No CD required

I recently noticed that I no longer need to have the HL2 CD in the drive to play Half-Life 2. I tried this before (when I first got HL2), but it didn't work. But now it seems to be fine.

Is this true for everyone else?

Valve disabled it an update or two ago.

A step in the right direction. Now, if they would only remove the steam "log-in to play" system...

yeah, i noticed that to, its a nice update, it saves me my dvd.

Me 2, it was always a pain in the bum waiting for my dvd rom drive to spin up and read stuff off the disk b4 starting up. :razz:

if they would only remove the steam "log-in to play" system...

its called offline mode

Whatever. It's weird that even in "offline mode" you STILL have to log-in.

Whatever. It's weird that even in "offline mode" you STILL have to log-in.

You have to login then goto offline mode. If you close steam you say
exit and not logoff or anything like that. If you do that you will stay
offline until you specifically say otherwise. (Although, to initially
get offline you'll have to cut your internet connection.)

Yeah, i did that in the first place but it still asks me to start steam whenever i try to access HL2, CS:S or the SDK. And without an internet connection, steam doesn't work(i tested it).

<DIV class=quote>
<DIV class=quotetitle>? quoting Neo</DIV>
<DIV class=quotetext>Me 2, it was always a pain in the bum waiting for my dvd rom drive to spin up and read stuff off the disk b4 starting up. :razz: </DIV></DIV>
I know. Waiting 10 whole seconds must feel like ages.

Yeah, i did that in the first place but it still asks me to
start steam whenever i try to access HL2, CS:S or the SDK. And without
an internet connection, steam doesn't work(i tested it).

Yes it does. Offline mode isn't sans-Steam, it's exactly the same; the
only
differences are that you can't access the server lists, updates, or the
friends section. You have to make sure that, in the settings, "don't
save account information" is deselected (note the "this disables
offline mode" written underneath it). Then exit from Steam, and
completely disconnect from the internet. Restart Steam. It will try to
login, and then say it can't connect to the steam servers. Click "run
in offline mode". If it didn't work, you didn't
do it right.