It seems that you're using an outdated browser. Some things may not work as they should (or don't work at all).
We suggest you upgrade newer and better browser like: Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer or Opera

×
Scratch that, I LOVE you! If I ever buy a game with Securom, I know what to do now. And there is even a vista guide. epic!
avatar
KavazovAngel: But for some reason it didn't work yesterday (this has also happened in the past, so its not just-one-case thing).

https://support.steampowered.com/kb_article.php?ref=3160-AGCB-2555
"The Steam client application's files must be updated to allow for the use of Offline Mode." In other words, "offline if you're lucky mode."
avatar
Navagon: How long ago was that? If it's more than six months ago then offline mode didn't work at all back then.

It was and it didn't, but that certainly didn't prevent any of the Steam fanboys from praising it loudly, and using it as an argument that Steam "wasn't really DRM".
Needless to say, having an offline mode that didn't work for years isn't something that inspires a lot of faith in a company.
avatar
chautemoc: "The Steam client application's files must be updated to allow for the use of Offline Mode." In other words, "offline if you're lucky mode."

Or, to put it another way, "Offline mode works just fine, as long as you're not offline".
Post edited June 20, 2010 by Wishbone
avatar
Wishbone: Needless to say, having an offline mode that didn't work for years isn't something that inspires a lot of faith in a company.

No. And same can be said for a lot of the other problems Steam is still faced with.
avatar
KavazovAngel: If Steam can't connect it will offer you offline mode. Should have been a bit more patient with it.
avatar
Navagon: It didn't offer me any offline mode when it couldn't connect to my Steam account for three days. I left it trying to connect for 5 minutes several times, and about 20 minutes a single time. If I need more patience than that, I feel justified in saying that claims of the wonders of Steam's offline mode are dubious at best.

Steam never offers me offline mode either, and it doesn't for two friends of mine as well. When the new version of Steam came out, we updated and were treated to a full month of not being able to log in, no matter what files we deleted or how many times we re-installed. Finally, we got it to work, but sadly, not once did Steam give us the offline option. We typically have to to online first...
avatar
EndlessKnight: Steam never offers me offline mode either, and it doesn't for two friends of mine as well. When the new version of Steam came out, we updated and were treated to a full month of not being able to log in, no matter what files we deleted or how many times we re-installed. Finally, we got it to work, but sadly, not once did Steam give us the offline option. We typically have to to online first...

Have you tried contacting their support? There's got to be a reason why some people are not having any problems at all and others are pretty much only having problems with it.
Reclaimyourgame sure lost their balls. I remember when they were really on the player's side with their lists and everything. But now they have shifted their focus on trying to pass some sort of a "customer-friendly DRM" approval seal. Not a horrible idea in itself, but if you read their criteria, they state that they even certify online-activation as customer-friendly, as long as it does not have activation limits. That was the end of that site to me. If giving some company the right to wipe out my expensive games by the push of a button is their idea of customer-friendliness, I guess I'm just a gamer that is very hard to satisfy.
As for Steam, I have quite an on/off Internet connection, and offline mode always worked surprisingly well for me. No need for updates or anything that would require me to be online in order to play offline... I've heard of a few people having problems, but I never thought it was a wide-spread problem (as you usually don't hear from the people for whom it works).
avatar
Navagon: Have you tried contacting their support? There's got to be a reason why some people are not having any problems at all and others are pretty much only having problems with it.

Yeah, there was a thread with many dozens of people experiencing the same issue.
Good idea that worked for a while but poor execution. Frequented when they had a stance on DRM and stood with it which is commendable. However, now it seems that they are just another lobbyist group who gave into pressure and ultimately joined the very philosophy they hated with that DRM seal of approval bullshit. Reminds me of the groups behind the Left 4 Dead 2 and Modern Warfare 2 boycott (still haven't bought either of those or a game with securom for 3 years btw).
avatar
Anamon: Reclaimyourgame sure lost their balls. I remember when they were really on the player's side with their lists and everything. But now they have shifted their focus on trying to pass some sort of a "customer-friendly DRM" approval seal. Not a horrible idea in itself, but if you read their criteria, they state that they even certify online-activation as customer-friendly, as long as it does not have activation limits. That was the end of that site to me. If giving some company the right to wipe out my expensive games by the push of a button is their idea of customer-friendliness, I guess I'm just a gamer that is very hard to satisfy.
As for Steam, I have quite an on/off Internet connection, and offline mode always worked surprisingly well for me. No need for updates or anything that would require me to be online in order to play offline... I've heard of a few people having problems, but I never thought it was a wide-spread problem (as you usually don't hear from the people for whom it works).

Just to be totally up front and open before starting, I am actually a former admin on RYG.
You pointed out their testing and...yeah, it doesn't make a lot of sense. Their testing documents show a lack of consistency across all testing. They pass a game for using activation limits that are, in the words of testers 'easy to trigger', while failing it for leaving behind a couple of registry keys that do nothing but maintain one of those activations. It doesn't make any sense.
Beyond that, there are clear biases that have remained in place from the beginnings of the site (the prime reason I walked).
With respect to Steams offline mode, I've found it to be a bit problematic too. When you have the net, fine - no net, no offline mode. I have, however, found something of a workaround that so far has been pretty successful. If I disable my LAN adapter (or wireless if I'm on the laptop, basically whatever adapter the net comes through) Steam immediately says "No net here, offline mode?" and that seems to work.
My theory is that Steam struggles with NAT based networks because it's not immediately obvious whether the net is accessible or not. However, if the interface is disabled then it knows for sure. I expect the success rate of offline mode is based on your router and that people with external IP's on their PC will have success 100% of the time.
Still, just a theory, albeit one without a great deal of evidence to support it.
Post edited June 21, 2010 by Nafe
avatar
michaelleung: Every DRM hater's wet dream is detailed in that site.

One of mine is to be able to create my own NoCDs. That's not detailed there :(
avatar
Crassmaster: Beyond that, there are clear biases that have remained in place from the beginnings of the site (the prime reason I walked).

That's a real shame. At first glance, I thought it was truly dedicated to fighting the DRM crime scene. Are you with any other anti-DRM groups? If more people become empowered with the knowledge of (and against) DRM, it may accelerate the process of getting companies to stop giving us this rubbish. Personally, I had no idea SecuROM could be so potentially harmful, till I came across RYG - the main reason being I was previously not motivated to look up on SecuROM till it started bugging me.
avatar
Crassmaster: Beyond that, there are clear biases that have remained in place from the beginnings of the site (the prime reason I walked).
avatar
lowyhong: That's a real shame. At first glance, I thought it was truly dedicated to fighting the DRM crime scene. Are you with any other anti-DRM groups?

He's with Hamas, Fatah, Hezbollah-- wait.
avatar
Crassmaster: Just to be totally up front and open before starting, I am actually a former admin on RYG.
You pointed out their testing and...yeah, it doesn't make a lot of sense. Their testing documents show a lack of consistency across all testing. They pass a game for using activation limits that are, in the words of testers 'easy to trigger', while failing it for leaving behind a couple of registry keys that do nothing but maintain one of those activations. It doesn't make any sense.
Beyond that, there are clear biases that have remained in place from the beginnings of the site (the prime reason I walked).

Why did they make such a change in their stance? Were they visited by thugs sent by the big game developers and publishers, and DRM makers? Or were they just bought out like the L4D2 boycott group?