Half Life 2 with no internet connection

[Springheel]

I'd really like to get HL2 for my father-in-law, but he doesn't have an internet connection. I don't mind buying the game, but is there any way to actually install the game without an internet conenction? I've heard that you can play the game offline but that you need steam to authenticate it during installation. Since I'm paying for the game, I don't have any qualms about using cracks to get it to work, if anyone knows of a good one.

 

Anyone know of a reliable method I can use? (PM me if necessary)

[Komag]

I don't know how, but I've certainly heard that it can be done, so there is good hope.

[jdude]

I installed the game using the CDs when I first got it, and as long as you have absolutely no internet connection [sometimes I'd have to disconnect the chord from the back of my computer] it would work. When you start up it will pop up with a box that suggests to try connection again or work in offline mode, click offline mode.

[Subjective Effect]

That doesn't work for me. I have the DVD version though. Is that the same thing as the CD version? Hmmm, I'm not sure it is a DVD now.

 

The only thing I've heard of is Steambuster - an anti-Steam utility that supposedly allows you to play Steam games with some Steam workaround. Doesn't work for me though. I'll have to wait until I get a proper net connection again

[SneaksieDave]

Congratulations Valve, your completely unnecessary 'distribution and security' system has fucked at least one more buyer over.

[Springheel]

Yeah I know. I love paying for a game and then still having to cruise around looking for cracks as if I pirated it.

[Nyarlathotep]

I crack most of my games, if I know I'm not going to be playing multiplayer on them. I just simply can't be bothered to hunt down the cd to play the damn game.

[Subjective Effect]

If you find anything please PM me Spring.

[sparhawk]

Just download it via bittorrent. I did and it works fine. Much bettern than with that crap Steam. I usally download all my games or get a crack for it, and play these. I hate to have to put the disc inside. I also ran my Doom 3 as the pirated version, until Id removed the CD check, but this was simply because I checked it out before I got the delivery and didn't bother to reinstall. Pirated games are much easier to handle. I put them on my external harddisc, and let them sit there until I have time to play them. The original boxes stay in my shelf, because I like to to have them but I don't want to spoil them. I once had a disc which got scratched in the drive for some reason (Diablo 2) and some others were scratched because my kids don't really take care much.

[Domarius]

HL2 is pirated here too - HOWEVER, me and my 2 bros are seriously considering buying a copy - EACH, just so that we can play through the single player mode on the original, and the subsequent episodes on Co-op That's how much we enjoyed the single player mode.

 

Apparently Gary's mod lets you do this. Havne't had time to look into it properly, can anyone confirm it?

[sparhawk]

Even if you buy it, it might be worth to download it as well. At least that's my opinion.

[squill]

the connection is only needed for the authentication process. After that you can play in offline mode. But with an original copy of the game and no connection it's going to be very hard to get the game running. There's no proper non-steam crack yet, besides the pirated version.

 

or else you might consider taking his machine to someone with a connection, authenticate and then play in offline mode. After connecting it also gives you some updates which is lacking in the pirated version.

[jdude]

HL2 is pirated here too - HOWEVER, me and my 2 bros are seriously considering buying a copy - EACH, just so that we can play through the single player mode on the original, and the subsequent episodes on Co-op That's how much we enjoyed the single player mode.

 

Apparently Gary's mod lets you do this. Havne't had time to look into it properly, can anyone confirm it?

 

Nope it doesn't, not playable enough to be considered fun at least. You will have to wait for a mod like Svencoop to finish up. But there are a couple Halflife2 Coop mods out which I haven't bothered to try, you may want to investigate those. [hl2files.com is a good place to check] Also if you wanted the newest Garry's Mod, GMod 10, you'd have to pay something like 10 or 15 dollars.

 

It's a real shame there's no coop, they should have built that into the game on release. I had so much fun with Coop play in the original halflife, it kept me entertained for literally years. But I also didn't find hl2 as fun as hl1 so who knows

[Vadrosaul]

The Steam defenders keep mentioning how the DRM system has been useful against the casual pirates. I keep wondering if those "casual pirates" are the type who would not buy the game anyways.....

[sparhawk]

I wonder what a "casual pirate" is supposed to be. Usually all games have some form of copyprotection. So in order to pirate a game, you have to find out where you can get a crack or a a pirated version anyway, and this is true for allmost all games. The games that can be "casually pirated", meaning that somebody can simply copy it with Nero or just copying it on the harddisk, are propbably countable on one hand or cheap shareware games.

[Domarius]

Nope it doesn't, not playable enough to be considered fun at least. You will have to wait for a mod like Svencoop to finish up. But there are a couple Halflife2 Coop mods out which I haven't bothered to try, you may want to investigate those. [hl2files.com is a good place to check] Also if you wanted the newest Garry's Mod, GMod 10, you'd have to pay something like 10 or 15 dollars.

 

It's a real shame there's no coop, they should have built that into the game on release. I had so much fun with Coop play in the original halflife, it kept me entertained for literally years. But I also didn't find hl2 as fun as hl1 so who knows

Ah really? I thought there was some recent developments with this, a few months ago.