Getting a refund for game purchased through Steam?

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Alienwho

Diamond Member
Apr 22, 2001
6,766
0
76
Try setting your BIOS to defaults (removing the OC). I have an X3 720 and whenever my 4th core was unlocked OR I had it OC'd I had major crashing problems in both Dragons Age and Borderlands. I never had any problems with any of the other dozens of games I played previously with the exact same setup. Don't ask me why just those two games.

Nevermind your previous post just answered this.
 

CoinOperatedBoy

Golden Member
Dec 11, 2008
1,809
0
76
Your OC could have even messed up the install, however infeasible that seems. When you did the reinstall, were you at stock?

I really have no idea what the issue is, but it seems pretty pervasive if there are 2000+ posts on their forum about it. I doubt it's as simple as an OC causing instability, especially if it's not apparently affecting anything else in the system.
 

Vampirrella

Golden Member
Apr 5, 2001
1,211
0
71
To the OP:

Have you tried installing Steam and trying the game on another system? We have a network of 7 systems and when i d/l steam to other systems, they can play fine on those too.

This might give you additional input on t-shooting a certain system if you see that the game(s) do work on a different system that you own.
 

NoSoup4You

Golden Member
Feb 12, 2007
1,253
6
81
I would try different graphics drivers if you haven't already. It's frustrating when a game doesn't work but your issue is with the game developer and NOT with Steam. Steam can't possibly provide tech support for every game they catalog, and why would they? They didn't create any of these games they simply provide a platform to purchase them.

The other people experiencing this issue, are they all Steam users or are there retail buyers running into it as well?
 

Obsoleet

Platinum Member
Oct 2, 2007
2,181
1
0
Steam is a vendor. That game can only be supported by it's creators. Valve owes no one support on non-valve games. If it's a Steam problem, then yes but if Steam itself is working ok for you then it's the game and that dev is where you find support.

If you're overclocking, then set everything back to default, format your PC and see if that fixes it. If you can login from another PC, install the game and run it.. then it's your local PC.

I'm guessing this is a problem with your computer (even though it happens to many people, it could be something related to all those people's PCs, a lot of people overclock), or it could be the game itself. Valve has nothing to do with it though.

I do disagree that OCing couldn't have anything to do with it. Certain games react differently. Doom3 did NOT like OC'd systems and it also wouldn't load if you overclocked your video card (ran into it myself).
 

theevilsharpie

Platinum Member
Nov 2, 2009
2,322
14
81
Steam is a vendor. That game can only be supported by it's creators. Valve owes no one support on non-valve games..

Steam is a reseller/publisher. Although they can refer the customer to the game developer for technical support, Valve is ultimately responsible for ensuring that the games they sell work properly. If the game is clearly defective, Valve has an obligation to either work with the developer to resolve the problem or remove the game from their store.
 

tommo123

Platinum Member
Sep 25, 2005
2,617
48
91
i have a similar issue with dark sector. it doesn't work properly on widescreen resolutions. i've asked for a refund as i can't play it as is. the wrong AR drives me nuts. same as people who stretch a 4:3 image to fill a 16:9 display. unbearable to watch.
 

Jschmuck2

Diamond Member
Jul 13, 2005
5,623
3
81
Steam is a reseller/publisher. Although they can refer the customer to the game developer for technical support, Valve is ultimately responsible for ensuring that the games they sell work properly. If the game is clearly defective, Valve has an obligation to either work with the developer to resolve the problem or remove the game from their store.

Yeah, I uh, don't know if that's necessarily the case here, as the game clearly is NOT defective as there are lots of people, including me who have played it without incident.
 

theevilsharpie

Platinum Member
Nov 2, 2009
2,322
14
81
Yeah, I uh, don't know if that's necessarily the case here, as the game clearly is NOT defective as there are lots of people, including me who have played it without incident.

I should've clarified this in my original post, but I was referring to cases where the game is CLEARLY defective. That obviously isn't the case in this thread.
 

Dacalo

Diamond Member
Mar 31, 2000
8,778
4
76
OP, it seems you have multiple rigs. Try installing steam on another rig and see if the game works. This is perfectly legal btw.
 

Obsoleet

Platinum Member
Oct 2, 2007
2,181
1
0
Steam is a reseller/publisher. Although they can refer the customer to the game developer for technical support, Valve is ultimately responsible for ensuring that the games they sell work properly. If the game is clearly defective, Valve has an obligation to either work with the developer to resolve the problem or remove the game from their store.

That would be Valve's call. They can put pretty much anything into their EULA. I don't think they have an 'obligation' to do anything. I haven't read the EULA (I'm guessing you haven't either). They'll let people know their 'obligations' when you refuse payment for a game.
 

Raduque

Lifer
Aug 22, 2004
13,140
138
106
Just because a computer is "stable" doesn't mean an overclock works 100%. It could be that there's a tiny error somewhere, that's enough to break Borderlands, but not enough to bring down the whole machine.

I would back it down to stock and re-install Windows. Use a different hard drive if you don't want to lose the current install.
 

theevilsharpie

Platinum Member
Nov 2, 2009
2,322
14
81
That would be Valve's call.

Actually, it's not.

They can put pretty much anything into their EULA. I don't think they have an 'obligation' to do anything. I haven't read the EULA (I'm guessing you haven't either). They'll let people know their 'obligations' when you refuse payment for a game.

If Valve knowingly sells a defective productive and a customer can prove it, Valve is obligated to either fix the product or compensate the customer. Whatever Valve's EULA says is irrelevant, because it can't override consumer protection laws.
 

gorcorps

aka Brandon
Jul 18, 2004
30,741
456
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Actually, it's not.



If Valve knowingly sells a defective productive and a customer can prove it, Valve is obligated to either fix the product or compensate the customer. Whatever Valve's EULA says is irrelevant, because it can't override consumer protection laws.

That's total bullshit. Is Best Buy responsible for Microsoft's issues in making a stable console? No they're not, you take your problem to the source (Microsoft)... you can't kill the messenger, for lack of a better phrase. The same thing applies here. Steam is the front to buy this game which was made by somebody else. If the game has issues then it's the fault of the company that makes it, not the place you happened to buy it from.
 

theevilsharpie

Platinum Member
Nov 2, 2009
2,322
14
81
That's total bullshit. Is Best Buy responsible for Microsoft's issues in making a stable console?

When Best Buy sold you the console, it worked as advertised. If it didn't, you could've returned it to Best Buy, and they'd replace the console with one that worked properly or provide a refund.
 

CoinOperatedBoy

Golden Member
Dec 11, 2008
1,809
0
76
Yeah, I uh, don't know if that's necessarily the case here, as the game clearly is NOT defective as there are lots of people, including me who have played it without incident.

Just because many people can play the game doesn't mean it's not defective.
 

CoinOperatedBoy

Golden Member
Dec 11, 2008
1,809
0
76
That's total bullshit. Is Best Buy responsible for Microsoft's issues in making a stable console? No they're not, you take your problem to the source (Microsoft)... you can't kill the messenger, for lack of a better phrase. The same thing applies here. Steam is the front to buy this game which was made by somebody else. If the game has issues then it's the fault of the company that makes it, not the place you happened to buy it from.

This is true. You should seek support from the creators. But if that fails, who do you contact for a refund?
 

Throckmorton

Lifer
Aug 23, 2007
16,829
3
0
System specs for those who care

Core2 duo @ 3.5ghz
2gb ram
ATI 5770 gpu with the newest 9.12 catalyst drivers
Windows XP 32bit SP3 fully updated

How do you know your overclocked CPU isn't generating errors? How long did you run Prime?
 

MStele

Senior member
Sep 14, 2009
410
0
0
When Best Buy sold you the console, it worked as advertised. If it didn't, you could've returned it to Best Buy, and they'd replace the console with one that worked properly or provide a refund.

This is a different situation. The console is designed to operate with certain specifications, and should those specs not be reached then the console is defective. Software relies on the buyer to provide a viable platform to be used.