Offline mode

[RONVKING]

I think if you use a program similar to CCleaner that program may remove files with your current details on there. So when you go back to steam it requires you to go back online before it shifts into gear again..

[749006]

I have to go onto Steam as I now get a stupid pop up box that states - Steam cannot be used in offline mode, as there isn't a Steam account allocated to this computer.

Cheerz. Transport Steve.

I get this about once a month. I connect to Steam and the click on 'Go Offline'
Steam then restarts and I then disconnect from the Internet by removing the RJ45 cable.
I then start TS2013 and it loads quicker as it cannot find any videos to show me.

The DRM on steam requires it to go online around every 30 days to check that you own the games which you are playing, it's a useful form of DRM which isn't too obstructive.

Peter

[dave13]

I have to go onto Steam as I now get a stupid pop up box that states - Steam cannot be used in offline mode, as there isn't a Steam account allocated to this computer.

Cheerz. Transport Steve.

I get this about once a month. I connect to Steam and the click on 'Go Offline'
Steam then restarts and I then disconnect from the Internet by removing the RJ45 cable.
I then start TS2013 and it loads quicker as it cannot find any videos to show me.

The DRM on steam requires it to go online around every 30 days to check that you own the games which you are playing, it's a useful form of DRM which isn't too obstructive.

Peter

Hi Peter
I also find that TS2013 loads a lot quicker when I disconect form the Internet Also I hate haveing RCS/Steam shoving addverts down my thote!!!!
Dave:)

[gptech]

Using a firewall at the program level to block internet access by a specific program does the same job as physically disconnecting from the internet.

[rivimey]

Folks, there's a simple way to stop Railworks being updated if you don't want it to be, and it works forever. Change the name of the folder within steamapps/common from railworks to something else - "myrailworks" perhaps.

This stops Steam from "finding" your game and hence updating it, but doesn't stop the verification railworks itself needs. It will of course also stop any Steam-related functionality - being able to click Play from Library view for example - but it's easy to make a normal shortcut from the Railworks.exe to your desktop to sort that.

This is also a way to have multiple copies of the game at once: rename railworks as above, then do a Steam Cache Verify, which will pull in a default copy of the game into a new "railworks" folder, so you now have two copies, one old and one just-fetched. You can of course now rename the just fetched one too. Use this system to manage route assets or have multiple configurations easily or whatever.

Note. When renaming the folder, just use additional letters or digits. I've found some odd issues with other characters in the name, like "-".

regards
Ruth

[749006]

Using a firewall at the program level to block internet access by a specific program does the same job as physically disconnecting from the internet.

I used to have Zone Alarm to do just that but it was causing problems with Firefox so it had to go.

Peter

[gptech]

What do you use now Peter?

[749006]

Nothing at all. I have an in line RJ45 socket on the desk between the router and the computer and I just unplug it.

Can you recommend something?

Thanks

Peter

[gptech]

Does the router have any firewall capability? I'm thinking along the lines of a rule to close the ports Steam uses for updates.

[749006]

Does the router have any firewall capability? I'm thinking along the lines of a rule to close the ports Steam uses for updates.

I don't think so. It's a Virgin Media HUB and our computers are just plugged in to one of the RJ45 sockets on it's side.

I used to like Zone Alarm - until Symantec bought it and you just get pestered to by the full version.

Peter

[gptech]

You're on cable? and yes, I agree about the awful nagging in Zone Alarm now at re-boots---try putting the PC into hibernation rather than turning it off, it should prevent the nag routine being loaded again and again and again.....

EDIT: If you're using Windows 7 the Windows Firewall advanced settings looks like it does the job.

[david1]

Having had problems since my unwanted update from steam, i have now had to do a full re-install of RW and have taken advice and renamed my railworks folder to stop futher updates to `my` folder hopefully now i can have happy train simming without updates, great idea that renaming the folder as now any new products can be downloaded into the railworks folder and then copied into mine.

[rivimey]

David, Glad you're happy now... I don't see any need to mess with network settings or firewalls for this purpose... and pulling the cable has a rather larger effect than renaming RW

Ruth