Online activation without internet connection

[JustplainAqua]

I pre-ordered Half-Life 2 and was not aware that it required online activation prior to placing the order. Living in South Africa the only fixed line telecomms provider (Telkom) has a monopoly and rips people off, so as a result I have no net connection at home because IMHO its too expensive.

I think its the height of arrogance that Valve have not provided an alternate means of activation for those users who don't have an internet connection. Even the guys over at 'Small 'n Flaccid' (aka Microsoft) provided an alternate means to activate Win XP and even then their anti-piracy measures have been the subject of hot debate.

Most people in Europe and the States either have broadband or at least dialup because its so affordable but what about Half-Life fans in the rest of the world ??? I have bought a legitimate copy of the game and now the only solution I have is to cart my PC over to a net connection in order to activate it !!! Why the hell should I have to do that ????

This is pure and utter Taurus Excretia and I think that Valve will live to regret it !!!

 

[Maxi]

Not really, the majority of people who will buy hl2 have a net connection.

 

[CR0M]

In true Western fashion, pure speculation, MaxiKana. I know 3 people who weren't aware HL2 needed tha intarweb, and as they don't have it, they haven't bought the game. Conversely I know 4 or 5 who DO have the net.

I would bet my life that pretty much everyone (even in the west)knows a gamer without internet, and although they are in a minority it's still a pretty big percentage.

 

[Maxi]

Well, I don't know anyone who is an avid gamer and hasn't got an internet connection. Even my one firend (Poor him ) who has a VERY strict mum about computer usage has a 56k modem.

 

[JustplainAqua]

Yeah, I'm not even in darkest Africa. We live in a big city with all the mod cons but there are still a lot of gamers who only have net connections at work. This is a massive inconvenience to me and on principle I don't see why I should have to do it. They should provide an alternate method of activation. NEway, this whiney crap ain't gonna get me anywhere and I've already bought and paid for the game so I'll do what I have to do. But, Valve will definitely regret this !!!!

 

[JustplainAqua]

BTW, did you guys read this post http://forums.bit-tech.net/showthread.php?t=71238

He makes a good point and I feel the same way !!!

 

[Maxi]

They could and should have provided an over the phone activation thingy, couldn't be that hard could it?

Anyway, shouldn't be THAT hard to find a place where you can activate the game, especially if you have a car for me with no car, and if I didn't have net acces at home, i'd be devastated

 

[Link]

BTW, did you guys read this post http://forums.bit-tech.net/showthread.php?t=71238

He makes a good point and I feel the same way !!!

Sorry, but he does not make a good point. His point is that people are forced to use steam with a new EULA that is different to the old half life EULA. The fact is that no one forced him into anything, he chose to use it (Or not in this case). WON was a free service provided by valve, and they kept it up for a 6 year old game, which they were in no way obliged to do. He still had single player and LAN multiplayer, so basically he is saying he chooses not to use steam. kthxbye, enjoy single player half life 1.

No one is forcing you to buy HL2 and if you feel the way I do, you would make an exception for it. It is an exceptional game and worth your time to move your PC to a connection.

You may not like it, but valve are a business, and if forcing online registration saves more in terms of piracy reduction than it does in terms of lost sales, then of course they are going to do this.

 

[blat]

the people that don't have a net connection (like myself) should come together and boycott valve. i purchased my product today. i even read the minimum requirments. thinking that "internet connection" was necessary for online play, i bought it anyway. i'm am not behind the times. it just so happens that i live in a building that (for some reason) is not setup to accept highspeed internet and i do not have a dialup modem (more money just to play a game). i don't feel i should have to buy a modem in order to play valve's game. i bought the game and that's all the money i should have to part with.

once the package is open, there is no way of returning it. it's arrogant and pretentious of the company. if they want to reduce their sales to only those that have an internet connection, or who are desperate enough to truck their computers around (verging on exortion), so be it. i for one am no longer purchasing their products. i may as well wait for a pirated version to hit the net and get a friend to download it for me instead. i have a feeling this may drive some people to stealing.

 

[DiSTuRbEd]

it's arrogant and pretentious of the company.

Arrogant? They want to protect there product from being pirated. You know, I bet if there wasn't a leak or source code stolen, we wouldn't have this(I have no problem with it though since I have cable) You only have people in the warez community to blame for this.

And sorry boycotting VALVe's Steam won't do any good, a few hundred people against about a million, yeah, not going to work.