Half-Life 2 Requires Internet Connection

It does say on the back of the box that it requires an internet connection if I am not mistaken...

the first time u use steam and install hl2 it will probs download sum updates most likely, after that you can then run steam in offline mode from then on. google steam offline mode for information.

that answers q2, q3 i dont think updates will download if steam is in offline mode.

q1 i have no idea, shudnt be too much

  I bought game through ebay, so did not have carton to read requirements.

Maybe should have done some research, but have not come across int req to play single player before.

Thanks, you have answered my questions well  

The only game I know of that requires an internet connection (other than actual online games) is Bioshock.

Does the cd-key definitely work on steam, if it's second hand then it might not be valid anymore except if the guy gave you his steam account id too.

Once it's linked to a steam ID then it won't work if you have an internet connection. Should still work offline though if you've never tried to register it online.

the employees at my local ebgames didnt know about that, told them, they said they would warn other ppl buying the pc version (also told them about the limited activations). There was a guy next to me getting the xbox version, I said good choice, but I only have a pc.

Bioshock does have a warning somewhere on the box I think. Still though, you can't even install the game to play it single-player without an internet connection and it's a little arrogant to assume every single customer will have an internet connection. Personally I mostly play single-player games when I can't get on the internet.

hmmm, i also don't have an active internet connection on my gaming computer, is there any way to activate Half-life 2 offline legaly?

Bioshock says NOTHING on the box....or at least a release it did not(i looked all over the box)....

@ epithanatios - Why not just active get updates with internet(i assume you can give it temporary internet), then run steam offline from then on?

That's pretty nuts of bioshock. Imagine taking that home after all the waiting only to be denied at the installer for having no internet.

@epithanatios - you can install hl2 no problem without internet. When you start it up, it'll launch steam which will try to connect to the internet to check for updates or activate, find that you aren't connected and give up and launch the game.

It finds no int connection but still wil not instal  

I'll just have to instal it with the int conn active - didn't want to instal active as my int allowance will probably be used up with all the new updates and possibly by being online while playing. GGGGGRRR  

what about half-life 2 episode one, i tried, and it said the "operation couldn't be completed in offline mode"

wow, how small a limit do you have? you originally said "megabytes"......last i checked that means you would most likely hit your limit just checking email.....are you sure your not just thinking of your max DL speed...like 1.5Mbps or something like that, and not your total allowed bandwidth usage? I could easily see this being the case since you actually bought this game off ebay without actually going somewhere to check the req first.

lowest bandwidth cap i can think of by any company around me is 30gb/month.....more then enough for the updates to a game like HL2.

I don't have a problem with even a single player game req internet as long as it say s it somewhere under system req.

When you bye half-life 2 and you install it on your computer you have to go through the internet to down load the relevent files to astablish ownership and the files for the actual game as well as updated files to the game
You can play off- line with your internet unplugged and a message will come up saying your not conected to the internet do you want to play off line and then you can
as for byeing it off ebay or what-ever steem has what they call give as a gift prgram at there site running which is if you buy a packeg that has more then one game in it and you then end up with say for egsample 2 half-life 2 s then steem then knows that you have 2 versions and will let you sell or give as a gift to someone else because all the games are coded and listed so they know exactly what you have and what your running
as for updates they are ortomatic while your pluged in
as a matter of fact you can download a game and it might take some hours but you can turn off your computer as meny times as you like the down load will come back on when you next start and continue
I have read some articles about this way of buying games over the internet they said that it will be the way of the funture
I prefer the old ways of owning what i buy on a dvd but in order to play half-life 2 i have to buy on line
I have played Bioshock its agreat game i love it BUT
my hobby is computers and i refuse to play it as it wont let me because im constantly changing hard drive CPU's video cards exc exc exc they say i have to install and run a program that unlocks the coad that they put in my sys files that stops me So i deleted them all by wipeing my drive and installing again
Oppps im getting carried away sorry have fun bye

I have a 1Gb monthly allowance for $14 Aus. I can go to higher limit, but trying to keep all costs down.

In OZ broardband internet is expensive but getting cheaper. (telecommunications ripoff!)

I dont know if this matter or not but on my computer HL2 - HL2 Ep1 and HL2 ep2 combined take up 750MB. So as long as you arent downloading the full installs Id assume its less than 10% of that to update all 3.

If you arent talking about Ep1 and 2 then HL2 itself is only 280MB. Suprisingly small.

It is an assumption though, maybe check their webpage and see if they have patch notes to find a size or email and ask them.