I tried using the search feature and was given an ancient discussion about Fallout 4 so I apologize if this has been asked before. I just built my first pc about a month ago and have yet to install any ganes on it, it's just been sitting here collecting dust. I saw Skyrim at Wal-Mart for $20 and figured I'd see if my friend could put some mods on a thumb drive and bring it over so I could play it with some mods on. I have it for PS3 and really didn't enjoy it much, it was a pretty big let down and I was hoping mods could make it more entertaining. Anywho, that's neither here nor there.

I just tried installing it only to be told I can't install Steam without an internet connection. I can't get high speed Internet, not even satellite, so I just thought "Alright. I'll just cancel the Steam download and just install Skyrim.". I clicked cancel only to be taken back to my desktop. I tried it again, and again, and then gave up after the 4th attempt. I don't want Steam, I have no interest in Steam, I bought Skyrim. Why can't I install it?

Bad news: Skyrim is a Steam game and needs Steam to function.

Yep, this is the future of PC gaming. Go to a store and buy the game? Nope, you need some DRM client. Or even worse, you bought a code in a box. Yeah I can't wait to spend all night downloading a game that could have easily fit on a DVD.

Maybe the store can take it back if it's soon enough, although it might only be able to be returned for store credit, but hey, better than nothing.

The good news is that you only need to validate your copy of Skyrim via Steam at the time of installation. After that, you can play offline. You don't even need to be connected to the internet.

But you do still need Steam to be running.

I just bought it today. I'll take it back tomorrow and order Fallout 3 and the GOTY Edition of Morrowind, and maybe Oblivion.

Why? Is it because you don't want Steam on your computer at all?

Well, I enjoy Morrowind a lot more then I did Skyrim so I was going to get it eventually, and Fallout 3 is one of my favorite games. It's not that I don't want Steam on my computer, it's just that Steam is an online thing right? I can only get Dial Up here.

Well, as already mentioned, you only need to connect to the internet during installation. After that you can run Skyrim offline or even disconnect from the internet altogether.

I don't imagine it would take very long to get your copy of Skyrim verified over the internet even with dial-up. But it's your choice. As RolfLizard said above, this is the way games seem to be going nowadays. If you refuse to use services like Steam or Origins you won't be playing many games made after 2010.

I'll use it, but it's just a pain to have to drive 20 minutes to a friend's house every time I buy a game to install it.

Oh, so the dial-up you referring to isn't your own? It belongs to someone else? Is that what you're saying?

Steam has an Offline portion.. once you boot it up and login, put in the Skyrim code and it will validate your copy, from then on out you can play Skyrim offline through Steams "Offline Mode"..

Simply log in to Steam, click the word "Steam" in the top left Corner, and press "Go Offline"



I don't mean to sound rude here, so if it comes across as such you have my sincerest of apologies, but if you don't want Steam you kinda wasted money on building a gaming PC from scratch.. nearly All games that will be coming out from here on out will require some online service, be it Steam, Origin, or UPlay.. Steam at least has an Offline mode you can play games offline with though, the other two do not

No, I don't have dial up. I use my phone for online things. I have friends who have wifi but the closest one is roughly 15-20 minutes away.

Funnybunny, I was actually unaware how the Steam and pc gaming community worked. Everybody insisted I try pc gaming, but never told me I'd need an intermet connection to install the newer games. I couldn't even install Sim Copter D:

Ok, I guess that makes more sense now. I guess I wouldn't want to travel 20 minutes to a friend's house just to install a game either. Well, it's your choice. Morrowind and Oblivion are great games too.

Indeed. PC gaming does have some basic requirements and internet connection is one of the very VERY basic ones. It really doesn't make sense that someone doesn't have even very basic form of connection in today's world.

As Steamworks-game Skyrim doesn't need internet connection for actually play it but it is required to activate it. The physical discs contain only 99.9% of the data, for copy protection and such a small portion (including the main executable) must be downloaded.

They do.

And patches must be downloaded right after the installation as well, which can be rather huge downloads for some games, like Wolfenstein: The New Order (10GB day one patch).

do they? I was not aware

You may, or may not, be able to return it. Having an online activation code the game cannot be reused once it is registered with Steam. Do let us know how it goes for you.

Rabbit

out of Curiosity, whats your phones Data Cap


I don't know if all Smart Phones are capable of it, but I think my old Samsung Galaxy S3 had the option to broadcast a WiFi signal of which I was able to give a Laptop or other device access to the Internet with at the cost of my phone plans Data limit..

if you have a very high Datacap (like, a couple Gigs), and your phone has such an Option, you could always use that

I am in the same situation Popcorn89, in that my phone's internet connection is my main internet connection. I have Sprint, and have been with them on an unlimited data plan for a while. I normally just plug the phone into my computer via USB, but I also have the ability to use it as a free wi-fi hotspot (required rooting to do it for free).

So, Popcorn, if that's the situation, that may be an alternative. I've downloaded gigs upon gigs through my phone. Highest month was around 15 gigs a few times. Never heard a word from Sprint.

OP has a phone, which these days is as complete a connection as most people need on a daily basis. Obviously it connects to the internet, because OP is posting here.

PC gaming is a relatively specialized area of interest, even if those of us who do it all the time tend to think otherwise.

Popcorn89, I would echo funnybunny's suggestion: check and see if your phone is capable of setting up as an ad hoc wifi connection. I know that my iOS device is capable of doing this, and other phones can too.