Red Alert 3 Unplayable Via Steam

[Sonic 296]

Lots of people who took advantage of the Red Alert 3 special on Steam over the holidays ran into some problems. Basically they couldn't play the game online because copies were distributed without a serial number. Here's the story from Play.tm.

 

Copies of Command & Conquer: Red Alert 3 downloaded from Steam over the holidays came without serial numbers, rendering it impossible to play the real-time strategy game online.

Related

 

As highlighted by Joystiq, users who took advantage of a fire sale found their copies without the necessary serial codes for online multiplayer.

 

As similar issue occurred with the release of Spore on Steam, which was later rectified by providing those affected with serial numbers. Some users are already reporting resolution of complaints lodged with Steam customer service.

Another report on this problem can be found at Joystiq. I'm sure either EA or Valve will have this issue sorted out in due time.

[PurpleGaga27 40]

It's really a shame these days that EA does not know how to distribute their games correctly through Steam along with serial numbers. This type of distributable and digital download can also affect RA3 Uprising and the future C&C4 as well. If C&C4 has this similar event after its release, I say EA should not be distributing their games through Steam anymore.

[Johnnyxp64 20]

"shame"? thats a nice word

 

"chaos" is actually what runs the EA the last months, that is a more sutable word for news like that.

 

probably there is no QA department at all over there.

 

i said it before i will said it again CnC series needs to get the hell out of there in a more responsible company if it wishes (including employes) to see better days in the future.-

Edited January 5, 2010 by Johnnyxp64

[Silverthorn 0]

"shame"? thats a nice word

 

"chaos" is actually what runs the EA the last months, that is a more sutable word for news like that.

 

probably there is no QA department at all over there.

 

i said it before i will said it again CnC series needs to get the hell out of there in a more responsible company if it wishes (including employes) to see better days in the future.-

 

You said it, I knew they do not have a proper QA department, they do have alright, ever since I saw the PS3 QA team in one of the BCPT episodes, but they can't help us anyway.

 

So far, with our C&C4 always get ****ed up most of the time, that's why you see most of the Nod units are all crap and the gameplay doesn't 100% suit well with the veteran fans. We fans are the REAL QA people around here, except EA doesn't employ any of us to supervise the project, they believe they can do this all by themselves, but it actually doesn't go well in the end. Much like a dumb parent who could not raise his own child to think smart, all the child thinks is stupidity instead!

 

Lastly, if we want a real company that handles C&C really well, I don't know who to turn to, Blizzard? Nah, it won't work. Atari? I... don't know either. Companies who made DoW & SupCom? Maybe. Petroglyph? Definitely NOT that so called "new Westwood Studios", that company doesn't have Brett & Adam!

Edited January 5, 2010 by Silverthorn

[Gben 20]

I should try and stay on top of this because I downloaded KW via steam...

[Luk3us 63]

And now the nay sayers leap at another opportunity to attack EA...

[Johnnyxp64 20]

its not about steam its about organizing things!

simple as that, no need to attack anyone anymore! you cant make a company go lower from EA's image ...

they have some great talents but the captain of the ship is most of the times incapable!

 

organize dudes organization will save time = money and fewer problems!

Edited January 6, 2010 by Johnnyxp64

[Sonic 296]

And now the nay sayers leap at another opportunity to attack EA...

You got that impression as well. People are quick to assume its EA's fault when I'd actually be blaming the retailer, Valve.

 

Anyway, the issue has been fixed according to this tweet by APOC.

 

The Red Alert 3 Steam issue has been quickly resolved, all is well back in Steam land, you hear @Joystiq

http://twitter.com/EA_APOC/statuses/7412965474

[Nmenth 291]

You got that impression as well. People are quick to assume its EA's fault when I'd actually be blaming the retailer, Valve.

Ha, but I didn't. My first reactive thought was this further justifies why I don't like Steam.

[Silverthorn 0]

I never like Steam ever since they just released it for the first time, it disrespects offline goers like myself, their original games like Half Life 2 and above made me force to play online whenever I register, so I always use offline cracks in order to get rid of that. But that's alright for KW, the earlier KW release was for the PC first before Steam, so I wasn't worried for playing it on Steam. But today, Valve's games are mostly required Steam to play, which is why I'm still chasing after pirated ones to keep Steam out of my sight.

[Malovolpe 3]

why is there always the EA=Bad? I mean the DRM got annoying but they publish some good games.

[Mighty BOB! 5]

I've never had a problem with Steam before. Although I admit that I only have 2 games on Steam so I'm statistically less likely to run into a problem in the first place, which may explain my lack of issues.

[Inferno 22]

lol does silverthorn ever say anything positive

[Silverthorn 0]

lol does silverthorn ever say anything positive

 

Wow, you're curious about that? That's what heavy critics are for, and they hurt. If you're wondering for anything positive, sorry, there's none for this thread. If RA3 isn't going to Steam, then it's a huge positive for me! But in this case, it's a huge negative.

Edited January 6, 2010 by Silverthorn

[recover 2]

I have some general complaints about Steam. Valve has too much control over digital distribution with Steam. It's like a maffia who can freely decide who wins (by promoting the game in a popup to everyone) and who loses (by simply rejecting the game). The reason they have this control is because everyone most people use Steam.

 

The ideal market would be an open digital distribution system, run by an organization with a goal to provide a fair and open platform for companies and individuals to market their games. It would be free for everyone to participate and the people who submits their game help pay for the servers. Of course people will still have to pay for the games which costs money, but free games can also be submitted by individuals. Ranking and statistics help feature games in "What's hot" sections and similar stuff.

 

Anyway, this is just me dreaming. It's an ideal situation and it will probably never happen.

[PurpleGaga27 40]

I never like Steam ever since they just released it for the first time, it disrespects offline goers like myself, their original games like Half Life 2 and above made me force to play online whenever I register, so I always use offline cracks in order to get rid of that. But that's alright for KW, the earlier KW release was for the PC first before Steam, so I wasn't worried for playing it on Steam. But today, Valve's games are mostly required Steam to play, which is why I'm still chasing after pirated ones to keep Steam out of my sight.

 

QFT +10.

 

I do entirely agree with you. I also hated Steam the first time I installed a HL2 demo. Modem dialup is terribly worse under that program, except DSL. Even offline cracks are difficult to find even though you own games by Valve. This is why when it comes to patches, add-ons and utilities, there are no game websites to download those except Steam who has the files to download and those ARE NEVER EXE FILES!!! THEY ARE GCF OR SID FILES!!!!

 

I am sure there'll be a better digital distribution program better than Steam in the future. Moddb is going for it, which is called Desura, and I do not know how they will distribute future add-ons mods and indie programs through their distributable program. As for SP add-on mods to games, they should not require that program and the Internet to run it.

 

If you are going to have a good distribution service, here's the thing. What a good distributable service should have been without violating the Gamers Bill of Rights:

1. If you paid, downloaded and installed a single-player or a SP/MP game from a distributable service (and program) and activated it once, that installed program should not require connection to the Internet again using that distributable program unless you play multiplayer. Also that game should not come with DRM like what most old games have.

2. Buying a game which requires activation to the Internet, that is okay, but with a limited number of installations to the computer itself. Buying a game which requires installation and activation through the Internet using an installed distributable program is totally unacceptable. Of course, buying a game that does not have DRM and require activation through the Internet is the best thing, but the problem now is that it leads to more vulnerability to piracy.

Edited January 6, 2010 by purplescrin

[Mighty BOB! 5]

Valve has caught a little bit of flak from some people in the industry because they have a conflict of interest. They run Steam and can decide what does or does not get on it, but they're also developers of their own games, which will obviously make it onto Steam.

 

 

This whole problem with the RA3 serials was probably just a hum-drum clerical error.