<!--quoteo(post=1756534:date=Mar 3 2010, 09:08 AM:name=Zeno)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Zeno @ Mar 3 2010, 09:08 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1756534"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->So i can transport my key into steam but do i have to? I hope its a legit question since NS2 is using Steamworks. And if no, then even more importantly: after i registered my key in Steam, can i ever play a non-steam version after that?<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I'm honestly not sure whether any game which incorporates Steamworks can be used without Steam. My gut feeling is no.
<!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Does this mean that Valve now takes a hefty cut off those pre-orders? I placed that order to fully support UWE, the creators of the unmatched NS1, and not to fill the pockets of a company with such ill repute.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Such ill repute? Excuse me? Out of all the game companies out there the one I hear praised the most is Valve.
Furthermore you're getting upset because Valve will now get some of UWE's cash? You've already filled that company's pockets as you say by buying Half Life 1, which you needed for Natural Selection. Steam is perfect for small companies like UWE; the slice that Valve takes doesn't even begin to come close to the amount that UWE will make as a result of having the game on Steam. This is a great boon for UWE, not a victory for the evil empire that you seem to think Valve is. What, you thought Valve bullied UWE into doing this? They chose to put NS2 on the best digital distribution service out there in the full knowledge that it would be superb for the game's growth.
<!--quoteo(post=1756654:date=Mar 3 2010, 01:42 AM:name=Deadzone)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Deadzone @ Mar 3 2010, 01:42 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1756654"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->I'm curious about this as well. I'm sure the devs wouldn't intentionally force someone to play in steam after activating the game there, but it'd be cool to have confirmation.
/on topic Congrats for hitting Steam! I would have played the game with or without Steam, but I'm happy I'll be able to integrate it into my friends list and get the overlay etc etc. Hope NS2 stays at the top of the "best sellers" list <b>forever</b>!<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Dear Ryo-Ohki, with all due respect for your extensive interpretation work, it's not really necessary. On the contrary, it seems to be rather misleading.
There's slightly erroneous wording in my question though, I'm interested if Valve Corporation will now retroactively lay claim to pre-order revenues.
puzlThe Old FirmJoin Date: 2003-02-26Member: 14029Retired Developer, NS1 Playtester, Forum Moderators, Constellation
My guess is that *IF* you add your NS2 key to steam then Valve will get a modest cut of the sale, but *IF* you use UWE as your source of downloads and updates, then they won't.
Why are digital downloads more expensive than buying the game retail, Almost every game on Steam is about £8 cheaper to buy from Play.com, Game, zavvi etc. When it all first came out I remember them boasting how it would be cheaper because there is no Box, Manual, CD to print, No packing process and Virtual Shipping was a lot cheaper... wtf...
Do bare in mind that bandwidth costs less than £1 per Giga Byte not bit. I used to buy it @ 60p a GigaByte 3 years ago.
korvoJoin Date: 2009-11-19Member: 69427Members, Squad Five Blue
edited March 2010
I hate steam. It stole me the ability to play NS1 online. My Half-Life-Key same as my Counter-Strike-Key are broken since steam (both are my private, original keys). I hate Valve for that ######. That's the worst news off all. :(
Edit: What's about playing NS2 offline? If this won't be possible, because you have to login in steam, I want my money back.
Thanks for the update UWE. You sure know how to keep me refreshing... oh and interested of course.
And I 3rd the comment relating to whether or not this game will be Steam only. As a person who regularly turns up at lans where there is no internet connection present therefore preventing noobs from hitting up offline mode half of the time, I would love this game to be released by you guys through Steam, and also just by you guys.
If you could somehow whip up a sweet cardboard box with a picture of a Lerk on the front with the words Natural Selection 2, chuck a DVD inside and a small but useful manual, I'd be willing to pay you more monies!!! :D:D
<!--quoteo(post=1756710:date=Mar 3 2010, 10:11 PM:name=korvo)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (korvo @ Mar 3 2010, 10:11 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1756710"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->I hate steam. It stole me the ability to play NS1 online. My Half-Life-Key same as my Counter-Strike-Key are broken since steam (both are my private, original keys). I hate Valve for that ######. That's the worst news off all. :(<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
A HL1 key is about $10. If playing NS1 is worth that much to you I suggest you fork over the dough.
korvoJoin Date: 2009-11-19Member: 69427Members, Squad Five Blue
edited March 2010
<!--quoteo(post=1756713:date=Mar 3 2010, 01:19 PM:name=Scythe)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Scythe @ Mar 3 2010, 01:19 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1756713"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->A HL1 key is about $10. If playing NS1 is worth that much to you I suggest you fork over the dough.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I STILL BOUGTH A HL1-KEY! So i defenitly won't pay a 2nd time!!!
I don't know how people accept to pay a product, what's still their own.
If you buy a chair, no company comes and says: Hey, that's not your chair, it's now our chair again. Pay again.
That's criminal. Why should it be legal at software?!
<!--quoteo(post=1756699:date=Mar 3 2010, 09:10 PM:name=sporty)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (sporty @ Mar 3 2010, 09:10 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1756699"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Dear Ryo-Ohki, with all due respect for your extensive interpretation work, it's not really necessary. On the contrary, it seems to be rather misleading.
There's slightly erroneous wording in my question though, I'm interested if Valve Corporation will now retroactively lay claim to pre-order revenues.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
If that was your intent then I apologize; I detected a different message to the one you were trying to convey.
With regards to the actual query, I believe Valve could only lay claim to pre-order revenue if they were the publisher of NS2. Selling a game on Steam and/or incorporating Steamworks doesn't automatically make Valve the publisher of the product (indeed, there are plenty of games available on Steam from publishers such as 2K Games, Ubisoft, THQ etc). My understanding of the Steam system is that in exchange for the advertising and increased potential audience for your product, Valve takes a small portion of any sales made via Steam, and only via Steam.
EDIT: Hey Scythe, remember the General Discussion forum when Steam was released?
<!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->If you buy a chair, no company comes and says: Hey, that's not your chair, it's now our chair again. Pay again.
That's criminal. Why should it be legal at software?!<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Actually if you read the EULA for the games you buy, you're buying a license to play the game, which can be taken away whenever the game company feels like it. You're not actually buying the product. What Steam does is no different to a company taking down required servers for a game after a while.
korvoJoin Date: 2009-11-19Member: 69427Members, Squad Five Blue
edited March 2010
<!--quoteo(post=1756715:date=Mar 3 2010, 01:23 PM:name=Ryo-Ohki)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Ryo-Ohki @ Mar 3 2010, 01:23 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1756715"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Actually if you read the EULA for the games you buy, you're buying a license to play the game, which can be taken away whenever the game company feels like it.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd--> Ugly ***. What's up at America? What ever it says: I feel robbed. And another point: UWE is going to loose it's independence. That's how I see it. Think about it.
PS: In Germany we have a law, that prevents evil ("suprising") paragraphs in long EULAs - Do you read every EULA completely? And next point: There IS an other way to handle customers.
<!--quoteo(post=1756720:date=Mar 3 2010, 03:44 PM:name=korvo)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (korvo @ Mar 3 2010, 03:44 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1756720"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->What ever it says: I feel robbed.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd--> Contact Steam support, show them your key and/or receipt. Stuff like you mentioned shouldn't happen.
<!--quoteo(post=1756720:date=Mar 3 2010, 03:44 PM:name=korvo)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (korvo @ Mar 3 2010, 03:44 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1756720"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->And another point: UWE is going to loose it's independence.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd--> <!--quoteo(post=1756714:date=Mar 3 2010, 03:23 PM:name=korvo)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (korvo @ Mar 3 2010, 03:23 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1756714"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->UWE supports crime now.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd--> I have no idea where you're getting this from. What gives?
Sounds like Korvo got busted for cheating (a fact which most non-cheaters enjoy as the cheaters get weeded out eventually) or pirated his copy of HL. In any case, though, I do also wonder about non-steam/retail NS2, if it will continue to exist and if there will be crossover to steam version (I see no reason why this shouldn't work). Also, yeah, what does Valve take for allowing a game on steam?
/me does happy dance while gulping down a large bottle of <insert alcoholic beverage here>
^ above would apply if they told me Friday---- going drunk to work is dangerous.
<!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->In any case, though, I do also wonder about non-steam/retail NS2, if it will continue to exist and if there will be crossover to steam version (I see no reason why this shouldn't work). Also, yeah, what does Valve take for allowing a game on steam?<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
NS2's functionality is based on steamworks (Friends, Serverbrowser, etc). As far as I know they take a fee based on copy sold through steam store - "retail" and self sold items are irrelevant to them.
<!--quoteo(post=1756739:date=Mar 3 2010, 05:12 PM:name=Karrde)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Karrde @ Mar 3 2010, 05:12 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1756739"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->In any case, though, I do also wonder about non-steam/retail NS2, if it will continue to exist and if there will be crossover to steam version (I see no reason why this shouldn't work).<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd--> My guess would be: yes. UT3 does this, you can activate it on Steam but you can still use stand-alone installation. However, I gather both games require the steam client to be running to use server browser and so on.
<!--quoteo(post=1756739:date=Mar 3 2010, 05:12 PM:name=Karrde)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Karrde @ Mar 3 2010, 05:12 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1756739"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Also, yeah, what does Valve take for allowing a game on steam?<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd--> Unknown, but apparently very small amount compared to retail publishers.
korvoJoin Date: 2009-11-19Member: 69427Members, Squad Five Blue
edited March 2010
<!--quoteo(post=1756722:date=Mar 3 2010, 02:03 PM:name=Sepharad)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Sepharad @ Mar 3 2010, 02:03 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1756722"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->korvo, if you have the pay bill and the original CDKEY take photos and send it to valve, you will recover your cdkeys<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
At the time, where steam was new i costed "only" 10$ if you verify it to Valve. Otherwise the price was above. I don't think they changed anything.
To the last point: NS2 is going to use STEAM, that's why. Turn brain on.
korvoJoin Date: 2009-11-19Member: 69427Members, Squad Five Blue
<!--quoteo(post=1756739:date=Mar 3 2010, 03:12 PM:name=Karrde)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Karrde @ Mar 3 2010, 03:12 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1756739"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Sounds like Korvo got busted for cheating<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd--> Simply not how it is. Someone obviously generated my original key with a keygen or something, however, the key stopped working on steam.
I have 3 copies of HL1 (mine, my brother's, and the HL2 Gold one's) and ALL of them work flawlessly with Steam. From the (very) large pool of Steam users with HL1, none of them ever had a key "disappear". And I'm sure that if it ever was the case, Support can and will help you.
edit: If you think someone generated your key; take a picture of your box (your proof of purchase can probably help) and they WILL re-activate your key, and deactivate the other (and eventually investigate)
Korvo obviously purchased his HL1 CDKEY off piratebay. No doubt he will be doing the same when NS2 is released. The keys don't 'break', you either got VAC'd, had it stolen, or used a warez key.
Steam is a great product and service now. Sure it had a few problems upon release but now it is awesome.
<!--quoteo(post=1756701:date=Mar 3 2010, 09:25 PM:name=SgtBarlow)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (SgtBarlow @ Mar 3 2010, 09:25 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1756701"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Why are digital downloads more expensive than buying the game retail, Almost every game on Steam is about £8 cheaper to buy from Play.com, Game, zavvi etc.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd--> The publishers of the region set the price on steam, not valve. Sites like Play, CDWOW, etc use loopholes to import games cheap from Asian regions. Valve have stated many times to publishers that setting a Worldwide price would be better but obviously they want the $$$. Dunno what it is like in the UK but for 99% of games it is a lot cheaper to buy on steam compared with physical retailers (EB Games, GAME etc) in AUS. UK importers are still cheaper though.
We know thats not true.... I can remember when $ and € where split on steam... you could buy $ prices with € and now .... its the same price like in a shop.
So for me, I will not buy anything off of steam anymore because then I don't have physical medium and usually you can register it over steam so yeah.
If you think UWE supports crime. Just pirate NS2 and play on cracked servers. That's how you get back at them if you so feel inclined.
I had your same issue (well, something similar) and simply bought Half-life again. ###### happens. Don't worry, the majority of the time Steam is good. Lay off McDonalds for a week and drop the $10.
<!--quoteo(post=1756756:date=Mar 3 2010, 09:53 AM:name=korvo)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (korvo @ Mar 3 2010, 09:53 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1756756"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Simply not how it is. Someone obviously generated my original key with a keygen or something, however, the key stopped working on steam.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Valve's customer service is for just this purpose. You're not the only person who has gotten into this situation, and they do issue new keys if you provide the proper documentation.
Heck, my copy of HL1 didn't even *COME* with any CD-keys. I was at the computer store (in Canada) when I saw what looked like a British copy on sale for a great price. I bought it, it was very official-looking, including a proper looking CD and manual, but the place on the back of the manual where I presume the CD-key was to go was blank.
I contacted Valve, who promptly issued me a new key, and all was well.
Comments
And if no, then even more importantly: after i registered my key in Steam, can i ever play a non-steam version after that?<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I'm honestly not sure whether any game which incorporates Steamworks can be used without Steam. My gut feeling is no.
<!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Does this mean that Valve now takes a hefty cut off those pre-orders? I placed that order to fully support UWE, the creators of the unmatched NS1, and not to fill the pockets of a company with such ill repute.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Such ill repute? Excuse me? Out of all the game companies out there the one I hear praised the most is Valve.
Furthermore you're getting upset because Valve will now get some of UWE's cash? You've already filled that company's pockets as you say by buying Half Life 1, which you needed for Natural Selection. Steam is perfect for small companies like UWE; the slice that Valve takes doesn't even begin to come close to the amount that UWE will make as a result of having the game on Steam. This is a great boon for UWE, not a victory for the evil empire that you seem to think Valve is. What, you thought Valve bullied UWE into doing this? They chose to put NS2 on the best digital distribution service out there in the full knowledge that it would be superb for the game's growth.
/on topic
Congrats for hitting Steam! I would have played the game with or without Steam, but I'm happy I'll be able to integrate it into my friends list and get the overlay etc etc. Hope NS2 stays at the top of the "best sellers" list <b>forever</b>!<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Fixed.
with all due respect for your extensive interpretation work, it's not really necessary. On the contrary, it seems to be rather misleading.
There's slightly erroneous wording in my question though, I'm interested if Valve Corporation will now retroactively lay claim to pre-order revenues.
This is just a guess though.
When it all first came out I remember them boasting how it would be cheaper because there is no Box, Manual, CD to print, No packing process and Virtual Shipping was a lot cheaper... wtf...
Do bare in mind that bandwidth costs less than £1 per Giga Byte not bit. I used to buy it @ 60p a GigaByte 3 years ago.
Edit: What's about playing NS2 offline? If this won't be possible, because you have to login in steam, I want my money back.
:((
And I 3rd the comment relating to whether or not this game will be Steam only. As a person who regularly turns up at lans where there is no internet connection present therefore preventing noobs from hitting up offline mode half of the time, I would love this game to be released by you guys through Steam, and also just by you guys.
If you could somehow whip up a sweet cardboard box with a picture of a Lerk on the front with the words Natural Selection 2, chuck a DVD inside and a small but useful manual, I'd be willing to pay you more monies!!! :D:D
A HL1 key is about $10. If playing NS1 is worth that much to you I suggest you fork over the dough.
And lay off the hax this time.
--Scythe--
I STILL BOUGTH A HL1-KEY! So i defenitly won't pay a 2nd time!!!
I don't know how people accept to pay a product, what's still their own.
If you buy a chair, no company comes and says: Hey, that's not your chair, it's now our chair again. Pay again.
That's criminal. Why should it be legal at software?!
UWE supports crime now.
with all due respect for your extensive interpretation work, it's not really necessary. On the contrary, it seems to be rather misleading.
There's slightly erroneous wording in my question though, I'm interested if Valve Corporation will now retroactively lay claim to pre-order revenues.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
If that was your intent then I apologize; I detected a different message to the one you were trying to convey.
With regards to the actual query, I believe Valve could only lay claim to pre-order revenue if they were the publisher of NS2. Selling a game on Steam and/or incorporating Steamworks doesn't automatically make Valve the publisher of the product (indeed, there are plenty of games available on Steam from publishers such as 2K Games, Ubisoft, THQ etc). My understanding of the Steam system is that in exchange for the advertising and increased potential audience for your product, Valve takes a small portion of any sales made via Steam, and only via Steam.
EDIT: Hey Scythe, remember the General Discussion forum when Steam was released?
<img src="http://img30.imageshack.us/img30/681/steamrelease.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />
Good times....
Double edit
<!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->If you buy a chair, no company comes and says: Hey, that's not your chair, it's now our chair again. Pay again.
That's criminal. Why should it be legal at software?!<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Actually if you read the EULA for the games you buy, you're buying a license to play the game, which can be taken away whenever the game company feels like it. You're not actually buying the product. What Steam does is no different to a company taking down required servers for a game after a while.
Ugly ***. What's up at America?
What ever it says: I feel robbed. And another point: UWE is going to loose it's independence.
That's how I see it. Think about it.
PS: In Germany we have a law, that prevents evil ("suprising") paragraphs in long EULAs - Do you read every EULA completely?
And next point: There IS an other way to handle customers.
UWE do NOT support crime lol
Contact Steam support, show them your key and/or receipt. Stuff like you mentioned shouldn't happen.
<!--quoteo(post=1756720:date=Mar 3 2010, 03:44 PM:name=korvo)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (korvo @ Mar 3 2010, 03:44 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1756720"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->And another point: UWE is going to loose it's independence.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<!--quoteo(post=1756714:date=Mar 3 2010, 03:23 PM:name=korvo)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (korvo @ Mar 3 2010, 03:23 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1756714"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->UWE supports crime now.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I have no idea where you're getting this from. What gives?
^ above would apply if they told me Friday---- going drunk to work is dangerous.
<!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->In any case, though, I do also wonder about non-steam/retail NS2, if it will continue to exist and if there will be crossover to steam version (I see no reason why this shouldn't work).
Also, yeah, what does Valve take for allowing a game on steam?<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
NS2's functionality is based on steamworks (Friends, Serverbrowser, etc).
As far as I know they take a fee based on copy sold through steam store - "retail" and self sold items are irrelevant to them.
My guess would be: yes. UT3 does this, you can activate it on Steam but you can still use stand-alone installation. However, I gather both games require the steam client to be running to use server browser and so on.
<!--quoteo(post=1756739:date=Mar 3 2010, 05:12 PM:name=Karrde)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Karrde @ Mar 3 2010, 05:12 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1756739"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Also, yeah, what does Valve take for allowing a game on steam?<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Unknown, but apparently very small amount compared to retail publishers.
At the time, where steam was new i costed "only" 10$ if you verify it to Valve. Otherwise the price was above. I don't think they changed anything.
To the last point: NS2 is going to use STEAM, that's why. Turn brain on.
Simply not how it is. Someone obviously generated my original key with a keygen or something, however, the key stopped working on steam.
I have 3 copies of HL1 (mine, my brother's, and the HL2 Gold one's) and ALL of them work flawlessly with Steam. From the (very) large pool of Steam users with HL1, none of them ever had a key "disappear". And I'm sure that if it ever was the case, Support can and will help you.
edit:
If you think someone generated your key; take a picture of your box (your proof of purchase can probably help) and they WILL re-activate your key, and deactivate the other (and eventually investigate)
If the key is once locked to a steam acc, it can't be used again on another account without resetting trough steam support. (like mentioned above)
PS. if you think theres crime happening call a lawyer \o
PPS. I'm german too and I don't like steam that much aswell but you need to be fair.
Steam is a great product and service now. Sure it had a few problems upon release but now it is awesome.
<!--quoteo(post=1756701:date=Mar 3 2010, 09:25 PM:name=SgtBarlow)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (SgtBarlow @ Mar 3 2010, 09:25 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1756701"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Why are digital downloads more expensive than buying the game retail, Almost every game on Steam is about £8 cheaper to buy from Play.com, Game, zavvi etc.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
The publishers of the region set the price on steam, not valve. Sites like Play, CDWOW, etc use loopholes to import games cheap from Asian regions. Valve have stated many times to publishers that setting a Worldwide price would be better but obviously they want the $$$. Dunno what it is like in the UK but for 99% of games it is a lot cheaper to buy on steam compared with physical retailers (EB Games, GAME etc) in AUS. UK importers are still cheaper though.
So for me, I will not buy anything off of steam anymore because then I don't have physical medium and usually you can register it over steam so yeah.
If you think UWE supports crime. Just pirate NS2 and play on cracked servers.
That's how you get back at them if you so feel inclined.
I had your same issue (well, something similar) and simply bought Half-life again. ###### happens. Don't worry, the majority of the time Steam is good. Lay off McDonalds for a week and drop the $10.
Valve's customer service is for just this purpose. You're not the only person who has gotten into this situation, and they do issue new keys if you provide the proper documentation.
Heck, my copy of HL1 didn't even *COME* with any CD-keys. I was at the computer store (in Canada) when I saw what looked like a British copy on sale for a great price. I bought it, it was very official-looking, including a proper looking CD and manual, but the place on the back of the manual where I presume the CD-key was to go was blank.
I contacted Valve, who promptly issued me a new key, and all was well.