Do other retail purchaser feel like second class citizens?

[InvaderScooge]

Why does Valve hate me? because I decided to buy a collectors edition to get a shirt and a professionally made DVD copy of the game that's why? We get all the downsides of steam. If steam goes down we can't play, if steam goes away our game is worthless and we can't play. But we don't get any of the benefits either. Steam people can play anywhere they want after downloading the game through thier account. We have to have the stupid disk in the drive to launch the game!

Valve, people bought retail because they didn't want to buy through an online delivery system. So what do you do? You force them to authenticate on your online deliver system and get the game through there anyways! The retail disks are not a standalone. They don't even have all the files needed to play, they are just the preloads. I have to log on to steam and download the rest and unlock just like steam people do so if steam goes away I am screwed. This DVD is a waste of space that I am now eternally bound to to play the game I own. Valve knows I bought the game, they made me authenticate and register the freaking cd key to a steam account.

This is unacceptable. Release an update to free the retail people from the CD requirement or I will have to support the warez group by using there no cd crack so I can play without searching for my disk each time.

Okay, I am done venting now. On a side note the game is great, good job Valve. Now pull your heads out of your ***.

 

[gundersausage]

Yep, they are a complete joke, I spend more money than their other customers for double the inconvenience.... and these moronic companies wonder why people go warez..... I know I will be next time

 

[mortiz]

I agree VALVe screwed up with getting the retail versions to work with STEAM but I don't think they did it intentionally. It was just "Unforseen Consequences", sorry, bad pun.

Also the fact that the discs don't contain all of the game was just a way of combating piracy, I hope VALVe get it fixed soon!

 

[jimbones]

that's because you are! muahahahaaaaaa
just kidding..


but seriously: you are.

 

[DoctorGordon3]

Well said.

In 5 or 10 years, say Valve has shut down....and i want to fire back up HL2? Well i cant. Thats just terrible.

 

[alehm]

Sorry mate, Steam and the internet are here to stay.

Valve doesn't hate you, you hate Valve. If Steam goes down you can still play single player. if Steam goes away the community will find a way to get the game playable on the public.... Starsiege is an example by Vivendi and Freespace 2 is an example by hard core gamers that ressurected online play after it was dismantled.

Again, the system requirements state you need an internet connection to play. If you don't like it don't buy it.

If you want a no CD crack go ahead be my guest (as long as you bought a legit copy) just don't start complaining when we get patches and new levels for HL2 ported directly to our PCs while you have to hunt the warez groups for an updated crack. This is the future of content delivery.

And to the person saying they will go warez next time... typical mentality there.. you pretend like you are fighting the cause against some injustuce yet you are willing to become a theif.

 

[mortiz]

Well said.

In 5 or 10 years, say Valve has shut down....and i want to fire back up HL2? Well i cant. Thats just terrible.

I think if VALVe were to shut down they'd release a patch or something that allowed you to play VALVe's games without connecting to STEAM, but I hope they don't shut down for a while yet!

The bad thing is people are saying Half-Life 2 sucks just because they dislike VALVe and their decisions (believe it or not there are still people out there who hold a grudge against VALVe for delaying HL-2).

 

[InvaderScooge]

Sorry mate, Steam and the internet are here to stay.

Valve doesn't hate you, you hate Valve. If Steam goes down you can still play single player. if Steam goes away the community will find a way to get the game playable on the public.... Starsiege is an example by Vivendi and Freespace 2 is an example by hard core gamers that ressurected online play after it was dismantled.

Again, the system requirements state you need an internet connection to play. If you don't like it don't buy it.

If you want a no CD crack go ahead be my guest (as long as you bought a legit copy) just don't start complaining when we get patches and new levels for HL2 ported directly to our PCs while you have to hunt the warez groups for an updated crack.

And to the person saying they will go warez next time... typical mentality there.. you pretend like you are fighting the cause against some injustuce yet you are willing to become a theif.

Did you even read the post moron? I have no problem with the internet and in fact I like Steam in general. I would also like to see Valve get the money instead of VU. I got retail because I wanted a professionally made DVD. I would not have done that if I knew the DVD was worthless and in fact dead weight I now have to carry around with me to play the game. I have no problem with Steam nor with Valve requiring activation. It is valve requiring me to have the CD in the drive AFTER they made me register my CD-Key, authenticate and unlock my install that I have a problem with.

 

[alehm]

Did you even read the post moron? I have no problem with the internet and in fact I like Steam in general. I would also like to see Valve get the money instead of VU. I got retail because I wanted a professionally made DVD. I would not have done that if I knew the DVD was worthless and in fact dead weight I now have to carry around with me to play the game. I have no problem with Steam nor with Valve requiring activation. It is valve requiring me to have the CD in the drive AFTER they made me register my CD-Key, authenticate and unlock my install that I have a problem with.

As I said after I read your post, go get a no cd crack.

 

[Perret]

I like Valve, i like Steam .. but i think that it isn't nice from Valve to let us retailers put in the DVD each time we want to play ... why we must registrating and validating our files in Steam and then don't be able to play like this people who bought from Steam? I would have buyed this game from Steam too (because I like Steam), but I don't have a CreditCard.

But a Question:
If I now delete all my HL2 Cache Files and redownload all the things, can I actually play it without the DVD?

 

[Snewo]

Uh....no I don't feel like a second class citizen. I have no problem with it because:

A) I can run it in offline mode, if I want, once authenticated.
B) I only plan on installing it on one machine.
C) I am a big boy and can put a disk in my drive.

If it bothers you so much then buy Gamedrive or wait for the no-CD crack to appear which I'm sure it will. I don't understand why this is such a big deal. They are using Steam to help keep the game updated and to help prevent piracy. They had a few hiccups with authentication yesterday, relax. They are protecting their interests for the time they put into the game, I'm willing to deal with a Steam hiccup during launch. That being said, they need to stop the hiccups or I'm sure they will lose customers.


Snewo

 

[gundersausage]

Sorry mate, Steam and the internet are here to stay.

Valve doesn't hate you, you hate Valve. If Steam goes down you can still play single player. if Steam goes away the community will find a way to get the game playable on the public.... Starsiege is an example by Vivendi and Freespace 2 is an example by hard core gamers that ressurected online play after it was dismantled.

Again, the system requirements state you need an internet connection to play. If you don't like it don't buy it.

If you want a no CD crack go ahead be my guest (as long as you bought a legit copy) just don't start complaining when we get patches and new levels for HL2 ported directly to our PCs while you have to hunt the warez groups for an updated crack. This is the future of content delivery.

And to the person saying they will go warez next time... typical mentality there.. you pretend like you are fighting the cause against some injustuce yet you are willing to become a theif.

Speaking of high and mighty causes virgin mary, you seem to be spitting on enough people from that soapbox.... I aint on a mission..... i will just be voting with my wallet..... the only vote these large corporations you love so much understand

It is better to remain silent and have people suspect you of ignorance than to open your mouth and remove all doubt

 

[Tkmaster]

Did you even read the post moron? I have no problem with the internet and in fact I like Steam in general. I would also like to see Valve get the money instead of VU. I got retail because I wanted a professionally made DVD. I would not have done that if I knew the DVD was worthless and in fact dead weight I now have to carry around with me to play the game. I have no problem with Steam nor with Valve requiring activation. It is valve requiring me to have the CD in the drive AFTER they made me register my CD-Key, authenticate and unlock my install that I have a problem with.

Thing is im sure valve would of made it possible for no cd to be needed but. the sad thing is it is a REQUIRMENT made by the companies that distribute the game for sale in retail stores..
If no cdprotection is used the distributors ie, vivendi will not release it..

wait a while in most cases there will be a patch at a later time that will remove the need of the cd

 

[Expansion Pack]

HL2 has went from a must have game to a game thats just to much bother....I took mine back this morning after nearly 8 hours of trying to activate it,and failed......Valve should have anticipated these problems, i mean they have did enough surveys over that last few years,but they did nothing......So we have people who bought the game and could not play it simply because steam could not cope,thats not the customers fault,Thats valves fault........All i wanted to do was activate the game and play it just like other people,5/10/15 mins to activate is acceptable........but 8 hours and then still no playable game is not acceptable.....

 

[InvaderScooge]

I like Valve, i like Steam .. but i think that it isn't nice from Valve to let us retailers put in the DVD each time we want to play ... why we must registrating and validating our files in Steam and then don't be able to play like this people who bought from Steam? I would have buyed this game from Steam too (because I like Steam), but I don't have a CreditCard.

But a Question:
If I now delete all my HL2 Cache Files and redownload all the things, can I actually play it without the DVD?

I am trying that as we speak. I started it this morning and am 45% done. I doubt it will work though. I think steam is tracking the retail keys differently from the steam keys and I will get a hl2.exe that requires the disk to play. I am wondering if I can get a hl2.exe from a steam user and overwrite my hl2.exe to skip the check. The stupid thing is it requires the disk for CS:Source and HL: Source also. Two games that the originals sitting in my steam account don't need a CD for.

 

[Tkmaster]

I like Valve, i like Steam .. but i think that it isn't nice from Valve to let us retailers put in the DVD each time we want to play ... why we must registrating and validating our files in Steam and then don't be able to play like this people who bought from Steam? I would have buyed this game from Steam too (because I like Steam), but I don't have a CreditCard.

But a Question:
If I now delete all my HL2 Cache Files and redownload all the things, can I actually play it without the DVD?

it wouldnt matter.... putting the key into steam will make steam ask for the cd or dvd...

since there is a different key given for cds... Steam will recognize the code to be a code given on retail copies hence it will ask for the retail copy to install the game

 

[HumboldtBlazer]

It stops or prevents piracy. Stop bitching, that allows better games to be made and the overall cost to consumers to go down. Did I say stop bitching? Just enjoy the freakin awesome game already.

 

[InvaderScooge]

Thing is im sure valve would of made it possible for no cd to be needed but. the sad thing is it is a REQUIRMENT made by the companies that distribute the game for sale in retail stores..
If no cdprotection is used the distributors ie, vivendi will not release it..

wait a while in most cases there will be a patch at a later time that will remove the need of the cd

I suspected that it was VU's doing but Valve should have been able to convinve them that with the online activation and the encrypted files a cd check was rediculous. Every CD check is broken within 10 minutes of the game being released and stops no one from pirating the game.

I hope Valve releases a patch to remove it like they do with the UT series but I am afraid that by the time it comes out I will not be playing HL2 anyways. The fact that I having to bring my DVD with me to work each day if I want to join the CS:Source LAN matches everyday is what is pissing me off. Maybe I just won't play. They all suck here anyways.

 

[MajorPayne]

Well that royally sucks, that you have to put the DVD in each time to play. I have been thanking valve for freeing us from this, and I do NOT see a need for this if you still have to unluck the DVD's at install (and you do). Does anyone know if this was a Vivendi thing (since they are the publishers, and responsible for the disks)? Maybe they required this, and Valve had to go along... I am just curious, because it would through a new perspective on this little problem, and make me love the idea of steam even more.

 

[alehm]

I hear you invaderscooge everytime I rent a DVD from Blockbuster I am out of breath carrying it from the car to the house.

I can only imagine you bringing yours to work everyday.

 

[gundersausage]

I hear you invaderscooge everytime I rent a DVD from Blockbuster I am out of breath carrying it from the car to the house.

I can only imagine you bringing yours to work everyday.

Well you should get a little exercise and try to eat better, instead of slagging off at strangers in cyberspace.... that wont impress the girls

 

[QUiCKSILV3R]

Well you should get a little exercise and try to eat better, instead of slagging off at strangers in cyberspace.... that wont impress the girls

OMFG THATS BULLSHITZ

 

[Dragoro]

Almost ever game out requires the CD to be in the drive. This is news to you?

 

[MajorPayne]

The stupid thing is it requires the disk for CS:Source and HL: Source also

Now THAT really F**king sucks! I am double glad I bough via steam now.... I can install on any machine with internet anywhere, never need to keep a physical copy of any CD in my machine either. I cannot believe that Valve would require this kind of copy protection (especially since there will be a NOCD for this problem soon, I guarantee it). I think VU must have added these checks to "protect" thier investment in HL2. Hell, they will probably use this as evidence that Valve tried to undercut thier profits on the steam end by making multiple installs easy, but they (VU) tried to protect thier financial interest by making you keep the CD in the Drive. What F**ktards.

 

[Perret]

No, but you know, almost every game have all the avaible datas on the CD's. And maybe they made the game make use of CD because of piracy. But because of Steam there is no real piracy because of no CD in the drive, because it must be activated in my Steam account, so nobody else can play it with my code. But why then I need the ****ing CD? CZ don't need the CD too, HL1 don't need the CD in the Steam Version .. and I had thank Valve for this .. but now they destruct my vision of no cd HL2 ...
and guy's you now, I'm a really poor guy:
Last evening I want to set up HL2 ... but nooo Steam was too busy ... today on lunch time I have validated all the Files .. HL2 was now ready to play ... I thought: Ooooh cool, only go 4 hours to work and then play HL2 ... I take the DVD from HL2 with me, to give it to a friend who needs the cache files from the DVD because he is a 56k user. I didn't think that HL2 now needs the cd ... I came back from work, want to Start HL2 .. and then ... "please insert dvd" :-(

So now I can play HL2 on friday evening ... maybe *if Steam isnt busy then *

 

[MajorPayne]

Almost ever game out requires the CD to be in the drive. This is news to you?

But they should not HAVE to. There is no reason to potentially damage the original (and possibly the ONLY copy you have, since most companies try to make them uncopyable too) by having to put it in and out of the computer (this is especially true for me -- I have a Xaser case with aluminum doors, which is DEATH for cds if I am not careful). And our point regarding HL2 is that this is no longer necessary. The whole point of steam, and of making even retail users activate via steam is to give a better form of copy protection. So if this is the case, there should be no need to keep the CD in the drive, especially since the retail users must unlock exactly the same as steam purchasers. I HATE having to have my CD drives inhabited by whatever game I want to play -- I own many, and switching for each game sucks. I do go get NOCD cracks for my games, but I do NOT download games. Anything I feel worth my time to play, is worth it to me to pay the developer for (and encourage them to make more games I like). It just sucks that those like me (who would refuse outright to download a game) must resort to "illegal" NOCD cracks just to play the games we like. And this is the reason I bought steam, despite wanting a "real CD" and case. I wanted to support a new system that removes the need to keep the CD in the drive, and gives better copy protection for the game without hurting the users (and steam is a better solution than 90% of copy protection schemes out there). The fact that we have a good solution for copy protection without requiring CD's/DVD's in the drive, but SOMEONE (valve or Vivendi) added this requirement anyway is why we are griping.

 

[NetWarriorDan]

No cd cracks are not illegal.

 

[gundersausage]

OMFG THATS BULLSHITZ

I just visited your site and the same expression came to mind

 

[JPack]

I am wondering if I can get a hl2.exe from a steam user and overwrite my hl2.exe to skip the check. The stupid thing is it requires the disk for CS:Source and HL: Source also. Two games that the originals sitting in my steam account don't need a CD for.

I doubt HL2.exe checks it. It's probably the your retail CD-key that prompts Steam to ask for the disc.

 

[AIEGET]

Valve and Vivendi need to get their sh*t together. As much as I would like to only support Valve I much prefer to have an actual CD in my hands. I also wanted the collectors edition, which comes in a DVD. So I checked and double checked this site and the Steampowered site and all information prior to release said that we would only need the CD to install the game on our computers, and we would then be able to play over steam without the CD.
So I bought the collectors edition, even though I don't have a DVD player, because I thought it would be like the rest of the steam games and I would be able to copy the files onto my Mums computer with her DVD player and then transfer the files to my computer over our Lan. And now I find that I can't do that, so I'm going to have to spend another 200 $NZ to buy a DVD player for my computer. Thanks a lot Valve and Vivendi, for your sheer idiocy.

 

[Francis_Cole]

if you look at it on the other hand (which you may not want to ), then you only gave them $7, while we gave them $30.
And if steam does go down you can still play it?

 

[Ahnteis]

CD copy protection schemes (including the requirement of putting the CD in the drive even though the files are on your HDD) are generally put in at the insistence of THE PUBLISHER. In this case, Vivendi.

 

[Champ]

Sorry mate, Steam and the internet are here to stay.

Valve doesn't hate you, you hate Valve. If Steam goes down you can still play single player. if Steam goes away the community will find a way to get the game playable on the public.... Starsiege is an example by Vivendi and Freespace 2 is an example by hard core gamers that ressurected online play after it was dismantled.

Again, the system requirements state you need an internet connection to play. If you don't like it don't buy it.

If you want a no CD crack go ahead be my guest (as long as you bought a legit copy) just don't start complaining when we get patches and new levels for HL2 ported directly to our PCs while you have to hunt the warez groups for an updated crack. This is the future of content delivery.

And to the person saying they will go warez next time... typical mentality there.. you pretend like you are fighting the cause against some injustuce yet you are willing to become a theif.

How wonderfully put, and how ****ing right you are. I commend you!

 

[jimbones]

Well you should get a little exercise and try to eat better, instead of slagging off at strangers in cyberspace.... that wont impress the girls

haha wittiest retort ever.. =)

 

[HumboldtBlazer]

Valve and Vivendi need to get their sh*t together. As much as I would like to only support Valve I much prefer to have an actual CD in my hands. I also wanted the collectors edition, which comes in a DVD. So I checked and double checked this site and the Steampowered site and all information prior to release said that we would only need the CD to install the game on our computers, and we would then be able to play over steam without the CD.
So I bought the collectors edition, even though I don't have a DVD player, because I thought it would be like the rest of the steam games and I would be able to copy the files onto my Mums computer with her DVD player and then transfer the files to my computer over our Lan. And now I find that I can't do that, so I'm going to have to spend another 200 $NZ to buy a DVD player for my computer. Thanks a lot Valve and Vivendi, for your sheer idiocy.

1. So it is Valve's fault because you bought a DVD copy and didn't own a DVD player? Just so I have this right it is their fault you ASSUMED something?

2. $200 for a DVD player, shit they are $30-$50 unless you want a burner which you do not require to play the game.

My take on the whole CD thing is, why did you guys support VU? They suck ass and are in battle trying to rip the **** out of the software developer we all love. I say it is your own doing and shame on you for not buying it through Steam.

 

[InvaderScooge]

if you look at it on the other hand (which you may not want to ), then you only gave them $7, while we gave them $30.
And if steam does go down you can still play it?

Retail people got the steam files not the game. If I had gotten the game and could play it without steam I would be fine with the CD requirement but I didn't. What I and the other retail customers bought was all of the steam files and the preloads for the game and a CD key we could register on steam. Basically we bought a steam account that comes with HL2 but ours is crippled by the fact that we need the CD to use it.

There are many people in the retail space that had no idea that they were not getting a game on the disks (I knew but didn't care because I foolishly thought I would not need the CD to play since steam is such an awesome thing for consumers). They happily thought that Valve had sent the gold version of the game to VU to print up and put on disks like every other game. They didn't. It is misleading. Valve and VU should have been clear about this from the start. If they had sent out a press release clearly saying what a retail customer vs a steam customer would get and how they could use it a lot of people would have bought steam instead of retail, including me. Instead Valve was quite as usual.

 

[HumboldtBlazer]

Retail people got the steam files not the game. If I had gotten the game and could play it without steam I would be fine with the CD requirement but I didn't. What I and the other retail customers bought was all of the steam files and the preloads for the game and a CD key we could register on steam. Basically we bought a steam account that comes with HL2 but ours is crippled by the fact that we need the CD to use it.

There are many people in the retail space that had no idea that they were not getting a game on the disks (I knew but didn't care because I foolishly thought I would not need the CD to play since steam is such an awesome thing for consumers). They happily thought that Valve had sent the gold version of the game to VU to print up and put on disks like every other game. They didn't. It is misleading. Valve and VU should have been clear about this from the start. If they had sent out a press release clearly saying what a retail customer vs a steam customer would get and how they could use it a lot of people would have bought steam instead of retail, including me. Instead Valve was quite as usual.

You obviously no nothing of the court battles between VU and Valve. Valve was quite becasue they had to be, retail was/is not their business. Valve sold through steam and VU screwed all you wilth a CD check. You guys are all idiots. You got the game on those disks you you needed Steam to unlock it. Stem is like 20 megs if that. It doesn't take 4-5 disks for 20megs. Everyone had to unlock it. CD's can be copied and cd checks cracked. Like I said blame VU.

 

[ethanbee]

You're right. Having to keep the CD in the drive to play when it's already authenticating via the 'net sucks.

I'm sure that was something Vivendi forced on Valve, knowing how much Vivendi hates Steam. I bet Vivendi was still hoping to shut Steam down and made the CD requirement demand.

 

[fatassman]

I just drank some IBC Black Cherry soda, it was delicious. Also, Steam is awesome. Downloading the game from the comfort of your home, don't have to put on pants to drive to the store, nothing. Just wait 10 hours and bam, I'm online and playing HL2. It was a great experience for me.

If you bought the CD/DVD, why would you complain about having to put it in your disc drive to play? Plus, isn't there an option to play 'offline'? Look how long Valve supported Half Life (1), I'd say that it's a good gauge of how long Half Life 2 will have support for...

 

[Methias]

I think it's so funny how there's actually people supporting Valve on this issue. If you are doing this, listen very carefully: YOU ARE A FANBOY. It is utterly rediculous how Valve has chosen to handle store-bought copies of this game. I specifically got a retail copy because I didn't like the idea of Valve possibly going caput in the future and my investment in the game going with it. Well, too bad for me. Seriously, there is absolutely NO reason to buy retail. Here's why:

1) You still have to play the game through Steam. Not only do you have to sit there for about 30 minutes installing the game initially, you have to wait for just about as long for the files to be decrypted AFTER they have been copied to your computer. So in the end why not just download the damn thing?

2) You have to have the CD to play the game. Wasn't the point of this huge hassle in registering and decrypting through Steam basically supposed to be Valve's main push in trying to foil piracy efforts? That being said, what's the point of requiring the CD if only one person can be playing the game at once over multiplayer (as it's so easy for them to keep track of this now)? The answer is simple: there is no point.

3) No retail package comes with Day of Defeat: Source. I was slightly miffed when I heard that not even the special retail edition would not include DoD: Source and that the standard edition would not include HL: Source, but I was downright dumbfounded when I found out there was no way to upgrade a retail copy to a version that WOULD include those two things. And the icing on the cake? Valve has been quoted as saying that they do not plan to introduce a way for this to happen in the near future.

I was very, very frustrated with Valve about this whole fiasco to begin with. The delays, the dishonesty, the whole shebang. And this just tops it off. I'm not saying goodbye, but I'll always be keeping an eye on them from now on, trying to make sure they're not going to pull a fast one on me. Because at this point, I have to assume that they will.