steam lan-play

[SubCog]

Quick question about this statement: "To play any Steam game while not connected to the Internet it will only be necessary to let Steam finish downloading all of that game’s content, at which point you’ll be able to play games without connecting to Steam."

Sorry that I'm a bit sceptical of this. I'm just worried that "as long as you have the updated version" means steam will need to connect to the internet before each lan game to check if you have the newest version. Or the system you want to play on has to have had an internet connection previously to have updated the version to a point.

Question #1. Will you be able to play lan games of halflife2 without an internet connection? I mean load HL2 off the cd and play with other systems who've just loaded off the cd on a closed network.

Question #2. Is there a way to update without an internet connection? Will there be a way to transfer the update data to a cd and load it onto a closed network?

I know I'm really sceptical about this, but I'm just worried that when valve says "oh, yeah, we never meant to make you have to log in to play a lan game (even though we said that in the official steam faq since the beginning)" that they're really saying "screw you". I know that many people on these forums think that Valve loves us more than Santa Claus and they would never screw anyone... and that's alright that you feel that way... but I'm really looking for a response from the other half of the community here.

 

[LoneDeranger]

1. I don't see how that's possible (it needs to make sure everyone is using a unique Steam id).

2. Maybe you could copy whatever update Steam downloads to a CD and then do it that way. I'm pretty sure there will be no non-Steam updates though

 

[Asus]

Last I knew, Steam required Internet right now yet they were working on a Offline version.
It has been said that you either activate HL2 for steam use and no cd is required (I believe for Online play you must choose this) OR the CD is required but it will not connect via Steam to verify you have bought the game but look to see that you have the CD.

"To play any Steam game while not connected to the Internet it will only be necessary to let Steam finish downloading all of that game’s content, at which point you’ll be able to play games without connecting to Steam."

They say it like that so you make sure you have an updated version. If they say you can play without connecting to the internet then they mean that.

You will have to do updating just like now. Get on the internet and update. It would be possible to update a PC connected to the internet and burn the cache files to CD to update(copy cache over) a PC not on the internet.

 

[Echelon]

it's a valid "tactic" against software piracy, i don't expect a non internet steam update, too.

 

[ShaithEatery]

It would suck if u couldn't play HL2 without an internet connection. I wanted to play it at lanpartys, most of which we go without internet.

 

[]SK[]

I suppose the nice idea would bet to release offline updates like before but I suppose they brought steam in to do just that and would be defeating the object of steams main purpose.

 

[SubCog]

steams main purpose? ah, yes. To make Valve more money.