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ChicoDesMersChicoDesMers Join Date: 2005-01-15 Member: 35737Members
I want to know something about NS 2 with the Steam platform. I know we'll be abled to use NS2 via Steam , i think that means server browser and friendlist.

BUT the question is : can we use NS2 ( server browser and more ) WITHOUT steam ?




Thanks for your answerz !
«1

Comments

  • SlycasterSlycaster Limited Edition Join Date: 2002-01-24 Member: 24Members, NS1 Playtester
    No. NS2 will require Steam to play. You must have a Steam account and be running Steam to play NS2 at all times.
  • Voyager IVoyager I Join Date: 2009-11-02 Member: 69222Members
    I was under the impression that you could get the game off Steam, too.
  • WildDaBombWildDaBomb Join Date: 2009-06-29 Member: 67965Members
    You can run ANY steam game WITHOUT steam, it just requires "Hacks" or in some games cases running the .exe from the correct folder in the SteamApps directory, however using Steam really isn't that big of a deal on average it's using 5k - 12k memory and provides you with

    1) An Ingame browser
    2) A friends list
    3) Achievement progress / achievement support for your steam profile (to upgrade your E-Penis).
    4) Server Browsers
    5) Automatic updates

    And many more features, in reality if you wanted to run Natural Selection 2 without steam and steam.exe wasn't a requirement for the Game to run (similar to Games for Windows Live) you could most likely do it without a patch but if it's like Fallout 3 it should only be as simple as patching it. (Supporting Evidence - CS1.6 Non-Steam, Team Fortress 2 Non-Steam, Counter-Strike: Source Non-Steam).

    PS: I believe Natural Selection 2 by default will only run on Steam, but I'm assuming people in the engine test are running the game without steam currently.
  • SlycasterSlycaster Limited Edition Join Date: 2002-01-24 Member: 24Members, NS1 Playtester
    <!--quoteo(post=1763325:date=Apr 8 2010, 03:30 PM:name=WildDaBomb)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (WildDaBomb @ Apr 8 2010, 03:30 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1763325"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->You can run ANY steam game WITHOUT steam, it just requires "Hacks" or in some games cases running the .exe from the correct folder in the SteamApps directory, however using Steam really isn't that big of a deal on average it's using 5k - 12k memory and provides you with

    1) An Ingame browser
    2) A friends list
    3) Achievement progress / achievement support for your steam profile (to upgrade your E-Penis).
    4) Server Browsers
    5) Automatic updates

    And many more features, in reality if you wanted to run Natural Selection 2 without steam and steam.exe wasn't a requirement for the Game to run (similar to Games for Windows Live) you could most likely do it without a patch but if it's like Fallout 3 it should only be as simple as patching it. (Supporting Evidence - CS1.6 Non-Steam, Team Fortress 2 Non-Steam, Counter-Strike: Source Non-Steam).

    PS: I believe Natural Selection 2 by default will only run on Steam, but I'm assuming people in the engine test are running the game without steam currently.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    This is correct but does NOT apply to NS2. NS2 is a purely multiplayer game ala TF2 and REQUIRES Steam's server browser to find games.

    You need to be running Steam to play NS2. Always.

    Also yes, NS2 will be available for purchase on Steam, but also, pre-orders from UWE will transfer to Steam downloads, so please don't let that discourage you.
  • CrispixCrispix Join Date: 2007-01-10 Member: 59543Members, Constellation, Reinforced - Supporter, Reinforced - Silver, Reinforced - Gold, Reinforced - Diamond, Reinforced - Shadow
    I thought I heard somewhere on the forums that you could play with or without Steam when the game arrives on Steam. I could be totally wrong though. But as the other replies have said, NS2 will use Steam, with all Steam services.

    I think the Launch Pad that already exists will probably receive an update in the future to launch NS2 from, and maybe have a server browser list. No idea though what will happen in regards to that.

    The Devs are the best people to get a response from.
  • SlycasterSlycaster Limited Edition Join Date: 2002-01-24 Member: 24Members, NS1 Playtester
    <!--quoteo(post=1763331:date=Apr 8 2010, 04:07 PM:name=Crispix)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Crispix @ Apr 8 2010, 04:07 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1763331"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->I thought I heard somewhere on the forums that you could play with or without Steam when the game arrives on Steam. I could be totally wrong though. But as the other replies have said, NS2 will use Steam, with all Steam services.

    I think the Launch Pad that already exists will probably receive an update in the future to launch NS2 from, and maybe have a server browser list. No idea though what will happen in regards to that.

    The Devs are the best people to get a response from.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    The devs have confirmed they are not making a server browsing menu and have no plans to make the game launchable without Steam at this point. Infact, it was part of the major reason a mac release wasn't going to happen until Steam announced being ported to Mac, if you listen to the most recent podcast, they talk about making it a bit easier to transition now and it's something they may or may not do for release.
  • Draco_2kDraco_2k Evil Genius Join Date: 2009-12-09 Member: 69546Members
    You will need to be running Steam in order to play the game, as far as I remember from the official comment on that.
  • DarkATiDarkATi Revelation 22:17 Join Date: 2003-06-20 Member: 17532Members, Reinforced - Shadow
    edited April 2010
    <!--QuoteBegin-"February 2+ 2010 Blog Post Excerpt"--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE ("February 2 @ 2010 Blog Post Excerpt")</div><div class='quotemain'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Now the issue of Steamworks. For those of you who don't know, Steamworks is the core technology of Steam, like the friends list, server browser and voice chat. We've integrated Steamworks into Natural Selection 2 because it saves us the effort of implementing these things ourselves, and gets the game into your hands faster. Unfortunately Steamworks (which essentially is the Steam client) only works on Windows. <b>We've setup Natural Selection 2 to work without Steamworks, but you lose the services that it provides.</b> For example, instead of being able to browse for a server you'd have to type in its address in the console to connect to it. For an OS X or Linux client, we'd have to substitute in our own implementation of those missing services. This certainly isn't out of the question for a post-release update to the game, but it's not something we'd delay the initial Windows release to incorporate.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    Emphasis mine.

    The answer is YES, however, you won't get Steam's server browser so you'd have to manually type that stuff in. But, YES, the game will run without Steam.

    Cheers,
    Cody
  • TekoppenTekoppen Join Date: 2008-02-05 Member: 63584Members, NS2 Playtester, Reinforced - Shadow, Subnautica Playtester
    <!--quoteo(post=1763339:date=Apr 8 2010, 11:55 PM:name=DarkATi)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (DarkATi @ Apr 8 2010, 11:55 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1763339"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Emphasis mine.

    The answer is YES, however, you won't get Steam's server browser so you'd have to manually type that stuff in. But, YES, the game will run without Steam.

    Cheers,
    Cody<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    I always thought that you can run the game without Steam, thanks for confirming it.
  • johhny djohhny d Join Date: 2010-04-08 Member: 71215Members
    Well, if NS2 will be awailable with out steam to play i will use this oportunity
  • xposed-xposed- Join Date: 2007-09-23 Member: 62412Members, Constellation
    <!--quoteo(post=1763347:date=Apr 9 2010, 07:22 AM:name=johhny d)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (johhny d @ Apr 9 2010, 07:22 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1763347"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Well, if NS2 will be awailable with out steam to play i will use this oportunity<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    It won't be. Even if you did have a non steam[works] integrated version, how would you join games etc? ^___^
  • CrispixCrispix Join Date: 2007-01-10 Member: 59543Members, Constellation, Reinforced - Supporter, Reinforced - Silver, Reinforced - Gold, Reinforced - Diamond, Reinforced - Shadow
    <!--quoteo(post=1763350:date=Apr 8 2010, 07:35 PM:name=xposed-)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (xposed- @ Apr 8 2010, 07:35 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1763350"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->It won't be. Even if you did have a non steam[works] integrated version, how would you join games etc? ^___^<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    It clearly says in the above quote that we would have to type in the ip address manually in the game console.
  • UncleRayUncleRay Join Date: 2010-03-08 Member: 70881Members
    Let's just hope they don't use the Modern WarFare 2 multiplayer "browser." If so, that'll be a big loss.
  • sportysporty Join Date: 2003-06-29 Member: 17782Members
    Yeah DarkATI, it's a small straw but fingers crossed that this method will work :)
  • ComproxComprox *chortle* Canada Join Date: 2002-01-23 Member: 7Members, Super Administrators, Forum Admins, NS1 Playtester, NS2 Developer, Constellation, NS2 Playtester, Reinforced - Shadow, WC 2013 - Silver, Subnautica Developer, Subnautica Playtester, Pistachionauts
    <!--quoteo(post=1763339:date=Apr 8 2010, 02:55 PM:name=DarkATi)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (DarkATi @ Apr 8 2010, 02:55 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1763339"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Emphasis mine.

    The answer is YES, however, you won't get Steam's server browser so you'd have to manually type that stuff in. But, YES, the game will run without Steam.

    Cheers,
    Cody<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    For the engine test tomorrow, you will *require* Steam to be running. I honestly have no clue if that will change or what the plan is, but make sure you have it for now at least.
  • xposed-xposed- Join Date: 2007-09-23 Member: 62412Members, Constellation
    edited April 2010
    <!--quoteo(post=1763431:date=Apr 9 2010, 11:30 AM:name=Crispix)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Crispix @ Apr 9 2010, 11:30 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1763431"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->It clearly says in the above quote that we would have to type in the ip address manually in the game console.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    To directly type in the IP, you'll need to know it, obviously. Fine for if you're playing with a friend and they send you the IP, but otherwise you will _need_ steamworks to find the available servers in the first place.

    That is what I was getting at in my previous post.
  • xposed-xposed- Join Date: 2007-09-23 Member: 62412Members, Constellation
    edited April 2010
  • TekoppenTekoppen Join Date: 2008-02-05 Member: 63584Members, NS2 Playtester, Reinforced - Shadow, Subnautica Playtester
    <!--quoteo(post=1763463:date=Apr 9 2010, 08:04 AM:name=Comprox)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Comprox @ Apr 9 2010, 08:04 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1763463"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->For the engine test tomorrow, you will *require* Steam to be running. I honestly have no clue if that will change or what the plan is, but make sure you have it for now at least.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    Really, so you have to have steam running for the engine test, okay.
  • TemphageTemphage Join Date: 2009-10-28 Member: 69158Members
    edited April 2010
    <!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Now the issue of Steamworks. For those of you who don't know, Steamworks is the core technology of Steam, like the friends list, server browser and voice chat. We've integrated Steamworks into Natural Selection 2 because it saves us the effort of implementing these things ourselves, and gets the game into your hands faster. Unfortunately Steamworks (which essentially is the Steam client) only works on Windows. We've setup Natural Selection 2 to work without Steamworks, but you lose the services that it provides. For example, instead of being able to browse for a server you'd have to type in its address in the console to connect to it. For an OS X or Linux client, we'd have to substitute in our own implementation of those missing services. This certainly isn't out of the question for a post-release update to the game, but it's not something we'd delay the initial Windows release to incorporate.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    What that blog post tells me:

    <!--sizeo:6--><span style="font-size:24pt;line-height:100%"><!--/sizeo--><b>WE TIED VOICE CHAT TO OUR DRM!</b><!--sizec--></span><!--/sizec-->
  • puzlpuzl The Old Firm Join Date: 2003-02-26 Member: 14029Retired Developer, NS1 Playtester, Forum Moderators, Constellation
    <img src="http://www.vistax64.com/attachments/chillout-room/5916d1219055969-ive-lost-plot-what-do-you-think-tinfoil-hat.jpg" border="0" class="linked-image" />
  • TemphageTemphage Join Date: 2009-10-28 Member: 69158Members
    Clearly.

    That said, Steamworks is 45% DRM, 45% finding a way to sell people ###### from a publisher who didn't even make the game it came bundled with, and 10% actually useful features.




    I mean seriously, ten years ago if you installed a game and it installed a second program that ran in the background and the entire point was to get you to BUY STUFF, we'd have called that adware and deleted it.
  • Draco_2kDraco_2k Evil Genius Join Date: 2009-12-09 Member: 69546Members
    Disable pop-ups, switch to mini view, enjoy your free in-game chat.
  • TemphageTemphage Join Date: 2009-10-28 Member: 69158Members
    <!--quoteo(post=1763553:date=Apr 9 2010, 10:51 AM:name=Draco_2k)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Draco_2k @ Apr 9 2010, 10:51 AM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1763553"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Disable pop-ups, switch to mini view, enjoy your free in-game chat.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    Not the point.
  • sportysporty Join Date: 2003-06-29 Member: 17782Members
    Thanks for the information Comprox, but could you elaborate a bit on this? I assume it's about access restriction, but I'd like to know more about possible barriers like having to permanently, irreversibly link it to an account, possible conflicts when trying to assign the full game to a different account etc. Can't be careful enough when having to deal with Valve Corporation. Better to wait before making a momentous mistake, even if it's the longed for NS2 engine test :(
  • GregzenegairGregzenegair Join Date: 2009-06-26 Member: 67944Members
    Did I read correctly ? The test engine will be available on steam ?

    Just a question. It is not a problem for me.
  • TekoppenTekoppen Join Date: 2008-02-05 Member: 63584Members, NS2 Playtester, Reinforced - Shadow, Subnautica Playtester
    <!--quoteo(post=1763591:date=Apr 9 2010, 01:47 PM:name=Gregzenegair)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Gregzenegair @ Apr 9 2010, 01:47 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1763591"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Did I read correctly ? The test engine will be available on steam ?

    Just a question. It is not a problem for me.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    No, you need Steam running inorder to play the engine test.
  • The Happy FriarThe Happy Friar Join Date: 2010-01-15 Member: 70174Members
    *w/o steam you could still use a 3rd party voice program (then, odds are, you won't get the F-bombing, burping, whining kids)
    *If you can connect via command line then you could use a 3rd party browser program (qtracker being mine of choice. Much more customizable vs steam. Includes a friends list)
    *This pretty much eliminates no-internet LAN support?
    *We can expect issues w/steamworks & that valve won't bother doing anything about it. :(
  • BJHBnade_spammerBJHBnade_spammer Join Date: 2005-02-25 Member: 42431Members
    when will we be able to input our keys in to the steam system for ns2
  • GregzenegairGregzenegair Join Date: 2009-06-26 Member: 67944Members
    edited April 2010
    A game that uses steam, and is not downloadable on steam, first time I see that.
  • puzlpuzl The Old Firm Join Date: 2003-02-26 Member: 14029Retired Developer, NS1 Playtester, Forum Moderators, Constellation
    <!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->A game that uses steam, and is not downloadable on steam, first time I see that.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    An engine test that uses steam. Please do tell, which previous games did you get to do an engine test for?
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