No Multiplayer out of the box?

A

Achay

Guest
Having been out of the FPS scene for some time now, recently decided to have a look see whats about. A few friends from work suggested Half Life 2. They also informed me about Steam so I figured I'd get steam and get the game that way.

Few hours later, got my new installation of the game. Great. Had a bit of a run about, and I have to say, wow, what a sweet looking game. Things have come a long way since the days I played.

So, lets see what the multiplayer scene is like. Hmmm, no multiplayer option. Wierd, kinna used to games having Multiplayer support out of the box. Anyway, had another word with the boys in work, they don't play online so decided to search the net.

Looking through Steam, noticed HL2 Deathmatch $9.95?? Ok, not exactly a lot of money, but it is when you have just bought HL2. I also notice Hlaf Life 2 under Multiplayer, why is it in there, if it isn't multiplayer.

Now I see posts referring to CS: Source, checked under Steam, notice that CS Source isn't listed as a multiplayer game, but does come as part of a 'Source Multiplayer Pack' which contains CS:S DD:S and HL2 Deathmatch. What, I have to buy all of those to play online? Anyone else feeling a bit ripped off? Seriously confused.

Suffice to say, I'm a bit disappointed. Any FPS I have played before supported multiplayer out of the box. Why does HL2 not? Is this a new trend where you have to in effect buy more than one game, the offline and online one?

True, it is my own fault for not checking, but on the other hand, I've never played one before that was like this so checking didn't come to mind.

Anyway, rant over. Can anyone tell me which ones I need to buy to be able to play online, and do I need the source versions (no idea what that actually means) or the standard version? Hopefully I'm just getting my wires crossed and I do own a multiplayer version :D

Bring back built-in Multiplayer :(
 
HL2 Deathmatch is the official multiplayer with the weapons from HL2. It was released a bit after the single player. CS:S and DOD:S are just ports of the originals to the Source engine.
 
I was under the impression that HL2:DM came with all of the HL2 packages?
You sure you bought HL2?
o_O
 
The only games I have listed on Steam under My Games are

Codename Gordan
Half Life 2
Half Life 2: Lost Coast
Garry's Mod

I purchased Half Life 2 via steam, and downloaded the others also through steam, is Half Life Death Match supposed to be there too? It's listed in the games, but not ones I have installed, and they are going to charge me $9.95 if I want it installed too.

I did notice that there are a few listed under Tools

Dedicated Server
Source Dedicated Server
Source SDK

Seems odd to me to have those listed, If I don't even have a multiplayer game installed.

If Half Life Death Match is free with it, how do I start a game, there is no option listed in game, and I don't have it on my Steam list to run.
 
I bought Half Life 2, wasn't under the impression initially I needed to buy a package. Does this mean I have to buy the multiplayer one too?

One more thing, if I had bought the game from a store, would the Multiplayer have come with it?
 
http://storefront.steampowered.com/v2/index.php?area=game&AppId=220&l=english&s=0&i=&a=92,219

It looks like you bought the Half-Life2 only package. Gary's mod is, well, a mod so thats free, and both codename Gordon and Long Coast are also free (you need HL2 for lostcoast).

It will however be easier for us to understand your problem if you could send us a screenshot of you windows desktop with steam up :)

Achay said:
I bought Half Life 2, wasn't under the impression initially I needed to buy a package. Does this mean I have to buy the multiplayer one too?

One more thing, if I had bought the game from a store, would the Multiplayer have come with it?
Click to expand...

1.Probably, if you have a link or screenshot of the package that you were lookin at at the time, it usually gives you the list of features for that package

2.Yes, CS:Source and HL deatmatch come with the retail package


The standard price for the package is $59.95 over steam, which is roughly the same retail price

http://storefront.steampowered.com/v2/index.php?area=package&SubId=43&l=english&s=0&i=&a=92,219
 
DEATH eVADER said:
It looks like you bought the Half-Life2 only package. Garry's mod is, well, a mod so thats free, and both codename Gordon and Long Coast are also free (you need HL2 for lostcoast).
Click to expand...
Garry's mod is based off the HL2DM code IIRC :|
 
I didn't even know you could get HL2 sans CS and DM.
 
Don't have anywhere to post a picture up as yet, but from that link you posted, the Half Life 2 package is the one I bought it seems, not the other 2 :(

I've just checked online, I paid roughly £27 for that package, and that is bascially for just Half Life 2, just checked amazon, and for same cash, I could have got a Game of the Year DVD with

Half Life 2
CS:S
Half Life 2 : Deathmatch
Half Life 2 Source.

Can someone explain to me why I seem to have been suckered into buying this for the same as the better pakage goes for? For some odd reason, I'd imagined buying online would have worked out cheaper, no packaging etc. So not happy now.

Is there anyway to get a refund, and Ill just go buy that package?
 
No, sorry :(
You could, however, sell this account name to someone else and buy yourself a shiny new retail package :O

EDIT: If you act quickly, you can transfer the CD-key to another account for free (otherwise it costs 10$).
You can then keep your own account name for the new retail package \0/
 
Achay said:
Is there anyway to get a refund, and Ill just go buy that package?
Click to expand...

I don't think you can get a refund for retail, but I'm not enitrely sure about games bought over steam, best people to ask is Steam tech support

[edit] Beerdude got to you before me, listen to him :(, just make sure you open up a new account before using a new package
 
Man, this isn't exactly the fun filled return to FPS I'd imagined, its quite sad actually :(

So, next question, who wants a day old Steam account :p
 
Achay said:
Man, this isn't exactly the fun filled return to FPS I'd imagined, its quite sad actually :(

So, next question, who wants a day old Steam account :p
Click to expand...
Lol :D

Well, you could transfer the current CD-key to a new account so you can keep your current account name (which will then be used for a GOTY version or something).
 
I have an idea. I'll but the GOTY edition, take out everything except Half Life 2, and sell that alone on ebay or something, just hope they all have individual serial numbers, anyone happen to have bought GOTY edition can confirm serials for each game included?
 
Anyone else feeling a bit ripped off?
Click to expand...

Thats weird, didn't even know valve had changed anything tbh, when i got hl2 on release hl2dm and css came free with it .... now im confused ...
 
I noticed the whole buy them seperately thing the other day.... It's a very stupid idea, but necessitated by the ridiculous Counter Strike only retail packs. Seen in stores. It's bad practice on Valve's part, but all the same, you should be careful and do some research before you hand over cash for anything...
 
Yeah, safe to say from now on I'll be reading the small print when it comes to purchasing things from Steam. Never dealt with them before so I assumed a half life pack came with multiplayer, silly me. Live and learn.

Bought Doom 3 as well, and it still comes with Multiplayer built in, so guess it's just a valve thing.

Suffice to say I will now not be going multiplayer on this game, as much as I think it's an awesome game, on principle I do not plan to buy whatever pack they decide I need to play online, simply to line their pockets selling things that should, and always have been, part of other games. Shame on you Valve.
 
Thats fair enough, but yous missing out on some great multiplayer experience :)
 
Noooo, was so hoping youd say no big loss, multiplayer sucks :p

*resists urge to grab credit card*
 
Mr-Fusion said:
ALWAYS READ THE DETAILS BEFORE YOU BUY

You bought this
http://storefront.steampowered.com/v2/index.php?area=package&SubId=36&l=english&s=0&i=&a=92,219

I know it absolutely ****ing sucks that valve doesn't include hl2dm in all packages, it's rather gay. But thems the brakes.
Click to expand...
I agree, but I suppose they supply a version of the game without the multiplayer part for those poor people who only a a 56K connection and do not want to pay for a multiplayer game they will never use. Maybe. Perhaps?
 
Why would they sell it over steam for people on 56k who didn't want to get multiplayer?

They're willing to wait 11 days and 20 hours to download the game, but don't want to play multiplayer because of lag?


The option is just there for people who aren't sure about HL2 or aren't interested in multiplayer (lots of people, actually).
 
Well, whatever they claim their reasons for the seperate packages, imo they still should provide HL2: Multiplayer with HL2. It is after all still part of HL2, albeit released later.

Imagine if all games companies followed suit, buy single player then have to buy the multiplayer option.

It's not how or why they do it that bothers me, its the fact they do it at all.

Next thing you know they'll charge for updates. Sound stupid I know, but so does a game with no mulitplayer option ;)

Anyway, going a bit off topic, so i'll stop before I annoy the nice people at Valve too much :p
 
That must be something new, the HL2-only package.

Apparently, now you can buy only HL2, whereas the Source Premier pack would have been better, including CSS, HL2DM and DOD.

Weird. I clearly remember that, around release time, those who bought Bronze or the CD version also had CSS and later HL2DM.
 
I agree, but I suppose they supply a version of the game without the multiplayer part for those poor people who only a a 56K connection and do not want to pay for a multiplayer game they will never use. Maybe. Perhaps?
Click to expand...
1)Even 56k players play im living proof. Their are plenty of 56k players.
2)Broadband is as low as Dialup these days, you know broadband is not everywhere.

I do agree, they should have provided HL2:DM free for everybody.
 
The SP-only version appears only purchasable from Steam. If you buy CD/DVD in a store, you get CSS and HL2DM. If your connection is good enough to download HL2 over Steam, then you can also certainly play DM.
 
Solver said:
The SP-only version appears only purchasable from Steam. If you buy CD/DVD in a store, you get CSS and HL2DM. If your connection is good enough to download HL2 over Steam, then you can also certainly play DM.
Click to expand...
Also, buying the CD/DVD versions doesn't necessarily mean you have to use the CD/DVD itself. I know this because I bought HL2 on DVD (Bronze Package) a year ago and had to use the DVD, which was very annoying. I have recently installed Steam on another pc, logged into my account and was able to download HL2 and play it without the DVD. (I can only assume this is because I had registered/validated my DVD version of HL2, thereby linkning it with my Steam account)

Anyway back to topic, can you still buy the Bronze retail package (CD/DVD)?

Because if so, you can do what I mentioned above so you don't have to use the CD/DVD.
 
Think that quote was taken out of reference. I know I am at fault for not reading what I was getting, I assumed it was like all other FPS I ever played, built in Multiplayer.

The shame on you in refrence to Valve was the fact they don't have it built in, making us buy another piece of software, that was my meaning, not that they were sneaky about it or anything.
 
I got the Silver package for about £27, best deal I've ever got on any game at all. You just don't stop getting things for that :D.
 
Achay said:
Think that quote was taken out of reference. I know I am at fault for not reading what I was getting, I assumed it was like all other FPS I ever played, built in Multiplayer.

The shame on you in refrence to Valve was the fact they don't have it built in, making us buy another piece of software, that was my meaning, not that they were sneaky about it or anything.
Click to expand...

Should've bought HL2 sooner, it had CS:S with it.
 
lol, I was a little confused after reading this thread. Im guessin most of the others in this thread were too, most of us bought the game around the time of initial release. When the game was first released there were 3 packages, bronze, silver and gold. The bronze package was the cheapest u could get and this included HL2, HL2:DM and CS:S. Looks like valve have changed the offers now so u can get HL2 standalone. I agree with the thread started, it sucks really. Maybe they should make it clearer in the steam store that it doesnt include DM or something :S
 
Yeah, live and learn I guess.

Would be nice as you suggest stating a little more clearly for us lesser knowledgable people that it is indeed SP version only your buying when using Steam, I was just over excited about rejoining the FPS scence. Bit like manuals really, can't say I've ever read a game manual :D. First time using steam as well as buying something, I'll know to check next time.

Thanks for all the replies guys, I can feel the love :cheese:
 
Just a little update.

I contacted Steam and explained my package problem, and that I was a bit of a muppet and bought the wrong one.

They are sorting it out for me, allowing me to switch to the full package. I'm speechless, I honestly thought they would have told me you get what you pay for, as it clearly states once its bought via Steam, thats it. Glad I tried on the off chance, suprising what a polite and nicely worded email can achieve.

Top Job Steam :)
 
Achay said:
Just a little update.

I contacted Steam and explained my package problem, and that I was a bit of a muppet and bought the wrong one.

They are sorting it out for me, allowing me to switch to the full package. I'm speechless, I honestly thought they would have told me you get what you pay for, as it clearly states once its bought via Steam, thats it. Glad I tried on the off chance, suprising what a polite and nicely worded email can achieve.

Top Job Steam :)
Click to expand...
That's valve for you.
 
Yeah Achay good idea to contact tech support...

Look most people on these forums either purchased their HL2 like this:

Gold, Silver, Bronze packages via Steam...

OR

Bought Retail

Either way this meant you got HL2 SP, HL2 DM which came out a little bit later and CS:S which came out a few days after the release of HL2...
(And a whole lot of other things for those rich bums buying gold/silver)

So we never faced the problems that you did...

Valve only changed to the HL2 single player only sale for some strange reasons as previously mentioned by other people.

So Achay, don't feel disheartened or angry at Valve, and you probably don't now that they're organising you swapping your package... But most of us here have been treated quite nicely by Valve!

P.S. Just so long as I get my new player models in CS:S i'll be happy!! Thanks a lot Valve for many hours of enjoyment
 
Yeah, I bought gold...damnit, I'm a HL2 fanboy....>_>

Never knew they sold a single player package only, kinda crazy.
 
Achay said:
Just a little update.

I contacted Steam and explained my package problem, and that I was a bit of a muppet and bought the wrong one.

They are sorting it out for me, allowing me to switch to the full package. I'm speechless, I honestly thought they would have told me you get what you pay for, as it clearly states once its bought via Steam, thats it. Glad I tried on the off chance, suprising what a polite and nicely worded email can achieve.

Top Job Steam :)
Click to expand...
Wow... that's pretty cool as far as things go :) Still, I can understand where they're coming from. Most enquiries they got are undoubtably of the following type:

Customer: "my Steam account has been locked, please unlock it"

Valve: "it says here that you've used 14 different aimbots on Source games, that you have a child porn spray, you tried on 20 different occasions to obtain Steam games with fake Credit Card numbers, that you've subsequently stolen every game off our catalogue and that you regularly post on fan forums claiming that Gordon Freeman is the G-Man"

Customer :"OMG, THAT'S FALSE ADVERTISMENT. I WILL SUE YOU! DAMN YOU AND YOUR UNFAIR RULES, I'LL NEVER BUY A VALVE GAME AGAIN"

Valve: "... you never purchased any of our Games in the past..."

Customer: "that's not true... err... I purchased errr... Codename: Gordon!"
 
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