Activating game key on steam query

muggs · 4 Oct 2010 at 22:01

hi all

so i just got metro 2033 for a tenner, anyway i was wondering if i activate the key on steam will i then be able to install the game on my brothers pc (via disc)who has no steam account what so ever.

i notice on the front of the box it says requires internet connection for activation. so does this mean if i install it on my bro's comp(after activating it on mine) when it tries to activate it will get rejected because it will realise the key is linked to my steam account, therefore not allowing it to play on bro's pc?

thanks for any help.

Cycrow · 4 Oct 2010 at 22:25

afaik, the game must be activated via steam to be able to play it.

so if you have already activated, u wont be able to install it on another pc

Stuff · 4 Oct 2010 at 22:26

Isn't it a Games for Windows thing?

muggs · 4 Oct 2010 at 22:32

yes it says games for windows on the front, its also steam works

hmmm just thinking, would a company really sell a single player game that can only be played with a internet connection??? what about the ppl ho have no connection...they are not allowed to play?

Redman · 4 Oct 2010 at 22:54

muggs said:
i notice on the front of the box it says requires internet connection for activation.

Answered your own question there pal. No, they wont be allowed to play, thats why a connection is required.

MeMeMeMe · 5 Oct 2010 at 00:18

Games for windows is just a branding used to show it can be played on windows. It's not the same as Games For Windows Live (GFWL) which means it needs the GFWL client installed.

Metro 2033 is a steam game, which means you must install steam on the machine you want to install it on. You can install it on multiple machines, as long as you have a steam account on each of those names.

As soon as you log on on one machine, you'll be logged out of any others, so it can only be played on one machine at a time.

You can get aroudn this, by installing it, then putting steam into "offline mode". This is handy if you need to play a game on a computer that's going to be disconnected from the internet for a while.

GothicCorpse · 5 Oct 2010 at 01:08

Metro is afaik single player so there could be 100 people playing on the same account as long as they activate it online then swith to offline mode,
not that that would happen but i think im right.
so i think you could even copy the whole steam folders over and make it even easier.

edit:
but he needs youre steam account and password which is really dodgy. (wouldnt recommend)

Doughnut007 · 5 Oct 2010 at 02:34

You can install it on as meny PC's as you want but you can only play it when you are loged into steam with an accout that has that game linked to it.

GothicCorpse · 5 Oct 2010 at 03:42

But theres off line mode

Edit:
nvm i think i might be digging myself in to a hole here.

Ravenger · 5 Oct 2010 at 08:53

I use offline mode on my netbook with a bunch of netbook friendly games, and it works really well.

Metro 2033 is a single player game too, so will work well in offline mode.

The best way I've found to force offline mode is to deny Steam internet access via your firewall.

As others have said though, it's only an option when you absolutely trust the person using the game as they need your login name and password. It works for me as I'm the only person using my Steam account, and I just use the netbook in offline mode when travelling.

If your brother were to go online with Steam and do any cheating he could get your account VAC banned so you'd be unable to play on multiplayer games on VAC secured servers.