Online activation and offline play

[ReadyMan]

I read a few of the posts regarding this and just wanted some clarification.
I want to buy Defense Grid, the Awakening.
I dont want to have to be online to play it (Using a laptop when travelling or in airports is one reason).
I dont mind activating it online.


So my only option is greenhouse for this?
If I purchase it from them, do I have something that I can backup for future use (PC upgrade, crash, etc)?
I dont mind reactivating the game online for this...just dont want to HAVE to be connected for it to work.

Thanks!
RM

[Urda]

I bougth it via steam.

Once you have activated and downloaded the game, you can tell steam to switch to "offline mode". That means until you explicitly tell steam to go online again, you can play offline with no internet connection for as long as you want.

So even if you buy it via steam, you just have to be online once.
You have to be connected to the internet, when you switch to offline mode for the first time. Using steam, the game is not bound to your computer/hardware, its bound to your account and you can download it to any computer anytime, so you dont have to worry about hardware updates/crashes.

[ReadyMan]

Is there any advantage of greenhouse over steam? Greenhouse lets you have a backup copy...

Thanks for your input.

RM

[klausbreuer]

Well, the advantage in my eyes is that I don't have to install some additional software (Steam), just so I can play this game.

Greenhouse means that your system has to connect to their service for registration only once - and that's it. On my PC, the game is not allowed to access the net after that one registration, and it runs fine.



Ciao,

Klaus



PS: Yes, yes, I know, I hate DRM, but... yuck!

[ReadyMan]

So if I purchase this via steam, and want to load it on my desktop AND my laptop, how does that work? Do I need to only play it when I'm online on the 2nd machine? I will most likely play it mostly on my desktop, but one of the reasons I want it is for my laptop when I have to travel (and have little or no online opportunities).
Thank you for the help. I'm ready to get it, just dont know which service to use. I know steam will be around a long time, not so sure about the other service. I'm anxious to get it, as are others in my lan group....

Thanks!


RM

[ReadyMan]

I bought it thru Steam (since they will likely be in business longer than greenhouse). Offline mode works fine, so you dont have to be connected to the net for it to work.
However, you DO have to have steam running in the background for the game to work.
It's annoying, but that's the only downside as far as I can see.
In the future I definitely would buy a hard copy of the game if at all possible, buy and dl it from Impulse, or use another dl'ing service that doesnt require another program to be running for me to play.
Steam is a last recourse....though it's not a bad choice...just the last one.
My 2 cents...
RM

[grayvard]

I have not been able to get offline play to work. I have uninstalled and reinstalled, downloaded the latest DIrectX to no avail. When I click for offline or online play, it says it is starting the game then after a long wait nothing. I made sure that it is registered. This has gotten very frustrating as I love the game, and the money I spent on it is so far wasted.
Win7
Dial-up internet
ATI card
Please help!

[jeff]

Offline*mode is a Steam feature and not a Defense Grid feature.* I do know that this feature works and have used it myself.* I unfortunately don't know why your Steam feature isn't working though, and am not knowledgable enough on Steam troubleshooting to help you out.* The Steam folks get so many requests that it does take them time to get back to you, but they will.





Jeff