That's why valve have a special program set up for internet cafe type setups. You're supposed to email them and they'll sort something special out when steam comes out of beta. I always assumed it would be a local content server so you don't have 50 machines downloading half-life 2 all at once, but I suppose they could have a program to allow you to use a single steam login and restrict it to, say 50 machines on the same subnet. Of course, I'm basing all this on a single quote by Eric Johnsen:<!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->You should send mail to cafe@valvesoftware.com to get setup with our cyber cafe program.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Doesn't this basically mean hackers can get a new SteamID whenever they want just by re-registering at the website? Instead of having to either buy or trade a CDkey? It seems like it would make it so that all hackers have to do is go to Steam, register a new account, and then log in at Steam, and bam, they are back in the game cheating again.
It doesn't seem like a good idea for me, because only mods like NS, DoD, CS, and so on are going to get the Steam treatment, while mods like TS, and BG aren't going to get it because they aren't Valve supported, right?
<!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Doesn't this basically mean hackers can get a new SteamID whenever they want just by re-registering at the website? Instead of having to either buy or trade a CDkey? It seems like it would make it so that all hackers have to do is go to Steam, register a new account, and then log in at Steam, and bam, they are back in the game cheating again.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd--> The only reason you were able to get free steam id's was because valve wanted many people to beta test it. Being able to play Half-life and CS1.6 for free brought in many more beta testers. Once the steam beta ends the steam account database will be cleared and the only way you will be able to get a steam id is either enter a valid Half-Life/Opfor/Blue-Shift/CS/DOD retail CD key or to purchase one of these games over steam. <!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->It doesn't seem like a good idea for me, because only mods like NS, DoD, CS, and so on are going to get the Steam treatment, while mods like TS, and BG aren't going to get it because they aren't Valve supported, right?<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd--> Valve has said that they will be releasing tools to allow mod makers to move their work over to steam once the beta ends. The valve-supported mods just had a head start.
<!--QuoteBegin--snozzle+Sep 8 2003, 12:33 AM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (snozzle @ Sep 8 2003, 12:33 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> im glad about the no wonid thing... (grumbles about random VAC banning...) <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd--> VAC bans may still be intact, as VALVe will have access to the CD-KEYS that were tied to the WONIDs that were banned. They could easily update the VAC ban list to use the STEAMIDs tied to the same CD-KEYS that were banned, though I highly doubt they would do this.
okay, so originally i heard steam was a p2p client that downlaoded games from everyone. is this still true? i dont want to be uploading games 24/7. if its just a chat room and authentication server, thats okay, but i dont want to be forced to serve files =/
<!--QuoteBegin--Zel+Sep 7 2003, 10:39 PM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Zel @ Sep 7 2003, 10:39 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> okay, so originally i heard steam was a p2p client that downlaoded games from everyone. is this still true? i dont want to be uploading games 24/7. if its just a chat room and authentication server, thats okay, but i dont want to be forced to serve files =/ <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd--> no steam is a content on demand client. Which means when you want to you can download any of the steam support games from their hosted content servers (about 20 servers atm). There is no uploading involved simply downloading when you want.
Is Flayra really gonna have to convert every Constellation, veteran and playtester member to Steam? Man I don't envy that job.
I still don't quite understand. Will every single game of multiplayer HL, HL2, or any mods from these 2 games have to use Steam? Will no server be able to run without Steam? How is Valve going to police this? What exactly is ment by "extra content"? Will the steam system cause lag?
<!--QuoteBegin--Ryo-Ohki+Sep 8 2003, 04:34 AM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Ryo-Ohki @ Sep 8 2003, 04:34 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> I still don't quite understand. Will every single game of multiplayer HL, HL2, or any mods from these 2 games have to use Steam? Will no server be able to run without Steam? How is Valve going to police this? What exactly is ment by "extra content"? Will the steam system cause lag? <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd--> well as i understand it you can no longer authenticate via WON, so your cd key as is wont go through...
but, what's stopping LANs that arent connected to the internet to just keeping the old patch and totally bypassing the whole 'must be updated to steam and on the internet even for lan play' thing?
Instead you will gain a steam id, this works basically the same but it will be different to your existing wonid. AFAIk you wont be authing with Steam everytime you connect to a server as you currently do with steam. Instead you will auth each time you load the steam program.
kann_nix: There is nothing stopping them running the previous versions on lans as they currently are. However, if LANs want to play the new versions of all HL based games then they will need to update to Steam. As every single HL/HL2 mod will need steam to run online
Ok, I'm confused. Once Steam is released, will third party browsers like ASE and Gamespy no longer be able to find and connect you to HL servers? <!--emo&???--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/confused.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='confused.gif'><!--endemo-->
<!--QuoteBegin--MMZ>Torak+Sep 8 2003, 09:16 AM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (MMZ>Torak @ Sep 8 2003, 09:16 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> Ok, I'm confused. Once Steam is released, will third party browsers like ASE and Gamespy no longer be able to find and connect you to HL servers? <!--emo&???--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/confused.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='confused.gif'><!--endemo--> <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd--> They cant in the current beta.
But, we have been told that once stea goes final they will be able to work with steam fine.
<!--QuoteBegin--Bry+Sep 8 2003, 10:47 AM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Bry @ Sep 8 2003, 10:47 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> <!--QuoteBegin--MMZ>Torak+Sep 8 2003, 09:16 AM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (MMZ>Torak @ Sep 8 2003, 09:16 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> Ok, I'm confused. Once Steam is released, will third party browsers like ASE and Gamespy no longer be able to find and connect you to HL servers? <!--emo&???--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/confused.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='confused.gif'><!--endemo--> <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd--> They cant in the current beta.
But, we have been told that once stea goes final they will be able to work with steam fine. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd--> Actually, the current beta works fine with ASE.
I am just really un-easy about some of steam's "features" atm.
for example... 1. Spyware, some people have decompiled this file accociated with steam and have found it has caught every single link that they have clinck on in the past year (w/o their knowledge) and it state clearly that valve will use information gathered from you in their privacy policy.
2. The automatic updates, although I very much trust valve as a company and would not hesitate to download a patch and install it but at least i know that i am installing a patch from valve. When a software that runs in the background just downloads and installs software by itself, i feel quite uneasy. First of all I don't even let me virus checker or windows do that by itself nevermind something which tbh is less trusted but this issue is a minor issue. however what assurances can valve give me that the stuff that is auto downloaded is actually from valve and not some hacker that decides to take out half a billion computers worldwide by releasing a malicous virus onto the steam network.
3. Adware, although i have read that atm steam is free of adverts. but i have a strong belief that some sort of adware is going to be incorporated. This would **** me off to no end since it will be taking bandwidth from me.
4. The system requirements: why does the current system requirements for steam be over double the required system for halflife. Even with a complex mod like natural selection you do not need such a system. This is a minor issue for me but it makes me wonder what exactly is steam doing that is going to take up so much resources.
5. Finnally, this having to connect to steam even to play LAN games or single players. This is just silly, the other night some friends of mine had a lan party and it just happens that BT decides to cut the local exchange for the weekend. but we still managed to play lan games. this would really shoot themselves in the foot since it is the mp aspect of halflife that made halflife what it was. I feel this part really penalises the people that helped make hl the game of the year even 5+ years after its release.
oh and as for not losing sound when alt-tabbing, just add -windowmode in the cmd line and make the windowed resolution to the same as your windows resolution. et voila you dont lose your sound and can chat on stuff like msn. BAH this turned out longer than i expected
<!--QuoteBegin--Jummeh+Sep 9 2003, 04:11 PM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Jummeh @ Sep 9 2003, 04:11 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->I am just really un-easy about some of steam's "features" atm.
for example... 1. Spyware, some people have decompiled this file accociated with steam and have found it has caught every single link that they have clinck on in the past year (w/o their knowledge) and it state clearly that valve will use information gathered from you in their privacy policy.
2. The automatic updates, although I very much trust valve as a company and would not hesitate to download a patch and install it but at least i know that i am installing a patch from valve. When a software that runs in the background just downloads and installs software by itself, i feel quite uneasy. First of all I don't even let me virus checker or windows do that by itself nevermind something which tbh is less trusted but this issue is a minor issue. however what assurances can valve give me that the stuff that is auto downloaded is actually from valve and not some hacker that decides to take out half a billion computers worldwide by releasing a malicous virus onto the steam network.
3. Adware, although i have read that atm steam is free of adverts. but i have a strong belief that some sort of adware is going to be incorporated. This would **** me off to no end since it will be taking bandwidth from me.
4. The system requirements: why does the current system requirements for steam be over double the required system for halflife. Even with a complex mod like natural selection you do not need such a system. This is a minor issue for me but it makes me wonder what exactly is steam doing that is going to take up so much resources.
5. Finnally, this having to connect to steam even to play LAN games or single players. This is just silly, the other night some friends of mine had a lan party and it just happens that BT decides to cut the local exchange for the weekend. but we still managed to play lan games. this would really shoot themselves in the foot since it is the mp aspect of halflife that made halflife what it was. I feel this part really penalises the people that helped make hl the game of the year even 5+ years after its release.
oh and as for not losing sound when alt-tabbing, just add -windowmode in the cmd line and make the windowed resolution to the same as your windows resolution. et voila you dont lose your sound and can chat on stuff like msn. BAH this turned out longer than i expected<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd--> Regarding spyware, Valve has given a decent explanation for the presence of filenames within the gcache.gcf file: rather than writing out 400MB of zeros, it just asks Windows for allocate the space without clearing it; slightly faster, and there's no real benefit to clearing the space when you know it will be overwritten anyway. The filenames people have reported seeing are therefore old data that happened to be in the space Windows allocated. They also point out that this only happens on a FAT32 filesystem; the NTFS filesystem clears allocated space automatically, which explains why NTFS users haven't reported seeing anything suspicous in thir files. It's also rather telling that the people who found this data in their files started making accusations of "spyware" rather than simply asking valve about it; could this be because they're members of the OGC forum and steam is valve's first serious anti-cheat platform?
With automatic updates, you're right that you put a lot of trust in the company providing them. You are free, however to turn off automatic updating and only install the patches manually. The disadvantage there is that you'll be getting a very large patch every few months rather than a very small patch every few days.
The only adverts on steam are from the people running the content servers. Could this change in the future? I see no reason for Valve to introduce more advertising, but we'll have to wait and see.
The last two points I can sympathise with: the system requirements are high, and I'm hoping they'll be lower for the final release. Without the debugging code, and full optimisation things should be better. Requiring an internet connection for LAN and single player will be a pain; I'm hoping this was a very badly worded statement by valve, and that we'll be able to use single player without connecting.
Comments
It doesn't seem like a good idea for me, because only mods like NS, DoD, CS, and so on are going to get the Steam treatment, while mods like TS, and BG aren't going to get it because they aren't Valve supported, right?
The only reason you were able to get free steam id's was because valve wanted many people to beta test it. Being able to play Half-life and CS1.6 for free brought in many more beta testers. Once the steam beta ends the steam account database will be cleared and the only way you will be able to get a steam id is either enter a valid Half-Life/Opfor/Blue-Shift/CS/DOD retail CD key or to purchase one of these games over steam.
<!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->It doesn't seem like a good idea for me, because only mods like NS, DoD, CS, and so on are going to get the Steam treatment, while mods like TS, and BG aren't going to get it because they aren't Valve supported, right?<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Valve has said that they will be releasing tools to allow mod makers to move their work over to steam once the beta ends. The valve-supported mods just had a head start.
VAC bans may still be intact, as VALVe will have access to the CD-KEYS that were tied to the WONIDs that were banned. They could easily update the VAC ban list to use the STEAMIDs tied to the same CD-KEYS that were banned, though I highly doubt they would do this.
no
steam is a content on demand client. Which means when you want to you can download any of the steam support games from their hosted content servers (about 20 servers atm). There is no uploading involved simply downloading when you want.
I still don't quite understand. Will every single game of multiplayer HL, HL2, or any mods from these 2 games have to use Steam? Will no server be able to run without Steam? How is Valve going to police this? What exactly is ment by "extra content"? Will the steam system cause lag?
well as i understand it you can no longer authenticate via WON, so your cd key as is wont go through...
but, what's stopping LANs that arent connected to the internet to just keeping the old patch and totally
bypassing the whole 'must be updated to steam and on the internet even for lan play' thing?
Instead you will gain a steam id, this works basically the same but it will be different to your existing wonid.
AFAIk you wont be authing with Steam everytime you connect to a server as you currently do with steam. Instead you will auth each time you load the steam program.
kann_nix: There is nothing stopping them running the previous versions on lans as they currently are. However, if LANs want to play the new versions of all HL based games then they will need to update to Steam. As every single HL/HL2 mod will need steam to run online
They cant in the current beta.
But, we have been told that once stea goes final they will be able to work with steam fine.
They cant in the current beta.
But, we have been told that once stea goes final they will be able to work with steam fine. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
Actually, the current beta works fine with ASE.
Atleast for me >_>
for example...
1. Spyware, some people have decompiled this file accociated with steam and have found it has caught every single link that they have clinck on in the past year (w/o their knowledge) and it state clearly that valve will use information gathered from you in their privacy policy.
2. The automatic updates, although I very much trust valve as a company and would not hesitate to download a patch and install it but at least i know that i am installing a patch from valve. When a software that runs in the background just downloads and installs software by itself, i feel quite uneasy.
First of all I don't even let me virus checker or windows do that by itself nevermind something which tbh is less trusted but this issue is a minor issue. however what assurances can valve give me that the stuff that is auto downloaded is actually from valve and not some hacker that decides to take out half a billion computers worldwide by releasing a malicous virus onto the steam network.
3. Adware, although i have read that atm steam is free of adverts. but i have a strong belief that some sort of adware is going to be incorporated. This would **** me off to no end since it will be taking bandwidth from me.
4. The system requirements: why does the current system requirements for steam be over double the required system for halflife. Even with a complex mod like natural selection you do not need such a system. This is a minor issue for me but it makes me wonder what exactly is steam doing that is going to take up so much resources.
5. Finnally, this having to connect to steam even to play LAN games or single players. This is just silly, the other night some friends of mine had a lan party and it just happens that BT decides to cut the local exchange for the weekend. but we still managed to play lan games. this would really shoot themselves in the foot since it is the mp aspect of halflife that made halflife what it was.
I feel this part really penalises the people that helped make hl the game of the year even 5+ years after its release.
oh and as for not losing sound when alt-tabbing, just add -windowmode in the cmd line and make the windowed resolution to the same as your windows resolution. et voila you dont lose your sound and can chat on stuff like msn. BAH this turned out longer than i expected
for example...
1. Spyware, some people have decompiled this file accociated with steam and have found it has caught every single link that they have clinck on in the past year (w/o their knowledge) and it state clearly that valve will use information gathered from you in their privacy policy.
2. The automatic updates, although I very much trust valve as a company and would not hesitate to download a patch and install it but at least i know that i am installing a patch from valve. When a software that runs in the background just downloads and installs software by itself, i feel quite uneasy.
First of all I don't even let me virus checker or windows do that by itself nevermind something which tbh is less trusted but this issue is a minor issue. however what assurances can valve give me that the stuff that is auto downloaded is actually from valve and not some hacker that decides to take out half a billion computers worldwide by releasing a malicous virus onto the steam network.
3. Adware, although i have read that atm steam is free of adverts. but i have a strong belief that some sort of adware is going to be incorporated. This would **** me off to no end since it will be taking bandwidth from me.
4. The system requirements: why does the current system requirements for steam be over double the required system for halflife. Even with a complex mod like natural selection you do not need such a system. This is a minor issue for me but it makes me wonder what exactly is steam doing that is going to take up so much resources.
5. Finnally, this having to connect to steam even to play LAN games or single players. This is just silly, the other night some friends of mine had a lan party and it just happens that BT decides to cut the local exchange for the weekend. but we still managed to play lan games. this would really shoot themselves in the foot since it is the mp aspect of halflife that made halflife what it was.
I feel this part really penalises the people that helped make hl the game of the year even 5+ years after its release.
oh and as for not losing sound when alt-tabbing, just add -windowmode in the cmd line and make the windowed resolution to the same as your windows resolution. et voila you dont lose your sound and can chat on stuff like msn. BAH this turned out longer than i expected<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Regarding spyware, Valve has given a decent explanation for the presence of filenames within the gcache.gcf file: rather than writing out 400MB of zeros, it just asks Windows for allocate the space without clearing it; slightly faster, and there's no real benefit to clearing the space when you know it will be overwritten anyway. The filenames people have reported seeing are therefore old data that happened to be in the space Windows allocated. They also point out that this only happens on a FAT32 filesystem; the NTFS filesystem clears allocated space automatically, which explains why NTFS users haven't reported seeing anything suspicous in thir files. It's also rather telling that the people who found this data in their files started making accusations of "spyware" rather than simply asking valve about it; could this be because they're members of the OGC forum and steam is valve's first serious anti-cheat platform?
With automatic updates, you're right that you put a lot of trust in the company providing them. You are free, however to turn off automatic updating and only install the patches manually. The disadvantage there is that you'll be getting a very large patch every few months rather than a very small patch every few days.
The only adverts on steam are from the people running the content servers. Could this change in the future? I see no reason for Valve to introduce more advertising, but we'll have to wait and see.
The last two points I can sympathise with: the system requirements are high, and I'm hoping they'll be lower for the final release. Without the debugging code, and full optimisation things should be better. Requiring an internet connection for LAN and single player will be a pain; I'm hoping this was a very badly worded statement by valve, and that we'll be able to use single player without connecting.