Now again it didn't. After several months I wanted to start the steam game that worked fine in offline mode back then and should still be in offline line (at least it asked, go offline as usual) but now it refuses and wants to download something. Also since I tweaked my firewall to stop Steam wherever possible it can't. However seeing that it wants to I guess it found a way to communicate with its home. Or maybe it is just guessing that after a few months there must be a new update. Anyway I guess it beat me and I'll have to leave offline mode now otherwise I can never play my game again.

And what does it all make? That still offline mode in Steam is not really offline or offline only for a period between a few days and a few weeks, maybe even months but not years. There is no permanent offline mode, the offline mode that Steam calls offline mode is merely a "bother me a bit less frequent" mode which is not so useful in the end. And they don't show any interest to change that. But hey, I don't show interest to buy much. So I guess we're even.

Can't say I have had this problem with my laptop, it has been in offline mode for a good few months now. Though I do have the sense to go online after a while to see if it needs patched. Nothing worse then having to update 10 games in one go.

Its not meant to be permanent. Steam support will not give a definite answer either as to how long anyone can stay in offline mode before having to come back on to *refresh* their credentials so to say.

Was that the same Steam support guy who claimed Gabe will personally make all Steam games DRM-free, if the Steam servers ever go offline permanently?

How hard is it to make the offline mode really permanent, if it is really designed to be that? Apparently very.

It's not even a support guy. Try clicking the link before making up a response.

Yes, there is some support guy (HenryG) from Valve making a damage-control claim that Steam offline mode is designed to be permanent, and that's it.

I know you never tolerate any criticism towards Steam nor Valve, but come on.

nothing to do with 'tolerating criticism'. It's about you factually being wrong. it's a Valve employee, not a support guy. Support doesn't visit the Steam forums.

My guess would be that HenryG is Henry Goffin, which makes your comparison similar to saying Destro or Venom are some GOG support guys. But no worries, support and programmer is the same...

Also, I think the consensus from this thread and the tests run by OldFatGuy and StingingVelvet was that offline mode works indefinitely if (and only if) there is no possibility of communicating with Steam, if you set Steam to offline mode but don't block its internet access, then it will still communicate (and potentially complain about updates), but won't show you as online and won't give you access to Steam's online features.

Their offline mode has always been broken. Maybe not for everyone but it has always been broken. Once when I didn't have internet, it was hell, getting offline mode to work for me. That is why every time I hear people defending Steam with "Well you can play offline so you don't need internet blah blah bullshit", I facepalm...

I think it's the Steam client that manages to know that there is a system update. It always looks it up even if you're "offline". It also asks me to go online every time it starts and doesn't store my password anymore. Just makes your life miserable so you stay online instead.

Well, Trilarion says he had blocked Steam in the firewall. Maybe Steam tries various ways to get through then.

Regardless of that, do you think it is by design that the client will try to connect to Steam servers even in offline mode, and refuse to stay in offline mode in case it is able to communicate with Steam servers (regardless of the offlne mode) and e.g. sees there are some Steam updates waiting?

Hope not, after all that HenryG character claimed: If the Steam client is by design forcing you to exit the offline mode (for updates, or anything), then obviously the offline mode is not indefinite by design.

I guess one could still claim that is merely a coding error, but there's a whole error message in Steam dedicated to refusing to let the user to stay in offline mode, and force him to go online. That error message is probably not a coding error, but put in place by design.

"Steam offline mode is designed to work indefinitely"
"Steam offline mode is designed to not connect and download updates whenever it can"

Those are two distinct statements. It can be both. I won't say it's a good design (altho I'm fairly neutral about the issue - security is quite serious concern, especially when you're online, regardless which mode Steam is)

There are at least 2 steam components running that may access the internet. Steam.exe and SteamService.exe process, which does pose some possible security issues as well (since it runs with System privileges). Then there are also 2 steamwebhelper.exe processes in my task manager, so it is quite possible that Trilarion's block wasn't as thorough as he though. But it is just speculation on my part.

Yes. If a program that is designed to be used online sees there are updates pending, it should inform of the updates, and (depending on program) refuse to work until updated. May be that I had too many encounters with unpatched systems that wrecked havoc, but I do believe patches should be applied promptly.

Offline mode does not mean "I have internet but the program can't communicate". Offline mode means "I don't have internet". So yes, I do believe that you can use Steam offline indefinitely, but Offline mode while online will complain if it finds updates. That does require some very thorough testing though, especially with all the possible communications that people do miss.

It doesn't merely complain, but refuses to stay in offline mode at that point.

If the Steam client can by design refuse to stay in offline mode (for various reasons), then HenryG is wrong claiming that one can use offline mode as long as one likes. Apparently there are exceptions overriding that, taking the control out from the user.

I think it should be quite simple to design a permanent offline mode to Steam client: if the user has set offline mode on, then don't try to connect to Steam servers. Or even if you do, still let the user stay in the offline mode, even if it means he will not receive updates.

If they are unwilling to program it that way, then they should stop claiming it is a permanent offline mode where the user decides how long he stays in the Offline Mode.