Validate ownership offline?

[Jack Schitt]

I'm travelling and don't have internet other than my cell phone. I brought a desktop with me so I can game. One of the games I have that's only available to get on Steam started getting buggy and needed reinstalled. I made a zip archive of my games after updating or reinstalling and launching them knowing I wouldn't have internet before I left on tour.

I extracted overwriting the files which probably fixed the bugginess but now Steam, not the game it self, is stopping it from launching. It wants to "update". I assume steam detected files were changed and wants to verify I own it.

Is there a way to do that through the app or something like a file I can download?

[Jack Schitt]

Seen. Doesn't answer my question.

[Muppet among Puppets]

The current game installation and version must be started online once.

[Bee🐝]

Simply? Steam functions as basic DRM, so it just needs a quick online check and "handshake" at least once.

[Jack Schitt]

I'm aware of all that. My question is if there's a way to validate ownership through the mobile app since mobile data is all I have and won't be able to get the pc, monitor, keyboard and mouse in wi-fi range for a while. Carrier doesn't have hotspot or I'd do that and be done.

Not all games on Steam have their own digital rights management they use Steam as pirating security and some that do have a mobile feature where you can get a code or file that allows the game to run offline for these situations. Does steam have that feature? Where is it in the app if it does?

[Crazy Tiger]

By overwriting you in essence reinstalled the game. Thusly the game has to be run in online mode once before it can work in offline mode. Since the mobile app is not the client and thusly does not run games, it cannot validate the files.

So no, you cannot do it through the mobile app.

[nullable]

I mean you could use your phone as a hotspot and connect your PC/laptop to the internet through wifi and validate the game. It wouldn't take much bandwidth or anything. And then you'd go into offline mode.

But aside from that, no. Steam is an online service and it's DRM. People without Internet aren't a demographic Steam is trying to capture. So the requirements of Steam probably aren't going to let you do what you want wholly offline.

[Spawn of Totoro]

Originally posted by Jack Schitt:

I'm aware of all that. My question is if there's a way to validate ownership through the mobile app since mobile data is all I have and won't be able to get the pc, monitor, keyboard and mouse in wi-fi range for a while. Carrier doesn't have hotspot or I'd do that and be done.

https://www.dummies.com/consumer-electronics/smartphones/droid/how-to-tether-an-internet-connection-with-an-android-phone/

You can try that. Shouldn't use much data to validate a game, though if you need any updates, that could pose other issues.

[Jack Schitt]

Thanks, Spawn! I forgot about tethering since it hasn't worked on any phone I've had for many years. Doubtful it works with this carrier since they don't provide hotspot but it's worth a try!

Still, my orignal question: Is there a way to validate game ownership through the Steam Mobile app or on the site?

[my new friend]

Originally posted by Jack Schitt:

Still, my orignal question: Is there a way to validate game ownership through the Steam Mobile app or on the site?

Only via the client.

[nullable]

Originally posted by Jack Schitt:

Still, my orignal question: Is there a way to validate game ownership through the Steam Mobile app or on the site?

Well multiple people have answered the question and you seem to be ignoring that hoping for an answer you want to hear.

[Spawn of Totoro]

Originally posted by Jack Schitt:

Still, my orignal question: Is there a way to validate game ownership through the Steam Mobile app or on the site?

If I knew of one, I would have stated it. Unfortunately, there is none that I know of.

[Jack Schitt]

Originally posted by Spawn of Totoro:

If I knew of one, I would have stated it. Unfortunately, there is none that I know of.

Thanks again! My memory may not be correct or maybe the ability to stop validation from running in this kind of situation is no longer possibe. I think it was either a checkbox in settings or a launch option switch or an option with the update features. Again my memory may not be accurate validation could be shut off.

I'm aware if it truly was possible years ago that option was moved or removed or so rarely used it's not well known.

I'll apply some patience until we have a hotel stay unless Steam support replies with a way to do it.

Thanks for the replies, all!

[Jack Schitt]

Figured it out digging through and comparing files between this game and one that wasn't being stopped by the updater thing with WinMerge.

After editing the acf file the game runs again.

I don't see anything in the TOS that says editing an acf file is a violation. If they didn't want us to have access to those files and editing them was a violation they would encrypt them so they're garble or lock them up in a dll or exe. Acf's open in windows notepad. They're fully legible text files.