Hypothetical Question for Steam Purchasers

[MetalliMyers]

Ok I bought the Silver Package like a lot of other people on this forum.

As a hypothetical question: What if for some reason Valve goes under and you can't login to Steam. Does that mean if you don't have HL2 and your other games backed up that you just lose them. (because you would not be able to download HL2 again)

This is an unlikely situation, but I would like your thoughts on it.

 

[v1p3r]

You could allways use offline mode, but the online would probably die.

Vavle arn't gonna be dieing any time soon anyway

 

[MetalliMyers]

You could allways use offline mode, but the online would probably die.

Vavle arn't gonna be dieing any time soon anyway

Ok, what if your computer dies and you need to download HL2 again?

I know Valve isn't going to die anytime soon, I thought it would make for an interesting discussion.

 

[staticprimer]

Perhaps they will sell the rights to operate steam to another company? I dunno, just a thought.

 

[Ownzed]

They will never die!!

 

[Megalomaniac]

They will never die!!

Haha if only...

 

[Vegeta897]

Maybe when Hell freezes over.

/cliche

 

[Alec_85]

Ok, what if your computer dies and you need to download HL2 again?

I know Valve isn't going to die anytime soon, I thought it would make for an interesting discussion.

Make a backup of the files at a friend's house or something Not sure if Steam needs to modify the registry with each game you download. If not, you could possibly just dump the backed up files in a folder in your Steam folder & Voila! it works.

Also, I'm sure someone will be able to make it a stand-alone product soon after its release (aka warezed). Then there wouldn't be a problem anymore unless you're a 56k:er.

 

[Quad]

Ok, what if your computer dies and you need to download HL2 again?
.

Thats why you have a steam username/password, you can get the steam loader and when you enter you username steam will automatically recognise what games/packages you own...then you can download them again.

 

[KagePrototype]

Ok, what if your computer dies and you need to download HL2 again?

You won't have to buy it again, if that's what you're getting at. It will be tied to your account, so if you don't have it on your HDD anymore (for whatever reason) you can just download it again through Steam.

 

[Alec_85]

Quad & KagePrototype:
You're missing the point That statement is based on the possible fact that Steam goes offline forever so you can't download HL2 from it. What then? Therefore, having an account/password won't help since you can't login.

 

[Gossoon]

And just as a side note - you don't have to install Steam. If you need to reformat your harddrive or something just copy the Steam folder you've backed up on a disk and run the exe. to play. Pretty easy.

 

[ShadowFox]

If Steam goes down, then you install a crack to play it without Steam. Problem solved.

 

[killahsin-[CE]]

if valve dies you can be sure that they will release an update to steam before they die that makes it so u dont need steam to play hl2/css or tf2 or any of their rudementary programs. At the same time you can be sure if valve dies that someone will buy out and take over steam. As its the first proven successfull game content on demand system.

 

[The Dark Elf]

if valve dies you can be sure that they will release an update to steam before they die that makes it so u dont need steam to play hl2/css or tf2 or any of their rudementary programs. At the same time you can be sure if valve dies that someone will buy out and take over steam. As its the first proven successfull game content on demand system.

Just think, the highest bidder would then have access to all those credit card numbers and details and emails. Quite a lot of money in just selling email account lists.

 

[killahsin-[CE]]

actually steam doesn't have the credit card numbers on it =)

 

[Alec_85]

That's what Valve tell us anyway. If their "one-way hash" can scramble incoming credit card numbers, what's there saying that they can't descramble it since it's based on alghoritms (sp?) (I presume that anyway)?

 

[epmode]

if/when steam finally goes down, i wouldn't be surprised if valve releases a final update to the client to remove the online authorization.

 

[killahsin-[CE]]

alec a 3rd party billing company gets all the credit card info, steam doesn't keep your card info, ever.

 

[Wraithen]

By the time Valve is dead and this becomes a problem you won't have to worry; you can just go down the local game store and buy the Half Life trilogy Box Set on budget for $5.99.

 

[Alec_85]

By the time Valve is dead and this becomes a problem you won't have to worry; you can just go down the local game store and buy the Half Life trilogy Box Set on budget for $5.99.

lol ain't that the truth

alec a 3rd party billing company gets all the credit card info, steam doesn't keep your card info, ever.

2 uestions: 1. You find it wise to trust billing companies with your credit card number? (yes I know it's a stupid question) 2. How do you know Steam does not keep the info? Did you make Steam? *spots yet another conspiracy*

 

[koopa]

How do you know Steam does not keep the info? Did you make Steam? *spots yet another conspiracy*

Given Valve's security record he's probably read the source code

 

[cadaveca]

I'm sure that if sdomething were to happen they would release a patch that would make it work without steam, or not requiring steam to reach an online server for authentication.

In regard to what you can do to ensure the safety of your own liscence...copy the steam installer, and the GCF's....install steam, shut it down, transfer the gcf's to hte right folder, delete the Client_registry.blob or whatever, and restart steam. steam will authenticate your id and start installing the games. if the authenication service is not there, you know cracks will be there..just like CS:S has been warezed already.

 

[Ragnarokk]

You guys are missing the point.

Let's say 5 years from now Valve dies for whatever reason, and steam goes with it. Now say a year after that I decide I want to play some HL2. However, I don't have the files backed up, and since steam is dead I can't download it again.

In this situation the only answer I could see if you downloading HL2 from a third party.

 

[koncept]

save the information to a disc.