So Steam offline mode is not actually an offline mode?

[apoppin]

If you go offline and stay offline, *eventually* Steam will need a platform update and you will not be able to launch some of your games.

You will have to go online again, reauthenticate, and then go offline again.

Steam *is* DRM.

 

[Nebor]

If you go offline and stay offline, *eventually* Steam will need a platform update and you will not be able to launch some of your games.

You will have to go online again, reauthenticate, and then go offline again.

Steam *is* DRM.

If Steam is in offline mode, how will it know it needs a platform update. 😵

 

[apoppin]

If Steam is in offline mode, how will it know it needs a platform update. 😵

Steam is DRM

"it" knows
😱

 

[kamikazekyle]

The only time I've had steam not work in offline mode was when it needed an update. The update was downloaded and just waiting to apply. When I lost my internet connection and restarted steam, it couldn't verify the steam update so got stuck.

Otherwise, I've never had issues. I've been gaming and lost my connection, so I flip on offline if I want to change games, steam restarts, and away I go. There have also been times where I launch steam for the first time, it doesn't detect a connection, and asks if I want to start in offline mode. I do so, and no issues.

Though I believe that sometime prior, for every fresh install, I had toggled offline/online once while still with an internet connection. I also haven't really tried launching a bunch of random games for an initial launch while offline as the outage is only a short duration or I planned ahead. I would imagine that a game would have to have been launched at least once prior to going offline. I also haven't been without an internet connection for more than a week yet also having a PC with steam installed, so I have no idea if it needs to reconnect periodically like SC2 does.

 

[trelin]

Just a heads up that there's a known bug in the current Steam client so anybody testing offline mode will be having more trouble than usual. Give it another try after this current beta is released: http://forums.steampowered.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2047727

- Fixed offline mode not working if there was no remembered password.

Personally I've never had to do anything special; in the past if my internet goes boom it just automatically gave me the "Offline" option, and I _never_ save my passwords.

 

[blackened23]

Has it always been like this? I had no idea. Am I totally out of the loop or what?

I always figured that as a long time customer with a large account I would be able to play my games during outages. What a dunce I am.

You have to be online to get authenticated first. Once you do so, you can put steam in offline mode and you can remain offline and play whatever game you wish.

Its weird - you have to be online to go offline. But you just need to go online once then you dont ever have to go "online" again to play your steam games.

 

[Wyndru]

😀 I actually wasn't sure until I read the part about the windstorm and drunk ass hitting the pole, then I understood.

 

[Rifter]

Seriously?

Just follow steps to set it up ahead of time and you wont have any issues.

I use my laptop 90% of the time in offline mode multiple times a week and it has been working for YEARS that way.

 

[Via]

Yeah, serioulsy.

I know: I'm dumb, and stipid.

But I bet you 95% of Steam user don't know you have to set it up online and find out the hard way like I did.

 

[Rifter]

Yeah, serioulsy.

I know: I'm dumb, and stipid.

But I bet you 95% of Steam user don't know you have to set it up online and find out the hard way like I did.

Maybe, i read up on it because i knew my laptop would not have net access all the time so was never an issue for me.

I can however see some people overlooking it.

IMO it should probably ask you when you install if you want it setup for offline mode.

 

[Nebor]

Yeah, serioulsy.

I know: I'm dumb, and stipid.

But I bet you 95% of Steam user don't know you have to set it up online and find out the hard way like I did.

Did you find any posts to support that in the Steam forum?