Steam activation support for off-the-shelf games?

ps3ud0

ps3ud0

ps3ud0

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Hi Guys,

I know this would have been asked in threads but I couldnt find a good (all encompassing) answer. Just bought my first game in Steam :p so wanna start using its advantages more...

A lot of my games are bought off the shelf (I just prefer it and used to be cheaper until Steam came with £ pricing) and I notice that some are now available on Steam. I like the idea that you can play on Steam without the disc inserted and stuff...

What Im wondering though is that could I activate my games so they are registered through Steam without having to re-buy them? For example Ive got the old Quakes but life would be simpler if I could just put in my cd key and it then registers the game via Steam.

Is there a list of non-Valve games you can do this with (I assume you can with Valve games) so I can work out what I might have to re-buy (probably gonna get the id Super pack even though I own most of the content for example)

As the sale ends tomorrow I want to have a good idea so I can get some stuff while its cheap (does it end midnight the 2nd? or 11.59pm?)...

EDIT: Ill happily list my games if thats of any help or if theres a list of what games Steam offers somewhere? Maybe thats an idea...

TIA

ps3ud0 :cool:
 
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The "Add non-steam game..." Tab I think only creates another shortcut in steam. I know you can activate games you would normally need steam for like HL2 with the "Activate a product on steam..." tab, where you just put the key in and it puts it on your games list as if you bought it online.

I'm not sure if it would let you put in old games keys to activate it, but I don't think there is any harm in trying an old Quake key in to see. I doubt it though.

I'm not sure exactly when the sales end but I guess it will be midnight in the USA.
 
If you've have a physical copy of a game, you will also need to buy it through steam if you want it tied into your steam account.

You can add a non steam game, but you'll still need the disc.
 
Wouldn't it be easier to just use a crack, I mean come on if you own the games why bother yourself with cd checks ?
 
Cheers guys - I was in the middle of looking at all the Steam games and putting all the ones I own into a list (only on page 8 of 20). Will finish it though just so I know what I might get off Steam for sake of convenience :p

The link grudas posted is a bit disappointing as it basically has not one game Ive got outside of the Valve games :(.

BTW I know Ill be ridiculed for this, but Ive got HL:Generations 3, the original HL2 (not GOTY) and TOB and now L4D - could someone confirm what that actually gives me - theres so many Valve games and Im confused if Ive got some or not.

I seem to collect games and not play/install them so Im determined to get around to it, and Steam helps a bit as its just click and play...

Also does old games on Steam mean they will work with new OSes (Vista 64 specifically)?

Thanks

ps3ud0 :cool:
 
Is that Generations the one with HL, Blue-Shift, OF and CS? That says it includes all the updates on the back? Blue cover I think, all 4 discs in one large case, two in each half.

If so that should give you most games HL1 related. TFC etc.
 
Yeah thats the one - its a thick DVD case with a blueish cover...

You wouldnt mind elaborating on the etc? I assume it gives me everything except HL:Source. Its HL2 and all its stuff that gets complicated :p

ps3ud0 :cool:
 
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OK just finish looking:

BioShock™
Call of Duty
Call of Duty: United Offensive
Call of Duty® 2
Call of Duty® 4: Modern Warfare™
Crysis
DOOM
DOOM II
DOOM 3
DOOM 3 Resurrection of Evil
Enemy Territory: QUAKE Wars™
Far Cry®
FlatOut
FlatOut 2™
Grand Theft Auto
Grand Theft Auto 2
Grand Theft Auto 3
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
Grand Theft Auto IV
Max Payne
Max Payne 2
Medieval II: Total War™
Psychonauts
QUAKE
QUAKE II
QUAKE II Mission Pack: Ground Zero
QUAKE II Mission Pack: The Reckoning
Quake III Arena
QUAKE III: Team Arena
Rome: Total War - Gold
Rome: Total War - Alexander
S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadow of Chernobyl
Thief: Deadly Shadows
Unreal Tournament 3

Anyone got any experiences with those activating via Steam and not needing the disc afterwards? Worth me buying them on STEAM and selling the games second-hand?

BTW appreciate if someone can confirm that old games on Steam are fixed to work with recent OSes as that would be useful...

ps3ud0 :cool:
 
If it's not on the list, it won't activate.

What's to stop people buying a retail game, activating on Steam, then getting a refund?

Would be great but quite daft and easily exploited.

Xfire is the next best thing for patching games automatically.
 
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grudas said:
games you can activate on steam are listed here

https://support.steampowered.com/kb_article.php?ref=7480-WUSF-3601
Click to expand...

this is what you need, so from the list you gave, none (unless i missed one).

the reasons for you not being able to has been discussed many times before. It's because a) dev's dont provide steam with a list of cd keys, and b) what does valve get out of it? they would have to give you access to their bandwidt to download the game.
 
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ps3ud0 said:
Yeah thats the one - its a thick DVD case with a blueish cover...

You wouldnt mind elaborating on the etc? I assume it gives me everything except HL:Source. Its HL2 and all its stuff that gets complicated :p

ps3ud0 :cool:
Click to expand...

I'm sure the HL1 key gives you pretty much everything HL related, except HL:Source. So CS 1.6, Half-Life and Expansions, even Ricochet, not sure on exactly what.
 
Cheers guys for the replies,

I thought I would be out of luck, but you never know...

Ill probably get the id Super Pack even though Ive got most of them (havent got RtCW or the original Quake expansion packs) and £19 for convenience isnt much - id are worth it :)

ps3ud0 :cool:
 
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