What?! >_x Will it be possible to do so again in the future???
EDIT: I thought about this for a minute, and I think I understand why Valve would make it so no one can play offline. It makes sense, after all, this would be a surefire way to keep piraters from getting to play a pirated version of the game offline without first going through a verification through Steam. After all, if you're forced to play it online, you're going to HAVE to have a legitimate copy of the game.
I'm not saying I agree with this, in fact, I strongly wish for Valve to rethink this little idea if this IS true.
For one, you're not going to win the world over with this kind of move considering how many people have already bought the game and how many people HAVE to buy the game because of all this. Personally, I think the online verification and decryption of the files is a good idea and I really don't mind it that much. (It's a pain in the arse to get installed, but it does prevent piracy in a big way).
But the problem with THIS course of action is that not everyone is going to be able to be online all the time they want to play!
You're screwing over the dial-uppers whom can't stay online all the time unless they be forced to buy a second phone line, and even then it's unreliable due to constant (or non-constant) disconnects. (this is with ALL internet providers.)
Look, you can say "well just switch to a better connection." all you want, but the fact of the matter is, some people don't even have that option.
Right now, where I live, I am FORCED to use dialup internet connection because there is not a SINGLE ISP who will provide DSL or cable in my area. The ONLY alternative we have is to go through Satellite Cable (DirecWay), and that crap is $600+ in the first month alone! People like me don't have money like that to spare! And not to mention the $60 monthly fee that comes along with it for the rest of the service!
So now people like me are getting screwed out of something as simple as playing a game!
In fact, some people who own the game don't even HAVE an internet connection. So you're screwing over anyone without an internet connection right there (if in they apply the newest patch). And I know there are people without internet who have computers to play these games, especially in rural areas.
Look, I'm not going to attack Valve. I think some of what they've done may just have been completely necessary due to the Source theft. But this is just too extreme of a measure for me to condone, even if it IS to target software pirates.
So I suppose I can only say that my arguments stand, and they will continue to do so. (Unless, of course, I've missed the real reasons why the game won't go offline... But if so, just reply and explain to me the details.)
actually there's quite a large population of people who bought the game, and got so sick of steam that they went ahead and downloaded pirated versions. You can't really blame 'em, 'cause afterall, they did purchase it. However, all reports are that the pirated version is awsome, never having to mess with steam's crap just to play your single player game. Indeed, this "piracy protection" has actually becomes a leading motivater in getting people to pirate it.
SubCog that's rubbish. You can force Steam into offline mode (while being online) and play Half-life 2 offline by blocking it through a firewall such as Zone alarm.
You do not need to download a pirate version, aslong as you can get online to authenticate your copy of the game to your Steam account and verify the files. Then feel free to play offline as much as you like.
actually, for the past few hours, i've been playing HL2 offline. Basically I just figured out how to pull the plug when HL2 boots up, with steam still on, and then just close all the other stuff while playing HL2... works for me so far. Though it's kind of a biyotch trying to maneuver the screen back to HL2 when everything is going crazy over the disconnect. (trying to reconnect aim, explorer, etc)