Steam problem

[Big D]

I tried just tried to play Portal 2 for the first time in a couple of months, but I got the following error:

<a href="http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v299/estuans_interius/?action=view&amp;current=portal2error.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v299/estuans_interius/portal2error.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

Can anyone help? I'd like to know what this means, and how to fix it.

I haven't altered any Portal 2 files, and other Valve games are working fine. Re-starting my computer didn't help. I bought the game through Steam, so I don't own the disc.

Thanks for any advice that's available :D

<b>:Edit:</b>

Fixed using the 'verify integrity of game cache' function. This is possibly the first time I've ever had a technical problem that was solved by reference to a troubleshooting FAQ.

This thread is now largely redundant.

However, I did have another Steam problem recently, with Steam itself rather than a game:
I was away on vacation and felt like playing some games. I had no internet, though, so I tried to activate Steam in offline mode. The error message? "Unable to perform this action in offline mode". Or words to that effect. Is there any way around this, or has Steam actually become a "you must have internets to play, no exceptions" deal? Either way, it seems pretty darn stupid that "offline mode" can't be activated while offline.

[o_O]

Ahh, good old Steam/internet issues.

I'm part of a minority, but I have a massive issue with Steam requiring internet. I know you can play in offline mode, but when you install a game you can't play it for the first time until it downloads and installs all the newest updates. That's a massive problem when you have no internet or expensive mobile internet and the update is 1GB+.

What you need to do is configure Steam to use offline mode, but to the best of my knowledge that has to be done while in ONLINE mode; then you have to restart the client and only then will it be in offline mode.

It's completely ridiculous on both counts, since now I have a pile of games which I've bought on DVD, fair and square, yet I can't play them because it'll cost three times the price of the game in internet charges to download the updates. Offline mode is ostensibly for those with limited/no internet access, so why is internet required to use it!? It makes no sense and is the main reason I avoid Steam like the plague.

[Slothy]

What you need to do is configure Steam to use offline mode, but to the best of my knowledge that has to be done while in ONLINE mode; then you have to restart the client and only then will it be in offline mode.

Seriously? Because every time I ever used Steam in offline mode it just asked me if I wanted to use it in offline mode when it couldn't find a net connection and worked as soon as I clicked offline mode. I've never had to do any configuring for it.

[o_O]

Yep, have a look <a href="https://support.steampowered.com/kb_article.php?ref=3160-AGCB-2555">here</a>; you'll see that you can only switch to offline mode from a logged-in, online Steam session.

I've never, on any computer, been able to activate offline mode on a computer without internet before (though once you switch to offline mode you can henceforth start steam in offline mode).

Frustrating when you have a game with zero online content, on disc, which you paid $70 for and you can't play it because Steam decides you need some arbitrary update which may not even exist. If the retail version of the game is unplayable without updates then what're they even selling it on disc for!?

[Big D]

Yep, that's it exactly. I got the Orange Box on disc earlier this year, probably the last new copy available in my city. Once it got done installing, it demanded updates before I was allowed to play - 9 gigabytes worth, mainly toys for TF2. This was when I was on a 10 gig broadband plan and had already hit my cap for the month.

"What's that, peon? You expect to use this product you just paid good money for? How about a quick game of smurf you instead?"

[Slothy]

This was when I was on a 10 gig broadband plan and had already hit my cap for the month.

I realize this is kind of going on a tangent from the actual issue, but bandwidth caps are evil. Pure and simple. I hate any ISP that has them, and do my best to avoid them entirely.

[o_O]

Yeah, they're awful but I don't even think an unlimited consumer plan exists in in NZ. I moved away from NZ in 2009 and there certainly wasn't a plan with unlimited bandwidth then. They're only just starting to make an appearance in Australia, we pay through the nose for them and a lot of ISPs will just refuse you a DSL/cable service if you don't agree to at least a 12 month contract.

Internet in Oceania is not good at all, compared with Europe and the US. You guys have it good!

[Slothy]

Ah, wasn't aware Big D is in NZ. Yeah, I've always heard the internet service over there is quite bad. To the point of hearing about people copying files for Steam games to disc and passing them around so only one person at a time ever has to download updates when they come. Things aren't that bad in Canada, but we are falling pretty far behind the US and parts of Europe, and our telcomm's are constantly trying to take several steps backward so they can gauge us more. Best part is that the government organization that's supposed to reign them in is nearly powerless/apathetic/in their pocket.

[Peegee]

I dunno about that - we successfully stalled that 'overcharge our resellers' thing, or maybe that just got blacked out by the media? It was supposed to be resolved before today. What happened?

I have nothing to add to face's comment bc I agree :o

[Big D]

This was when I was on a 10 gig broadband plan and had already hit my cap for the month.

I realize this is kind of going on a tangent from the actual issue, but bandwidth caps are evil. Pure and simple. I hate any ISP that has them, and do my best to avoid them entirely.To be fair, I changed to a 40 gb plan soon afterward for minimal additional cost, and my ISP later increased all of its caps by 50%, free of charge. Bandwidth hasn't been an issue since :kakapo:

[Slothy]

o.O

Increased a bandwidth cap at no charge? The ISP I'm with right now has no bandwidth cap, but the one I was with before them actually lowered caps with no increase in speed while actually charging more on at least two occasions in the span of about a year and a half. I promptly left them as soon as my contract was up. Of course in the last year my current ISP has been talking about introducing bandwidth caps, and they've really only been stopped so far by a massive public outcry from some very vocal customers.