To be frank,

I really had no problems with the any of the processes the Steam client took me through. It took maybe, 15 mins. Albeit I took special note to the directory the install wizard creates as the root directory for all data regarding HalfLife. It seems all products are binded to the Steam engine regardless. Case in point: uninstall Steam, loose the ability to play the game ("I would imagine?").

similairly like microsoft and I.E.

Now that I'm up an running I play the game with the Steam client in the offline mode or closed. I want nothing to do with my PC being chatted with.

Next, I purchased the CD rom edition by mistake because I fought the ignorance of store clerks and my own lack of information in trying to figure out what warranted the DVD edition. Only to find out, after purchasing, that safedisk is used to protect data on the first track of CDRom edition to prevent it from being converted to the DVD "HL2_1" disk. I dunno? I guess I saved myself an extra expenditure

In the end I'm glad I purchased the CD version because at least I can reinstall the product as many times as I'd like to a new system... "or whatever!" As opposed to the sucker deal some got out of downloading 4.3 Gigs of data across the bandwidth challenged US Ethernet. And lets not forget those suckers that if they loose a system they'll pretty much kiss away 49 - 89 dolloars they used for something they don't own anymore.

lastly, I admit. I AM for protecting the rights of artist and the likes for whom deserve being paid their fairly earned market value based on a product. In the same sense do exercise caution not standing by and allowing a compnay to have access to my every purpose, descision, and move I make regarding a product "I OWN!" "I paid for!" Since when does ownership become a matter of choice by virtue of the manufacturer after the purchaser has paid for agreed cost? It used to be when you purchase the product, it's yours or mine to do what ever I so please: whether I wipe my ass with it, throw it in the middle of the lake or burn it outside the store front I just bought it from 2 minutes ago.

Valve has truely stepped into the world both figuratively and materially of an Orwellian dictate. It's nice that they've made a game that uses the same premise as their paranoid mindset. But now they themselves are forcing this same mind-numbing watchdog bullshit on us, the consumer. Just like their bed buddy, Micro(soft)manage.

I was appauled that I'd have to sit and swallow the big pill to enjoy MY fucking game.

So my point? I will surely enjoy my brand, spanking new, copy of Half Life 2 I've purchased, LEGALLY. But... and there's a big B-U-T (seeing quite literally as Gabes "Behind" is so obstensively big). I can't wait to see how many hacked copies of this game comes about. Hackers of the world... "DO YOUR STUFF"

The steam mechanism is an insult to ones intelligence and this just proves that the meek are thumbing the alpha's of society in the eye.

To end this on a humorous note. The character ALYX has quiet an ass and body. I think that's the only lure that keeps me going through the game just to see her again (following her ass around like some drunken bumblebee). And yes I play on the Hard level setting.

It's so funny how eventually life always reverts to imitating art.


This comment was edited on Nov 17, 22:11.