Steam Replaces WON

[CSN NewsBot]

Remember that Steam thread Erik Johnson posted a couple days ago? Well rest assured we weren't the only ones who overlooked the most important part of it. Planet Half-Life takes note that not only is the Steam beta coming to an end, the entire Half-Life user base is going to be converted over to Steam as well. The WON authentication method currently used will be replaced by Steam and you will need a valid VALVe product key, such as a Half-Life CD key or a Counter-Strike Retail CD key, to access games via Steam. Here are the most important bits of info Erik posted in the thread:

When we convert the user base to Steam, a single WonID will be valid for all of the products.



If you have purchased a product from us at retail, you're going to have access to all of our products via Steam.



No, you do not have to pay for Steam.

Planet Half-Life also went ahead and confirmed with Erik that you will need Steam to play the latest version of Half-Life and, subsequently, Counter-Strike.



Last but not least the single most important piece of information you need to know:

This would be a good opportunity to grab a really low SteamID number, as it will be the one you'll be assigned forever. They will be handed out in sequential order.

[Boomstick]

This would be a good opportunity to grab a really low SteamID number, as it will be the one you'll be assigned forever.

That sounds strangely ominous. Looks like I'm skipping school that day, because I absolutely must have a low Steam ID to validate my worthless existence.

[FLeK0]

I'll use my nice 25 digit long DoD Retail key for Steam

I think it will auth us when we start the Steam desktop component, we'll see, it will be great, trust me, me, me!

btw I hope there won't be any no-steam servers like noWon now.

Boomstick wrote..

That sounds strangely ominous. Looks like I'm skipping school that day, because I absolutely must have a low Steam ID to validate my worthless existence.

I'd do that too, but it comes at 8pm here .

[|)3stroyer]

Boomstick wrote..

That sounds strangely ominous. Looks like I'm skipping school that day, because I absolutely must have a low Steam ID to validate my worthless existence.

Great minds think alike!



And its good to see that I dont have to dish out the dough just to get steam. I thought I read somewhere you have to pay to download updates though...

[RaptorRage]

Yes a few 'lucky' players will have eternal bragging rights for having Steam ID's 1, 42, 69, 100, 1000 and 1337...

[|cyborg|]

So, this means no more exe files, what if a user has no internet, or no broadband, what do they do? there is also LAN play, not that at LAN centres, but small lan partys with no net? :/



I'm sure the first few 100 of the steam ID's are already took by valve employees and steam alpha teams, along with who ever else helps make adjustments to the game. I want 1337, but any number under 5000 is good.

[Noldster]

what will cal do? everyone will have to change ids in their profile...



RaptorRage: 42? dont u mean 420?

[RaptorRage]

Nah, 42 as in the meaning of life, the universe and everything...

[MikeJ]

CAL will most likely have to support the change by unlocking the rosters for a bit, this is a huge change and there are sure to be hiccups as we all adjust to it.



SteamID 1337 is so mine so don't even try.



edit:

RaptorRage: 42? dont u mean 420?

Someone get this man some douglas adams?

[thor2488]

RaptorRage wrote..

Yes a few 'lucky' players will have eternal bragging rights for having Steam ID's 1, 42, 69, 100, 1000 and 1337...

You forgot 7, 13, and 666.

|cyborg| wrote..

So, this means no more exe files, what if a user has no internet, or no broadband, what do they do? there is also LAN play, not that at LAN centres, but small lan partys with no net? :/

Taken directly from the steam FAQ:

How can I have a LAN party or similar event using Steam?



Any Steam game, when played on a LAN or otherwise, requires that each individual client be able to authenticate via the Internet.



At a LAN party, this means that Internet access must be available to every machine on which Steam games are being played.

That, my friends, is very bad news indeed.

[Jocky]

so the steamids are given out in the order that peeps download the *new* steam??? is that right??? so if im the 54th person to dwnld steam...my steamid will be 54..correct?

[MikeJ]

VALVe isn't stupid enough to shaft their LAN users, Erik talked about it in the forum post i think, i just didn't care enough to post. You can follow through on it on your own.

[Jocky]

oh and i think gooseman should get steamid 1..that would be cool i think

[Deletable_Man]

1337? Pah. Who needs the ID 1337 when you can have # 382749234923478233487234? Don't think about taking that number either.. it's MINE!1111111

[Jocky]

btw will i need to remove my steam that i already have before dwnloading the new version of steam...or will the new install remove and install it all together..im sure this was discussed but i havent heard..sorry for my ignorance