still, this situation is retarded, as people have said it wont stop the pirates and will only piss customers off, as usual.

Like that CD protection on music CD's that stops the CD playing in your car stereo or PC. Yet, if you wanted to copy the damn thing all you have to do is connect your hifi to your soundcard, play the CD, record on the PC, and woohoo now you can use that CD properly like you paid to do so.

stupid move valve.. wont affect me but its a stupid move still.

 

[Dr. A]

nobody can stop piracy anyway...they can probably stall it for some time but it's just too relentless