Offline gaming - Steam

slipd · 20 Jan 2016 at 15:00

Hi guys,

As above. Is it alright to play Steam stuff offline? I'm potentially going to be without broadband for a fortnight whilst BT 'fanny about,' the Sky advisors words not mine, swapping me over to a new cabinet. I don't want to miss out on achievements/progress etc. I know it is okay to play in offline mode but I didn't really know what the implications were

Thanks.

Boycey0211 · 20 Jan 2016 at 15:01

I think any achievements you get then sync when you reconnect, they did with one game I was playing anyway.

It might depend on the game.

slipd · 20 Jan 2016 at 15:03

Mainly Fallout 4

Brocky36 · 20 Jan 2016 at 16:21

Iirc, Steam can be a bit temperamental about offline play unless you sign out into offline mode before your connection goes down. I'm at work at the moment, so don't have the full details, but do a bit of a look-up on it.

bayo000 · 20 Jan 2016 at 16:32

Yeah I think you need to go to offline mode once while you're still online.

almoststew1990 · 20 Jan 2016 at 16:48

Also make sure you launch any games for the first time before you go offline!

UberGinge · 20 Jan 2016 at 16:57

Yeah, as the rest have said open any games you plan on playing whilst you're still online, then switch to offline mode and don't restart.

mark43 · 20 Jan 2016 at 17:06

Also, once you've done that maybe disconnect your internet now and test it all works as you'd expect.

smogsy · 20 Jan 2016 at 17:19

Step 1 go into online mode
Step 2. Launch each game once in online mode
Step 3. Go to offline mode when ever you want

All acgievwments/saves get uploaded on reconnection

Use it every time I move 5+ times so far

slipd · 20 Jan 2016 at 19:09

Damn. I'm without internet

Last played 'online' a couple of nights ago. I'm not going to risk it then. I hope their quick...

masterk · 20 Jan 2016 at 20:09

Either that or get a cheap wifi adapter and tether your phone as a backup.

Clav · 21 Jan 2016 at 13:09

I just use my phone as a wifi hotspot whenever the internet is down.

Rroff · 21 Jan 2016 at 13:16

Brocky36 said:
Iirc, Steam can be a bit temperamental about offline play unless you sign out into offline mode before your connection goes down. I'm at work at the moment, so don't have the full details, but do a bit of a look-up on it.

Dunno if its still the case but certain game and client updates pending can prevent you going into offline mode amongst other things :S really Steam, Origin, etc. should have a far better offline mode by now.

platypus · 21 Jan 2016 at 13:18

Rroff said:
:S really Steam, Origin, etc. should have a far better offline mode by now.

I'm not sure they care. It's in their interests to have everything online.

Gambisk · 21 Jan 2016 at 13:23

It was totally fine for me when I moved in November. I downloaded a few games before we moved to keep me going, they all played fine for the 3 weeks when I was without Internet. Only thing I did was check they launched while I still had a connection, didn't realise there was an offline mode.

slipd · 23 Jan 2016 at 09:56

Just a quick recap; I'm tethered now and connected to Steam so do I run the game I want to play and then come out of them and make Steam run in Offline mode? I don't really want to stay tethered because I'm right near the end of my billing cycle and I only have about 250mb left - which I'm keeping for emergencies

QlimaxUK · 23 Jan 2016 at 10:19

if you have internet 3G/4G on your phone you could tether it..

EDIT: never mind didn't read last post

slipd · 23 Jan 2016 at 10:20

QlimaxUK said:
if you have internet 3G/4G on your phone you could tether it..

I do. But I literally only have about 250mb to last me till the end of the week

d_brennen · 23 Jan 2016 at 10:28

How about trying it? What's the worst that could happen? Offline mode works fine most of the time, but if there's a client update due it can be funny... However the only surefire way to know is to... Try

tickedon · 23 Jan 2016 at 17:02

slipd said:
Just a quick recap; I'm tethered now and connected to Steam so do I run the game I want to play and then come out of them and make Steam run in Offline mode? I don't really want to stay tethered because I'm right near the end of my billing cycle and I only have about 250mb left - which I'm keeping for emergencies

Tether -> login to Steam -> start any games you want to play -> close them once they start -> select 'play offline' in Steam -> close Steam -> untether.

Should be sorted! Biggest issue will be if there are updates etc. for games that Steam has to download first.