*Sigh* My first gripe with Steam

[Dafones]

Alllllright. I picked up a basic little graphics card for my old computer today, reinstalled Windows, and have been setting it up all day. Decided to install Steam and see what the fuss was all about. Turns out I attached my Half-Life 1 CD key to an old Steam account I must have made a year or so back, and the only way I can release the CD key from that account is to pay Valve ten bucks.

For the sake of security, I have no problem jumping through digital hoops, but the moment that I want to play my own game through a new account I have to pony up some cash, and I'm not impressed.

(And for those that will inevitably bring it up, the reason why I simply don't use the old account is because I stupidly/accidentaly used my old email address for a user name, which means it's an obnoxiously long user name, but also out of date, and I guess also a user name that I'd prefer not to use on Steam.)

Um, anyone ever figure out how to transfer a CD-Key from one Steam account to another without paying?

[Turtle]

Email the Valve/Steam people.

The license transfer should only apply to transfering the license to another person, if they don't buy it, raise hell and try to get higher up in the chain.

[Dafones]

This is from the Steam Powered Support Site:

How to Submit your Retail CDKey to Valve to get it Reset to a new Steam Account

This answer is intended for those customers who are requesting to transfer a retail package product CD-Key from one Steam Account to another or to prove ownership of a retail packaged product and assign a previously used retail package product CD-Key to their Steam Account.

Retail Package CD-Key Reset from Valve

If you still have your original printed CD-Key and product CD from a retail package for a Valve product to prove ownership, we can reset your CD-Key however, there is a $10.00 handling fee for this service.

Like I said, not impressed.

[Harpua3]

This is from the Steam Powered Support Site:

How to Submit your Retail CDKey to Valve to get it Reset to a new Steam Account

This answer is intended for those customers who are requesting to transfer a retail package product CD-Key from one Steam Account to another or to prove ownership of a retail packaged product and assign a previously used retail package product CD-Key to their Steam Account.

Retail Package CD-Key Reset from Valve

If you still have your original printed CD-Key and product CD from a retail package for a Valve product to prove ownership, we can reset your CD-Key however, there is a $10.00 handling fee for this service.

Like I said, not impressed.

 Steam is far from perfect. But,what it does well, it does really well IMHO. I hate tracking down patches etc for games all the time. That`s where steam really shines.

[Calvin]

I have not had 1, uno, ein, not a single problem with Steam. It is, IMO, a brilliant sytem waaay ahead of its time, and I hope in some form the future of PC game distribution, and possibly the savior of PC gaming (Cutting out the middleman costs could well save many talented development houses).

[Interloper]

...and I hope in some form the future of PC game distribution,

 Ugh.  At the point that this type of system becomes standard for pc gaming I will give it up as a hobby.  I am 100% serious.  I hate it that bad.  WHen that happens, and I know it will at some point, hopefully consoles will be more appealing to me.

[Graham]

I hope in some form the future of PC game distribution, and possibly the savior of PC gaming

*cough*Phantom*cough*

[Dafones]

Well see, it's funny - I actually dig Steam, from the brief experience I've had with it. I like how, if you've purchased a game, you can submit the CD-Key for it and download through Steam the most recent version of it. Makes updating a game a snap. My only problem is that I stupidly created a Steam account using my email address, which I'd prefer not to use. Unfortunately, as of this moment, users cannot change their account name - which would quickly solve my problem. Surprisingly, you cannot release a CD-Key from a Steam account for free. You'd think that with all of the security of signing into Steam releasing a CD-Key should be protected.

I'm gunna have to get on the horn and see what I can do. I simply refuse to pay to fix this situation. The whole problem seems like a silly oversight on Valve's part.

[disarm]

I'm gunna have to get on the horn and see what I can do. I simply refuse to pay to fix this situation. The whole problem seems like a silly oversight on Valve's part.

it's Valve's "silly oversight" that you created an account with a username that you don't want to use anymore and want to change, even though the account is perfectly functional?  i'm sorry, but i fail to see how Valve is in any way wrong or at fault in this situation.  i'm sure allowing people to arbitrarily swap names on accounts and transfer CD keys would only be asking for trouble from Valve's point of view...and charging a $10 fee helps to discourage people from doing it all the time.  seems pretty reasonable to me...

[Dafones]

He he, fair enough, but my point was more that I'm unable to rename my user account, and it's something that Valve is aware of but as yet hasn't implemented. I completely appreciate that it was my error, but that doesn't mean I can't disagree with the remedy.

Frankly, I'm still baffled that I used my email address as my account name. Don't know what I was thinking. Normally I'm pretty with it when it comes to signing up to things like that.

[Dinkytoy]

Your error ?

Don't buy into the apologist's mentality. It's ridiculous you can't change your account name.

It's also stupid you have to pony up a new $10 just to play a game you thought you bought 5 years ago..

[drifter]

You should be able to change your account info.

My first steam experience was buying a brand new sealed copy of Halflife 2 only to be told my key was already in use.  Luckily I bought it at Target and was able to return it for another copy.  My second copy worked fine.  I was not going to jack around with waiting for another CD and all the other hoops I would have to jump through to use software I had just purchased.

[Atragon]

Your error ?

Don't buy into the apologist's mentality. It's ridiculous you can't change your account name.

It's also stupid you have to pony up a new $10 just to play a game you thought you bought 5 years ago..

I would point out that very few online communities allow you to change your account name.

[Fuzzballx]

My first experience was buying a box copy of HL2 then finding out that in order to play Half Life 1 in Source I'd have to create a second steam account and purchase a whole nother copy of Half Life 2..from steam...at the silver or gold package price....

THAT is valves fault tht you can't "upgrade" your HL2 package.

[Laner]

My first experience was buying a box copy of HL2 then finding out that in order to play Half Life 1 in Source I'd have to create a second steam account and purchase a whole nother copy of Half Life 2..from steam...at the silver or gold package price....

THAT is valves fault tht you can't "upgrade" your HL2 package.

True, but you could have avoided that problem by getting all the facts (i.e. HL: Source is not in the basic package) before making your purchase.

[Kevin Grey]

My first experience was buying a box copy of HL2 then finding out that in order to play Half Life 1 in Source I'd have to create a second steam account and purchase a whole nother copy of Half Life 2..from steam...at the silver or gold package price....

THAT is valves fault tht you can't "upgrade" your HL2 package.

Judging by the fact that Valve is losing money by not offering to upgrade retail packages I'm willing to be that the issue is one of contractual obligations between Valve and Vivendi.

[Fuzzballx]

My first experience was buying a box copy of HL2 then finding out that in order to play Half Life 1 in Source I'd have to create a second steam account and purchase a whole nother copy of Half Life 2..from steam...at the silver or gold package price....

THAT is valves fault tht you can't "upgrade" your HL2 package.

True, but you could have avoided that problem by getting all the facts (i.e. HL: Source is not in the basic package) before making your purchase.

Sounds like typical mouth you get from PR to me.

Not allowing an upgrade for a small fee instead of a complete repurchase + a completely new account is anal and you know it.  Don't give me that fact straight dung, who says i knew i wanted HL:Source when i bought HL?