PC Games and there packaging...needs to be more clear!

[Youngjedi]

Hi All,

I got a gift card to best buy and I used it to buy Half Life 2. I love FPS (First Person Shooters) and I was always curious about this game. Upon install, I found that I had to join "Steam". an online company that keeps track of scores, stats, and Product Keys just to be able to play this game.

Whenever I launch the Game, it goes to Steam to load the game. I believe it's checking to see I have a legate copy of the software.

This seems dumb to me. What if I didn't have internet access? There are no instructions on the packaging that says I have to be a member of steam in order to play.

Has anyone else ever seen this with PC games before?

Oh Ya, The game is really cool!

[Sid]

that irked me with half life 2 also..
I set it up for a computer illiterate friend of mine..

No sire i dont like it at all...

[Tulsa]

I would take the thing back.

[luckydog]

"you must assimilate"

[jc1444]

HalfLife2 is a great game & you can play it without being online. It just depends on how you set it up. I play it online all of the time and a friend plays it off line so you can play it either way. One of the good things about playing it through STEAM is that it doesn't take up as much room on your computer and all updates are done automatically by STEAM so you don't have to worry about them. :applaude1:

[azlew]

I stay far far far away from the must be online to play FPS's. Right now my prefered games to play are the free online Fear and of course the great Quake 4.

[dhcloud]

It was a nightmare when it first came out. As so many people bought the game and couldn't activate the game, because so many people where trying to activate at once, it hosed the Steam servers. I heard some people didn't get to play the game till as much as 5 days after they bought and installed the games.

[Youngjedi]

I stay far far far away from the must be online to play FPS's. Right now my prefered games to play are the free online Fear and of course the great Quake 4.

The game is still free to play, I don't need to pay any membership, I just wish it was marked on the package that a steam account is necessary.

[azlew]

I am sorry but I needed to clarify that Fear (FEAR COMBAT)is also a totally free program (the multiplayer version). Quake 4 of course costs but the multiplayer free demo is still extremely popular online.

[Eddie]

Unreal Tournament GOTY is my Favorite.

[Youngjedi]

UT GOTY is also my favorite...but I love all the UT games.

[Eddie]

UT GOTY is also my favorite...but I love all the UT games.

Maybe we can get online and duke it out! My Mac always seems to get me beat but its still fun trying.