Steam has taken my games hostage and I can't play them (off-line mode sucks)

[arredondo]

August 2012 Update

Valve has FINALLY fixed the problem and offline mode now works perfectly!

A Steam client update is now available. To apply the update, click the Steam menu inside of Steam and then select "Check for Steam Client Updates...". The specific changes include:

- Fixed broken offline mode if Steam process didn't shutdown correctly
- Fix jittery scrolling in Steam client web views
- Fixed pre-load UI for games using new content system
- Reduced disc load while updating games using the new content system
- Grid view supports more kinds of PNG images (e.g. grayscale, grayscale with alpha)
- Fixed back/forward buttons not working correctly when searching in the store or viewing workshop discussions
- Fixed "Open link in new tab" in overlay browser
- Fixed creating shortcuts for games with Unicode names

 

[.Nik]

Finally! Those scammers haha. It's nice that they've changed it.

 

[PingSpike]

Haven't tried it out yet of course but that's awesome if true. I still don't love everything about the steam UI but this is really the only really serious issue it had for me. Valve is sometimes slow to react but they do seem to eventually get there (like the "nosounds" download cvar in source games that was so badly needed when it came out)

 

[Clinkster]

This is one very melodramatic title

 

[MH2007]

This is one very melodramatic title

Yes, the title is certainly misleading

When you choose the offline option it clearly states

"Offline Mode is used when you're about to unplug your laptop or are otherwise expecting to not be connected to the Internet."

i.e., it is not intended to be used in case of an unexpected loss of internet connectivity. The fact that it can be used to allow game play in that circumstance if the user takes the appropriate steps is simply an additional benefit. Beyond that, Steam appears to be working to make the offline feature more user friendly.

 

[arredondo]

^^^ It didn't work right for the longest time. The internetz is filled with complaints like mine. It is now fixed. There's nothing more to debate.

 

[Nvidiaguy07]

didnt read past page one, but:

create wifi hotspot with phone
go online in steam for a second
go offline
fixed

 

[Zenoth]

Wow some people around are so defensive in Steam's favor. Look, it can happen, even if it's an isolated case, Valve isn't perfect. And yes Steam can kill sisters and rape dogs (for the curious, that was a comment by someone a few posts back since yes I bothered reading more than just OP's original post). Seriously talk about people thinking that Steam can do nothing wrong, and every time someone seems to have issues with Steam then it means they are wrong and Steam otherwise would be the Devil incarnate.

With this said, if you have that issue OP then I would have to say that at the very least you know that in some time your Internet connection at home will be repaired and you'll be able to enjoy your games again. As far as the actual issue is concerned I unfortunately have to say that in my case I never had error messages when trying to access Steam in off-line mode. There's one thing I can say however, is that whenever I do have to access Steam off-line is that at least in my case (perhaps isolated issue for me) I pretty much "have to" turn my actual modem off completely, otherwise nothing happens.

What I mean more clearly is that if I lose my Internet connection my modem itself is still open (but of course the connectivity lights telling me I'm on-line or not will show up and I'll determine if I'm indeed off-line). When the modem is still open and I do try to launch Steam then simply nothing happens (hence no actual "error" message per se). But, if I do turn my modem completely off (I even tried to disable the actual Ethernet card from Windows itself which I think might have helped) then Steam does launch in off-line mode without issues.

But, that's for me so I'm just speaking for myself. And, again, seriously guys stop being so defensive about Steam, issues can some time happen and we should try to objectively help the OP with what we known of at the very least.

EDIT: Just read the last few posts (no I did not originally). I'm glad to see the issue was fixed by Valve themselves (that must have offended some people being so defensive in Steam's favor huh? Because we all know that Valve is perfect, yep).

 

[arredondo]

I'll edit the first post.

 

[festa_freak]

This is exactly the problem I have with steam. When I was at the cabin I tried to go into offline mode and I couldn't. It was very annoying. I wish steam would act like impulse in that regard. Impulse doesn't care if you are on or offline.

 

[arredondo]

^^^ Valve has finally fixed this issue. I'll try to edit the title of the thread.