# Help with Steam / Half Life 2 **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 26, 2005, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-steam-half-life-2/327945 "2005-10-26T02:51:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![fluiddruid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@fluiddruid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fluiddruid)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2005, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-steam-half-life-2/327945/1 "2005-10-26T02:51:20Z")
I received Half Life 2 as a gift a few months back, and just got around to installing it. I pull out the 5 CDs in the package – there doesn’t seem to be anything else. I install the game and it automatically boots Steam under an account that’s not mine (it was a friend’s account who moved out and uninstalled his games, including Half-Life 2). I logout and login under a new account, but Half Life 2 and Counterstrike: Source are no longer listed. If I try to re-add the game, it asks me for my CD key; however, there was no CD key in the package. According to [this](http://support2.vugames.com/vug/answer.aspx?ID=3480), it should be on the jewel case, manual, or on a slip of paper. However, there was no manual, no jewel cases (the CDs were in paper slips, not on there though) and there were no papers with the CD key. I can’t contact the retailer as I have no idea who sold the game and certainly no receipt. Am I stuck with a useless game? I tried calling customer support, but the number listed on the CD gives me an error if I select the right option (press 1 for Half Life 2 GOTY edition, which I don’t have; press 2 for all others. 2 doesn’t work – it’s not connected to a number and the voice system gives me an error - and 1 locks me in endless menus that don’t have the option I’m looking for.) ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2005, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-steam-half-life-2/327945/2 "2005-10-26T02:54:12Z")
You’re stuck with playing under your friend’s account, most likely. Steam is difficult to deal with under normal circumstances; [cochran]if you don’t have the code, you’re in non-play mode[/cochran]. ---
**Author:** ![fluiddruid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@fluiddruid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fluiddruid)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2005, 2:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-steam-half-life-2/327945/3 "2005-10-26T02:58:34Z")
I don’t even have the password, and he’s not likely to give it to me to use his CD key. I sent off an e-mail to tech support; I guess, worst case, I’ll just take it to Best Buy or whatever and tell them that the game was incomplete. ---
**Author:** ![Hi\_Neighbor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hi_neighbor/32/494_2.png) [@Hi\_Neighbor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hi_Neighbor)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2005, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-steam-half-life-2/327945/4 "2005-10-26T03:08:39Z")
> [@fluiddruid](#): > > I tried calling customer support, but the number listed on the CD gives me an error if I select the right option That’s very disappointing. I’m frustrated FOR you. Anyways, you checked for the CD-KEY on all of the paper slips (front and back) that held the CDs? That’s where it was located for me. ---
**Author:** ![fluiddruid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@fluiddruid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fluiddruid)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2005, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-steam-half-life-2/327945/5 "2005-10-26T03:20:01Z")
> [@Hi](#): > > Anyways, you checked for the CD-KEY on all of the paper slips (front and back) that held the CDs? That’s where it was located for me. Just checked again. Nothing. Thanks, though. ---
**Author:** ![DougC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7feea3/32.png) [@DougC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DougC)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2005, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-steam-half-life-2/327945/6 "2005-10-26T04:32:13Z")
- - - I have the minibox CD version, and the CD key is on a label on the bottom rear of the envelope that CD #1 came in. ~ ---
**Author:** ![Palooka](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/palooka/32/2902_2.png) [@Palooka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Palooka)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2005, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-steam-half-life-2/327945/7 "2005-10-26T04:49:02Z")
Ditto. Sounds like **fluiddruid** got a bum copy that someone bought, pulled the CD-key from, and then returned. You’ll have to take it back and get another. Valve has a system for dealing with such copies, but it’s troublesome. ---
**Author:** ![Hi\_Neighbor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hi_neighbor/32/494_2.png) [@Hi\_Neighbor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hi_Neighbor)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2005, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-steam-half-life-2/327945/8 "2005-10-26T05:06:53Z")
I stopped dealing with Steam right after it was released. Far too many technical issues to deal with. I haven’t played a good multiplayer FPS in a long time. Sure, I’ve dabbled with Halo 2 for X-Box, but I can’t stand trying deal with a game pad. FPS games were meant to be played with “WASD” and a mouse! ---
**Author:** ![Ficer67](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c57346/32.png) [@Ficer67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ficer67)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2005, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-steam-half-life-2/327945/9 "2005-10-26T05:10:56Z")
ummm… Half Life 2 is beautiful to look at, but unless you are playing multiplayer, it is not really worth it. Coupled with the steam foolishness required to play the game, and I kinda wish that I had my $50.00 back. Maybe there is a better game out there. Just a thought… ---
**Author:** ![DougC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7feea3/32.png) [@DougC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DougC)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2005, 6:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/help-with-steam-half-life-2/327945/10 "2005-10-26T06:19:13Z")
- - - I agree that the whole Steam implementation was a drag on Half-Life-2. Visually the game looks great, but doesn’t really play that interesting in single-player at all. And the Steam thing is a pain in the ass, quite frankly. I could give several examples, but let’s just say I won’t be buying any more **internet-dependent** games from now on. ~