Do other retail purchaser feel like second class citizens?

InvaderScooge · #1 17-11-2004, 07:23 PM

Why does Valve hate me? because I decided to buy a collectors edition to get a shirt and a professionally made DVD copy of the game that's why? We get all the downsides of steam. If steam goes down we can't play, if steam goes away our game is worthless and we can't play. But we don't get any of the benefits either. Steam people can play anywhere they want after downloading the game through thier account. We have to have the stupid disk in the drive to launch the game!

Valve, people bought retail because they didn't want to buy through an online delivery system. So what do you do? You force them to authenticate on your online deliver system and get the game through there anyways! The retail disks are not a standalone. They don't even have all the files needed to play, they are just the preloads. I have to log on to steam and download the rest and unlock just like steam people do so if steam goes away I am screwed. This DVD is a waste of space that I am now eternally bound to to play the game I own. Valve knows I bought the game, they made me authenticate and register the freaking cd key to a steam account.

This is unacceptable. Release an update to free the retail people from the CD requirement or I will have to support the warez group by using there no cd crack so I can play without searching for my disk each time.

Okay, I am done venting now. On a side note the game is great, good job Valve. Now pull your heads out of your ***.

#2 17-11-2004, 07:26 PM

Yep, they are a complete joke, I spend more money than their other customers for double the inconvenience.... and these moronic companies wonder why people go warez..... I know I will be next time

mortiz · #3 17-11-2004, 07:28 PM

I agree VALVe screwed up with getting the retail versions to work with STEAM but I don't think they did it intentionally. It was just "Unforseen Consequences", sorry, bad pun.

Also the fact that the discs don't contain all of the game was just a way of combating piracy, I hope VALVe get it fixed soon!

jimbones · #4 17-11-2004, 07:28 PM

that's because you are! muahahahaaaaaa
just kidding..

but seriously: you are.

#5 17-11-2004, 07:29 PM

Well said.

In 5 or 10 years, say Valve has shut down....and i want to fire back up HL2? Well i cant. Thats just terrible.

alehm · #6 17-11-2004, 07:31 PM

Sorry mate, Steam and the internet are here to stay.

Valve doesn't hate you, you hate Valve. If Steam goes down you can still play single player. if Steam goes away the community will find a way to get the game playable on the public.... Starsiege is an example by Vivendi and Freespace 2 is an example by hard core gamers that ressurected online play after it was dismantled.

Again, the system requirements state you need an internet connection to play. If you don't like it don't buy it.

If you want a no CD crack go ahead be my guest (as long as you bought a legit copy) just don't start complaining when we get patches and new levels for HL2 ported directly to our PCs while you have to hunt the warez groups for an updated crack. This is the future of content delivery.

And to the person saying they will go warez next time... typical mentality there.. you pretend like you are fighting the cause against some injustuce yet you are willing to become a theif.

mortiz · #7 17-11-2004, 07:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DoctorGordon3

Well said.

In 5 or 10 years, say Valve has shut down....and i want to fire back up HL2? Well i cant. Thats just terrible.

I think if VALVe were to shut down they'd release a patch or something that allowed you to play VALVe's games without connecting to STEAM, but I hope they don't shut down for a while yet!

The bad thing is people are saying Half-Life 2 sucks just because they dislike VALVe and their decisions (believe it or not there are still people out there who hold a grudge against VALVe for delaying HL-2).

InvaderScooge · #8 17-11-2004, 07:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alehm

Sorry mate, Steam and the internet are here to stay.

Valve doesn't hate you, you hate Valve. If Steam goes down you can still play single player. if Steam goes away the community will find a way to get the game playable on the public.... Starsiege is an example by Vivendi and Freespace 2 is an example by hard core gamers that ressurected online play after it was dismantled.

Again, the system requirements state you need an internet connection to play. If you don't like it don't buy it.

If you want a no CD crack go ahead be my guest (as long as you bought a legit copy) just don't start complaining when we get patches and new levels for HL2 ported directly to our PCs while you have to hunt the warez groups for an updated crack.

And to the person saying they will go warez next time... typical mentality there.. you pretend like you are fighting the cause against some injustuce yet you are willing to become a theif.

Did you even read the post moron? I have no problem with the internet and in fact I like Steam in general. I would also like to see Valve get the money instead of VU. I got retail because I wanted a professionally made DVD. I would not have done that if I knew the DVD was worthless and in fact dead weight I now have to carry around with me to play the game. I have no problem with Steam nor with Valve requiring activation. It is valve requiring me to have the CD in the drive AFTER they made me register my CD-Key, authenticate and unlock my install that I have a problem with.

alehm · #9 17-11-2004, 07:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by InvaderScooge

Did you even read the post moron? I have no problem with the internet and in fact I like Steam in general. I would also like to see Valve get the money instead of VU. I got retail because I wanted a professionally made DVD. I would not have done that if I knew the DVD was worthless and in fact dead weight I now have to carry around with me to play the game. I have no problem with Steam nor with Valve requiring activation. It is valve requiring me to have the CD in the drive AFTER they made me register my CD-Key, authenticate and unlock my install that I have a problem with.

As I said after I read your post, go get a no cd crack.

Perret · #10 17-11-2004, 07:48 PM

I like Valve, i like Steam .. but i think that it isn't nice from Valve to let us retailers put in the DVD each time we want to play ... why we must registrating and validating our files in Steam and then don't be able to play like this people who bought from Steam? I would have buyed this game from Steam too (because I like Steam), but I don't have a CreditCard.

But a Question:
If I now delete all my HL2 Cache Files and redownload all the things, can I actually play it without the DVD?

#11 17-11-2004, 07:50 PM

Uh....no I don't feel like a second class citizen. I have no problem with it because:

A) I can run it in offline mode, if I want, once authenticated.
B) I only plan on installing it on one machine.
C) I am a big boy and can put a disk in my drive.

If it bothers you so much then buy Gamedrive or wait for the no-CD crack to appear which I'm sure it will. I don't understand why this is such a big deal. They are using Steam to help keep the game updated and to help prevent piracy. They had a few hiccups with authentication yesterday, relax. They are protecting their interests for the time they put into the game, I'm willing to deal with a Steam hiccup during launch. That being said, they need to stop the hiccups or I'm sure they will lose customers.

Snewo

#12 17-11-2004, 07:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alehm

Sorry mate, Steam and the internet are here to stay.

Valve doesn't hate you, you hate Valve. If Steam goes down you can still play single player. if Steam goes away the community will find a way to get the game playable on the public.... Starsiege is an example by Vivendi and Freespace 2 is an example by hard core gamers that ressurected online play after it was dismantled.

Again, the system requirements state you need an internet connection to play. If you don't like it don't buy it.

If you want a no CD crack go ahead be my guest (as long as you bought a legit copy) just don't start complaining when we get patches and new levels for HL2 ported directly to our PCs while you have to hunt the warez groups for an updated crack. This is the future of content delivery.

And to the person saying they will go warez next time... typical mentality there.. you pretend like you are fighting the cause against some injustuce yet you are willing to become a theif.

Speaking of high and mighty causes virgin mary, you seem to be spitting on enough people from that soapbox.... I aint on a mission..... i will just be voting with my wallet..... the only vote these large corporations you love so much understand

It is better to remain silent and have people suspect you of ignorance than to open your mouth and remove all doubt

Tkmaster · #13 17-11-2004, 08:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by InvaderScooge

Did you even read the post moron? I have no problem with the internet and in fact I like Steam in general. I would also like to see Valve get the money instead of VU. I got retail because I wanted a professionally made DVD. I would not have done that if I knew the DVD was worthless and in fact dead weight I now have to carry around with me to play the game. I have no problem with Steam nor with Valve requiring activation. It is valve requiring me to have the CD in the drive AFTER they made me register my CD-Key, authenticate and unlock my install that I have a problem with.

Thing is im sure valve would of made it possible for no cd to be needed but. the sad thing is it is a REQUIRMENT made by the companies that distribute the game for sale in retail stores..
If no cdprotection is used the distributors ie, vivendi will not release it..

wait a while in most cases there will be a patch at a later time that will remove the need of the cd

#14 17-11-2004, 08:01 PM

HL2 has went from a must have game to a game thats just to much bother....I took mine back this morning after nearly 8 hours of trying to activate it,and failed......Valve should have anticipated these problems, i mean they have did enough surveys over that last few years,but they did nothing......So we have people who bought the game and could not play it simply because steam could not cope,thats not the customers fault,Thats valves fault........All i wanted to do was activate the game and play it just like other people,5/10/15 mins to activate is acceptable........but 8 hours and then still no playable game is not acceptable.....

InvaderScooge · #15 17-11-2004, 08:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Perret

I like Valve, i like Steam .. but i think that it isn't nice from Valve to let us retailers put in the DVD each time we want to play ... why we must registrating and validating our files in Steam and then don't be able to play like this people who bought from Steam? I would have buyed this game from Steam too (because I like Steam), but I don't have a CreditCard.

But a Question:
If I now delete all my HL2 Cache Files and redownload all the things, can I actually play it without the DVD?

I am trying that as we speak. I started it this morning and am 45% done. I doubt it will work though. I think steam is tracking the retail keys differently from the steam keys and I will get a hl2.exe that requires the disk to play. I am wondering if I can get a hl2.exe from a steam user and overwrite my hl2.exe to skip the check. The stupid thing is it requires the disk for CS:Source and HL: Source also. Two games that the originals sitting in my steam account don't need a CD for.