Author Topic: The Orange Box  (Read 23129 times)

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Offline colecampbell666

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Gettin' back to dodgin' lasers.

 

Offline Unknown Target

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So is there any way to play Portal, or any of the HL episodes offline? I restarted Steam in offline mode, but it says I still need to be online.

 

Offline Agent_Koopa

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I'm all for digital distribution, I got the first season of Sam & Max that way.  Steam just rankles me to my very core with it's model of online distribution though.  I want to get something and be done, rather then having to constantly connect for no damn reason.  Steam is why I don't own Half-Life 2, because it's a freaking requirement when you pick up a box copy!  Everyone hates Microsoft's stupid "Windows Genuine Advantage" because it presupposes you're a pirate, so I can't fathom why designing retail software that requires constant "phoning home" to play offline is a viable model.

I have no idea if it impacts performance when you're not running an application that uses it, as I won't allow it anywhere near my system.

The reason this happens, I assume, is so you can't download a game to several computers and turn them on offline.
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I'm all for digital distribution, I got the first season of Sam & Max that way.  Steam just rankles me to my very core with it's model of online distribution though.  I want to get something and be done, rather then having to constantly connect for no damn reason.  Steam is why I don't own Half-Life 2, because it's a freaking requirement when you pick up a box copy!  Everyone hates Microsoft's stupid "Windows Genuine Advantage" because it presupposes you're a pirate, so I can't fathom why designing retail software that requires constant "phoning home" to play offline is a viable model.

I have no idea if it impacts performance when you're not running an application that uses it, as I won't allow it anywhere near my system.
The reason this happens, I assume, is so you can't download a game to several computers and turn them on offline.
That only makes sense if you purchased your copy via Steam in the first place.  You expect a retail box for an MMO to mention how it requires an active internet connection to play, it doesn't make any sense at all for single player titles played exclusively offline to require that though.  Valve is essentially forcing Steam down our throats, even if we're not buying things from them online.
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Offline Unknown Target

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It's a viable model because Valve is the industry's darling child. Everyone loves them, and anyone who dislikes them is immediately shunned - Valve is probably the only developer that could have pulled Steam off, and they STILL had to push it hard.

 

Offline MP-Ryan

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So is there any way to play Portal, or any of the HL episodes offline? I restarted Steam in offline mode, but it says I still need to be online.

Unplug your internet connection.

Steam does have an offline mode for when no internet is available, and it does work (I've used it).  That said, if you're trying to force it offline when you have an internet connection, it's probably not going to work.
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Offline MP-Ryan

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Alright, if there's no legal way to do without Steam... then I have another question. Does Steam affect the performance of a PC overall (malware), or just when it's in use (badware)?

Neither.  Steam's resource usage when running an application is actually minimal - it only uses significant resources when running as background without a full-screen application (e.g. game) active.  So, turn off the start with windows functionality and only launch Steam when you're playing a game.
"In the beginning, the Universe was created.  This made a lot of people very angry and has widely been regarded as a bad move."  [Douglas Adams]

 

Offline colecampbell666

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It's a viable model because Valve is the industry's darling child. Everyone loves them, and anyone who dislikes them is immediately shunned - Valve is probably the only developer that could have pulled Steam off, and they STILL had to push it hard.
Why would they even think of doing this in the first place?
Gettin' back to dodgin' lasers.

 
A split between combating piracy and eliminating distributors, probably heavily favoring the latter.  Plus, you figure if someone buys a retail game that needs steam, then there's at least one person who might look at your online catalog and buy something.

 

Offline Unknown Target

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They don't want piracy and they want to keep 100% of the profits from their games, which they can't do with a distributor (who keep a large portion of the profits for themselves).

Steam does do great things for indie developers though (aside from the fact that they're linked to that damn program) - I talked with the lead of Red Orchestra, and he said that the great thing about Steam is that if they publish on it, they keep the rights to the universe/license and to any further games, unlike with a publisher, who gets all of that (as we in the FS community are acutely aware).

 

Offline CP5670

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A split between combating piracy and eliminating distributors, probably heavily favoring the latter.  Plus, you figure if someone buys a retail game that needs steam, then there's at least one person who might look at your online catalog and buy something.

I would say it's more about hitting the used game market than having anything to do with piracy. It's well known by now that Steam is as useless as anything else in stopping pirates, but the used game market would take a chunk out of their sales and Steam locks a game down to the original purchaser, which is good from Valve's point of view.

 

Offline Agent_Koopa

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Whoa. I just bought the rest of the Orange Box, and man, is it fun. (I previously only owned Portal.) I'm partway through Episode 2, in the chapter "Under the Radar". And I am a terrible Spy.
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Offline Asuko

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Offline BloodEagle

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Team Fortress 2 is the only thing in it that I dislike.

*runs*

 

Offline colecampbell666

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Team Fortress 2 is the only thing in it that I dislike.

*runs*
Join the club. I didn't like that game, I found it too chunky. (could be that I have to play it at 800*600 and low detail, maybe I'll try it out when I get a new PC)
Gettin' back to dodgin' lasers.

 

Offline Asuko

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Same for me really but I like the gameplay.
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Care to kill a flame war™?

"Is it just me or are the squirrels getting more and more waterlogged?" - Tyr

"THE POWER OF CHRIST COMPELS YOU!" -Me
"Are you trying to exorcise my Rubik's cube?" -Tyrian

"Life's an adventure*plunge*" -Tyrian
"You call plunging a toilet an adventure?" -Me

 

Offline Agent_Koopa

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Well, Team Fortress 2 isn't on the same level as Half-Life 2, or Portal, but it's still an excellent game that offers variety. It's a welcome break from the pervading monotony of COD4.


Or, maybe I should just play on less-crowded servers.
Interestingly enough, this signature is none of the following:
A witty remark on whatever sad state of affairs the world may or may not be in
A series of localized forum in-jokes
A clever and self-referential comment on the nature of signatures themselves.

Hobo Queens are Crowned, but Hobo Kings are Found.

 

Offline Asuko

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I remember finding a /b/ themed server. It was full of lulz.
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Care to kill a flame war™?

"Is it just me or are the squirrels getting more and more waterlogged?" - Tyr

"THE POWER OF CHRIST COMPELS YOU!" -Me
"Are you trying to exorcise my Rubik's cube?" -Tyrian

"Life's an adventure*plunge*" -Tyrian
"You call plunging a toilet an adventure?" -Me

 

Offline colecampbell666

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I remember finding a /b/ themed server. It was full of lulz.
I pity you.
Gettin' back to dodgin' lasers.

 

Offline Asuko

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I know... but it was funny at 3 in the morning.
This sig is equal to -i.

Free Vasudans! Clicky here!!

Care to kill a flame war™?

"Is it just me or are the squirrels getting more and more waterlogged?" - Tyr

"THE POWER OF CHRIST COMPELS YOU!" -Me
"Are you trying to exorcise my Rubik's cube?" -Tyrian

"Life's an adventure*plunge*" -Tyrian
"You call plunging a toilet an adventure?" -Me