Originally posted by sigma:
Not only do you have to go online to verify your CD-Key but you must also download particular files that decrypt certain and unique files within the game before it is playable. You do not even have the entire game in a playable state on your CDs until you verify the key through the developer.



The verification only sends over one private key. there are no unique files, and you have the full game on all cds when you buy it. My brother ran a packet sniffer while doing his
install.

Quote:

..and if the same key is used on a suspicious number of machines of significantly different hardware configurations (more than your average person would be upgrading) the game will be unplayable.



One of steam's mission statements was to allow you to play the games you buy anywhere. This is not the same as a MS Windows activation.


Quote:

While it is possible for someone to share their CD-Key and login information only one of you will be able to play at once



Already been tried and tested by your's truely. It will let you play single player on more than 1 comp. Multiplayer is where it will stop you from playing.


Quote:

While the game does play offline, if your internet is active, it will communicate to Valve that you are playing even just single-player and Valve can see if someone else is playing single-player at the same time -- unless the two of your are playing with your internet unplugged.



No they don't track what you're playing, only the fact you're logged in. In fact, they don't have a single person looking for duplicate keys. It's to stop mass piracy, not one or two people because like I said, steam's goal was to allow you to play the game on all your computers.

-Nick

EDIT: I am curious as to where you got your information from, can you post a link so I can see it?

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