Steam in HL2

[The_YongGrand]

Hey there,

I have ordered HL2:Game of the Year already and wishing to play a little bit of the online Deathmatch if I'm free.

However, I heard many many many rants and grouses about the Steam registration - some user got banned from Steam servers, and some user got deleted or some user couldn't update the game or whatever problem occured. Worse, I read from my newspaper (tech section) and they mentioned about authenticating (and decoding/decrypting) every EACH file in HL2 installation online and it takes 2 hours!!

What will be the best guide for problem-free Steam installation?

And can I play inside Steam servers outside America? Do the players cheat? I really despise people cheating. (I used to play in my local servers once, and I got really annoyed when some players tried to get invisible and all the other stuff and it's a little bit too unfair!)

[juppy]

It's been awhile since I installed HL2 on my machine, but I don't recall it taking anywhere near 2 hours for the authentication (and I'm on dialup even). It DID take a little bit, but not 2 hours. Something may have changed though, I don't know.

As for people getting banned from the Steam servers, yeah, I've read various posts on their boards about their moderators supposedly being "mad with power" and deleting users just because they can. But personally, I think the majority of those are people that did something wrong, KNEW it was wrong, but did it anyway and then were mad because they actually got caught doing it.

And cheating? Uh, no. They have an anti-cheat policy in place and if you get caught cheating, you're gone....outta there....banned. Plus, I don't know how they do it, but there is a scanner on the Steam servers that scans for cheats being used while you are playing. They call it the VAC (Valve's Anti Cheat system). From what I've read, it's pretty strict and unforgiving.

[The_YongGrand]

Originally Posted by juppy As for people getting banned from the Steam servers, yeah, I've read various posts on their boards about their moderators supposedly being "mad with power" and deleting users just because they can. But personally, I think the majority of those are people that did something wrong, KNEW it was wrong, but did it anyway and then were mad because they actually got caught doing it.

Thanks for the info! What are the 'wrong' stuff that these folks usually do to get themselves banned? Like threatening? And do they have official Steam rules of playing there too that I can follow so that I wouldn't get myself into trouble?

Originally Posted by juppy And cheating? Uh, no. They have an anti-cheat policy in place and if you get caught cheating, you're gone....outta there....banned. Plus, I don't know how they do it, but there is a scanner on the Steam servers that scans for cheats being used while you are playing. They call it the VAC (Valve's Anti Cheat system). From what I've read, it's pretty strict and unforgiving.

Oh great, that's the thing I wish for. When I was playing Counterstrike online (local servers back in 2000, these guys can mess with the cheats, and that's really horrible experience playing with it. Thankfully the anti-cheat mechanism makes games more easier to be played with.

[blue60007]

I've been using Steam for a couple of years now and actually like it quite a bit.

[juppy]

Originally Posted by The_YongGrand Thanks for the info! What are the 'wrong' stuff that these folks usually do to get themselves banned? Like threatening? And do they have official Steam rules of playing there too that I can follow so that I wouldn't get myself into trouble?

Yeah, by "wrong" I just meant the usual stuff.....cheating, being rude/cussing at moderators, etc. I don't think you'll have a problem with it as long as you don't cheat and are decent to others around there. Basically, I think they view "cheating" as just anything that gives you an advantage over other players.....now, whether this would involve unapproved skins and such, I don't know, but things like God-mode are a definite no-no. Here's a few links to some of their forum info about things like the VAC system and what you can or can't be banned for.
LINK 1
LINK 2
LINK 3

[daboggeyman]

I to have run Steam for quit a long time with no issue,s. Go for it and enjoy.

[Hi Ho]

I bought all of the Half Life and Counter Strike games through Steam along with Call of Duty 2 and a couple other games. I have had no issues at all. I like the fact that it keeps all of the games completely up to date and that I can backup all of the files to DVDs so I don't have to download all 17 GB over again if I happen to reinstall Windows.

[TwoRails]

I never looked into it: how do you back them up?? I always figured you'd have to reinstall.

[blue60007]

Right click on your game(s) and choose Backup Game Files. I used backups to install my games on a new computer and it worked pretty well. A lot nicer than re-downloading multiple gigs of data...

[TwoRails]

Ah... that must be it. I never actually go into Steam, I run in offline mode. Every time (the few times) I run it, it's tied up for hours like mentioned above. Last time was for the Coast demo. I almost had to leave the system on over night... and I'm on broadband!

[blue60007]

To update the game? I've never had to wait hours (other than for downloading the first time). If you leave it on online mode it'll update every time there's an update. If you leave it offline, it has to do a massive update when you do bring it online. But then again it shouldn't take hours on boardband...

[TwoRails]

Interesting. I figured they were just "busy." I haven't been on since Coast.

[juppy]

I'm the same way, TR. I always run in offline mode, but I try (key word being TRY ) to remember to update Steam every now and then. I used to do it once a month but this last time I think I went like 4 or 5 months and it took several hours to update over my dialup connection. As for downloading Lost Coast, haha, don't even ask about that one! I just remember turning my machine on one morning to get the download started, just letting it sit there and do it's thing, and then finally getting the demo downloaded like 9 hours later.

[MrDravenX]

I hate Steam and always will. I miss the WON days. Some of the young kids most likely don't even know what WON is. There were less problems with CS before Steam came out. I never had a problem with them but the way they have things setup is awful.

[Force Flow]

I've been using steam since about when it first came out in 2004. The concept is good, but the only downfall is needing a decent net connection to download updates (for the first time, anyway).

I've never really had any trouble with it, and if you do multiplayer, try to find some servers/clans that are friendly and not vindictive if you do start beating their members. As long as you basically keep within the same sort of guidelines on the forums here while gaming, you shouldn't have problems.

If you're planning on playing HL2:DM, I can personally recommend the [EYE], (STK), TSGK, and oldfartsclub clan servers (I think most of those are based somewhere in the US). If you connect to servers outside the US (or outside your continent of origin), there are usually latency issues.

[The_YongGrand]

Originally Posted by Force Flow I've been using steam since about when it first came out in 2004. The concept is good, but the only downfall is needing a decent net connection to download updates (for the first time, anyway). I've never really had any trouble with it, and if you do multiplayer, try to find some servers/clans that are friendly and not vindictive if you do start beating their members. As long as you basically keep within the same sort of guidelines on the forums here while gaming, you shouldn't have problems. If you're planning on playing HL2M, I can personally recommend the [EYE], (STK), TSGK, and oldfartsclub clan servers (I think most of those are based somewhere in the US). If you connect to servers outside the US (or outside your continent of origin), there are usually latency issues.

I see. Thanks for the recommendations.

In another news, too bad I got the Game of the Year edition without Counterstrike:Source - and that DVD is locally published and distributed in Malaysia. I'm dead sure it's original since I ordered it from the original software shop (I bought a boxed Icewind Dale there before) and they are really helpful, and even confirmed my order with some box shots.

Anyway, for extra verification measures, how am I going to identify that the whole package I ordered is original?

[juppy]

Originally Posted by The_YongGrand In another news, too bad I got the Game of the Year edition without Counterstrike:Source

Are there different versions of the GOTY edition that have different "extras" included? Because my HL2: GOTY edition came with HL2, CS: Source, HL2: DM, and HL1: Source. Just wondering.

Originally Posted by The_YongGrand Anyway, for extra verification measures, how am I going to identify that the whole package I ordered is original?

You mean like to verify that it isn't a pirated copy? When you install it, you have to connect to Steam and verify it with your product key number. If it's pirated, the key number likely won't work. Sorry if that's not what you were asking.

[The_YongGrand]

Originally Posted by juppy Are there different versions of the GOTY edition that have different "extras" included? Because my HL2: GOTY edition came with HL2, CS: Source, HL2: DM, and HL1: Source. Just wondering. You mean like to verify that it isn't a pirated copy? When you install it, you have to connect to Steam and verify it with your product key number. If it's pirated, the key number likely won't work. Sorry if that's not what you were asking.

My GOTY has only the HL2eathmatch included only, just strange. It is locally packed by my local distributor, as seen with the address and its website. I'm sure any pirated copy of any product won't have addresses of any distributors there right? And the shop said that the CounterStrike:Source is in a different package.

For the verification, yes, I think connecting it to Steam will do all that.

So is it legal to do only Home LAN (no internet, just around the house, I have 2 comps in home which are currently able to play HL2)? Which means, I install one on the 1st comp, and another on the 2nd comp? Must I need the DVD every time I play it?

[Force Flow]

You cannot have the same account on at the same time on two different computers. You cannot install the same game/key on two seperate accounts. To install the game on an account, you need to activate it through Steam.

When it comes to valve and piracy, I have yet to hear about any successful circumnaviation. Other that that, I'll have to defer to rule #9: http://forum.pcmech.com/rules.php

[Hi Ho]

You cannot have the same account on at the same time on two different computers.

Supposedly that's the case but I have two PCs and one Steam account. I have never had an issue playing against friends using my account on both PCs for COD 2, CSS, and HL2 DM. I have always been able to sign in on both PCs and run the games without a hitch.

I have never tried to enter a public server (only LAN) while doing that so I don't know if that makes any difference.

[Force Flow]

A public VAC server would make a difference.

[The_YongGrand]

Originally Posted by Force Flow You cannot have the same account on at the same time on two different computers. You cannot install the same game/key on two seperate accounts. To install the game on an account, you need to activate it through Steam. When it comes to valve and piracy, I have yet to hear about any successful circumnaviation. Other that that, I'll have to defer to rule #9: http://forum.pcmech.com/rules.php

So how did the cybercafe (or internet cafe) did their Half-Life 2 / CS:S LAN gaming? Like purchasing 10 accounts for 10 computers if they happen to have it there?

[juppy]

Originally Posted by The_YongGrand So how did the cybercafe (or internet cafe) did their Half-Life 2 / CS:S LAN gaming? Like purchasing 10 accounts for 10 computers if they happen to have it there?

If they were connected to the Steam servers, yeah, I would think that'd be the only way they could do it.....buy 10 different licenses, 1 for each different computer they wanted to put the game on (or 10 full versions of the game.....whichever way they wanted to go).

I don't really know how that LAN gaming around your own house would work. I mean, you can play in offline mode, and in that case you wouldn't be connected to Steam at the time, but I don't know about how it would have to be set up......I would think you'd have to get two versions of the game, one for each computer, in order to keep it legal, but I don't know. I've never had that problem, because I'm the only one that does any gaming at my house and I've only got the one computer anyway.

[The_YongGrand]

Originally Posted by juppy If they were connected to the Steam servers, yeah, I would think that'd be the only way they could do it.....buy 10 different licenses, 1 for each different computer they wanted to put the game on (or 10 full versions of the game.....whichever way they wanted to go). I don't really know how that LAN gaming around your own house would work. I mean, you can play in offline mode, and in that case you wouldn't be connected to Steam at the time, but I don't know about how it would have to be set up......I would think you'd have to get two versions of the game, one for each computer, in order to keep it legal, but I don't know. I've never had that problem, because I'm the only one that does any gaming at my house and I've only got the one computer anyway.

Hey there, I just received the copy of Half-Life 2:GOTY. Well, it's indeed original, and even passed all the verifications.

However, I'm still not sure of the offline LAN play around the house. Let me go and enquire the Valve about it in the meantime.

In another story, strangely, I don't know why the HL2 source SDK must be installed. It's a bonus, but I don't really know how to develop HL2 games because I'm still lacking of C++. (I got my intermediate C programming, and C++ only half-way done, where I covered the Classes and some References)

[Force Flow]

Some game mods rely on the SDK. It basically acts as the base for content and the engine.

You really only have to deal with C++ when you're either developing your own applications, or doing something fancy in Hammer (the source game editor).

[The_YongGrand]

Originally Posted by juppy If they were connected to the Steam servers, yeah, I would think that'd be the only way they could do it.....buy 10 different licenses, 1 for each different computer they wanted to put the game on (or 10 full versions of the game.....whichever way they wanted to go). I don't really know how that LAN gaming around your own house would work. I mean, you can play in offline mode, and in that case you wouldn't be connected to Steam at the time, but I don't know about how it would have to be set up......I would think you'd have to get two versions of the game, one for each computer, in order to keep it legal, but I don't know. I've never had that problem, because I'm the only one that does any gaming at my house and I've only got the one computer anyway.

Sorry for the late reply, I mailed Valve about the multiple-installation on different computers, and they said that it's okay to have the same copy of the game installed, but only one computer can be logged on to steam.

[Force Flow]

Originally Posted by The_YongGrand it's okay to have the same copy of the game installed, but only one computer can be logged on to steam.

Right...the game is attached to the account, not the computer. I guess I didn't make that clear earlier.

In the recent case of BioShock with the DRM SecuROM protection, I'm not exactly sure how that would work.