Steam Q&A and FAQ

I tried launching CiV while traveling by car. Of course, there was no Internet connection. Steam said that it couldn't connect to the steam network. I clicked on "start in offline mode". But Steam comes and tells me it can't connect to steam network.

Why in the world would Steam want to connect to the network in offline mode??
Heck, it's called "offline mode"!!
 
What is Offline Mode?

Offline Mode allows you to play games through Steam without reconnecting to the Steam Network every time you wish to play - this is particularly useful if you do not plan on playing over the internet and would prefer not to download new updates for your single-player games.

Please note that you must connect to the Steam Network and test each of the games you would like to use in Offline Mode at least once to set up your account and configure Offline Mode on your machine.


Using Offline Mode on a PC.

Please follow the instructions below to configure Offline Mode on your PC:
Start Steam online - make sure the Remember my password box on the login window is checked
Verify that all game files are completely updated - you can see the update status for a game under the Library section (when the game shows as 100% - Ready it is ready to be played in Offline Mode)
Launch the game you would like to play offline to verify that there are no further updates to download - shut down the game and return to Steam once you have confirmed that the game can be played
Go to Steam > Settings to ensure the Don't save account credentials on this computer option is not selected
From the main Steam window, go to the Steam menu and select Go Offline
Click Restart in Offline Mode to restart Steam in Offline Mode


Using Offline Mode on a Mac.

Please follow the instructions below to configure Offline Mode on your Mac:
Start Steam online - make sure the Remember my password box on the login window is checked
Verify that all game files are completely updated - you can see the update status for a game under the Library section (when the game shows as 100% - Ready it is ready to be played in Offline Mode)
Launch the game you would like to play offline to verify that there are no further updates to download - shut down the game and return to Steam once you have confirmed that the game can be played
Go to Steam > Preferences to ensure the Don't save account credentials on this computer option is not selected
From the main Steam window, go to the Account menu and select Go Offline
Click Restart in Offline Mode to continue.
Click to expand...

https://support.steampowered.com/kb_article.php?ref=3160-AGCB-2555

The length of this guide makes it look more complicated than it is, all you have to do is check the box in settings that says save account credentials to this computer and you can start it in offline mode. It will still try and connect anyway because Valve hasn't bothered fixing that yet, but then it will let you start in offline mode.
 
PrinceScamp said:
It will always try to connect to the internet first even if there is none and then let you start it online. Yeah its kind of silly.
Click to expand...

That is really my only complaint about steam. Because of this there are scenarios where you will not be able to play the game you paid for.

If I leave my automatic login in online mode, turn off computer, take it to an airport, I usually am blocked for whatever reason from connecting to steam. It then asks for my username and password which I enter but because I can't connect to steam online, it won't recognize my credentials, and there is no way to play the game.

3 hour layover in an airport - the ability to played the game I paid for = RAGE!!!:mad::mad::mad:

Side note: this would cause me to pirate games if I had the technological know how. Why pay for a game if there's strings attached to using it? Discs were SO much better because I could play in a bomb shelter, or on a deserted island provided I had power. Honestly steam fix this kind of red tape and you will appease many of the critics who bash steam. I would convert the moment they fix this.
 
You have the technological knowhow, a child can pirate games. It is ridiculously easy. However, it is also stupid because it simply encourages the publishers to insist on stricter DRM (CEOs live in their own business world). Also only a three hour layover? Pfft, that's nothing.

If you follow the instructions above (and don't log out of Steam, maybe jut close it instead) it should (hopefully) work fine. But yeah, I really hope Valve gets around to fixing it soon instead of making DotA 2 and I rarely ever even use offline mode (its also always worked fine for me thankfully).
 
Ok I was using overstatements, but still, in the days of CDs, you could ALWAYS use your game. With the current steam model there are situations where you can not use the game you legally paid for. It seems we've taken a step backward.
 
when purchasing Civ 5 on Steam do you have to pay for these DLC (like Babylon Civ) or are they included in patches?
 
The DLCs are separated from the base game and you have to pay for them.
The mongolia DLC is free, and patches might also come with new content updates (e.g. there has already been a new building, a new resource, 2 new natural wonders, etc.).
 
The_J said:
The DLCs are separated from the base game and you have to pay for them.
The mongolia DLC is free, and patches might also come with new content updates (e.g. there has already been a new building, a new resource, 2 new natural wonders, etc.).
Click to expand...

J, what DLC's are worth it. I guess going with Mods is the way to go for new Civ
s?
 
This thread is not the right place for this question ;).
If or if not the DLC is worth the money is personal preference.
You might want to read the latest (but not really current anymore) threads about the same question, see e.g. here or here, or start a new thread about it ;).
 
HI... thx for taking the time to do this... my question is .. to who do i direct this question.... i have looked at the acheivement_debug and there are quite a few wonders that i have built, many more than once, and i have a zero for credit. i went and played a game on settler and just built a few of these since discovering how to check acheivements and still didn't get credit. thx in advance for your help.
 
when I try to start Steam I get this message; "Running Steam in Windows compality mode is not recommended. Please remove any Windows compality settings for all users under file properties for Steam.exe and restart Steam."

first I am running it as an administrator (marked it off under properties).
I did uncheck that box that says run it in Windows compality mode. and then restarted Steam. that didn't work so I restarted the computer, it still didnt work.
what I did was: right click on Steam desktop icon, then clicked on properties, clicked on Compatibility, then Change settings for all users, then I unchecked the box saying Run this program in compality mode for: windows 7 (I do have win 7 on my computer), then clicked on apply.

am I doing something wrong, or is it a bug error report? I can't enter Steam unless I click cancel.
 
Haven't you, by accident, made the shortcut for the game go in compatibility mode? That way Steam will also run in compatibility mode.

also what I read was this:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\AppCompatFlags\Layers
You may notice steam.exe listed there. Removing that may help. Also check under HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE as well in case its admin set.
Click to expand...
 
I lost my internet briefly the other day. This has happened twice in the last few months, but both times I could no play CiV in offline mode. It started out when I clicked on the desktop icon for civ 5 by trying to update steam. Finally after about 30 seconds a window popped up saying that steam could not connect to the internet. My choices were restart steam or play in offline mode. When I clicked offline mode it popped up a window saying that it could not hook to the internet. I clicked ok and if flashed another popup, but the game never started in offline mode. Why is that? I bought the game with the understanding that it would play offline if needs be. Any idea what I can do to resolve the issue? Thanks for any help.
 
nokmirt said:
I lost my internet briefly the other day. This has happened twice in the last few months, but both times I could no play CiV in offline mode. It started out when I clicked on the desktop icon for civ 5 by trying to update steam. Finally after about 30 seconds a window popped up saying that steam could not connect to the internet. My choices were restart steam or play in offline mode. When I clicked offline mode it popped up a window saying that it could not hook to the internet. I clicked ok and if flashed another popup, but the game never started in offline mode. Why is that? I bought the game with the understanding that it would play offline if needs be. Any idea what I can do to resolve the issue? Thanks for any help.
Click to expand...
The best way is to start Steam when online and then go in offline mode.
After that block Steam in your firewall and it should go into offline mode without any issues everytime.

But that first thing is very important, to start up in online mode first and then go in offline mode and then exit Steam :)
It's a bit ironic, but Steam needs to have verified the credentials first to be able to go offline.
And when Steam, because of an iffy internet-connection, only has half-verified everything it won't start in offline mode.
 
I apologize if this question has already been answered as the thread is very long and difficult to find answers in.

If I play in offline mode, is it possible to unlock achievements?

I realize that the achievements are on the Steam servers (which allows me to view friends' achievements). If I play a game offline because I have no Internet available, and then log into Steam again, will my game let the Steam server know that the achievements have been unlocked? Can I load a game started in offline mode and finish it online to have the achievement recorded?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

mastrude
Civ V Calculator Nerds
Replies
0
Views
384
mastrude
mastrude
Chuma
AI had a nuclear war on the other side of the map and I didn't even know?
Replies
4
Views
482
Chuma
Chuma
R
Few questions about vox populi and more
Replies
1
Views
460
Yerltvachovicic
Yerltvachovicic
B
Maps Inquiry
Replies
4
Views
938
Bobbarry51
B
ThermobaricPunch
Multiplayer desyncs (loading screen between turns) and weird bugs
Replies
1
Views
1K
coolhandluke11
C
Top Bottom