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ProudWhiteTrash
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 Posted: Sun Sep 14, 2003 7:19 am Post subject: Compiled STEAM FAQ..... |
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Its very early this aint school so ignore spelling and grammer errors.
There's so much information and mis-information all over the place I am going to put it in one place for all to read. I do not want this thread to be a Steam sucks or debate thread, there's 10 other steam threads you can debate in. Relivent questions or comments only please.
Q: What is steam?
A: Steam is a file distribution network.
Q: Whats it do for me?
A: Steam will allow you to purchase valve games online, it will also allow valve and HL moders to add updates (bug fixs, cheat protection) real time. No more waiting for large patches 1 or 2 times a year.
Q: Any other features?
A: A few. Online Checkers, Buddy Lists and Tracking, Better Server Filtering, More Server Info, Built in IM, Cleaner GUI.
Q: Can I play offline?
A: Right now No. Soon Yes. Steams upgrading ability will make it easy for issues like this to be patched.
Q: Does It Contain Spyware?
A: No.
Q: Why are people saying it does?
A: No | Gabe Newell wrote: | | We were a bit perplexed when these reports first surfaced until we found out that people with NTFS didn't see the problem and people with FAT-32 did. In Windows, if you use NTFS for your file system, it zeros out the sectors before allocating them to a new file. So if you have something, like a Steam cache file, where a lot of space gets allocated but not used, and you look at it, then you'll see a bunch of zeros. The FAT-32 file system doesn't do that. If you allocate a large amount of space, don't fill it up, and then use a binary editor to look at the file, you'll see whatever was in those sectors before they were allocated to the new file (at least until they get written over). Whether the files are zero'd or not doesn't affect applications because you always assume there's junk there until you write over it. |
This was mistaken a steam collecting data.
Q: DO I have to pay for it?
A: You already did. WHen you bought HL,CS,DOD Retail or any other retail HL mod you got a CD key. That CD key allows you to use the steam network. In the near future when new games are released you will have several options to get those game's including a pay as you go plan.
Q: What are my options for getting new games and updates?
A: When HL2 is released you will have 3 options.
1) Retail. Go to a store (Walmart is the devil) and buy HL2. This will get you HL2 and give you axcess to the steam network for bug fix's and updates to HL2.
2) Steam. Stay at home and download HL2. This will get you HL2 and give you axcess to the steam network for bug fix's and updates to HL2.
3) Pay To Play. For about $10 a month you can subscribe to the steam network.
Q: Why would I pay monthly when I can just buy the game?
A: Pay to play is not just HL2. With pay to play you will be allowed to download, update and play all of valve's games. This includes all retail mod's.
Q: Are the free mod's I'm playing now going to be free?
A: At this point yes, with the exception of TFC. It's expected that TFC will become a retail mod. It's also expected that some of the larger mod's may charge for there mod. IMO this was bound to start happening sooner or later.
Q: DO I have to pay for updates?
A: NO. As long as you buy the game/games (thru steam or retail) use of steam to update and the updates are included in the price of the game.
Q: Is everyone really getting unbanned?
A: Yes. WONid's will be replaced with steamid's.
Q: Is WON going down? If so when and why?
A: Yes. When: Undecided. Steam should be fully operational before WON is removed. Why: Valve wants to have the steam system in place and working before the release of HL2.
Q: Why does Valve want steam in place before HL2 is released?
1) They are going to sell HL2 on steam.
2) Thousands of people are goint to buy HL2. The updating and online ID system has to be in place before the games are released.
Q: SHAFT your on crack saying all these good things... wtf are you talking about???? It doesnt even work?
A: Yes it does. At this time there is simply not enough BandWith from the steam network for it to function properly. Users are reporting downloads from 50 to over 400 meg.
Q: Can dial up users download that much?
A: Yes they can. Steam updates on the fly so even with the poorest connection dropping regularly Steam will resume where it left off once reconnected. Steam also tries to convert as many old files as possible into the new system. This helps lower download sizes.
Q: Why would they release Steam if they didnt have enough bandwith?
A: Valve is a small group with limited resources. The current content providers are hosting steam files for free. Because it creates no revenue and costs a company money to host these files not a lot of groups were jumping at the oportunity. You can see a list of the current content providers HERE.
Q: With future updates and sales of HL2 and retail Mod's online wont this happen again in the future?
N: No.
1) When HL2 is released content providers will be able to create revenue from online sales of HL2, Retail Mod's, and Steam "Pay to Play". At this point large retail and online stores (WalMart, Amazon) will become content providers. THis will give the Steam network much more Bandwith.
2) Because steam uses smaller updates there will never be a drain on the system like this again.
Q: Everyone is saying the steam software is shit doesnt work. Is this true?
N: No. The software has worked for months is beta testing. I personally have installed Steam 4 times. The first one was the original beta, it was a slow update but went trouble free. The second was much faster and also trouble free. The third one took a couple days. I found a error in logging in to update with a old acount. I created a new acount and it took under 15 minutes to copy old files over and download all the updates. (Valve fixed the old acount error in a patch a couple days later) The 4th is this time and I have Steam installed but the content provider I'm routed thru is to busy for me to log on.
Q: If the software is proven to work why is everyone getting error's?
A: Lack of bandwith from the steam network. A unresponsive network and partially installed software are cause most of the error's.
Q: If the Steam network isnt working properly is there anyway I can update without using the steam network?
Y: Yes. I'm installing now and will post a install faq when I'm done.
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omgshovelyouinthebutt?
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ROOFCUTTER
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| Posted: Sun Sep 14, 2003 7:44 am Post subject: |
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Great post! we are going to have to deal with this so as Shaft has stated lets keep this thread related to getting through this.
Does this program run all the time? Even when you are not playing games?
Is it dowloading when you are not playing?
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ProudWhiteTrash
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| Posted: Sun Sep 14, 2003 8:27 am Post subject: |
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Here is a tip and another resumable file source. If your dial up and looking for a large file try to find a FTP and use a FTP Client rather than IE. Almost all FTP servers resume now and a FTP client is so much more efficient. That's probably why its called FileTransferProtocall.
I got this FTP by viewing the source of a http page.
ftp.club-internet.fr/pub/games/nofrag/steam/SteamInstall_CS.exe
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All comments are not nessasary those of the author so should not be taken as so.
Several chemical imbalances and mental health diseases may also exist.
Chances are if you feel flamed or attacked that I simply forgot to take my medication. |
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ProudWhiteTrash
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| Posted: Sun Sep 14, 2003 8:32 am Post subject: |
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| ROOFCUTTER wrote: | | Does this program run all the time? Even when you are not playing games? |
Thats your choice. You can let it run 24/7 or just when your playing. Because of the way it works though if you do only run it when you play and there was a recent update you would have to wait for the update to be applied before you can play.
| ROOFCUTTER wrote: | | Is it dowloading when you are not playing? |
If there is a recent update and you let iSteam run all the time it will download and install any new patched you need to play. Kinda like the wife having dinner on the table when you get home from work.
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All comments are not nessasary those of the author so should not be taken as so.
Several chemical imbalances and mental health diseases may also exist.
Chances are if you feel flamed or attacked that I simply forgot to take my medication. |
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SilverOne
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| Posted: Sun Sep 14, 2003 9:19 am Post subject: |
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Thanks for the post 
Answered many questions so far.
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omgshovelyouinthebutt?
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| Posted: Sun Sep 14, 2003 9:37 am Post subject: |
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| SHAFT wrote: | | 2) Steam. Stay at home and download HL2. This will get you HL2 and give you axcess to the steam network for bug fix's and updates to HL2. |
wait, so u but it online then u can do that stuff? not sure i understand
also i am currently d/l the client with cs 1.6, will i need anymore files to be able to play?
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Simpleman
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| Posted: Sun Sep 14, 2003 9:56 am Post subject: |
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| omgshovelyouinthebutt? wrote: | | SHAFT wrote: | | 2) Steam. Stay at home and download HL2. This will get you HL2 and give you axcess to the steam network for bug fix's and updates to HL2. |
wait, so u but it online then u can do that stuff? not sure i understand
also i am currently d/l the client with cs 1.6, will i need anymore files to be able to play? |
Yes there will be the updates for the games them selves. |
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Smegma
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| Posted: Sun Sep 14, 2003 10:12 am Post subject: |
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thanks answered my questions
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Violent Pacifist
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| Posted: Sun Sep 14, 2003 11:43 am Post subject: |
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Fact
Steam does NOT work on my computer right now. These errors are mostly not related to any bandwith problems.
It started off alright. I created an account with only a bandwith error to slow me down. It found all my games (and a couple I don't have) and told me that it would copy files from the ones I wanted. I told it which ones to copy and....it froze.....I never got the chance to copy files again.
When I try to start Steam, it takes several minutes to load, if it loads at all. When I press the "games" icon, it will sometimes freeze, then windows will stop the program with about 4 error messages. When I manage to make it into the games menu, it says that I can only play HL and HL deathmatch. This much is correct. When I click on DoD, it tells me that I need to download the files. This is also correct. Instead of starting the download, though, it just changes my mouse icon to the busy signal and sits there. This might be bandwith related, but you also have to realize that I left it like this for several hours, starting at 2:30 AM. If I can't get any bandwith then, when can I find some? I awoke and found no error messages, but Steam had not changed. My mouse was still on the busy signal and Steam was just sitting there. Turns out that the program had frozen.
Steam may be an excellent program once you get eerything working, but that's where all the trouble is coming from. Myself and several other people CAN'T get it working at all. This does not make it a good program, and yes, it does not work. I don't care if Valve can't get enough bandwith to supply to the millions of people "they didn't know would be dling their program". If they have enough money to work on a game for 5 years, they have enough money to actually pay some server providers to get a rental server, or hire people like amazon. They know it, but they're being cheap tightwads.
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Stevo
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| Posted: Sun Sep 14, 2003 11:46 am Post subject: |
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Finally a post to try to settle all this Steamy chaos!  I'm not really sure how to use FTP to get files, but this would be a great idea. Maybe you can talk on MSN or something.
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Blown
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| Posted: Sun Sep 14, 2003 11:49 am Post subject: |
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| amen VP. I actually got it going, but now I either get timeouts on login, or when I am logged in I try and launch a game then it tells my my ticket has expired and I need to login again. This after I just had logged in. |
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My Personal Insanity
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| Posted: Sun Sep 14, 2003 11:59 am Post subject: |
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[content deleted by MPI, as there was no Q/A in it]
Last edited by My Personal Insanity on Sun Sep 14, 2003 1:17 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Violent Pacifist
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| Posted: Sun Sep 14, 2003 12:27 pm Post subject: |
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Apparently, I can now magically play CS and dod. Problem is, whenever I try to start the game it gets stuck on the "preparing to play game" screen. It doesn't freeze, it just sits there. Other times, it tells me that the game is unavailable at the time, which is pretty sad considering I have it on my computer.
.....
Now it's updating....good god I love cable..."ready to play in approximately 14 min." 
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ROOFCUTTER
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| Posted: Sun Sep 14, 2003 12:29 pm Post subject: |
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Please keep the posts in this thread in a question or answer format.
If you are having problems and want to describe them use one of the general ramblin threads.
Trying to keep this thread a place for specific question and answers.
Thank you
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