Steam retail question

Mr Blobby

I just have one quick question about steam .
I don't have a fast Internet connection (1mb) so downloading games takes to long so if I was to buy games at retail e.g skyrim,bf3
Could I install them on steam and then not have to use the disk anymore ?

D

Yeah you can do that. You just enter the cd-key in steam.

Cravez

As D said, you can, but it has to be a Steamworks retail game. Not all games will allow you to just input the cd-key onto steam and have it Steam ready.

wayne040576

As far as I can tell, Skyrim isn't a Steamworks game so you can't register a boxed copy on steam.

Mr Blobby

Well can I least install it in my steam library as a shortcut .

marco_polo

wayne040576 wrote: »

As far as I can tell, Skyrim isn't a Steamworks game so you can't register a boxed copy on steam.

It is definately steamworks alright, so OP you're all good to go with a boxed copy.

kearneybobs

wayne040576 wrote: »

As far as I can tell, Skyrim isn't a Steamworks game so you can't register a boxed copy on steam.

It uses Steamworks definitely, as marco_polo pointed out.
I think....you can even reinstall the games from the disks and then download the patches afterwards, but I'm not sure.

degrassinoel

wayne040576 wrote: »

As far as I can tell, Skyrim isn't a Steamworks game so you can't register a boxed copy on steam.

its available on steam alright, so you can add your boxed copy to steam if you want.

Steam is overpriced, but they usually have some great and very cheap seasonal deals to compensate for that imo

Mantel

kearneybobs wrote: »

It uses Steamworks definitely, as marco_polo pointed out.
I think....you can even reinstall the games from the disks and then download the patches afterwards, but I'm not sure.

Yeap, if the game has been out for awhile it would be better to copy the game folder from the steam directory on to a CD/DVD or external harddrive and then back again when you want to install it. It would be patched up until that point so you'd have less to download if there are any extra patches.

Mr Blobby

So what about when it comes to multiplayer I heard most games use steam servers or something like that . Could I still play multiplayer even if it's wasn't purchased of Steam .

Mantel

blobby360 wrote: »

So what about when it comes to multiplayer I heard most games use steam servers or something like that . Could I still play multiplayer even if it's wasn't purchased of Steam .

You'll still be able to play multiplayer, the games usually only use one multiplayer system even if it's sold on steam and separately in retail and for most of them it's their own servers rather than steam/valve ones. There are few games that have separate multiplayer systems for their steam and retail copies.

Just to go back to your original question, to add a retail (bought in a shop) game to steam it has to use steamworks for you to get the full benefit from steam (i.e., redownload the game without the disc/automaticly get patches) otherwise if you add the game to steam all you'll have is a shortcut to the game from steam. Skyrim is a steamworks game so you could buy it for PC and put the code in to steam and download the game without ever having to use the disk. BF3 uses Electronic Arts own download platform called Origin and putting the code in to steam will do nothing.

Robby91

its available on steam alright, so you can add your boxed copy to steam if you want.

I'd just like to add that this isn't always the case - I purchased a boxed copy of Red Faction Guerrilla (which is available for purchase on Steam), but I couldn't add the retail CD-key to my Steam account. As others have already mentioned, Steamworks is the vital requirement when it comes to this, not just the availability of the game on the Steam Store.