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General discussion (archive)Steam "offline mode" not really offline anymore?(427 posts)(427 posts)
(427 posts)
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This is my favourite topic
Posted September 28, 2013
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timppu: Steam still supports Windows XP, right?
Yes, I'm still using XP and I don't have a problem with the client.
Posted September 28, 2013
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timppu: Steam still supports Windows XP, right?
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DarkoD13: Yes, I'm still using XP and I don't have a problem with the client.
Uninstalling and reinstalling the client (along with all the games) cleared the problem.

The client (and the offline mode) seems to work great... except when it decides it doesn't.
Posted September 28, 2013
I had the same problem connecting yesterday, using the Linux client. Fifteen minutes later I tried connecting again and it was fine.

There sometimes seems to be a minor problem connecting, but it doesn't happen too often. Maybe it's network congestion or something -- just a minor observation.

EDIT: Sorry, read it too quickly -- didn't realise that this was a long term issue!
Post edited September 28, 2013 by blakstar
Posted November 04, 2013
http://www.destructoid.com/valve-plans-on-improving-steam-s-offline-mode-264861.phtml
Posted November 04, 2013
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triock: http://www.destructoid.com/valve-plans-on-improving-steam-s-offline-mode-264861.phtml
Given that the forum post they are basing that article on is from June 11th, it can hardly be called breaking news, can it?
Posted November 04, 2013
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triock: http://www.destructoid.com/valve-plans-on-improving-steam-s-offline-mode-264861.phtml
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Wishbone: Given that the forum post they are basing that article on is from June 11th, it can hardly be called breaking news, can it?
It is if you factor in Valve Time. :P
Posted November 04, 2013
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Wishbone: Given that the forum post they are basing that article on is from June 11th, it can hardly be called breaking news, can it?
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Cormoran: It is if you factor in Valve Time. :P
*ba-dum TISHHHH* +1
Posted November 04, 2013
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triock: http://www.destructoid.com/valve-plans-on-improving-steam-s-offline-mode-264861.phtml
Alf-life 3 confirmed.
Posted November 04, 2013
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isis12: I don't use Steam much and have always kept it in offline mode which worked fine so far. Yesterday I put it online for the first time in months to install a new game. As always, there was some kind of client update. One change that I noticed was that even when I put it back in offline mode, the store and community stuff was still working. Clearly the client was now connected even in offline mode. Since there didn't seem to be an option anymore to truly keep it offline, I just used my firewall to block Steam and to my satisfaction anything but my library section stopped working.

Today, when I start Steam it tells me:
"Steam - Error. Unable to connect to the Steam network. 'Offline Mode' is unavailable because there is no Steam login information stored on this computer. You will not be able to use Steam until you can connect to the Steam network again."

WTF? I never had login information stored because it wasn't neccesary for offline mode and I have no idea why it should be. Does anyone know of any reason for that kind of change, or better yet, how to get around it? Do you have the same problem? Should I just stop using this "service"? (don't answer the last one)

Sorry to ask about this here but I don't use the Steam forum and my chance getting a competent answer is probably better here anyway.
The solution to this problem is not hard to access. Just stop buying anything from Steam. Why should you have to do this sort of crap just to play a game? You shouldn't. Join the Steam boycott.
Posted November 04, 2013
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triock: http://www.destructoid.com/valve-plans-on-improving-steam-s-offline-mode-264861.phtml
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Titanium: Alf-life 3 confirmed.
NOOOOO! He's come back to haunt us! =P
Attachments:
alf.jpg (19 Kb)
Posted November 04, 2013
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Crosmando: I love Steam games, I get them all the time from TPB
It's very tempting but I decided to simply not get steamlocked games but I sure wish I could play new Vegas & Skyrim
Posted December 06, 2013
Just now I wanted to play my Steam game again after two months of not having enough time to play. Aware of my curiosity regarding the offline mode I unplugged the network cable before start.

I didn't work. It insisted on "No local account information stored" although I checked later that in the properties of the Steam client the switch for this is not activated. The only way to get the game starting was to plug in the network cable again and wait a couple of minutes for downloads to install and give a prayer to heaven that the savegames still work - with such a complex strategy game this is nothing one can take for granted. The game is more than two years old and works quite fine.

So the matter seems clear. An offline mode deserving its name would have worked. This mode required an internet connection. Therefore the Steam offline mode is greatly misnamed.

I don't want to make a fuss about it, just answering the topic question.
Post edited December 06, 2013 by Trilarion
Posted December 06, 2013
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Trilarion: I don't want to make a fuss about it, just answering the topic question.
Quick question, did steam ask to update itself? So far it seems that if you start steam in offline mode but with internet access, it will check for updates, and if it finds a steam update, it will refuse to run offline until it's updated. If you spend two months without internet access, the steam client wouldn't get notice of any updates, thus it would start normally.

At least that is what I gathered from OFG's experiment.
Posted December 06, 2013
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JMich: ... Quick question, did steam ask to update itself? So far it seems that if you start steam in offline mode but with internet access, it will check for updates, and if it finds a steam update, it will refuse to run offline until it's updated. If you spend two months without internet access, the steam client wouldn't get notice of any updates, thus it would start normally.

At least that is what I gathered from OFG's experiment.
Nothing that I'm aware of. I have to admit that two months before I didn't bother unplugging the cable, but also I remember the game starting fine then. I think the client somehow decided that two months is just too long.
Posted December 06, 2013
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Trilarion: Nothing that I'm aware of. I have to admit that two months before I didn't bother unplugging the cable, but also I remember the game starting fine then. I think the client somehow decided that two months is just too long.
I was asking if the client updated, not the game. Especially since I had a steam client update in the last couple of days.
It could be that some client updates are considered important and have to be made before proceeding, while others are considered optional and the client doesn't care.
Still, just speculation on my part.
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Community
General discussion (archive)Steam "offline mode" not really offline anymore?(427 posts)(427 posts)
(427 posts)