IL-2 CoD without STEAM

[svanen]

I just read this over at the Ubi forum.

Finally, if you buy the physical version of the game, there will be no need to download anything additional in order to play the game. An internet connection will be required to activate the game, and for online play, but that is it. The game only uses SteamWorks for match-making and not the Steam DRM.

http://forums.ubi.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/8071032709/m/1751069519

[Dano]

Steam will be on the disc...

[svanen]

Damn, I misunderstood the text then. I have no problems with Steam, just read alot about people not bying because of Steam.

But still I read "An internet connection will be required to activate the game, and for online play, but that is it", no information there about to create a Steam account and and for single players to put Steam in offline mode to play without a internet connection. For me that reads to place your dvd into the dvd-player and install the game, type the cd-key and it gets activated, that is it.....

[Blackdog_kt]

It's still a bit vague. If you piece together certain bits of info, namely that:

a) boxed editions won't use the steam DRM
b) the in-game server browser is using steam

it looks as if you can install and activate just fine without Steam, but that will only give you the single-player mode.

To fly in multiplayer you will need to install steam. Alternatively, you could wait for a different server browser to add support for CoD which, due to the popularity of the title, wouldn't take long. That is assuming it can be ran though an independent server browser, which Oleg Maddox confirmed at some point, but the constant back and forth of conflicting information is making people doubtful.

To be honest i trust the guy, so if he says that it works with 3rd party server browsers it most probably will. Maybe not on day one but down the line a bit. In any case, i'm in no hurry to fly multiplayer for a variety of reasons, so i have no problem waiting a month or two.

I'll be getting the game when a relative returns from the UK for holidays, so it's going to be about 2 weeks later than release. Then, the staggered release means there will not yet be a North/South American community to fly with, neither will their servers, for a few more days.
Finally, assuming there are enough European servers it will take some time for mission builders to get to grips with the FMB's best features. It could be some time (maybe a week or two) before we get realistic and well-researched missions with triggers, or the much anticipated online mini-campaign running on any servers. Not to mention that many people will probably be hosting with complex engine management disabled initially :-P

In that time frame, i'm going to get acquainted with the bits and pieces of it in offline mode. I'll do the Tiger Moth training, then try all the aircraft in the QMB and finally i'll start the single player campaigns and try to complete both, possibly making some sample missions of my own for the aircraft that are not represented in the stock campaign.

Until i'm done with all that, it's highly possible that if external software can substitute steam for CoD matchmaking it will have added CoD support by that point in time. Not that i'm much of an online player anyway, it might be weeks or even months until i get the urge to fly in multiplayer.

[Skoshi Tiger]

Alternatively, you could wait for a different server browser to add support for CoD which, due to the popularity of the title, wouldn't take long. That is assuming it can be ran though an independent server browser, which Oleg Maddox confirmed at some point, but the constant back and forth of conflicting information is making people doubtful.



I wonder if a boxed set is installed without steam, will we be able to hook up in multi player via direct ip address? That would solve all my issues in setting up multiple (bought) copies on my home network.

Cheers

[Avala]

Would be good also if single player wouldn't need steam to activate and play . . .

[=WF=RAW]

Would be good also if single player wouldn't need steam to activate and play . . .

for single player steam will be need only once. to activate your copy of game. then you can set steam into mode "work offline"-like, and forget about internet connections. But if you'll need online play, then you must to resume steam from offline mode.

[svanen]

But why would you need to activate using Steam if it does not use Steam DRM, does not make any sense.

"The game only uses SteamWorks for match-making and not the Steam DRM."

[MadBlaster]

The impression I have is that steam will be limited to an in game browser to match you up with a server. Also, when you go online, the steam code will likely do a file integrity check, kinda like the CRT=2 done in old IL-2, to make sure you didn't mod the game for cheating and you have the correct version. Also will check to see that your steam account is not banned. I think that's pretty much all it will do. Well, I'm really hoping that's the extent of it anyway. I'm just talking the DVD version though, not the download version.

[svanen]

I'm only thinking about the single player offline ppl that refuses to buy the game if they need to run Steam.

[MadBlaster]

Ok. Offline only, I would guess that you wouldn't need a steam account then. The in-game steam browser would just be inactive code I imagine, sitting there doing nothing. Wondering why you don't ever go online.;)

[Blackdog_kt]

Would be good also if single player wouldn't need steam to activate and play . . .

According to the community manager in the ubi forums it's not needed with the boxed editions. She said boxed editions will activate with Solidshield, not with Steam, so as long as her information is valid you are good to go.


for single player steam will be need only once. to activate your copy of game. then you can set steam into mode "work offline"-like, and forget about internet connections. But if you'll need online play, then you must to resume steam from offline mode.

See above, the boxed editions will not need Steam to activate. That means you can install, activate and fly in single-player without steam.