CONFIRMED (again): Internet needed for RETAIL HL2.

[seinfeldrules]

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.

Wow, I agree with Neutrino :cheers:

 

[Anable]

I prefer this to the CD copy protection measures everyone else is imploying. This way at least no one will be restricted from playing the game simply because SafeCD doesn't like their CDRom drive. Also, this means there's no reason for HL2 to require a CD every time you want to play. That I actually appreciate Valve doing.

 

[Triggerhappy41]

im more worried about people being unable to set up steam right to activate their copy. so many idiots out there. Valve better dumb-down the process REAL good.

 

[Ownzed]

That's dumb that you have to have the internet to play the game...

 

[jAkUpF]

Am I the only one glad the PC developers are finally doing this? Microsoft has been doing this for a while, nobodys complaining. PC gaming is dying, the reason they are doing this is because of so many warezing going around. I am glad they are finally doing this to get the money they deserve. I'm sure that you can call in or something if you dont have the internet (a la windows xp)

 

[ahardy668]

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.

You have the option to activate Windows XP over the phone if you do not have an internet connection.

 

[Neutrino]

PC gaming is dying

Ya right.

 

[ahardy668]

I prefer this to the CD copy protection measures everyone else is imploying. This way at least no one will be restricted from playing the game simply because SafeCD doesn't like their CDRom drive. Also, this means there's no reason for HL2 to require a CD every time you want to play. That I actually appreciate Valve doing.

Agreed. I'm fine with but I could see how some won't like it. I hate CD copy protection so I always download a nocd crack for all games I buy so I won't have to swap CD's when I switch games. With Steam it's automatic so I don't even think about it.

 

[blahblahblah]

The more I think about this mandatory steam registration, the more I dislike it. I guarantee you that this registration is not going to just verify the CD key. It's probably going to grab your system specs and any personal data you are forced to fill out. I'm not particular fond of having Valve creating a user profile on me (I'm assuming it asks for a name, etc).

I don't want Valve spamming me with emails or advertisements on Valve games I haven't purchased. Or selling my name to other game publishers. This is crap. Yet we are forced into a damn box.

 

[f|uke]

PC gaming is dying, the reason they are doing this is because of so many warezing going around.

Piracy has been rampant since the days of the C64, my friend. Nothing has changed, and with companies like ATi and Nvidia, PCs will continue to be the most powerful platform around.

 

[FthrJACK]

Am I the only one glad the PC developers are finally doing this? Microsoft has been doing this for a while, nobodys complaining. PC gaming is dying, the reason they are doing this is because of so many warezing going around. I am glad they are finally doing this to get the money they deserve. I'm sure that you can call in or something if you dont have the internet (a la windows xp)

Little fact for you: WindowsXP is the most widley pirated version of Windows, EVER.

its about as uncrackable as sugar glass.

 

[Parasite]

Internet distrobution is not a revolutionary idea that valve is poineering...its something that was/is bound to become commonplace scince the inception of e-commerce. Publishers know this, developers know it, retailers are scared of it, and consumer dont get it...yet. But get ready for the future, cuz you cant stop it.

Yeah needing the internet to activate our games sucks now, but in 4-5 years it will be odd not too. Besides compare that inconvenience to what happened with Far Cry and Pain Killer when they came out, and I think being "forced" to get a temporary internet connection is nothing compared to being forced to uninstall certian programs, remove hardware or even reformat. Take your pick...for every person that will be inconvenienced by Valves method there was 10 SOL because of Pain Killers.

It would be nice if steam a steam aco**** had some use for the consumer like online access to save games so you could pick up a game anywhere theres a copy of HL2...or personal stats in CS save to your steam account and stuff like that.

 

[FthrJACK]

yeah, didnt stop far cry or pain killer being pirated before their release dates did it? they are both all over IRC, bit torrent and other P2P networks, NNTP servers, you name it, they are on it.

The piracy protection often ends up costing more than the piracy, and you know who this cost then gets passed onto dont you? and then companies just wag their finger and spout off about how its the pirates fault YOUR wallet just got reamed. Its a joke, and it stinks.

Look at that CD copy protection software that some music publishers started putting on disks a while back, it cost millions on millions of dollars. Then within days someone found out that if you drew on the cd with a marker pen and covered up the first track (which was very visble with a nice border between it and the actual CD) then the disk played normally in ANY player.

Then more recent, similar anti copy software that was put on music CD's, again costing MILLIONS of dollars, some kid posts on newgroups that holding down shift when you put the CD in your PC stops the software installing and blocking you playing the disk, nothing new.. holding shift is an old trick to stop CD's autorunning. Didnt stop the record company threatening to take him to court for "bypassing" their anti piracy measures, they backed down in the end, made themselves look real stupid as well as a few million dollars poorer.

im wondering what stupid anti copy crap comes out next that means our CD's cost more, yet doesent stop the disk being copied (hell your legally entitled to copy it if you bought it, just not allowed to distribute it)

They keep bringing them out, ALL of them can be bypassed by connecting your stereo to your sound card and playing the disk while recording on the PC, yet they still keep throwing millions at the stupid crap, oblivious that all their measures can be bypassed this way.

Then keep crying about the millions its costing them.


Cry me a river.

 

[Neutrino]

The more I think about this mandatory steam registration, the more I dislike it. I guarantee you that this registration is not going to just verify the CD key. It's probably going to grab your system specs and any personal data you are forced to fill out. I'm not particular fond of having Valve creating a user profile on me (I'm assuming it asks for a name, etc).

I don't want Valve spamming me with emails or advertisements on Valve games I haven't purchased. Or selling my name to other game publishers. This is crap. Yet we are forced into a damn box.

I mostly agree. Though I can understand it for multiplayer use, there is no way it should be necessary for singleplayer.

 

[fantasiser]

Am I the only one glad the PC developers are finally doing this? Microsoft has been doing this for a while, nobodys complaining. PC gaming is dying, the reason they are doing this is because of so many warezing going around. I am glad they are finally doing this to get the money they deserve. I'm sure that you can call in or something if you dont have the internet (a la windows xp)

ha, yeh, PC gaming sure is dying

this made me LOL, i dont know what planet you live on, but Xbox and Playstation 2 games (warezed) are readily available for download, Its not a PC specific problem. And why do you assume this will stop piracy? it WONT. The warez monkeys will just bypass the whole registration - even if steam has to send files to your computer it WONT MATTER, because the warez people can register 1 real copy and then have the files on all their warez copies.

and also i havent heard of any microsoft games requiring an internet connection what games are these?



Edit : I think this online thing is Bullshit, it wont stop piracy, all it will do is screw people in the ozarks

 

[jAkUpF]

Little fact for you: WindowsXP is the most widley pirated version of Windows, EVER.

its about as uncrackable as sugar glass.

not its not. I work in the retail industry. I work at PCCLUB. I sell windows xp. This version of windows has made Microsoft more money than any other version. Yes its still gets pirated, but not nearly as much as Windows 98 when all you had to do was burn it.

And to the person who said PC gaming is not dying. Obviously you havent been gaming very long. Games cost too much money now adays, they need to make a profit. Often times they dont. Every year there are less, and more shittier games. I've been gaming since the 80's.

And to the above poster, dont be a freakin retard. PC Gaming is WAY easier to pirate games. Everyone who pcgames knows how to get a pirated game working. Not many people I know can get a pirated xbox game working. You need to buy a chip I believe. And no its not gonna stop piracy. Nothing ever will, but at least it will keep causual downloaders from playing a warezed game.

 

[chu]

Right now I am on my interweb pc. My gaming pc does not have a modem and I will be playing HL2 on my gamimg rig. So now I have to spend the $30+ to buy a modem that will be used once. Hoping I can possibly return it to get my money back.

 

[FthrJACK]

jakupf, i run www.msfn.org, im also a sys admin for the UK Gov. i have run msfn since windowsXP was still in its very early beta stages. Now trust me on this, WindowsXP is the most widley pirated version of windows ever, it is also the best selling version.

and yeah, thats all you have to do with XP, is burn it, like win98. install it, if you used your friends key or a "blocked key" then you alter one registry key, fire up msoobe.exe put your new VLK in and bam.

Or, download an iso, make a slipstreamed CD with SP2 on it, latest hotfixes, your fave programs.. winrar, winamp.. etc. make a few batch files, few VBS scripts, burn it to disk. Voila... install it on any machine, have it setup your login details, passwords, your faveprograms, fills your cd key in, sets your network connection up, needs no user interaction at all to install (or as little or as much interaction as you want) -- how to go about this, and many great little tricks you can add in there, is all explained on the site.

you can do that with legal versions too.. quite legally, several of us at msfn.org got nominated for MVP awards a while back for our work, its great for installing windows on a network or bunch of machines you need clean installs on, burn the disks, put them in the drives and walk away, windows installs on its own. Good little CD if you dont use network installations.

see, i wasnt just pretending to know what im talking about

 

[Dr. A]

... I've been gaming since the 80's...

man, wat did u play? Alley Cat? :rolling:
j/k

i must disagree with ur statement that PC gaming is dying tho...IMO it's still a lucrative business.

Piracy has been rampant since the days of the C64, my friend. Nothing has changed, and with companies like ATi and Nvidia, PCs will continue to be the most powerful platform around.

i wholeheartedly agree

 

[FthrJACK]

Right now I am on my interweb pc. My gaming pc does not have a modem and I will be playing HL2 on my gamimg rig. So now I have to spend the $30+ to buy a modem that will be used once. Hoping I can possibly return it to get my money back.

could you not just put your modem in/on your gaming rig for a bit?

or network them together, id do that anyway, well worth it, you could then play games online using your non gaming machine as a gateway. Or beter still, buy a router, cost you as much or a little more than a modem will anyway, connect your cable modem to it and your two machines and voila, both machines networked and able to use the internet at the same time and independantly of each other (ie both dont need to be turned on)

Originally Posted by f|uke
Piracy has been rampant since the days of the C64, my friend. Nothing has changed, and with companies like ATi and Nvidia, PCs will continue to be the most powerful platform around.

yup, i remember fairlight releasing games for the Amiga 600 back in the day

ive been gaming since the days of the ZX48k spectrum, long time :rolling: one of my first games was also one of those little hand held Nintendo LCD mario games, i had the two screen catch the patient things and the catch the parachuter in a rowing boat games. Your all just wipper snappers.

 

[Alientank]

If there's one thing that's pissed me off it's the people in here saying you shouldn't have to have a net connection to play the game. The game reqs have always stated you need a net connection. Don't got one, get one. And don't give me this shit about no internet being available, if you have a phone, you can have internet, even just sign up for some free crap to activate it. There's no way in hell that you live in an area that you can have computer parts shipped to you, and not have a phone. There's no one who can afford a computer out there to run hl2, that can't live in a house or even a damn area of the country where there are phones. In the middle of nowhere...there are phones. Stop with the bullshit crying about internet connections. A 56k modem is what, like $10 these days? About the price of a floppy drive. If you just spent $1500+ on a hl2 pc, you can afford the extra $10. Retarded arguement to begin with, I wouldn't be surprised if the people complaining about needing a net connection, think the woman who won her "I spilt hot coffee on myself and sued" case against mcdonalds was deserving of the money because "no one told her it was hot"

 

[FthrJACK]

I wouldn't be surprised if the people complaining about needing a net connection, think the woman who won her "I spilt hot coffee on myself and sued" case against mcdonalds was deserving of the money because "no one told her it was hot"

Actually, i think you should look into the details of that case properly before spouting about it. MC'D's where totally liable. She recieved 3rd degree burns that burned the skin off 3 layers deep in under 5 seconds flat, all over her thighs, buttocks, groin. Thats not just hot coffee, thats retarded. The coffee was over 185'F, which isnt just hot my friend. anyone attempting to drink coffee that hot will burn their vocal chords out of their throat and probably suffocate due to the resulting burns and swelling its so hot. you should know what you are saying before making missinformed statements like you did.

Find the real details out, not the the urban myth.

 

[fantasiser]

jakupf your talking crap
casual downloaders from playing warezed games?
How the frik is a casual gamer gonna accidentally download a warez game?? also, for consoles, yes you need a chip, but other than that its a simple download - burn - play process.
Ive been a gamer since EARLY 90's ('91, '92) and even back then most games were just played on shareware and a $20 mail registration. Now PC games are selling millions of copies at up to $100 (australian).
Console gaming has ALWAYS been more mainstream and popular, even back in the days of playstation and nintendo, and dont give me the "obviously you havent been gaming very long" bullshit.

And about WindowsXP making heaps of money, thats the point dumass, its been pirated to hell, as has office XP etc, and yet Microsoft dont seem to be dying from piracy. You seem to think eveyrthing is far worse than it actually is, get your head out of your ass

 

[FthrJACK]

Microsoft actually grossed over 65 BILLION dollars PROFIT last year.

Despite XP and Office XP piracy being more abundant than it ever has been, not just by a small margin, we are talking, at a guess more than 400% increase in pirated copies. Partly due to Pc being more popular, partly due to the internet being more widespread, and fast connections, and partly due to people in the mainstream being more tech savvy and aware of pirating software and how to do it/where to get it.

Im sure Bill.G and Steve.B are feeling the pinch, i wish i was a Broke as they are.

 

[blahblahblah]

If there's one thing that's pissed me off it's the people in here saying you shouldn't have to have a net connection to play the game. The game reqs have always stated you need a net connection. Don't got one, get one. And don't give me this shit about no internet being available, if you have a phone, you can have internet, even just sign up for some free crap to activate it. There's no way in hell that you live in an area that you can have computer parts shipped to you, and not have a phone. There's no one who can afford a computer out there to run hl2, that can't live in a house or even a damn area of the country where there are phones. In the middle of nowhere...there are phones. Stop with the bullshit crying about internet connections. A 56k modem is what, like $10 these days? About the price of a floppy drive. If you just spent $1500+ on a hl2 pc, you can afford the extra $10. Retarded arguement to begin with, I wouldn't be surprised if the people complaining about needing a net connection, think the woman who won her "I spilt hot coffee on myself and sued" case against mcdonalds was deserving of the money because "no one told her it was hot"

I can have a 4 plus year old computer and still play HL2.

Anyways, Internet access costs money. When I graduate college soon, I probably won't have internet access for 6 months until I have all my finances in order. Spending money on the Internet is purely an optional expense. If you are on a budget, you are going to choose between one or the other.

I don't think you have been in the real world yet.

 

[Parasite]

Cry me a river.

I think that summed up your entire post.

 

[Operator]

Well what I want to know is why is anyone getting upset at this... obviously you have an internet connecton, that is unless you are somewhere other than home. Personally I think this is a great idea, hopefully it is failproof and nobody can pirate HL2... thats very far fetched but it would be cool.

 

[blahblahblah]

Well what I want to know is why is anyone getting upset at this... obviously you have an internet connecton, that is unless you are somewhere other than home. Personally I think this is a great idea, hopefully it is failproof and nobody can pirate HL2... thats very far fetched but it would be cool.

I've been on the otherside of the river. I didn't have an internet connection for a while. This isn't exactly fair to people who have rigs capable of playing HL2 without an internet connection.

I also think Valve has some ulterior motives involve.

 

[AMPED]

Another reason not to buy the retail.....

 

[FthrJACK]

I think that summed up your entire post.

ok... you like paying artificially hiked prices for your music albums then i take it? or have a "i Love the RIAA" bumper sticker, one or the other.

 

[Lanthanide]

man, wat did u play? Alley Cat? :rolling:

Hey, alleycat was great.

Face it, all you people saying "if you have a good computer, you should have an internet connection" simply don't get the fact that SOME people DO have a good computer and DON'T have an internet connection and CAN'T get one for some reason or another.

You repeatedly saying "well you should" or "you're stupid for buying that computer and not getting a modem" or "those people won't exist" won't change the FACT that there are SOME people in this situation, wheter you like it or not.

You are entitled to say "tough luck for you then, you're only a small percentage" but don't insult them (and keep repeating yourselves adding nothing new) for something that is most likely out of their control.


Furthermore, it is very unlikely that this activation method will remain uncracked for longer than 1 day once the game is out, which really begs the question as to why they should bother in the first place.

 

[FthrJACK]

i can think of lots of people with computers capable of running HL2, a liking for games, spare time to play them, and no or restricted internet connection.

They are called students.

 

[Alientank]

I can have a 4 plus year old computer and still play HL2.

Anyways, Internet access costs money. When I graduate college soon, I probably won't have internet access for 6 months until I have all my finances in order. Spending money on the Internet is purely an optional expense. If you are on a budget, you are going to choose between one or the other.

I don't think you have been in the real world yet.

THERE ARE FREE INTERNET SERVICES OUT THERE THAT DONT COST YOU A DIME LIKE NETZERO. Do I have to drill this into the skull of you damn people?

 

[hiln]

THERE ARE FREE INTERNET SERVICES OUT THERE THAT DONT COST YOU A DIME LIKE NETZERO. Do I have to drill this into the skull of you damn people?

Again, if the access numbers aren't available (in the area), you pay.

 

[sublidieminal]

That sucks for people that have buggy internet... imagine the 16th...and your internet is down... for 2 weeks. Happened to me with source.

 

[epmode]

Again, if the access numbers aren't available (in the area), you pay.

FOR A SINGLE PHONE CALL. omg!

 

[Goombatommy]

As cocky as this may sound, there will ALWAYS be ways around something...

 

[hiln]

FOR A SINGLE PHONE CALL. omg!

Yes, omg, money. Something not everyone has to blow on a bullshit inconvenience by a greedy developer.

Jesus, I can't wait till some of you kids get out of your parent's house.

 

[bobthecombineguy]

Yes, omg, money. Something not everyone has to blow on a bullshit inconvenience by a greedy developer.

Jesus, I can't wait till some of you kids get out of your parent's house.

if you have a comp that can play hl2 but can't afford to make a short phonecall, then you will be eating floor boards soon. and greedy developer? THEY HAVE TO MAKE MONEY! they spent, what, $40 mil on halflife 2 so far?

 

[epmode]

Yes, omg, money. Something not everyone has to blow on a bullshit inconvenience by a greedy developer.

Jesus, I can't wait till some of you kids get out of your parent's house.

get over yourself. i'm 26.

again, if you have a pc that can play hl2, you should have (or you can afford,) a one-time internet connection. if you don't, you have bigger problems than missing out on a videogame. get a (better) job.

valve has obviously decided the potential losses due to a lack of internet access are negligible. and really, if you're posting here, why does it even matter?