Valve really needs to change this (not about L4D)

[AlphaOmega]

I can play anything but TF2 in offline mode.. odd.

you tried deleting your settings file and restarting steam?

 

[Agayek]

There is an offline mode to steam. I usually get a prompt when I try to open it in online mode with no connection and start it up in offline, then I can open any game and play it whenever I want, with the obvious exceptions of online games (ala TF2).

 

[j0z]

Just put Steam in Offline mode, problem solved. And I belive that it gives the option to "go offline" does it not?

 

[ElArabDeMagnifico]

Weird, there IS offline mode and you should be able to play this if it's installed already.

It was installed and updated already, right?

 

[Irridium]

next time, try setting steam in offline mode. That helped for me.

 

[Anachronism]

well, maybe because steam's ONLINE.

We pay for these games, we should have the ability to play them where we please.

I'd be inclined to agree with this. Anti-piracy is all well and good, but surely by buying the game from Steam in the first place is enough proof that you bought it legitimately? I could understand having to register with Steam the first time you load up the game, but after that I would have thought it would be ok for you to play the game offline.

I know there is an offline mode to Steam, but it doesn't always work and will periodically ask you to log in to get updates or something. You'd think that once you'd confirmed the game's legitimacy with Steam you'd be allowed to play it as you like.

Anti-piracy, clearly -> it's for the greater good.

I'm loving the irony here.

 

[DM.]

Honestly I have this problem too.

It's just silly.

 

[sms_117b]

This is the reason I don't like steam and prefer to purchase games on DVD and CD still.

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

It annoys me too as I can't play X-Com on my laptop on the train.

 

[HobbesMkii]

I can play steam games in offline mode. Hrm. Weird. Maybe they just pick and choose which people they don't like and block them. I played audiosurf just the other day without an internet connection.

 

[chromewarriorXIII]

From what it sounds like Steam has an offline mode but that just means you are offline. The game still connects to the internet and does the verification. It sounds stupid but I assume it stops piracy.

 

[Kyouran]

They do this for a reason.

Steam games can be installed on any computer from a single profile. Steam ensures that you do not pirate the game by requiring online verification to play the game. This way you can install the game on any computer, but only one computer can run a game at once.

/thread.

I had this same complaint, until I read this post.

 

[fix-the-spade]

Erm, did you try restarting Steam in offline mode?

That works for me, as long as the game's been authenticated in the past it should run in offline mode without needing to go online.
The other solution is if you put the game disc in it should work without needing online verification.

I know that'suseless if you bought it on a download but still.

You might also want to check out Steam's support pages, there is a known bug of Steam asking for authentication too much (all the time instead of every few weeks/months).

 

[Androgeus]

>< it's not that fact that it wasn't in offline mode, it is more likely that the game is not up to date

To quote the steam support page - https://support.steampowered.com/kb_article.php?ref=3160-AGCB-2555

If your game's status is "100% - Ready" but you receive the message "This game cannot be started in Offline Mode" when attempting to play offline, the Steam client application's files need to be updated.

 

[Sneaklemming]

So my internet was down between 10 last night and 330 today. Now since I couldn't come here I decided I wanted to play the original HL2. When I tried to load it, it says action can only be done when Steam is online.
Why though? There is no online component or even achievements. I can understand TF2, and Portal to a point, but why HL2? The only game that worked was Audiosurf and that can keep me entertained for awhile but then I want something different.

So my question to Valve is "Why can't Steam play games that don't require online to play while in offline mode?"

you have to set it in Offline mode before you disconnect from steam

or

start your game while online, then quit go into offline mode and it should work fine

 

[Vanguard_Ex]

Jesus man, you're gonna make Valve cry before long.

 

[HellRaid]

Start it in offline mode and you'll be able to play any SteamApps already isntalled on your computer.

If HL2 wasn't installed or was halfway through patching when your connection cut off, you wouldn't be able to play it.

 

[A random person]

The only real problem with steam is having to check online every time you want to play a game. I had an internet outage once, and I couldn't play my steam games because of it. Valve would do well to verify it once and let you play the game from your hard drive from then on, also letting you access your account and redownload the games from another computer if you go somewhere else or get a new computer.

 

[sneak_copter]

You know what, Offline Mode works perfect for me. Strange.

However... Valve needs to do squat. Steam is very good, with some very small problems.

 

[shMerker]

Steam Support article on offline mode [https://support.steampowered.com/kb_article.php?ref=3160-AGCB-2555]. The system is in place to combat piracy, so don't expect it to change any time soon. Given all the DRM schemes out there this is one of the less obnoxious ones and it comes with a bunch of goodies like automatic updating and the ability to install your games on any computer with an internet connection even if you don't have any discs.