Dear Steam...

2008-12-25 08:52:41

#1

FFLink: There is.; +1,380|7135|Devon, England

.. I fucking hate you.

So about 3 days ago I bought Company of Heroes and Company of Heroes: Opposing Fronts through Steam. I'd acquired it before hand, and liked it, a lot, so I thought I'd buy it properly.

It was late at night, and all shops were closed, so I foolishly decided to buy it on Steam...

Downloaded, kind of OK. Took ages for me to find a good server with decent enough speeds, and when it was finally done, I gathered some mates to prepare for some Nazi ass-kicking.

Game loads... Need to register, fair enough. Fill it all out...

"Please insert Game of the Year disc."

O.o

Disc? I bought it on Steam!

3 days I've been trying to fix it, now. I'm re-downloading for the 4th time, in a final attempt to fix it. I've tried all sorts. Disabling optical drives, removing Daemon tools, getting a cracked EXE. Insert disc?! The fucking game even asked me at one point "Where did you buy this game?" and I clearly clicked Steam!

Also, my downloads keep going back to 0%.

I have removed all traces of the bastard game and am re-downloading now... If it doesn't work this time, I'll never buy shit through Steam again (Don't know why I didn't learn my lesson last time) and get a refund. But I have a few questions...

Could I get a refund? Has anyone else had similar problems?

I was hoping for a Christmas day full of playing this game...

Last edited by FFLink13 (2008-12-25 08:54:12)

2008-12-25 08:58:34

#2

Aries_37: arrivederci frog; +368|7019|London

This is a known problem unfortunately Relic Online + Steam = potential shitstorm

I was on the brink of buying CoH gold last year off steam but found warnings online at the last mintue and got it instore for £20.

If it's any consolation it really isn't that good a game online and hamachi with friends with your 'acquired' version will be 90% of the fun you can have with it.

2008-12-25 09:00:49

#3

FFLink: There is.; +1,380|7135|Devon, England

Aries_37 wrote:
This is a known problem unfortunately Relic Online + Steam = potential shitstorm

I was on the brink of buying CoH gold last year off steam but found warnings online at the last mintue and got it instore for £20.

If it's any consolation it really isn't that good a game online and hamachi with friends with your 'acquired' version will be 90% of the fun you can have with it.

Yeah, that's what we have been doing, but last time we tried with some guy who had bought it through Steam and people who'd acquired, it didn't work together.

And I like Relic Online's online system. Been great with Dawn of War (Apart from the Soulstorm bug, but we blame Vista for that).

2008-12-25 09:21:46

#4

Zukabazuka: Member; +23|7130

You know, Valves support can fix most thing pretty quick, give them a try.

2008-12-25 09:26:33

#5

FFLink: There is.; +1,380|7135|Devon, England

Zukabazuka wrote:
You know, Valves support can fix most thing pretty quick, give them a try.

It's Christmas day?

And it was Christmas eve yesterday. I assumed all call centres would be closed. Emails get me nowhere.

2008-12-25 09:31:30

#6

.Sup: be nice; +2,646|6898|The Twilight Zone

I bought Red Orchestra and it doesn't work cos of Steam. Steam launches the game in background.

https://www.shrani.si/f/3H/7h/45GTw71U/untitled-1.png

2008-12-25 17:33:44

#7

Poseidon: Fudgepack DeQueef; +3,253|6982|Long Island, New York

Never had a problem with any non-Valve Steam games. All work pretty flawlessly.

I certainly prefer Steam to other downloading services, that's for sure.

2008-12-25 17:42:03

#8

Uzique: dasein.; +2,865|6915

May be a random guess but perhaps the 'acquired' version of CoH you had previously left some registry/directory information on your system that the CoH.exe/Launcher reads as a CD-version. I'm guessing you had to use No-CD / Virtual mounting software in order to play an 'acquired' version - this sort of 'genuine product dodging' can leave a shitstorm of a mess behind if you try to install the genuine version after. Had similar experiences with Spore (further made worse by Nazi DRM) and Fallout 3. Give that a try if you haven't already, and apologies if it gets you nowhere.

It seems you're already trying remedies with Daemon Tools and cracked .exe's... my best suggestion is to wipe all of that stuff thoroughly from your computer (the CoH-relevant stuff that is, not the programs altogether obviously) and make sure any registry keys left behind are deleted and wiped. Then try a fresh and clean install from Steam. I purchased CoH & OF over Steam too ages ago and both games installed perfectly first time, absolute gems.

_{libertarian benefit collector - anti-academic super-intellectual}. _{http://mixlr.com/the-little-phrase/}

2008-12-25 19:00:39

#9

elite.mafia: Banned; +122|6898|USA

Sorry to tell you but you are one in a million users on steam that has any issues. I've used steam since they discontinued WAN service and it's just so convenient. I never have to get off my ass to buy games again. I've also never had issues with valve-made steam games. Other companies yes.. but it's really not valve's fault.

2008-12-26 00:17:04

#10

OmniDeath: ~; +726|7088

The only games I've bought through Steam are Valve games, and personally I'd rather own the hard copies of those too.

2008-12-26 00:36:16

#11

Defiance: Member; +438|7115

elite.mafia wrote:
Sorry to tell you but you are one in a million users on steam that has any issues. I've used steam since they discontinued WAN service and it's just so convenient. I never have to get off my ass to buy games again. I've also never had issues with valve-made steam games. Other companies yes.. but it's really not valve's fault.

It is Valves responsibility to make sure that games released on it's digital distribution system will not be asking for a non-existent CD. Is this primarily done by the developer? Yes, as it should, but if Valve is going to release it should be working. If this is a known problem, they have a bit to deal with. For them, it may be as much as bitching to the developers but they still hold the responsibility of releasing it.

It's just like EA having to deal with, say, a broken disk. The developers can't handle that, but it's EA that manufactured/stamped the discs and they ought to answer to it.

Oh, WON.

2008-12-26 03:07:41

#12

KuSTaV: noice; +947|6956|Gold Coast

OmniDeath wrote:
The only games I've bought through Steam are Valve games, and personally I'd rather own the hard copies of those too.

This, except Ive never bought anything digitally. I prefer ebay. Although packaging is now shit as (Ive been meaning to make a thread or something, but at another time), the cost is sometimes $50 less than what I would normally buy instore.

TBH, CDs (even Steam games) > Digital downloads

noice

https://static.bf2s.com/files/user/26774/awsmsanta.png

2008-12-26 03:14:18

#13

FloppY_: +1,010|6730|Denmark aka Automotive Hell

KuSTaV wrote:
OmniDeath wrote:
The only games I've bought through Steam are Valve games, and personally I'd rather own the hard copies of those too.
This, except Ive never bought anything digitally. I prefer ebay. Although packaging is now shit as (Ive been meaning to make a thread or something, but at another time), the cost is sometimes $50 less than what I would normally buy instore.

TBH, CDs (even Steam games) > Digital downloads

I have allways preferred owning a hard copy too tbh,,

Bought the original half-life 2 when it was released.. then bought the orange box when it was released...

I have never bought any games digitally tbh,, I might have to if Bethesda decided to get greedy with the DLC for Fallout3

It was great when I got the original half-life 2, I just put my DVD in the drive and installed in ~ ½ an hour and started playing HL2 and CSS, when I was done playing I surfed a little only to find that half the people who had bought digitally on release were still downloading

Your thoughts, insights, and musings on this matter intrigue me

2008-12-26 03:40:22

#14

CrazeD: Member; +368|7117|Maine

This is why, on the rare occasions that I actually buy a game, I buy hard copies.

Steam fucking blows goats, and so does EA Link and Direct2Drive and the rest of them.

Fuck that shit, give me a CD.

2008-12-26 05:41:29

#15

FFLink: There is.; +1,380|7135|Devon, England

Well I got it working late last night... After ages of downloading at less than 200KBPS it finally recognised I didn't need a CD for it.

Uzique wrote:
May be a random guess but perhaps the 'acquired' version of CoH you had previously left some registry/directory information on your system that the CoH.exe/Launcher reads as a CD-version. I'm guessing you had to use No-CD / Virtual mounting software in order to play an 'acquired' version - this sort of 'genuine product dodging' can leave a shitstorm of a mess behind if you try to install the genuine version after. Had similar experiences with Spore (further made worse by Nazi DRM) and Fallout 3. Give that a try if you haven't already, and apologies if it gets you nowhere.

It seems you're already trying remedies with Daemon Tools and cracked .exe's... my best suggestion is to wipe all of that stuff thoroughly from your computer (the CoH-relevant stuff that is, not the programs altogether obviously) and make sure any registry keys left behind are deleted and wiped. Then try a fresh and clean install from Steam. I purchased CoH & OF over Steam too ages ago and both games installed perfectly first time, absolute gems.

I did this, and it worked.

I still hate Steam (Shocking download speeds) and am never gonna buy a game I can get on a disc from them again.

I was just foolish and lazy

2008-12-26 06:18:10

#16

JoshP: Banned; +176|6133|Notts, UK

FFLink13 wrote:
I still hate Steam (Shocking download speeds)

my d/l speeds on steam are always the max my line can support (i have shit internet, so that is only 230k)

2008-12-26 06:55:15

#17

Surgeons: U shud proabbly f off u fat prik; +3,097|6934|Gogledd Cymru

JoshP wrote:
FFLink13 wrote:
I still hate Steam (Shocking download speeds)
my d/l speeds on steam are always the max my line can support (i have shit internet, so that is only 230k)

I get around 4MB/s at uni.

Around 1Mb/s at home aswell, they have good speeds.

2008-12-26 07:06:59

#18

Flecco: iPod is broken.; +1,048|7109|NT, like Mick Dundee

As mentioned Link, steam almost always gets you your top possible download speed.

Almost.

Whoa... Can't believe these forums are still kicking.

2008-12-26 07:12:23

#19

Brasso: member; +1,549|7075

FFLink13 wrote:
Uzique wrote:
May be a random guess but perhaps the 'acquired' version of CoH you had previously left some registry/directory information on your system that the CoH.exe/Launcher reads as a CD-version. I'm guessing you had to use No-CD / Virtual mounting software in order to play an 'acquired' version - this sort of 'genuine product dodging' can leave a shitstorm of a mess behind if you try to install the genuine version after. Had similar experiences with Spore (further made worse by Nazi DRM) and Fallout 3. Give that a try if you haven't already, and apologies if it gets you nowhere.

It seems you're already trying remedies with Daemon Tools and cracked .exe's... my best suggestion is to wipe all of that stuff thoroughly from your computer (the CoH-relevant stuff that is, not the programs altogether obviously) and make sure any registry keys left behind are deleted and wiped. Then try a fresh and clean install from Steam. I purchased CoH & OF over Steam too ages ago and both games installed perfectly first time, absolute gems.
I did this, and it worked.

I still hate Steam (Shocking download speeds) and am never gonna buy a game I can get on a disc from them again.

I was just foolish and lazy

That's not Steam's fault, it's not Relic's fault, it's YOUR fault. When you torrent a game but decide to install the real one, ALWAYS get rid of anything - that includes the normal uninstall but also a deletion of registry keys for anything from that developer.

"people in ny have a general idea of how to drive. one of the pedals goes forward the other one prevents you from dying"

2008-12-26 07:31:36

#20

Stimey: +786|6564|Ontario | Canada

I have a hard copy of both games and thoughroughly enjoyed them.
Finding a server takes a long time no matter what. I'm sorry to hear about your problem.
Have you tried contacting Relic about a replacement disc?

2008-12-26 07:51:43

#21

CrazeD: Member; +368|7117|Maine

haffeysucks wrote:
FFLink13 wrote:
Uzique wrote:
May be a random guess but perhaps the 'acquired' version of CoH you had previously left some registry/directory information on your system that the CoH.exe/Launcher reads as a CD-version. I'm guessing you had to use No-CD / Virtual mounting software in order to play an 'acquired' version - this sort of 'genuine product dodging' can leave a shitstorm of a mess behind if you try to install the genuine version after. Had similar experiences with Spore (further made worse by Nazi DRM) and Fallout 3. Give that a try if you haven't already, and apologies if it gets you nowhere.

It seems you're already trying remedies with Daemon Tools and cracked .exe's... my best suggestion is to wipe all of that stuff thoroughly from your computer (the CoH-relevant stuff that is, not the programs altogether obviously) and make sure any registry keys left behind are deleted and wiped. Then try a fresh and clean install from Steam. I purchased CoH & OF over Steam too ages ago and both games installed perfectly first time, absolute gems.
I did this, and it worked.

I still hate Steam (Shocking download speeds) and am never gonna buy a game I can get on a disc from them again.

I was just foolish and lazy
That's not Steam's fault, it's not Relic's fault, it's YOUR fault.

If you have to remove 100% legal software such as Daemon Tools to play a game, that is their fault.

2008-12-26 08:21:01

#22

Flecco: iPod is broken.; +1,048|7109|NT, like Mick Dundee

CrazeD, learn to read.

It had nothing to do with Daemon Tools. It was because of registry keys/config files etc left behind by an illegally acquired version of the game.

Whoa... Can't believe these forums are still kicking.

2008-12-26 08:29:04

#23

FloppY_: +1,010|6730|Denmark aka Automotive Hell

Flecco wrote:
CrazeD, learn to read.

It had nothing to do with Daemon Tools. It was because of registry keys/config files etc left behind by an illegally acquired version of the game.

I was going to say this, but didn't bother

Your thoughts, insights, and musings on this matter intrigue me

2008-12-26 09:54:51

#24

FFLink: There is.; +1,380|7135|Devon, England

Actually, I deleted no registry keys, I just deleted the shit from the old CoH folder in the Steam directory and any other folders with CoH in (Like my documents' My Games folder). I uninstalled the old CoH when I bought the new one.

Also, I think I must be one of the only one's then who get shit speeds or you're all lying.

The highest I've got is about 600, and that didn't last long. Average is maybe 200-400, with times it's below 100KBPS.

I can download from other places at around 800, 900 max.

2008-12-26 10:04:37

#25

FloppY_: +1,010|6730|Denmark aka Automotive Hell

FFLink13 wrote:
Actually, I deleted no registry keys, I just deleted the shit from the old CoH folder in the Steam directory and any other folders with CoH in (Like my documents' My Games folder). I uninstalled the old CoH when I bought the new one.

Also, I think I must be one of the only one's then who get shit speeds or you're all lying.

The highest I've got is about 600, and that didn't last long. Average is maybe 200-400, with times it's below 100KBPS.

I can download from other places at around 800, 900 max.

if you attempt to open the game it will promt you that it is not finished downloading, keep this prompt open or even check the box "launch as soon as ready", this will significantly boost your DL speed as steam then switches from some kind of "download-but-don't-steal-too-much-bandwith" to a "GOGOGOGO" mode

At least it does for me I believe steam monitors your in/out connections to avoid ruining your PING if you should be playing a game that requires the bandwith

Setting your connection speed appropriately in the settings might also help you get a better server from valve's end, but I am not sure though..

Your thoughts, insights, and musings on this matter intrigue me

BF2S Forums Dear Steam...

Aries_37 wrote:

Zukabazuka wrote:

elite.mafia wrote:

OmniDeath wrote:

KuSTaV wrote:

OmniDeath wrote:

Uzique wrote:

FFLink13 wrote:

JoshP wrote:

FFLink13 wrote:

FFLink13 wrote:

Uzique wrote:

haffeysucks wrote:

FFLink13 wrote:

Uzique wrote:

Flecco wrote:

FFLink13 wrote:

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