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Soleron on 06 August 2012
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thranx said:
Soleron said:
Chark said:
So wait...can you not play the games you bought on Steam without Steam? They aren't just downloaded onto your harddrive? PSN could decide to not let anyone play their games tomorrow through a user agreement but that wouldn't stop me from going offline and keep playing them...unless my automatic update does it while I sleep!!!!

No. But really that's not how steam rolls right? You can be offline and still play the games you bought and downloaded. Removing your account wouldn't delete them off your PC.

Sorry, Steam does require you to check in with the server when you start playing a game. All the game files are on your hard drive but the DRM stops you playing them if your account is banned/deactivated. Steam is a form of DRM.

that is incorrect. you can play your steam games offline with no internet. You dont need the steam client to play them (possibly for steamworks games). I have even backed up my steam games to a cd and installed them on a laptop that had no internet and it worked fine (was about a year ago). the only games i am not sure of are the steamworks games.

 

https://support.steampowered.com/kb_article.php?ref=3160-agcb-2555

What is Offline Mode?

Offline Mode allows you to play games through Steam without reconnecting to the Steam Network every time you wish to play - this is particularly useful if you do not plan on playing over the internet and would prefer not to download new updates for your single-player games.

Please note that you must connect to the Steam Network and test each of the games you would like to use in Offline Mode at least once to set up your account and configure Offline Mode on your machine.

Just tried that, it doesn't work unless I log on with the internet connected.

You certainly can't change computers without relogging into Steam. So you'd be tied to whatever install you have for the rest of your life. With transferring to laptop I think you mean the games you installed from their own disk that just happen to work with Steam's social features.