Steam Registration Servers Overloaded

duckle writes "The Inquirer reports that "The World has come crashing down around Half-Life 2 players today, as Steam's authentication servers in Europe have died.", and deemzzzz_k writes "It looks like even Valve wasn't quite prepared for Half Life 2's popularity. HL2 requires registration to unlock the game and although the Valve/Steam homepage claims that it fixed registration issues the servers are still overloaded. Registration is "delayed" and temporarily unlocking the game takes 20-30 minutes over a 1.5MB DSL line." This seems to primarily be an issue for folks who bought the game from a store; I purchased the game via Steam and was playing at 12:15 am PST on launch day.

I guess

[Locdonan]

Steam ran out of steam.

Thanks, I'll be here all week.

Good idea...

[kngthdn]

...we can Slashdot them, too!

Following the quote of the day

[CrazyJim1]

Don't kick a man unless he's down? Don't post servers to Slashdot unless they're already down?

Forced Online Registration is Stupid

[Anonymous Coward]

Do I need to say anything else about that?

This is going to hurt

[LWATCDR]

So if you paid for the game at the store you may or may not get to play it for a while. This is so going to suck for valve. the fall out is going to be huge.

Re:This is going to hurt

[B3ryllium]

You might say that the Fallout from the Half-Life 2 launch might cast a pall similar to a Nuclear Winter on future releases from the company?

Re:Gotta stop piracy!

[Anonymous Coward]

Don't blame Valve, blame the crackers and the hackers....

Cracker ass crackers

Meh...I have to wait until finals are over to play

[wolfpaws]

Make sure you shake all the bugs out by then...OK guys?

Re:No problems here

[wo1verin3]

Yes, and here is screenshot from the Polish version [gamekult.com].

Clearly,

[Jucius Maximus]

this system is just a whole lot of hot air.

(Disclaimer: I am quite aware that steam is technically H2O (gaseous) and air is actually a mixture of gasses. Please do not let scientific accuracy interfere with the intended humourous value of the preceding comment.)

hm

[mogrify]

I heard their brand new fiber line [slashdot.org] was cut by a falling minivan full of screaming children.

Re:Gotta stop piracy!

[SpookyFish]

How perfect: http://www.gucomics.com/ [gucomics.com]

Re:Be grateful...

[eclectro]

If he wants to recover his password, he needs to hack into their network. [com.com]

Obviously.

Re:I guess

[Orgazmus]

Thanks, I'll be here all week.

Like most people on slashdot?

Thanks, I'll be here all year!

Re:Speculation:Not just demand, they are being DOS

[SpecBear]

Maybe cool from a vinctiveness standpoint, but not for notoriety. Who would you brag to?

Script Kiddie #1: Dude, I totally DOS'd Valve. Steam was down for like hours.

Script Kiddies #2-9: You bastard. I spent 3 hours waiting to activate Half Life 2. Your life is now forfeit.

Script Kiddie #1: Aaauugh! Somebody help! Gaaah! My eye!

Re:I guess

[pragma_x]

Steam ran out of steam. ..and users get steamed?

<crickets>Is it hot in here?</crickets>

Leave Valve's authentication servers alone...

[Anonymous Coward]

...and get the .torrent [isohunt.com]!

See you in the swarm!

Re:Gotta stop piracy!

[Neurowiz]

I'd pay $.50 to watch - that would be hilarious!

Maybe I could start a new business, "Masochist's Fulfillment Corp."

1. Kick guy in nuts
2. ...
3. Profit!

Re:Gotta stop piracy!

[pete-classic]

If you cheat by yourself you're only cheating . . .

That didn't work out as well as I'd hoped.

-Peter

Re:Gotta stop piracy!

[Girckin]

They probably put their code on a internet connected computer a year ago because they knew that it would take that long for the Steam servers to verify and decrypt it. ;-)

Heh

[bhsx]

Steam is vaporware!

Re:Gotta stop piracy!

[danila]

I like being called an idiot [slashdot.org], a fucking moron [slashdot.org] or, now, a clueless fuck on Slashdot. This is strangely inspiring and invigorating, because to me it shows that I made an interesting point, but people are programmed to responde to it in a predetermined way. With an error message, basically, sort of "Does not computer" or "I don't understand"...

Of course, noone made an effort to explain in a rational and logical fashion why I am wrong. Why would piracy not be more effective tool in achieving your goals. I think (having a good business education on top of a great general education) that it's because my proposition isn't wrong. It's just that some people are turned into mindless zombies, repeating the corporate-sanctioned mantra: "Capitalism good! Piracy bad!". Don't know why, but it reminds me of an animal farm, particularly of sheep...