30,000 Steam Accounts Banned

Ev!L-aLphA · Dec 23, 2004, 07:53 PM

Valve disabled an additional 30,000 Steam user accounts that were found "to illegally gain access to Valve games without a valid purchase".

Today Valve disabled more than 30,000 Steam accounts which had been used to try to illegally gain access to Valve games without a valid purchase. Here's the quote for non-Steam forum members.

Valve takes such activities seriously and reserves the right to disable Steam accounts engaging in piracy, cheating, illegal activities, or any other activity in violation of the Steam Subscriber Agreement. The accounts that are disabled today will not be reactivated. - Erik Johnson (Valve)

It looks like somebody is getting a lump of coal this Christmas.

Source: CS Nation

jsx[ifl] · Dec 23, 2004, 08:37 PM

owned.

kalx · Dec 24, 2004, 01:28 AM

valve 2
idiots 0

SecretAgentMan · Dec 24, 2004, 12:54 PM

Keep banning the cheating and cheap bastards.

TJ- · Dec 24, 2004, 01:20 PM

and what happenes if they ban a account where the person has bought a legal copy of the game. Just by mistake or how ever.... Then he /she would be screwed... Mistakes are always made and nothing is ever 100%, there is bound to be some people in those 30,000 that have a legal copy.

The_Neon_Cowboy · Dec 24, 2004, 02:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kalx

valve 2
idiots 0

it's more like

Vavle 2
Pirates 4

the people at valve are idiots other wise thier game
wouldn't of took what? 2 extra years

The instent they ban a slew off accounts, a new hack is released and a buch of people contenu to pirate the game....

as if nothing happend

AS for them banning accounts is funny........

People get the pirated game, play it to the end... to have thier dummie account banned weeks later after thier allready done with the game

ROFL

So thier figting an uphill battle.... on a steep wet muddy hill....

Maybe they should foucus less on them on more on fixing thier game, and getting some anti cheat going... before it ends up like the orgional...
more cheats then players 0 anti cheat

HellBent69 · Dec 26, 2004, 04:37 AM

Well...not only did I buy the game....but I bought the collectors edition...yup...an extra $30 for a tshirt and a remake of HL1. I turn on my tube tonight and get a popup from Steam saying my account was disabled. Nice. I'm opening a ticket and sending along a copy of my receipt but don't think that "hackers" are the only one's being affected. This on top of a 4 hour waste of time on my son's computer when his install wouldn't play offline after detaching it from my network and taking it to his house an hour away (he doesn't have internet access). Drove all the way back over there....loaded it up....brought it home....hooked it up to the network...only to find that Steam was in the middle of downloading an update when we turned it off.....so the offline wouldn't work until the download was complete. Of course it doesn't tell you that it's downloading an update. So as you can imagine I'm pretty fed up with Steam. I will NOT buy another Steam powered game...period. This is coming from someone who has probably spent about $500 over the years on Valve games and expansions for my son and I.
I've been reading a few threads about these accounts being disabled due to fraudulent activity. The only fraudulent activity here is Steam. I can't play the $85 game I bought. Can't even play it "offline". So you tell me who the criminals are? And I don't want to hear about how they must have just made a mistake. They obviously made a mistake but I can guarantee you I'm not the only one that paid for the game that can't play it. So how many mistakes are they allowed to make? 10...100....1,000.....how about 10,000?

Necrosis · Dec 26, 2004, 04:46 AM

Hey man it's Valve /w the greatest game ever made..they can do no wrong!!

Yeah right...latest anti-stutter patch makes mine stutter like a stutterer on crack.

Thank god I already beat the game.

MythicaL · Dec 26, 2004, 04:55 AM

HellBent69, everything you said is so true

HellBent69 · Dec 26, 2004, 05:30 AM

I'd like to see Valve let everyone know how many of the now 50,000 disabled accounts were actually legitimate game-owners. Wanna bet on that happening?

shadowfield · Dec 26, 2004, 05:36 AM

I believe Valve also said they ban people who use nocd/dvd cracks, so if you haven't kept up with the news, its your own fault ^^
I personally have had zero problems with steam, I think its a wonderful program, its easy to use, its a consolidated list of all (valve games at this time) games that are installed and keeps them up to date, it also gives me notices about new games that are about to be released, or ready to buy. i hope the entire industry moves to a steam like platform, if not steam itself.

HellBent69 · Dec 26, 2004, 05:45 AM

I don't use any hacks or cracks....sorry to disappoint you.

HellBent69 · Dec 26, 2004, 05:46 AM

and shadow.....you obviously didn't have it waste 4hrs of your time and about $40 in fuel as I stated above.

HellBent69 · Dec 26, 2004, 05:54 AM

"so if you haven't kept up with the news, its your own fault"

That's an interesting theory though...let's play with that for a second. So it's a requirement of the game to keep up with "news". Do they email that news? Because if I'm someone who doesn't have internet and plays offline how would I get the "news" you speak of. My son for example...will they call him with "news" should there be any....or mail a letter perhaps? But how could they.....they don't know his address or phone number. Is there something on the box that says "Keep up with news here:".....hang on.....let me check...........nope...nothing on the box.

TJ- · Dec 26, 2004, 07:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HellBent69

"so if you haven't kept up with the news, its your own fault"

That's an interesting theory though...let's play with that for a second. So it's a requirement of the game to keep up with "news". Do they email that news? Because if I'm someone who doesn't have internet and plays offline how would I get the "news" you speak of. My son for example...will they call him with "news" should there be any....or mail a letter perhaps? But how could they.....they don't know his address or phone number. Is there something on the box that says "Keep up with news here:".....hang on.....let me check...........nope...nothing on the box.

there is no "news" you so called speak of. Since when is a requirmnent to play a legal copy of a game to keep up with "news".

... As for steam, i feel your pain, i bought the game the first day it came out and returned the piece of SHIT because you couldnt play offline and online at different times... Theres a thread in the flame zone....

Vapor · Dec 26, 2004, 07:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HellBent69

"so if you haven't kept up with the news, its your own fault"

That's an interesting theory though...let's play with that for a second. So it's a requirement of the game to keep up with "news". Do they email that news? Because if I'm someone who doesn't have internet and plays offline how would I get the "news" you speak of. My son for example...will they call him with "news" should there be any....or mail a letter perhaps? But how could they.....they don't know his address or phone number. Is there something on the box that says "Keep up with news here:".....hang on.....let me check...........nope...nothing on the box.

Stop your whining....it's as much your fault much more than Valve's. They made a program that only works in certain conditions (when the program is either 0% or 100% updated, like nearly every other program) and when you cut off the updating process, you complain that it doesn't work anymore? BS. For one, they DO tell you when they're updating it in two places, under Steam Monitor and under the game's preferences. Yeah, they could make it more obvious, but at a point it's obtrusive. Yes, they could also not have even begun the update, but at one time or another, you did have to have the box checked (manually during the install process) to update automatically.

The best analogy of what you did that I can think of is to have the installer of FarCry's 1.3Patch on a remote drive, installing off of it and then unplugging the connection part way through and still expecting FarCry to work (especially when the installer REPLACES files).

You also think you're the standard experience?! Heck no! The GREAT majority of people have had zero problems, the majority of the dumbest pirates are banned (there are still ways to get it for free and continue to use it), and only a few have had legit problems (much unlike yours!--your activities were flagged as fradulent for a freakin reason). And those few who have had problems just happen to be people you're familiar with: the vocal minority.

MythicaL · Dec 26, 2004, 07:56 AM

CD cracks are used for legitimate purposes though, MEANING, Valve has slumped even lower (if possible) in trying to catch people with illegal copies of the game. So basically, CD cracks don't mean jack. I use them all the time... And this is why I hate Valve and anything related to Steam.

HellBent69 · Dec 26, 2004, 02:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vapor

Stop your whining....it's as much your fault much more than Valve's. They made a program that only works in certain conditions (when the program is either 0% or 100% updated, like nearly every other program) and when you cut off the updating process, you complain that it doesn't work anymore? BS. For one, they DO tell you when they're updating it in two places, under Steam Monitor and under the game's preferences. Yeah, they could make it more obvious, but at a point it's obtrusive. Yes, they could also not have even begun the update, but at one time or another, you did have to have the box checked (manually during the install process) to update automatically.

The best analogy of what you did that I can think of is to have the installer of FarCry's 1.3Patch on a remote drive, installing off of it and then unplugging the connection part way through and still expecting FarCry to work (especially when the installer REPLACES files).

You also think you're the standard experience?! Heck no! The GREAT majority of people have had zero problems, the majority of the dumbest pirates are banned (there are still ways to get it for free and continue to use it), and only a few have had legit problems (much unlike yours!--your activities were flagged as fradulent for a freakin reason). And those few who have had problems just happen to be people you're familiar with: the vocal minority.

Are you kidding me??....How long have you been playing games? No other games updates work like this. In other games...including the Far Cry example you used....you launched the update....you knew it was installing. Yes...you can disable automatic updates....but they are "on" by default. Do you put your cursor over your Steam icon every time you shutdown your computer? Well neither did my 12 year old son who has been playing FPS' since Doom1. I didn't say it was Valve's fault in the first place...I said it was a pain in the a$$! You call it whining? I know what whining is and this isn't that. When I whine I don't feel like levelling someone. I bet you'd think differently had all of this crap happened to you but it didn't...and until it does you'll sit on your high horse and preach to those like me who got screwed by Steam. "your activities were flagged as fradulent for a freakin reason" lmfao....what a perfect world you live in...one in which mistakes are never made...that would be great. As I stated...I own the Collectors edition and never used a crack or hack with it...so please tell me what it was I tried to steal. But alas....just like Valve you too assume someone guilty until proven innocent. I've sent them a copy of my receipt.

**MIG-31** · Dec 26, 2004, 02:48 PM

This goes out to both HellBent69 & Vapor.

ok can both of you calm down a little after all it is xmas....i do agree that steam is not the best solution to combating piracy as this is the main reason valve has opted to use this way of gaming.

both of you are now starting to turn this news post into a FWZ!!,this is big misinterpretation to the news forum.

one more post that disagrees with any members positive comments this post will be closed, which i don't wnt to do so at the moment.

steam is just one of the apps you agree with or you don't, just live with please.

enjoy your christmas

The_Neon_Cowboy · Dec 26, 2004, 09:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MythicaL

CD cracks are used for legitimate purposes though, MEANING, Valve has slumped even lower (if possible) in trying to catch people with illegal copies of the game. So basically, CD cracks don't mean jack. I use them all the time... And this is why I hate Valve and anything related to Steam.

you don't need CD's for steam games there for you shouldn'r need no cd cracks
also steam features on offline mode as well...

No_Style · Dec 27, 2004, 02:42 AM

Valve and their Steam are funny fellas

I thought Microsoft was pretty anal with product activation and banning of certain keys during the initial launch of XP, but they're nothing compared to what Valve and their Steam system of authentication and "unlocking" is. I sincerely hope that Microsoft doesn't take Valve's idea for their Longhorn OS.

As for those who've been burned and who've actually bought the game, you have every right to be pissed.

HellBent69 · Dec 28, 2004, 12:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The_Neon_Cowboy

you don't need CD's for steam games there for you shouldn'r need no cd cracks
also steam features on offline mode as well...

If you d/l'd from Steam you don't need the cd's....but if you bought the retail version you do. Haven't gotten a response yet from Valve. Sorry MIG....was a bit upset....and still can't play my game!!!

Anubis-Xp- · Dec 28, 2004, 12:21 AM

I'm sorry but I have to disagree on HL2 being the best game ever made, I'd say the best game ever made would be the combination of Call of Duty and the expantion, United Offensive. I own HL2 and yes I've cleared it and I've tried to force myself to like HL2DM but it just didn't happen. Yesterday I bought CoD and CoD:UA, installed them, LOVED IT. The battles with 40+ people are so INTENSE that it feels like ur actually in a war, you have to turn around and watch your back every other second, explosions everywere, jeeps and tanks rolling in, its beautiful carnage, if your on foot just find some kind of explosive, and hide yourself in a house and occationally attempt to blow a tank or 2 up.

BTW, earlier I thought the steam engine was uncounterfitable, but I was completely wrong, they actually found a way hah.

technonerd · Dec 28, 2004, 12:28 AM

I'd downloaded a pirate version and can run without steam. I brought the game anyway.

HellBent69 · Dec 28, 2004, 12:59 AM

I'll give it another day or two to get a response from them. It's funny though....take someone like me who actually owns it but can't play it.....what do they think I'm going to do....let it sit on my shelf collecting dust? One way or another I'll be playing the game I paid for in a couple of days. Steam is hardly a perfect method to thwart piracy. But coupled with the ego of Valve....I think it encourages it.

loudeye · Dec 28, 2004, 02:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HellBent69

If you d/l'd from Steam you don't need the cd's....but if you bought the retail version you do. Haven't gotten a response yet from Valve. Sorry MIG....was a bit upset....and still can't play my game!!!

no, you don't need the cd or dvd to play the retail version either.

http://steampowered.com/?area=news

read the news from Dec. 10th. they removed the dvd check due to securom issues. you DO NOT need the dvd to play HL2 retail.

regarding your problem though, i totally agree and sympathize with you. i've a legal copy of the game (ATI voucher) and can sign every argument used here and elsewhere that Steam well and truly sucks.

there was an update in early december, the one with HL2DM, that made MANY peoples' Steam install corrupt, the games would not launch at all. it was fixed with a patch the next day, but in the meantime i had reinstalled HL2 from the backups without any luck. what i didn't know was that the Steam uninstall process erases ALL your files, including the savegames, and there was not one single warning that my savegames would be deleted too. all serious games i have prompts with a question to save your gamefiles before uninstallment. i was at the last level too...so i started a new game, on hard he he, but i got so sick of having to start over that i stopped playing it halfway through.

HL2 is a wonderful game, only the Steam deceit has crippled my experience of it. I'm just gonna leave it for a rainy day.

Chronicles of Riddick:BB is a superior game, check it out if you want a kickass game that shoots straight out of the box

HellBent69 · Dec 28, 2004, 06:51 AM

lol...I didn't know about them removing the dvd check...I haven't played it since about the 10th. Steam is definitely "unconventional" in just about every aspect. I'll look into Chronicles of Riddick....thanks.

HellBent69 · Dec 28, 2004, 04:27 PM

I'm starting to get pretty upset about this.....3 days and no response to my support ticket yet. I smell a class action brewing.....

Mazuko · Dec 28, 2004, 08:36 PM

I just wanted to point out that nocd cracks are "illegal" per your EULA when you install a game as they require the "reverse engineering" or modifying of,aka decompiling/modifying/recompiling, of the code contained within the .exe file.

Valve's banning people for using nocd/dvd cracks are completely within their rights under the EULA and or the DMCA. Which I might add you automatically agree to when you install the game. Didn't read it? Sorry to hear that but it's listed when you install games and at the back of most instruction manuals.

Typically though:

1) It depends on the EULA. People say, "Well, there's fair use!", but you give up your fair use rights in lieau of whatever the EULA says when you agree to it in order to install the software.

2) Almost every state follows the DMCA or something similar (ie, all of them) has a clause about reverse-engineering code, making it illegal to do so unless it is for research purposes ONLY.

From the end user license agreement:

Quote:

E. Restrictions.

Except as otherwise permitted under Section 2(C) with regard to the SDK, you may not, in whole or in part, copy, photocopy, reproduce, translate, reverse engineer, derive source code, modify, disassemble, decompile, create derivative works based on, or remove any proprietary notices or labels from the Steam Software or any software accessed via Steam without the prior consent, in writing, of Valve.

5. ONLINE CONDUCT, CHEATING AND ILLEGAL BEHAVIOR

You agree that you will be personally responsible for the use of your Account and for all of the communication and activity on Steam that results from use of your Account. Your online conduct and interaction with other subscribers should be guided by common sense and basic etiquette. Specific requirements may also be found in the Rules of Use, the Subscription Terms, or in terms of use required by third parties who host particular games or other services.

Steam and the Steam Software may include functionality designed to identify software or hardware processes or functionality that may give a player an unfair competitive advantage when playing multiplayer versions of any Steam Software, other Valve products, or modifications thereof ("Cheats"). You agree that you will not create or assist third parties in any way to create Cheats. You agree that you will not directly or indirectly disable, circumvent, or otherwise interfere with the operation of software designed to prevent or report the use of Cheats. You acknowledge and agree that either Valve or any online multiplayer host may refuse to allow you to participate in certain online multiplayer games if you use Cheats in connection with Steam or the Steam Software. Further, you acknowledge and agree that an online multiplayer host may report your use of Cheats to Valve, and Valve may communicate your history of use of Cheats to other online multiplayer hosts for Valve products.
Valve may terminate your Account or a particular Subscription for any conduct or activity that Valve believes is illegal, Cheating or otherwise negatively affects the enjoyment of Steam by other Subscribers. You acknowledge that Valve is not required to provide you notice before terminating your Subscriptions(s) and/or Account, but it may choose to do so.

11. INDEMNIFICATION

You agree to defend, indemnify and hold harmless Valve, its licensors and their affiliates from all liabilities, claims and expenses, including attorneys' fees, that arise from or in connection with breach of this Agreement, use of Steam or any Subscription, or any User Generated Information or Third Party Content, including, but not limited to, the creation, distribution, promotion and use of any Mods, by you or any person(s) using your Account. Valve reserves the right, at its own expense, to assume the exclusive defense and control of any matter otherwise subject to indemnification by you. In that event, you shall have no further obligation to provide indemnification to Valve in that matter. This Section regarding Indemnification shall survive termination of this Agreement.

As such valve is entirely within their rights to ban accounts that used them or any varients thereof.

HellBent69 · Dec 29, 2004, 02:25 AM

There is a difference between banned and disabled. Banned is for a year...disabled is permanent. I never played anything but legitimate, paid for games through Steam. Had I at one time had a crack that allowed me to play the game without paying for it....I wouldn't have anything to be so upset about. I never played an illegal version of HL2, I never used any hacks or cracks. I finally got a response from them tonight....it reads:

"Hello,

We have found activity in your Steam account related to the attempted theft of Half-life 2. Per the Steam Subscriber Agreement, we have disabled your account and any games contained in it. Your account will not be reactivated.

The Steam Subscriber Agreement can be found at http://www.steampowered.com/index.ph...iber_agreement. In addition to violation of contract, activities on your account may violate federal law and state law. If such activities persist, Valve reserves the right to refer the matter to authorities."

Obviously a generic response to anyone opening a ticket. I'm sure they didn't even look at the receipt and cd sleeve images that I sent and it doesn't give me a clue as to what it is they think I did wrong and I obviously have no recourse.....at least not through them directly. I've begun filing complaints with consumer groups and I'll continue to do so. Heck....now that I've got some spare time on my hands maybe I'll put up a website encouraging others to do the same. I don't even think they realize how their actions are going to come back around on them yet.

In regards to the legal mumbo-jumbo in the last post....it won't amount to a hill of beans when they have their day in court. Fact of the matter is that there are always loopholes in "agreements" no matter how safe the company thinks they are. It just depends on how many people got screwed out of their money. Just because they think people violated their agreement doesn't mean the court will. OJ comes to mind.....as does Microsoft, Best Buy, and Circuit City with their recent court loss in California. What Valve has done is taken licensing to the next level....a level that favors them, not the consumer. No laws were in place so they created their own....and how convenient they can enforce them too. It will go to court....

Dec 23, 2004, 07:53 PM	#1
Ev!L-aLphA \| n f e c t e D Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: California Posts: 4,111 Rep Power: 0	30,000 Steam Accounts Banned Valve disabled an additional 30,000 Steam user accounts that were found "to illegally gain access to Valve games without a valid purchase". Today Valve disabled more than 30,000 Steam accounts which had been used to try to illegally gain access to Valve games without a valid purchase. Here's the quote for non-Steam forum members. Valve takes such activities seriously and reserves the right to disable Steam accounts engaging in piracy, cheating, illegal activities, or any other activity in violation of the Steam Subscriber Agreement. The accounts that are disabled today will not be reactivated. - Erik Johnson (Valve) It looks like somebody is getting a lump of coal this Christmas. Source: CS Nation __________________ R.I.P 8/8/04 4/21/08

Dec 23, 2004, 08:37 PM	#2
jsx[ifl] DH's Unofficial Hero Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Montreal Posts: 650 Rep Power: 0	owned. __________________ [color=Gray][color=DarkRed][color=Gray][color=DarkRed][color=Gray][color=DarkRed][color=Gray][color=DarkRed][color=Gray][color=DarkRed][color=Gray][color=DarkRed][color=Gray] [/color][/color] [/color][/color][/color][/color][/color][/color][/color][/color][/color][/color][/color]

Dec 24, 2004, 01:28 AM	#3
kalx DriverHeaven Lover Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Evil Mountain Lair Posts: 248 Rep Power: 0	valve 2 idiots 0 __________________ ---------------------------------------------------> AMD FX51 / 2x OCZ 400 mhz 512MB DDR /ATi Radeon X800pro /19 inch DVI - - - - - - ---------------------------------------------------->

Dec 24, 2004, 01:20 PM	#5
TJ- DriverHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Infinity Posts: 3,679 Rep Power: 0	and what happenes if they ban a account where the person has bought a legal copy of the game. Just by mistake or how ever.... Then he /she would be screwed... Mistakes are always made and nothing is ever 100%, there is bound to be some people in those 30,000 that have a legal copy. __________________ new sig comming soon

Dec 26, 2004, 04:55 AM	#9
MythicaL I like computers. Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: In front of a monitor Posts: 3,399 Rep Power: 89 System Specs	HellBent69, everything you said is so true __________________ Always knew I didn't belong in this world. I wasn't made for this. But I'll never forget those who betrayed me, and those who never failed my trust.

Dec 24, 2004, 12:54 PM	#4
SecretAgentMan DriverHeaven Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Posts: 98 Rep Power: 0	Keep banning the cheating and cheap bastards.

Dec 26, 2004, 04:37 AM	#7
HellBent69 DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 11 Rep Power: 0	Well...not only did I buy the game....but I bought the collectors edition...yup...an extra $30 for a tshirt and a remake of HL1. I turn on my tube tonight and get a popup from Steam saying my account was disabled. Nice. I'm opening a ticket and sending along a copy of my receipt but don't think that "hackers" are the only one's being affected. This on top of a 4 hour waste of time on my son's computer when his install wouldn't play offline after detaching it from my network and taking it to his house an hour away (he doesn't have internet access). Drove all the way back over there....loaded it up....brought it home....hooked it up to the network...only to find that Steam was in the middle of downloading an update when we turned it off.....so the offline wouldn't work until the download was complete. Of course it doesn't tell you that it's downloading an update. So as you can imagine I'm pretty fed up with Steam. I will NOT buy another Steam powered game...period. This is coming from someone who has probably spent about $500 over the years on Valve games and expansions for my son and I. I've been reading a few threads about these accounts being disabled due to fraudulent activity. The only fraudulent activity here is Steam. I can't play the $85 game I bought. Can't even play it "offline". So you tell me who the criminals are? And I don't want to hear about how they must have just made a mistake. They obviously made a mistake but I can guarantee you I'm not the only one that paid for the game that can't play it. So how many mistakes are they allowed to make? 10...100....1,000.....how about 10,000?

Dec 26, 2004, 04:46 AM	#8
Necrosis HardwareHeaven Extreme Member Join Date: May 2002 Location: Ohio Posts: 8,838 Rep Power: 131 System Specs	Hey man it's Valve /w the greatest game ever made..they can do no wrong!! Yeah right...latest anti-stutter patch makes mine stutter like a stutterer on crack. Thank god I already beat the game.

Dec 26, 2004, 05:30 AM	#10
HellBent69 DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 11 Rep Power: 0	I'd like to see Valve let everyone know how many of the now 50,000 disabled accounts were actually legitimate game-owners. Wanna bet on that happening?

Dec 26, 2004, 05:36 AM	#11
shadowfield DriverHeaven Lover Join Date: May 2003 Posts: 117 Rep Power: 0	I believe Valve also said they ban people who use nocd/dvd cracks, so if you haven't kept up with the news, its your own fault ^^ I personally have had zero problems with steam, I think its a wonderful program, its easy to use, its a consolidated list of all (valve games at this time) games that are installed and keeps them up to date, it also gives me notices about new games that are about to be released, or ready to buy. i hope the entire industry moves to a steam like platform, if not steam itself.

Dec 26, 2004, 05:45 AM	#12
HellBent69 DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 11 Rep Power: 0	I don't use any hacks or cracks....sorry to disappoint you.

Dec 26, 2004, 05:46 AM	#13
HellBent69 DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 11 Rep Power: 0	and shadow.....you obviously didn't have it waste 4hrs of your time and about $40 in fuel as I stated above.

Dec 26, 2004, 05:54 AM	#14
HellBent69 DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 11 Rep Power: 0	"so if you haven't kept up with the news, its your own fault" That's an interesting theory though...let's play with that for a second. So it's a requirement of the game to keep up with "news". Do they email that news? Because if I'm someone who doesn't have internet and plays offline how would I get the "news" you speak of. My son for example...will they call him with "news" should there be any....or mail a letter perhaps? But how could they.....they don't know his address or phone number. Is there something on the box that says "Keep up with news here:".....hang on.....let me check...........nope...nothing on the box.

Dec 26, 2004, 07:56 AM	#17
MythicaL I like computers. Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: In front of a monitor Posts: 3,399 Rep Power: 89 System Specs	CD cracks are used for legitimate purposes though, MEANING, Valve has slumped even lower (if possible) in trying to catch people with illegal copies of the game. So basically, CD cracks don't mean jack. I use them all the time... And this is why I hate Valve and anything related to Steam. __________________ Always knew I didn't belong in this world. I wasn't made for this. But I'll never forget those who betrayed me, and those who never failed my trust.

Dec 26, 2004, 02:48 PM	#19
MIG-31 HardwareHeaven News Mod Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Nottingham,UK Posts: 56,843 Rep Power: 471 System Specs	This goes out to both HellBent69 & Vapor. ok can both of you calm down a little after all it is xmas....i do agree that steam is not the best solution to combating piracy as this is the main reason valve has opted to use this way of gaming. both of you are now starting to turn this news post into a FWZ!!,this is big misinterpretation to the news forum. one more post that disagrees with any members positive comments this post will be closed, which i don't wnt to do so at the moment. steam is just one of the apps you agree with or you don't, just live with please. enjoy your christmas __________________ Please Post Your News Submissions Here

Dec 27, 2004, 02:42 AM	#21
No_Style Styleless Wonder Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Ottawa, Ontario Posts: 6,034 Rep Power: 0	Valve and their Steam are funny fellas I thought Microsoft was pretty anal with product activation and banning of certain keys during the initial launch of XP, but they're nothing compared to what Valve and their Steam system of authentication and "unlocking" is. I sincerely hope that Microsoft doesn't take Valve's idea for their Longhorn OS. As for those who've been burned and who've actually bought the game, you have every right to be pissed. __________________ "The Best Style Is No Style" Specifications Here

Dec 28, 2004, 12:21 AM	#23
Anubis-Xp- DriverHeaven Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Rexdale, Ontario, Canada Posts: 60 Rep Power: 0	HL2 the best game? HAH! I'm sorry but I have to disagree on HL2 being the best game ever made, I'd say the best game ever made would be the combination of Call of Duty and the expantion, United Offensive. I own HL2 and yes I've cleared it and I've tried to force myself to like HL2DM but it just didn't happen. Yesterday I bought CoD and CoD:UA, installed them, LOVED IT. The battles with 40+ people are so INTENSE that it feels like ur actually in a war, you have to turn around and watch your back every other second, explosions everywere, jeeps and tanks rolling in, its beautiful carnage, if your on foot just find some kind of explosive, and hide yourself in a house and occationally attempt to blow a tank or 2 up. BTW, earlier I thought the steam engine was uncounterfitable, but I was completely wrong, they actually found a way hah.

Dec 28, 2004, 12:28 AM	#24
technonerd DriverHeaven Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Calgary, Alberta, Canada Posts: 594 Rep Power: 0	I'd downloaded a pirate version and can run without steam. I brought the game anyway.

Dec 28, 2004, 12:59 AM	#25
HellBent69 DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 11 Rep Power: 0	I'll give it another day or two to get a response from them. It's funny though....take someone like me who actually owns it but can't play it.....what do they think I'm going to do....let it sit on my shelf collecting dust? One way or another I'll be playing the game I paid for in a couple of days. Steam is hardly a perfect method to thwart piracy. But coupled with the ego of Valve....I think it encourages it.

Dec 28, 2004, 06:51 AM	#27
HellBent69 DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 11 Rep Power: 0	lol...I didn't know about them removing the dvd check...I haven't played it since about the 10th. Steam is definitely "unconventional" in just about every aspect. I'll look into Chronicles of Riddick....thanks.

Dec 28, 2004, 04:27 PM	#28
HellBent69 DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 11 Rep Power: 0	I'm starting to get pretty upset about this.....3 days and no response to my support ticket yet. I smell a class action brewing.....

Dec 29, 2004, 02:25 AM	#30
HellBent69 DriverHeaven Newbie Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 11 Rep Power: 0	There is a difference between banned and disabled. Banned is for a year...disabled is permanent. I never played anything but legitimate, paid for games through Steam. Had I at one time had a crack that allowed me to play the game without paying for it....I wouldn't have anything to be so upset about. I never played an illegal version of HL2, I never used any hacks or cracks. I finally got a response from them tonight....it reads: "Hello, We have found activity in your Steam account related to the attempted theft of Half-life 2. Per the Steam Subscriber Agreement, we have disabled your account and any games contained in it. Your account will not be reactivated. The Steam Subscriber Agreement can be found at http://www.steampowered.com/index.ph...iber_agreement. In addition to violation of contract, activities on your account may violate federal law and state law. If such activities persist, Valve reserves the right to refer the matter to authorities." Obviously a generic response to anyone opening a ticket. I'm sure they didn't even look at the receipt and cd sleeve images that I sent and it doesn't give me a clue as to what it is they think I did wrong and I obviously have no recourse.....at least not through them directly. I've begun filing complaints with consumer groups and I'll continue to do so. Heck....now that I've got some spare time on my hands maybe I'll put up a website encouraging others to do the same. I don't even think they realize how their actions are going to come back around on them yet. In regards to the legal mumbo-jumbo in the last post....it won't amount to a hill of beans when they have their day in court. Fact of the matter is that there are always loopholes in "agreements" no matter how safe the company thinks they are. It just depends on how many people got screwed out of their money. Just because they think people violated their agreement doesn't mean the court will. OJ comes to mind.....as does Microsoft, Best Buy, and Circuit City with their recent court loss in California. What Valve has done is taken licensing to the next level....a level that favors them, not the consumer. No laws were in place so they created their own....and how convenient they can enforce them too. It will go to court....