Is there a program called Steam Down?

[Kalessian]

Before I start to get really mad, I want to know if this is true.

I just bought a retail copy of HalfLife2 GotYE for $55. When some guy saw it, he said to me why didn't you just use "SteamDown"?

After he explained what it was, I called shens. I said how could Valve, the inventors of STEAM, the most intrusive protection ever, allow people without cdkeys to play their games online?

I mean, I remember this one game in the past where they only checked for valid keys, not keys that had been sold. With keygens, more people where playing online than there were copies of the game sold. That's pretty messed up.

I searched google for 20 minutes, but "steamdown" or "steam down" isn't giving me much information.

Is this possible? Have I been duped all these years? Does ANY game need a valid key to play online, or are there other "hacks" to bypass the key-check? Or is it just DOD:S and CS:S and HL2M and the other steam games?

I'm extremely pissed that I'm paying to play this game and others aren't.

 

[evilharp]

Yes, there are always illegal hacks to get around games. There are now subscription free WOW servers out there (until Blizzard figures out how to sue them to death).

Of course, if you want updates and content (the HL2 multiplayer for example) you need to use legit servers and steam.

 

[Kalessian]

No, this guy said you could play on LEGIT servers with this program. I've known about cracked/patched servers for a while, and I've tried a few and they almost always suck and there's little fun to be had on them. For the real game experience you need legit servers in other words.

But to have pirates play with me on legit servers just makes me angry.

Is it true?

 

[Modeps]

Originally posted by: Kalessian
I'm extremely pissed that I'm paying to play this game and others aren't.

:roll: You're an idiot.

 

[sswingle]

Originally posted by: Modeps

Originally posted by: Kalessian
I'm extremely pissed that I'm paying to play this game and others aren't.

:roll: You're an idiot.

Absolutely. /youself NOW

 

[Kalessian]

That was productive of you. Mind explaining your hypothesis?

Everyone gets angry.

Edit: If you were to buy something one day, and the next day there was a huge sale on what you just bought, like half off, and you could have saved a ton of money... you wouldn't be pissed? Or even a little upset. Not a touch of buyer's remorse?

The problem, as I see it, is that I used my knowledge of how things work in the online gaming world to judge the VALUE of this game. I purchased this game for $55 because I thought it was worth it - based on what I knew. Then another variable came into the equation AFTER I had bought it. This variable, to me, reduced the value of owning a legit copy. It's like finding a defect AFTER I bought it.

Would I have bought the game, anyway, knowing that SteamDown existed? Probably. But I would have bought it feeling good about not breaking the law instead of buying it out of necesity. I hope you can see my point.

And if I'm overreacting, it's not really that huge of a deal to me. I just tend to exaggerate my anger sometimes.

And I'm not too sure I understand this notation: "Absolutely. /youself NOW"

 

[evilharp]

From what I read, Valve is shutting down sites that host the "Steam Down" app, and trying to sue the author.

 

[Kalessian]

Thanks for your help evilharp.

I caught that link before you got rid of it(which was smart)

-Do Not use your real Steam account with Steam-Down unless you want to take the risk of it being banned. Make a new account and use that one.
-When you use Steam-Down, you can only play online when:

1)You use your real account but take a risk of it being banned.
2)You use your new account and play in a fixed server.
3)You find a way to fix the Invalid Ticket problem.

Apparently it does work... if I wanted to use an anceint half-life 1 key to play DoD:S I could. But at the risk of that key being banned. Of course this makes me wonder... what are the chances of being banned?

I guess my legit key gives me peace of mind, at least.

 

[Modeps]

Originally posted by: Kalessian
The problem, as I see it, is that I used my knowledge of how things work in the online gaming world to judge the VALUE of this game.

Oh, you're one of THOSE pirates.

"I'm not doing anything wrong! I'm trying before I buy!"

 

[Kalessian]

Wow, you're retarded. How does that sentence make me a pirate? My knowledge of the online gaming world tells me that without a key, you can't play online. Isn't that pointing out that pirating is useless?

I can do this, too:

"BOYCOTT RIAA"

OMG, you're one of THOSE pirates!

"I'm all for consumer rights! It's just coincidence that I have all these mp3's I didn't pay for!"

Next time you enter a thread, try not to be a cynical bastard. I'm done with you. Thanks.

 

[Cobalt]

Yes Steam Down does exist and you can play any Steam game for free, the website was shut down but there are some places that still host it, a new one just came out as well.

 

[MustISO]

I've been buying music CD's for so long and then a guy told me I could just download songs off the internet for free? Is that true, I'll be sooo mad if it is.

 

[Modeps]

Originally posted by: Kalessian
Wow, you're retarded. How does that sentence make me a pirate? My knowledge of the online gaming world tells me that without a key, you can't play online. Isn't that pointing out that pirating is useless?

I can do this, too:

"BOYCOTT RIAA"

OMG, you're one of THOSE pirates!

"I'm all for consumer rights! It's just coincidence that I have all these mp3's I didn't pay for!"

Next time you enter a thread, try not to be a cynical bastard. I'm done with you. Thanks.

Hate to break it to you, but you can listen to great music by artists that are not a part of the RIAA's evil empire. I willfully avoid and will not purchase music produced by these artists. Check out www.riaaradar.com for more information. It's amusing that you are making the assumption that I download songs for free off the Internet. Actually, you're right, I just downloaded Harvey Danger's new CD off it, and you can too: http://www.harveydanger.com/downloads/

 

[Gooberlx2]

I'm extremely pissed that I'm paying to play this game and others aren't.

Take some solace in the fact that you're not a thief.....and you'll get easy tech support/updates/key re-issues if problems occur in the future.

 

[Firus]

Originally posted by: Modeps

Originally posted by: Kalessian
I'm extremely pissed that I'm paying to play this game and others aren't.

:roll: You're an idiot.

QFT.

 

[meltdown75]

if you're a true fan of HL like myself, buying the game legit isn't even a question, you just do it. then you don't have to concern yourself with piracy issues such as the ones you described.

i'd rather be driving a real Ferrari than a souped-up 1986 Fiero kit-car modified to look like a Ferrari.

 

[PingSpike]

Originally posted by: meltdown75
if you're a true fan of HL like myself, buying the game legit isn't even a question, you just do it. then you don't have to concern yourself with piracy issues such as the ones you described.

i'd rather be driving a real Ferrari than a souped-up 1986 Fiero kit-car modified to look like a Ferrari.

Who cares man? Stupid girls can't tell the difference. And stupid girls are easy.

 

[meltdown75]

Originally posted by: PingSpike

Originally posted by: meltdown75
if you're a true fan of HL like myself, buying the game legit isn't even a question, you just do it. then you don't have to concern yourself with piracy issues such as the ones you described.

i'd rather be driving a real Ferrari than a souped-up 1986 Fiero kit-car modified to look like a Ferrari.

Who cares man? Stupid girls can't tell the difference. And stupid girls are easy.

the inner geek in me just let out a "heh!"

 

[Modeps]

I liked his joke as well. Well played Pingspike :thumbsup:

 

[Kalessian]

Originally posted by: meltdown75
if you're a true fan of HL like myself, buying the game legit isn't even a question, you just do it. then you don't have to concern yourself with piracy issues such as the ones you described.

i'd rather be driving a real Ferrari than a souped-up 1986 Fiero kit-car modified to look like a Ferrari.

You don't have to tell me that - I have almost every single Valve product. In fact, I buy more games than I could possibly ever play. I'm a collector of sorts.

It was a matter of me being tricked into thinking... you know what, nevermind. It was about my own rights as a consumer... I've never even considered actually using "Steam Down". I think it's an atrocity, which is what this is all about.... but whatever.

Modeps and these others calling me idiots... I truly do not understand that sentiment. Unless they've jumped to conclusions about me. I find that hard to believe, since I faked jumping to a conclusion about Modep's mp3 files and she didn't pick up on it. In fact, she played right into it... my brother had a nice chuckle seeing her get all defensive.

 

[meltdown75]

Originally posted by: Kalessian

Originally posted by: meltdown75
if you're a true fan of HL like myself, buying the game legit isn't even a question, you just do it. then you don't have to concern yourself with piracy issues such as the ones you described.

i'd rather be driving a real Ferrari than a souped-up 1986 Fiero kit-car modified to look like a Ferrari.

You don't have to tell me that - I have almost every single Valve product. In fact, I buy more games than I could possibly ever play. I'm a collector of sorts.

It was a matter of me being tricked into thinking... you know what, nevermind. It was about my own rights as a consumer... I've never even considered actually using "Steam Down". I think it's an atrocity, which is what this is all about.... but whatever.

Modeps and these others calling me idiots... I truly do not understand that sentiment. Unless they've jumped to conclusions about me. I find that hard to believe, since I faked jumping to a conclusion about Modep's mp3 files and she didn't pick up on it. In fact, she played right into it... my brother had a nice chuckle seeing her get all defensive.

i'm sure he will speak for himself, but he's not a she.

anyhoo yeah, no i get what you were saying. apps like that do undermine the legitimate consumer, not to mention clog up the servers with unsavoury types. i give full credit to Valve for making it tough for the game to be pirated (or, pirated and played online) - but as everyone knows, the hackers & pirates usually find a way around things.

 

[Kalessian]

Well I appologize, then - the avatar is misleading.

As for the played online part. I agree with you, but from what I know... steam games are the only games with CDkeys that you can pirate and still play online. For instance, I could copy my friends Battefield 2 (Not that I'd want to, you cynical people - my bro and I have 2 copies between us) but I STILL wouldn't be able to play online without a valid key. Unless it was a cracked server... which is worthless anyway.

"apps like that do undermine the legitimate consumer, not to mention clog up the servers with unsavoury types."

Thank you for understanding. I was exaggerating my anger... I was hardly mad at all. But please understand that a valid reaction to the quoted statement above is getting upset to a degree.

 

[Modeps]

Your original post is a bit misleading if this is your true intention all along. Remember this is the Internet and inflection or tone of voice are not conveyed at all. Your text is taken at face value.

As for Battlefield 2 and other "key driven" online games, your logic is flawed. Keygenerators undermine THAT process. I speak from experience. I was a big fan of BF1942, even prior to it's release would spend hours in the demo. When it was released, I purchased it immediately. 3 months later my CD-Key was in use elsewhere. I had to go through the hassle of scanning in my orginal game CD case and disks and waiting for their support to get back to me. After 2 weeks, I finally got to play again but I was already soured and never went back.

Pirates are ruining the industry almost as much as EA is.

 

[Modeps]

ps: I picked this avatar because it was the ugliest one to pick and no one else was using it.

 

[tofu]

you cannot play on legit servers via steam-down. you can play over lan, on patched servers, or singleplayer.

if you attempt to play on a legit server, you will be able to connect, but shortly after your game will crap out and people ingame will see "no steam logon" error pertaining to your name.