ATi/HL2 Offer

[Predator33]

Hey guys, i just bought a 9600XT :) i need help understanding their offer... it's a bit hard to make out lets just say.. Anyways here it is?Heres the offer (https://www.atihl2offer.com/) (choose It was included with the purchase of my RADEON™ Technology Graphics Card
(Single Board Purchase)

If i choose option1 i get the premier pack & half life 2, but i have to download them from STEAM

If i choose option2 i only get the premier pack (but on cds) and not half life 2?

If i choose option3 i get half life 2 on cd but not the premier pack?

Could someone clear up this offer for me?

[comp_nut]

Until Half-Life® 2 is available at retail, Valve and ATI are offering the Valve Premier Pack free, which includes the games: Half-Life, Counter Strike, Team Fortress Classic, Deathmatch Classic, Half-Life®: Opposing Force and Ricochet. This is a limited time bonus offer that expires once Half-Life ® 2 is available.


You can use the activation key from your Half-Life® 2 coupon to download the Valve Premier Pack from Steam, Valve's broadband delivery mechanism, free of charge, or can order the Valve Premier Pack from ATI. Half-Life® 2 will be available via Steam the same day it is available at retail.

If you already have these great games you may choose to register and receive notification of when Half-Life® 2 is available.


they giving you a choice of what you may want and how to get
it,half-life is free regardless

[Predator33]

OH! But... i've heard ad things about STEAM basically is it a program that.. uhh runs game servers on it? If i downloaded, lets say Cstrike from steam will it be uptodate and the same to if i bought Cstrike? Which option would u guys choose?!!?!?!?!!?

[cwin]

Originally posted by Predator33
OH! But... i've heard ad things about STEAM basically is it a program that.. uhh runs game servers on it? If i downloaded, lets say Cstrike from steam will it be uptodate and the same to if i bought Cstrike? Which option would u guys choose?!!?!?!?!!? I'd go for the downloads

[zybch]

The problem with the downloads is that you can't ever actually burn the games onto CD and you have to be connected to the net and running Steam to play them.
Talk about limiting your choices.
This also means that if you decide to reinstall your PC, its quite likely that you will need to download the whole **** thing again, not very practical in my eyes.
I've sent in the coupon plus small ammount of money so I can actually get the disks.

[cwin]

Originally posted by zybch
The problem with the downloads is that you can't ever actually burn the games onto CD and you have to be connected to the net and running Steam to play them.
:eek: Why not?
So that means those who want to go to a lan party would need to set up ICS
:rolleyes:

[zybch]

Basically yes, although I've heard a rumour on the Steam forums that Valve want to introduce an IP tracking system which could mean that even with ICS you won't be able to play your games.

Its all to discourage pirates no doubt, but to limit what people do with their legally downloaded content is a sure breach of the fair use law that most countries have.

I don't copy game for other people, I don't use any pirated games, but the Steam system by its very nature ignores that and forces you into a system that limits what you can do.

[cwin]

Originally posted by zybch
Basically yes, although I've heard a rumour on the Steam forums that Valve want to introduce an IP tracking system which could mean that even with ICS you won't be able to play your games. But if you ave a dynamic IP like me?

[zybch]

Ah, there you see the problem. AT least part of it. The first 3 numbers in the IP will refer to your ISP and these won't change, I think another three of the remaining 12 numbers won't change either and these non-changing numbers are what you'll be locked to rather than the constantly changing ones.

[cwin]

Originally posted by zybch
Ah, there you see the problem. AT least part of it. The first 3 numbers in the IP will refer to your ISP and these won't change, I think another three of the remaining 12 numbers won't change either and these non-changing numbers are what you'll be locked to rather than the constantly changing ones. and if someone switched ISP..

[zybch]

Anyway, you'll quite possibly be screwed if you ever attend a LAN party who use an ISP different to yours.

[cwin]

Originally posted by zybch
Anyway, you'll quite possibly be screwed if you ever attend a LAN party who use an ISP different to yours. Or an aol user that changes from 169.* to 172.* daily
:rolleyes:

[zybch]

But if you use AOL you are probably a stupid git who's computer wouldn't be able to play HL2 anyway.

[cwin]

Originally posted by zybch
But if you use AOL you are probably a stupid git who's computer wouldn't be able to play HL2 anyway. Lol.. i meant really one of those big ISPs that have many completely different IPs

[zybch]

As I said, all I've heard are rumours, but a rumour this insane would have to be true.

Just save yourself the trouble and pay the $10 to get the CDs

[Ammok]

Originally posted by zybch
Ah, there you see the problem. AT least part of it. The first 3 numbers in the IP will refer to your ISP and these won't change, I think another three of the remaining 12 numbers won't change either and these non-changing numbers are what you'll be locked to rather than the constantly changing ones.

you might be meaning the mac address contained in every network card/chip that is unique. So to even dial up can be uniquely eyedeed. To "fool" this kind of unique id tagging requires swapping cards , routers or software designed for the purpose.

[zybch]

Possibly. Its not what I read, IP address was mentioned. But I doubt that anyone knows whats really going to happen.

[cwin]

Originally posted by Ammok
you might be meaning the mac address contained in every network card/chip that is unique. So to even dial up can be uniquely eyedeed. To "fool" this kind of unique id tagging requires swapping cards , routers or software designed for the purpose. How exactly do ya track that kind of information?

[Ammok]

tracking or obtaining? part of the software you install looks up two values, current ip and current mac and your uniquely identified. In fact, all your traffic on the internet is fully traceable back to origin, even with dial up accounts.

[zybch]

Problem is, what happens if you change network cards or motherboard (with NIC built in)?

Steam is a great idea in theory, but the limitations far outweigh its real-world usefulness.

If you ever want to play HL2 (or hl1 for that matter) on the net, you HAVE to use the Steam system, rather than one of thousands of game servers that were available when quake 3 was at its peak.

Yes, Valve have the right to protect their software (make sure its always patched to the latest version etc and control cheating) but Steam IS NOT THE WAY TO DO IT!

[Predator33]

Hmmm, yea i was leaning towards the premier pack on cds rather than downloading all that. And zybch so ur gettin the premier pack on cds right? will u also get HL2 when it comes out? And "IF" i did go for STEAM and i played cstrike on it, will i be able to play with a friend who actually bought the game?

[Predator33]

ok im terribly sorry for bringing this thread back up again, but i still havent sent in my coupon since i pretty much forgot about it, and im guessing it is the time to send it in since it seems to be coming shortly... Anyways...

Option 2:
I wish to order the Valve Premier Pack on CD-ROM

does that mean i can get the premier pack AND halflife2 when it comes out? sry i am still so confused...

and now i hafta search the house for that receipt, can't believe i lost it :(

[Vampiel]

HAHAHA, limiting your copy to your IP Address, what a load, there's no way they could get away with that.

Even if they did that mean's that would mean everyone behind your router could play it, unless they had a cd-key/mac address AND an ip-adress verification. If they did it by your MAC address that would be just as ludacris, b/c you would have to use the same NIC as long as you wanted to play the game.

Basically, unless they are completely ignorant, they would not do that.

[cwin]

Originally posted by cwin
Lol.. i meant really one of those big ISPs that have many completely different IPs Heh, now Jersey telecoms do this

sometimes my ip is 82.*
sometimes its 212.7.*