CONFIRMED (again): Internet needed for RETAIL HL2.

[ahardy668]

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.

 

[disruptioN_]

That sucks for all of my friends who want to install it on a computer without internet.

 

[Parasite]

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.

It doesnt matter if you thing the "cost" of piracy is artificial, those "losses" are taken into account and passed on to consumers, I happen to think Valve has a much better way of dealing with it then other developer/publishers. I could care less for a long winded rant about how you disaprove of copy protection and how it doesnt work...thats all besides the point. If you wanna have that discussion, start a new thread and whine there.

 

[Gossoon]

I can't believe this thread got this long and I also can't believe that Valve wouldn't have an alternate authentication system for people without internet. Why can't they also have phone authentication? Read your key to someone over the phone and they give you a code. Simple. If all they cared about was authentication, not data mining, this should be acceptable. Of course, as everyone has mentioned, all authentication systems are eventually cracked. Companies need to start offering incentives rather than threats to persuade people to use legal copies.

 

[[[LuCkY]]]

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.

You don't need to download, you can get someone to burn it.

And yes there is a reason, it deters the 'average' user from pirating software.

Any time any kind of anti-piracy measures are introduced it will inconvenience some, but save the company millions.

 

[Woggy]

So how am I supposed to install this on my brothers computer? hes not conneced to the internet, I cant connect him to the internet because my parents wont allow it. Oh well, its going to be cracked the day after release anyway. Just another stupid inconvenience to the paying customer, just like those ****ing useless and annoying CD checks.

 

[Neutrino]

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?

Guess what? It's not availabe everywhere.

Also you forget about these little things called modems that may or may not be present.

 

[Wraith]

at least windows got a 1800 number you can call to tell them the shit and activate the windows.

 

[Wraith]

ok i think i thought up a solution,

first understand the process and then we can see my way around it:

steam conencts and registers on your account, it must change some type of config file or some type of steam file in order that steam knows you are allowed to play offline

ok so wouldnt it work to download steam on some friends computer, log in, register hl2, then burn that entire steam directory to a disc and copy it over onto your hard drive?

 

[BlackMesaDude]

What if my internet goes down after i signed up with the key ?

 

[Dr. Freeman]

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

my question is, if u try to install the game on a PC which has no internet access, Steam won't allow it?
or the game itself will not install at all?
hmm...

 

[Valve_Assassin]

I'd feel like petitioning valve to remove the internet requirement if I thought petitions actually did any good. As many people have pointed out, not everyone has an internet connection, and come november 16th I just may be one of those. Moving around alot tends to **** up your access to the net, which is something that has bugged me about Steam for along time. Back when the damn thing still had the exit and logout button and I was on dial-up, I frequently had trouble playing in off-line mode, and was often unable to play singleplayer offline for days at a time. Since I've moved to broadband (by a strange twist that's not going to last) I haven't had opportunity to see if those problems still exist. But my point is, steam has proven to be nothing but a pain in the ass for off-line play, and when you make a game that's exclusivly single-player *COUGH HL2 COUGH* you really should take that into account.

 

[Tremere]

Interesting, so one would have to connect only once for the game to actually become activated?
How would this stop piracy?

Pirates will just offer the game with the file needed to activate it.

 

[Valve_Assassin]

I thought about a way to remedy my own situation, download the free version of Juno and let it sit quietly on my HD somewhere in case I needs it.





Doesn't mean I agree with Valve though

 

[frances_farmer]

you're all forgetting those of us who currently live in uni accomodation, have no phone socket and are running a proxy and so can't connect with steam. I guess that means i'm royally screwed.

 

[FthrJACK]

It doesnt matter if you thing the "cost" of piracy is artificial, those "losses" are taken into account and passed on to consumers, I happen to think Valve has a much better way of dealing with it then other developer/publishers. I could care less for a long winded rant about how you disaprove of copy protection and how it doesnt work...thats all besides the point. If you wanna have that discussion, start a new thread and whine there.

How about you get a clue and go read through the thread again? Because thats what this thread is about, but your too much of a troll and a tard to realise.

Stupid anti piracy measures that dont affect the pirates and serve only to piss the customer off. Why dont you live up to your name and go and eat shit like the tape worm you are?

Like the guy above just proved my point, part of Valve main customer base - STUDENTS cant play this game because they cant access the net properly via their dorms in order to activate and play a game them damned paid for. If they pay for the game, they should be punished for doing so and have to jump through hoops to suit valve or anyone else for that matter.

Infact, students will probably have to resort to someone downloading the warez version and then passing the CD around campus, which is going to lead to people who havent bought the game getting hold of it, and the direct oppositte of what these stupid measures are supposed to achieve.

 

[Tiddalick]

Im sure they would be an exe crack, or an activation crack made.
Sucks to have to do that if you buy the game though

 

[Wesisapie]

go father jack!
DRINK! FECK!

 

[johnstone]

If its any good then you should be able to phone a number to activate your copy, if you do not have access to the interent.

Just like with Windows XP...........you can get an activation code by phoning a number.

If its not done this way then a lot of people will be not pleased!!

This should have been told to the public a long time ago.

 

[FthrJACK]

I would hope they do have some way of doing that john, or via email, i dont think there will be a way to do that though.

Still, this is VALVE we are talking about so lets wait and see, im sure if anyone can get it right its VALVE. I hope so anyway, or some people are going to be pretty upset having preordered the game already, only to find they cant play it.

 

[CR0M]

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.

WRONG

Up until the Steam site revamp (not too long ago) in the FAQs, it stated that an internet connection would NOT be needed to run the retail version if you initially chose to play in offline mode.

Since the site changed however, this little sucker has been mysteriously left out. :|

It's the same old tunnel visioned mentality. If I have the internet, so does EVERYONE.
On this forum we're just a small percentage of the population that are looking to buy this game remember, what about the rest of the planet?

Making a web connection the key to playing a PC game will be a serious money loser, the amount of returned boxes after Christmas will be phenomenal. But like they care.

 

[smacky]

if you have a computer that can run half life 2 , then you will probally have a modem. I dont give a shit about the idiots that cant connect to the internet, they shouldnt buy new games like half life 2 anyway. i believe there are alot of people who dont have internet access, but a 56k modem only costs 10 bucks these days and there is no country without a internet provider ( hell even iraq has them )

 

[BabyHeadCrab]

I hate this alot, I cannot BELIEVE Valve uncle tommed everyone with no internet acsess. WEAK.

 

[Neutrino]

if you have a computer that can run half life 2 , then you will probally have a modem. I dont give a shit about the idiots that cant connect to the internet, they shouldnt buy new games like half life 2 anyway. i believe there are alot of people who dont have internet access, but a 56k modem only costs 10 bucks these days and there is no country without a internet provider ( hell even iraq has them )

Thanks for calling my parents idiots. Nice work there.

 

[FthrJACK]

if you have a computer that can run half life 2 , then you will probally have a modem. I dont give a shit about the idiots that cant connect to the internet, they shouldnt buy new games like half life 2 anyway. i believe there are alot of people who dont have internet access, but a 56k modem only costs 10 bucks these days and there is no country without a internet provider ( hell even iraq has them )

Students in uni accomodation, almost always have restricted internet access. Students will also make up a large chunk of valves audience.

i rest my case m'lud.

I think YOU are the stupid one, just because we have full net access and intend to play from home, does mean not everyone else is in the same situation.

"im alright jack" attitude.

 

[PlasmaBurnz]

Doesn't anyone else find it ironic that us sitting here talking, on the internet, are moaning about a game requiring an internet connection to sign up? And the poor people who don't have the internet not being able to play.

Sorry for being selfish, but who cares? If your on here you obviously have some kind of access to the internet (even if it's in a local cybercafe). So surely you can get a pc hooked up to an internet connection somewhere to register the game. Then you don't need a net connection after that.

Those that don't have any access aren't gonna be able to get on here to read about the mother teresa's fighting for their cause, so what's the point?

I just find it quite amusing.

 

[Solver]

One of the key thoughts in piracy-protection should be that a legal product should never be inferior to an illegal one. Unfortunately, in the industry as it stands now, pirated products are actually more convenient. For instance, legal games require you to have a CD in to play, illegal games don't. So legal users get the hassle of CD switching, pirates don't.

Now it's more of the same. Legal users need an Internet connection to play HL2. So it's trouble for those who don't have one at all. Illegal users won't need the connection. I can guarantee you, I can bet money on it, that shortly after the release, not only the ISO images will be floating around (that happens the day of the release or before), but also a crack that circumvents the whole activation stuff.

 

[CombineHarvester]

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)

I wonder how he is posting this? Uni/work/school I suppose.
EDIT: I was going to suggest using another computer to validate HL2 but that obviously won't work.

So surely you can get a pc hooked up to an internet connection somewhere to register the game. Then you don't need a net connection after that.

If it was the machine HL2 was being played on then yes it would work, otherwise the user would STILL have to contact steam to verify the key the first time it was played on their home machine.

 

[Mr-Fusion]

One of the key thoughts in piracy-protection should be that a legal product should never be inferior to an illegal one. Unfortunately, in the industry as it stands now, pirated products are actually more convenient. For instance, legal games require you to have a CD in to play, illegal games don't. So legal users get the hassle of CD switching, pirates don't.

Steam games don't require a cd in. Steam users don't get the hassle of switching cds.

Now it's more of the same. Legal users need an Internet connection to play HL2. So it's trouble for those who don't have one at all. Illegal users won't need the connection. I can guarantee you, I can bet money on it, that shortly after the release, not only the ISO images will be floating around (that happens the day of the release or before), but also a crack that circumvents the whole activation stuff.

Trouble for those who don't have an internet connection , so they will just download a warez version....err...somethings not right there.

 

[Solver]

You obviously live in an area with developed Internet and underdeveloped warez . Here, people who want to play games (and majority of whom doesn't have an Internet connection) go to a warez store and buy the game for 2-5$.

 

[Edcrab]

As long as they clearly mark this fact on the HL2 box I don't see the problem. I only have one landline and a dialup modem, yet I understand that this'll purely be a one off auth connection (or so they say).

It sucks for those without any sort of access, as they can't verify a game they've legally bought- but if my technophobe parents managed to give themselves net access (albeit via a cheap modem and one of those tacky free CD's) anyone with a phone line can. And anyone who complains about the verification speed should try getting in the shoes of that guy who managed to get the HL2 preload via a 56k... :O

 

[Solver]

I guess verification won't take long for 56k users either. There's probably not going to be more than a few kilobytes of data sent and received. Either way, I am not worried personally - I have a broadband connection, and for all I care, it could download megabytes while I'm playing.

 

[Crash Happy]

It really doesn't matter whether it's 'fair' or not, that's always been the intention so it's not like people haven't had the opportunity to find this out. I've not read any reviews but it certainly should have been mentioned during that, and if they wanted to count that as a bad feature and deduct marks? Sounds fine to me and probably should have been the case. I am a little suprised that they didn't include an option to activate via phone but I guess they figure it's not worth the running costs.

Some people in this thread appear to be hinting that it's a bad move by VALVe because they don't get to install it on their mates (connectionless) pc. Well I'm sure VALVe would be all teary eyed about that.

 

[RoyaleWithCheese]

The fact that you need an internet connection if you want to activate the sp version has been confirmed for quite some time now.

I can imagine that a lot of people are pissed about this for various reasons, so maybe VALVe will take this into account and deliver some kind of alternative activation (e.g. phone activation).

The only sad part is that a lot of people have only now come to the attention of this fact, instead of a couple of weeks/months ago when this was first stated by Gabe Newell.

 

[Edcrab]

I remember, literally over a year back, when people laughed in my face over the whole "HL2 will require an internet connection to play" thing. It did. I was right. Quite soon they introduced an Offline Mode to Steam and the whole thing was forgotten.

I'd always been aware of the authorisation system from day one, my only concern being that a continous connection would be required (back when so many people thought HL2 would appear before Steam's offline patch). That truly would've been screwing their customers over.

 

[Metatron]

I think the main reason for the requered internet check is that people _have_ to get themselves a steam account...

Microsoft background indeed.

 

[Solver]

Well, it goes without saying that I would prefer to have the option of being Steam free completely. I don't play CS:S, and probably wouldn't play HL2 DeathMatch even if there was any. I don't expect myself to play online with these games, so I'd be only happy if I could play my HL2 without even having Steam.

 

[Vormulac]

So now people in the UK will have to get themselves a net connection to validate if they haven't got one, and a DVD drive if they've only got a CD.

Sounds fair enough to play what is now generally touted as the best fps game ever created.

 

[Edcrab]

Well, it may make me sound like an arrogant hypocrit considering my stance on my fellow dialup users, but DVD drives and modems are cheaper than broadband and not regulated by compliance zones (damn you British Telecom), so I don't see it as that much of a deal.

 

[CR0M]

It really doesn't matter whether it's 'fair' or not, that's always been the intention so it's not like people haven't had the opportunity to find this out.

no, no, no, no, no. I wish I saved a copy of the Steam FAQs before they were changed... Q- "do I need an internet connection to play steam games?" A - "No. All you have to do is select offline mode once when you begin" or words to that effect. Funny how few people actually read those FAQs.

I am a little suprised that they didn't include an option to activate via phone but I guess they figure it's not worth the running costs.

A reasonable option, but not as lucrative - same old story.

As long as they clearly mark this fact on the HL2 box I don't see the problem.

ABSOLUTELY right.

But they won't.

It'll be written in tiny tiny text with the minimum sys requirements on the side of the box. And how many parents buying little jimmy no-internet a PC game for xmas read that? To be honest, how many people who KNOW what they're buying actually read that? they are like the ingredients on food packages. And marketing designers know this, as their job is to get you to buy their product by any means necessary - and if you want a refund afterwards, well, that's between you and the retailer, best of luck, don't come crying to us, bub.