Wtf

[EAGLE]

Am I missing something? Bought HL2 today.. installed it, let Steam or whatever do it's update, and when I try to play Half Life, I get an advertisement, whether I'm online or off. Excuse me, but did I buy some kind of online-only thing? If I did, it's going straight back to Wally World. I have no time for playing online, and if THAT'S WHAT i JUST BOUGHT, WHY DIDN'T THE BOX INDICATE THAT?
Am I mistaken? If I am, I apologize, but I planned my whole 1 day off around this new game, and can't do a thing. Just a little upset. What the 4377 is STEAM?
Eagle out.
Clear Skies.

 

[WhiteZero]

By advertisment... you mean what?
A pop-up? Ads in steam? whats?

 

[Narcolepsy]

I don't really understand. Can you play the game? Where is this advertisement?

Yes, Steam requires an internet connection, but only for registration, which you have already done. If you want to play while offline, just start up Steam without an internet connection, and opt for offline mode.

And don't join the millions of idiots who return the game because it won't work in the first 30 minutes. This game will blow your mind, just give it a chance!

 

[Slainchild]

WTF indeed. Try to get a screenshot of the advertisment or something....

 

[WDF01]

When you install, you automatically get the "steam" system - an on-line feature that lets you play with friends. The load time is excrutiatingly long - sevaral hours to get the game in. Then, you can play in single player mode on your own. But... every time you start the game on your machine, it goes to the steam site and updates the game if new versions are available - sounds good in theory...

If the darn game were not as good as it is, I'd heve brought it back myself - but it is worth the agravation - hang in

 

[Elkhound]

Hey I had the same and I had it because I clicked Half Life source. It might be the same problem.

 

[Cole]

Steam is not spyware or adware.
Steam was made to give more money to those who are making the games. The publisher usually takes like 70% of the profit. With steam valve is now getting the 70% instead of the 30%.
Steam is a simple way to run mods, search for servers, contact friends, easy manage system. Takes up very few resources.
It's overall a great program that had a buggy start. After the first month or 2(it got patches) It has worked flawlessly for me.

 

[EAGLE]

Thanks for the quick responses.
Hello, BTW.
When I hit my desktop .ico for HL2 I just get an add page that pops up like Freakin spyware advertising for all the HL products there are out there...and nothing happens.the only options are "buy This" or Cancel. No game..
I must have something FUBARed...

 

[JNightshade]

is the window in the Steam color scheme? if so, you have "Browse Games" configured to open when it starts up. You can turn that off in the options menu.

 

[Hectic Glenn]

Thats not spyware, those are the games you can buy and play on steam...lol. If you have the dvd/cd version, you need to install it and put in your cd key during installation. If you got it through steam, you need to d/l the game content and wait for it to update. Steam doesnt have spyware on it at all. It just has playing the games function/ games you can buy and mods for them/ a friends network and settings. You seem to be a little confused.

 

[EAGLE]

I am confused, but you hit on a note...
I just bought this package, installed it, let it do it's update, and hjave hit that CD Key screen several times... and I can't find the NUMBERS!,....
This is the boxed version with 5 CD's , and Freeman on the box.
Where is the Key?
Thanks in advance..
Eagle out..for now..

 

[Slainchild]

The key is most likely in the game cd box, on a slip of paper or something like that.

 

[EAGLE]

Starting to think Wal Mart is selling some BOGUS copy. Can't find a CD Key anywhere, game won't run, and I am starting to remeber why I only fly Flight Sims...

 

[Pesmerga]

Mine was on the back of one of the paper cd-holders. I think paper-cd-holder #1.

 

[Hectic Glenn]

Starting to think Wal Mart is selling some BOGUS copy. Can't find a CD Key anywhere, game won't run, and I am starting to remeber why I only fly Flight Sims...

Fly flight sims? aside from what? scoring a goal?

Find the cd key and put it in when you are installing the CD's you got and it will show up on 'my games' list thing.

 

[diluted]

The cd-key was on the back of the sleeve thing that CD 1 was in. For me at least.

 

[itsmygame]

Aww great, I'm getting mine from Wal Mart... D:

 

[DreamWraith]

back of CD sleeve one.

 

[Sid Burn]

Steam is not spyware or adware.
Steam was made to give more money to those who are making the games. The publisher usually takes like 70% of the profit. With steam valve is now getting the 70% instead of the 30%.
Steam is a simple way to run mods, search for servers, contact friends, easy manage system. Takes up very few resources.
It's overall a great program that had a buggy start. After the first month or 2(it got patches) It has worked flawlessly for me.

Ah i see... so that's the purpose of Steam... its indeed very helpful. valve will have enough profit to spend on making HL3. cool. :thumbs:

 

[EAGLE]

Aside from Driving left-hand circles in NASCAR, Hectic.

Thanks for the replies, gents..
I found the CD key where you all said it was, (glad it wasn't a snake) but now whenever I try to register the product it tells me the key is invalid...tried it every way I can think of.

I guess I can only thank all the cheaters and pirates for this headache...so much for my day off with a new game..
Remember the good ol' days when you put a disk in and it ran?

Thanks anyway, everyone that replied. I might figure it out one day...can't believe I paid over FIFTY BUCKS for this mess.

 

[Freyar]

EAGLE there is now a FAQ that covers some of your problem. As for a popup and such (may it be steam or not) run Adaware SE (www.lavasoft.de). A free tool that scans and takes care of malware, adware, and cookies.

Addition: Doesn't work? What's your Key's format? Just put 'x' instead of the number/letters.

 

[sinkoman]

Aside from Driving left-hand circles in NASCAR, Hectic.

Thanks for the replies, gents..
I found the CD key where you all said it was, (glad it wasn't a snake) but now whenever I try to register the product it tells me the key is invalid...tried it every way I can think of.

I guess I can only thank all the cheaters and pirates for this headache...so much for my day off with a new game..
Remember the good ol' days when you put a disk in and it ran?

Thanks anyway, everyone that replied. I might figure it out one day...can't believe I paid over FIFTY BUCKS for this mess.

Yes, there is a good chance that, like you said, a cdkey generator (gets hackers illegal cdkeys) pulled up the key that came with your purchase and now you're screwed. Take it back to wallmart telling them that you'er copy stay broke. They should give you a new copy which if you're lucky, won't have been cd key raped.

Good luck! And like all these guys said, the game is great and worth it! I would have bought it just for Garry's mod!

And sorry about your day off, wish I could get a day off though! Damn schools!

*think about the education think about the education think about the education...*

 

[EAGLE]

Thanks, Sinko. Hope you get a break soon..

I'm going to try the suggested "x" instead of the key no.'s, and if that doesn't work, I'm out the door at 1:30 in the morning in 15 degree weather, glad that the new Super Wal Mart is open 24 hours! Maybe another copy will work. I want this game!!

 

[EAGLE]

Ok.. Searched the Steam forum and found an old post where someone was having the same problem.. The fix is...The CD Key is only the first 25 letters/numbers. I was entering the whole two-line string..Doh!
Now if I can figure out how to play it offline..
This isn't an online only game, is it? I don't even fly sims online...

 

[Orcone101]

And don't join the millions of idiots who return the game because it won't work in the first 30 minutes. This game will blow your mind, just give it a chance!

The gamers aren't idiots. Valve had good intentions with the Steam system, they just butchered the idea and we are left with this inefficient, annoying and ugly program that was forced upon us.

 

[sinkoman]

The gamers aren't idiots. Valve had good intentions with the Steam system, they just butchered the idea and we are left with this inefficient, annoying and ugly program that was forced upon us.

I actually like steam. It's a godsend so I don't have to go to shitty fileplanet to get all my updates, they're delivered to me right when I need them. I can purchase games straight from it, view the latest news on a game, and look through third party mods! I'm in the process of creating my own skin so it looks nicer. My only gripe is the ammount of resources it takes up when it's running. Big enough to rival explorer and svchost!

 

[Orcone101]

We don't need to get absolutely everything from the internet. I prefer to buy my games from the store. If something goes wrong, you can return it and speak to a real person in real time.
Emailing problems to companies rarely gets a response from my experience. And since I'm in Australia, the internet service here is very far behind America. I have a download limit of 1gb a month and if I go over it, my speed is capped to 28.8kbs.
Flame me if you wish, but I returned the game and I'm playing the cracked version, I'd rather risk spyware and viruses than use Steam.

 

[EAGLE]

We don't need to get absolutely everything from the internet. I prefer to buy my games from the store. If something goes wrong, you can return it and speak to a real person in real time.
Emailing problems to companies rarely gets a response from my experience. And since I'm in Australia, the internet service here is very far behind America. I have a download limit of 1gb a month and if I go over it, my speed is capped to 28.8kbs.
Flame me if you wish, but I returned the game and I'm playing the cracked version, I'd rather risk spyware and viruses than use Steam.

I absolutly agree. I still can't get this game to run offline, and if I can't by morning, it's going back to the store. I'd love to play it, but there is other stuff I don't have to fight with to make run..hell, I hear good things about the WW2 shooters... :naughty:

 

[sinkoman]

I absolutly agree. I still can't get this game to run offline, and if I can't by morning, it's going back to the store. I'd love to play it, but there is other stuff I don't have to fight with to make run..hell, I hear good things about the WW2 shooters... :naughty:

Well, to get it to run online, your supposed to log into steam, make sure everything is updated, and disconnect yourself from the internet.

If this does not work, go into steam and check the settings. In the account tab there should be a little check that says "Don't save account information on this computer" make sure this is unchecked. Now exit steam, start steam back up and disconnect yourself from the net. Should work, works for me.

 

[CookieCuttah]

To be honest, I don't see a damn good reason to buy hl2 if you aren't gonna play online

 

[EAGLE]

To be honest, I don't see a damn good reason to buy hl2 if you aren't gonna play online

I got it running..thanks for everyone's help.

there are those who CAN NOT STAND to playANYTHING online, Cook...I got tired of the cheating and bragging and general BS of it all way back when I was flying Flanker 1.0 online..

 

[CookieCuttah]

It isn't that bad Eagle, I go to a pretty clean server. You just gotta make friends... Playing with strangers does suck, but as soon as we see a cheater/asshat they are banned/kicked.