Do I have to have Steam in Order to play HL2?

The Monkey

The Monkey

The Freeman
Joined
Jun 5, 2004
Messages
16,315
Reaction score
16
Do I have to have Steam in Order to play HL2? Beacouse if I have to, it sucks.
 
Yes, steam is built in to hl2. You don't need the internet as such, but steam will get installed as part of hl2
 
You won't need steam installed unless you want to play multi player I believe. I remember reading it in the Info From Valve thread a long, long, long time ago :angel:
 
it's a lot better now than about a year ago, i remember beta testing and then the first few updates, my god was it hell, but now it's a thousand times better
 
Well if you're asking if you need it to GET HL2, then no. It'll be released as a boxed game and on Steam, probably a week earlier. Steam'll probably be used for MP.
 
I think if you have to connect to steam it would be purely for confirmation of the game's validity. A piracy prevention method, but that is at most.
 
itsnt it going to be installed through steam when u install of a cd? and then u lauch it via steam. if not, the point of steam seems a little lost.
 
Does Steam cost anything, or is it just the downloads that costs?
 
i am trying to use steam for the first time, i have a 56k and all is going well but i haven't installed opfor or hl yet and i want to play them.... am i gonna have to wait for the 568 meg download...i am aren't i...owww
 
Duracell said:
You won't need steam installed unless you want to play multi player I believe. I remember reading it in the Info From Valve thread a long, long, long time ago :angel:
Click to expand...

I think Steam is REQUIRED to play HL-2 no matter if your only playing single-player, or multiplayer. An internet connection is not required however, if you only want to play single-player.
 
hl2 will not need steam unless you are buying it from them or you intend to play multiplayer.............sp is only a download away no need for steam.......... :smoking:
 
Steam is needed. Even playing offline single player, you need steam.
(In fact even if you get a warez version you will probably need steam to get it working)

Steam will come with HL2 so there's no need to download it or have it installed before hand.

Steam is the front end for all games coming out of valve from now.
 
RotorHead said:
hl2 will not need steam unless you are buying it from them or you intend to play multiplayer.............sp is only a download away no need for steam.......... :smoking:
Click to expand...
You need Steam if you get HL2 via Steam, unless they fix the offline mode that requires you to be online to be offline

Or get a crack to fix it. Yes I'm advocating cracks since I'm stuck unable to play HL2 on the machine I bought for it because that machine doesn't have net access, and wont do because it contains a lot of important work and important data that isn't insured for access to the net. So I can DL HL2 via Steam and use the coupon from my ATI card. But then can't play it on the other machine and instead have to play it on the net machine which is barely able to do much these days, so I'm stuck with a useless game unless I disconnect the net from this one, plug it in the other one, wait 24 hours for NTL to update and recognise it, enter a password I don't have, which would involve a 1 hour wait for customer services after spending 20 minutes going back and forth from person to person, install tons of security updates and other crap, which I would have to somehow find a way to download and store rather than install directly (since I'd have to get them BEFORE switching over) setup a firewall with all the settings required to keep it free of malicious programs on the net. Setup everything for net access which will screw up the network settings, install Steam, run it, download HL2, exit it. unplug the net from that machine and plug it back in this machine, wait another 24 hours before I can use the net again, call NTL explaining all this to them, having to jump through hoops just to be allowed access again after spending three hours convincing them I'm not breaking their T&C. Then hope I don't have to reinstall the other machine and go through the whole mess again.

Steam: made for muppets by muppets
 
It'll be like Condition Zero:

If you want updates or playing online you'll have to import the content of what you installed from the CD(s) to the Steam Cache.

If you just want to play the SP, then, you can play with the original install.
 
Fenric said:
You need Steam if you get HL2 via Steam, unless they fix the offline mode that requires you to be online to be offline

Or get a crack to fix it. Yes I'm advocating cracks since I'm stuck unable to play HL2 on the machine I bought for it because that machine doesn't have net access, and wont do because it contains a lot of important work and important data that isn't insured for access to the net. So I can DL HL2 via Steam and use the coupon from my ATI card. But then can't play it on the other machine and instead have to play it on the net machine which is barely able to do much these days, so I'm stuck with a useless game unless I disconnect the net from this one, plug it in the other one, wait 24 hours for NTL to update and recognise it, enter a password I don't have, which would involve a 1 hour wait for customer services after spending 20 minutes going back and forth from person to person, install tons of security updates and other crap, which I would have to somehow find a way to download and store rather than install directly (since I'd have to get them BEFORE switching over) setup a firewall with all the settings required to keep it free of malicious programs on the net. Setup everything for net access which will screw up the network settings, install Steam, run it, download HL2, exit it. unplug the net from that machine and plug it back in this machine, wait another 24 hours before I can use the net again, call NTL explaining all this to them, having to jump through hoops just to be allowed access again after spending three hours convincing them I'm not breaking their T&C. Then hope I don't have to reinstall the other machine and go through the whole mess again.

Steam: made for muppets by muppets
Click to expand...


Why can't you just buy HL2 from a shop? You don't need a net connection.
 
Even when playing offline? I don't have anything against Steam but why need it if you're just playing SP?
 
Burning Fish said:
Even when playing offline? I don't have anything against Steam but why need it if you're just playing SP?
Click to expand...
You don't, read my post.
 
Liam said:
Why can't you just buy HL2 from a shop? You don't need a net connection.
Click to expand...
Because then I'd be paying for it twice. I already paid for it by buying an ATI card with the coupon for it. I find it more than a little unfair if I would have to buy it again just to play it. I've spent enough money on the game already and in no mood to spend any more on it. All I ask is they make it so steam can be copied across to another machine and used, without it saying I can't use it offline. That way I can update and use steam as normal on this one, and copy it across to the other when it updates and play the game. It's not like I'm stealing anything from them, I paid for the game and I would like to play it when it comes out.
 
Fenric said:
Because then I'd be paying for it twice. I already paid for it by buying an ATI card with the coupon for it. I find it more than a little unfair if I would have to buy it again just to play it. I've spent enough money on the game already and in no mood to spend any more on it. All I ask is they make it so steam can be copied across to another machine and used, without it saying I can't use it offline. That way I can update and use steam as normal on this one, and copy it across to the other when it updates and play the game. It's not like I'm stealing anything from them, I paid for the game and I would like to play it when it comes out.
Click to expand...

your cd keys are stored to your account so you can load up your copy on any computer you want so long as you login with your account once. When I got my new computer all I did was install the steam client and login to my account and now i can play half-life, opfor, etc. without connecting on either machine.
 
The two main points in this thread are:

1. Steam is required for HL2 and will be installed at the same time as the game, Gabe has confirmed this.

2. Fenric hates steam. :smoking:
 
Fenric said:
Because then I'd be paying for it twice. I already paid for it by buying an ATI card with the coupon for it. I find it more than a little unfair if I would have to buy it again just to play it. I've spent enough money on the game already and in no mood to spend any more on it. All I ask is they make it so steam can be copied across to another machine and used, without it saying I can't use it offline. That way I can update and use steam as normal on this one, and copy it across to the other when it updates and play the game. It's not like I'm stealing anything from them, I paid for the game and I would like to play it when it comes out.
Click to expand...

Well, I'm sorry for your situation, but it is kinda your fault for buying the game via a method you can't get it by.

It's not Steams fault NTL are slow about changing stuff, and its not there fault you don't have internet access on the computer you need it on.

There's a reason why they don't want HL2 being copied around from computer to computer, it's called Warez.
 
ACLeroK212 said:
your cd keys are stored to your account so you can load up your copy on any computer you want so long as you login with your account once. When I got my new computer all I did was install the steam client and login to my account and now i can play half-life, opfor, etc. without connecting on either machine.
Click to expand...
That doesn't seem to work, if it did then it would be fine. It still though involves logging into steam atleast once, even if its already logged in. Course its having to store that login info somewhere, just a matter of finding out where and how and copying that across to the other machine. Then I'm sorted and they can do what they like with steam then.

-

Leathal8472 - Oh no, i love steam (no seriously I do like it) I just think it could have been thought out a lot better, some different method allowing you to still use it but without a net connection. Their assuming many have broadband. And this is just gonna get worse later on when attempting to patch HL2 results in it NEEDING Steam, even if its the standalone SP version. A lot of people are gonna be stuck using buggy version 1 HL2's because they can't patch it for various reasons. And what do people do when a game is buggy? They stop playing. And people can't be blamed for not having broadband, not everyone lives in an area covered by it. And something tells me parents will simply laugh at the suggestion they should move, just to play a game.

So yeah, nice idea in theory, needs work in practice.

PS. Atleast Codename Gordon works without steam, now if they did HL2 like that I'd be over the moon. :D

-

Liam. Yeah well looks like Warez is my only choice now doesn't it, unless it gets fixed, so that kinda screwed that plan up. It's sad that I'm forced to either give them more money, or patch a legal game with warez just to use it.
 
Yup worldwide.

Its a great program. You should download it to see what it is exactly. :)
 
marksmanHL2 :) said:
Yup worldwide.

Its a great program. You should download it to see what it is exactly. :)
Click to expand...

Well, I would but my PC is sitting around in pieces right now. Online on my girlfriend's notebook until I finish relocating to another continent. :E
 
well when i playtested hl2, it was just like the half-life steam... i clicked on hl2 on the desktop and it went to an interface similar to the half-life one now that you find in steam.. i loaded maps by hitting console and then typing up the map they wanted me to playtest and it was a steam console... so yes hl2 is integrated with steam... im not sure if you will be able to play without it, so dont trust me too much.. im just saying what i saw!

-merc
 
surely, the point in a singler player version of the game means that you dont need to log into the internet to get an account working so you can play the game? that defeats the point doesnt it? im quite sure that SP version of HL2 wil come without steam.
Also whats going to stop somebody gettin the SP version, with a cd-key? and plugging that into Steam to get multiplayer... im really confused!
 
Just look at it this way: YOU NEED STEAM. THE END.

(Unless you Warezing but thats dodgy enough anyway)
 
oldagerocker said:
surely, the point in a singler player version of the game means that you dont need to log into the internet to get an account working so you can play the game? that defeats the point doesnt it? im quite sure that SP version of HL2 wil come without steam.
Also whats going to stop somebody gettin the SP version, with a cd-key? and plugging that into Steam to get multiplayer... im really confused!
Click to expand...

Half-Life 2 doesn't need to run through Steam although you will need to use it if you want to play online or get updates. You don't need to get your game validated. The singleplayer version of Half-Life 2 wont be supported by Steam.
 
it's all rather confusing, didn't someone from Valve mention having to simply confirm with steam once and then it would be ok?
 
Rupertvdb said:
it's all rather confusing, didn't someone from Valve mention having to simply confirm with steam once and then it would be ok?
Click to expand...

Nope.. if you had to do that no one would buy the game :P Steam is sort of integrated with Half-Life 2 so it's a little confusing trying to explain the Steam compatibility :o
 
Rupertvdb said:
it's all rather confusing, didn't someone from Valve mention having to simply confirm with steam once and then it would be ok?
Click to expand...

Yeah but they made it so you can't copy it over to another machine (in an effort to stop something or other, but also screwing it up for on the level players who didn't want to use warez)

If you want to use it on a machine, that machine has to login to steam atleast once and exit (not exit and logout)
 
As Mendasp stated, it will more than likely be like Condition Zero is.

You can install from the CD to your HD, which is completely local and is single player only. It doesn't even need a CDKey to play offline. Although, I'm sure HL2 will have some sort of CDKey for single player, as this is a more coveted title than CZ.

If you connect to Steam, you put your CDKey in and play multiplayer (or single player off Steam) after converting/downloading the cache files.
 
I love Steam...me and my brother can play on it at the same time. The one time we played CS together it didn't work, but I can play HL (or HLDM) and he can play CS or any other game at the same time.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Ennui
HL2 20th Anniversary Update + Documentary
Replies
8
Views
621
Xtremecherry95YT
Xtremecherry95YT
Teta_Bonita
I made contact with a DEMON?!
Replies
4
Views
395
Mr Stabby
Mr Stabby
Acepilotf14
steam group bad link
Replies
3
Views
655
Xtremecherry95YT
Xtremecherry95YT
Krynn72
You guys, what the **** is up.
Replies
11
Views
2K
Tollbooth Willie
Tollbooth Willie
TechnoHippyChic
EA games returning to Steam
Replies
0
Views
1K
TechnoHippyChic
TechnoHippyChic
Back
Top