Frequently Asked Questions
Steam
Question
Answer
What is Steam ?
Depending on your point of view, it is either a neat program to facilitate your gaming experience or a curse upon humanity.
The official story is:
Steam is Valve's new broadband platform for direct software delivery and content management.
Steam lets you:
* Buy Valve games via the Internet, and start playing within minutes of confirming your purchase
* Access your games from any PC
* Stop worrying about product updates and patches (they're all handled automatically!)
* Instant-message your friends, even while playing games.
* Browse and connect to game servers
* See when your friends are playing, and join their games
In addition to using Steam to deliver games, Valve is also making Steam available to other software developers. Steam is a distributed file system and shared set of technology components that can be implemented into any software application. With Steam, software developers are given integrated tools for direct-content publishing, flexible billing, ensured-version control, anti-cheating, anti-piracy, and more. The Steam SDK also includes an integrated set of communications tools and Valve’s Graphic User Interface (V-GUI) that provide built-in support for a variety of services such as instant messaging, configuration, and server browsing.
Why do I need Steam ?
Starting July 26th, 2004, the shutdown of the WON authentication servers will begin.
This process will be completed on July 31st.
This means players will no longer be able to access Internet features of Valve games, such as Half-Life Death Match, Day of Defeat or Natural Selection, using the WON authentication servers.
Users can continue using Valve games on the Steam service by downloading the Steam installer and setting up a Steam account
Where can I find the Steam installer file?
All you need to install Steam is a 600kb file .
You can download the Steam installer here. Just follow the prompts.
No matter which game you are interested in, the key to success is patience.
So have a refreshing beverage and a magazine on hand.
Do not keep clicking on icons or buttons in an attempt to reinitiate process.
Just let it do its thing.
I have my valve game(s) installed , how do I convert it (them) to the Steam format?
You can use the 600kb installer and let Steam find your games itself and convert the files to the encrypted gcf files.
Start up a lan game on your PC = Create Game or Start New Game
This creates 2 directories
C:\ProgramFiles\Steam\SteamApps\youremailaddress\yourgame
and a config.cfg file.
How do I install or restore custom content ?
Steam stores all the game default maps, sounds, sprites etc in an encrypted gamename.gcf file. You can't add to this file.
Custom content is still possible by simply installing it to the game directory
C:\Program Files\Steam\SteamApps\youremailaddress\half-life\valve
or
C:\Program Files\Steam\SteamApps\youremailaddress\day of defeat\dod
in the appropriate folders.
Valve Games Installed with Custom Content Before Steam install:
If you had Half-Life installed before you installed Steam and didn't delete your old files, you can simply copy them over to the new game directory.
*All map .wad files
*Your gfx folder and all sub-folders
*Your maps folder and all sub-folders.
*Your models folder and all sub-folders
*Your overviews folder and all sub-folders
*Your sound folder and all sub-folders
*Your sprites folder and all sub-folders
If this seems like too much trouble, you can download skins and maps as self installers here
If you had DOD installed before Steam you would be better off installing new custom content.
Older versions of custom weapon and player models and some maps will not work with DOD 1.3.
You can download 1.3 compatable custom maps here
Where has the autoexec.cfg file gone! I've lost all my tweaks.
You can still use all your personalized tweaks in your game.
IN HLDM:
The cfg files are located in the root valve or valve_lv (low violence) directory.
The last line in the config.cfg files is "exec userconfig.cfg"
You can simply rename your old autoexec.cfg file to userconfig.cfg or can make a new one.
IN DOD:
The cfg files are located in the root dod or dod_lv (low violence) directory.
The last line in the config.cfg files is "exec userconfig.cfg"
You can simply rename your old autoexec.cfg file to userconfig.cfg or can make a new one.
In HL2:DM and DOD:S:
Add you tweaks and cvars in an "autoexec.cfg" file in the cfg directory.
What files are absolutely essential to back up in case of disaster?
Your custom content and config files of course.
The rest you can download from STEAM.
To avoid the lengthy download of new gcf files, take the time to make a STEAM Backup of the basic game files. Open Steam --> Play Games ---> Right click on the game you want to back up. STEAM will create an executable back up file(s)
in the format appropriate to either a CD or DVD burn.
When you need to reinstall the game(s), a brief update via Steam, to catch up on new updates from your last backup will be all it takes to be back on line.
I tried to log onto Steam but its frozen on updating screen...
or the log in screen or there is a ticket 35 error or children error.
Dont panic and there is no reason for reinstalling steam. This happens fequently after a Steam update. First thing to check in the Steam Forums.
If there is a error message about "something wrong with the data base or MySql", this could mean that there has been a denial of service attack at Steam or the the problem is so wide spread that the forums have been overloaded or shutdown becasue of the number of queries. In this case, take the opportunity to do some errands and come back later to try again.
If the Forums and Steam status appear ok, then Exit Steam. Go to the root Steam directory and delete the ClientRegistry.blob file.
Then start up Steam again. This will force it to update the Steam platform and any necessary files.
How do I use the Steam backup option?
To use the built-in Steam backup option you will need to do the following:
Open your Steam "Play Games" menu, right-click on any game in your "My Games" menu, and choose "Backup Game Files..."
Next, add any games that you wish to incluude in the backup by placing a check mark next to them in the list of game, after you have selected all the files for back up click Next.
You will now need to specify a directory for the backup files to be placed, by default this is C:\ProgramFiles\Valve\Steam\Backups
Now you can name the backup file and choose to have it be sized for a CD or DVD, at the bottom of this screen it will specify how many files it will be creating. Each of these files will be sized for the media you have selected. Click next and the backup will start.
All you need to do now is wait for the backup to finish, when it is done, you will have the option to open the folder the backups were created in or click "Finish" to close out of the backup utility.
I want to move my Steam installation to a different disk or computer, how can I do this?
Steam must all be kept together, you won't be able to move only part of it.
Let's say you ran out of space on your C: disk and want to move Steam to your larger E: disk.
To successfully move Steam over to the E: drive you have to move:
C:\Program Files\Valve\Steam\ <everything>
to
E:\Program Files\Valve\Steam\ <everything>
Then you need to delete this file:
E:\Program Files\Valve\Steam\ClientRegistry.blob
Any shortcuts to Steam on your desktop will need to be updated as well - you can just delete the old shortcut and drag and drop a shortcut (right-mouse button) for the moved Steam.exe on your desktop.
When you start Steam up it will do a short update, check the installation and re-create the blob file for the new location and you should be ready to play.
Same rules apply if you want to move your Steam install to a different computer, you'll have to use file sharing or burn CDs or DVDs with the content to accomplish the move.
If you use CDs or DVDs, be sure to make sure none of the Steam files become marked "Read Only" when you copy them off the CDs - all the Steam file need to be writeable.
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Where else can I find out about trouble shooting STEAM and Valve games?
The STEAM Support has been vastly improved in accessibility and content.