Go Back   NGOHQ.com / General / Games

Reply
 
Old November 9th, 2009, 10:57 AM   #1
Golden Member
 

Posts: 1,003
CPU: C2Q 9400 2.66 GHz
GPU: Gigabyte 4870 512MB
M/B: Gigabyte X48 DS5
RAM: 2x2GB DDRII OCZ
PSU: Chiftec 550W
Default Telling Steam...

... to fuck off with that bullshit country selection process. I mean, what the fuck's up with that? Why not go around it and save dosh?

I browsed the web and people mention that you can circumvent Steam country detection process if you use

1) Your Freedom client hides your IP or something. Has a limited freeware edition, but I assume you only need this to visit Steam and make your purchase, not to download the whole package.

2) ProxyCap for proxy. It's a shareware with a time limited trial. I assume other such programs should work as well.

3) EntroPay sort of a digital Visa card, have opened an account, it charges you 4.95% from every deposit. It does accept Visa electron cards (at least those with security three digit code on the back).

The math is simple, the euro to dollar ratio is such that if you use dollars you save almost 33%. Even when you subtract those 5% entropay charge, you get 28% discount. For me definitively worth some digging.

I haven't yet managed to try this myself, but I will later today. If anyone has any experience yanking Steam's chains I would sure be glad to hear them.
__________________
... what?
mkey is offline   Reply With Quote
Old November 9th, 2009, 12:31 PM   #2
cel rau
 

Posts: 1,189
CPU: Q9550@2.83Ghz
GPU: ATi HD 4870X2
M/B: GigaByte X38-DS5
RAM: 8Gb DDR2 1066Mhz
PSU: GigaByte 620W
Default

I tried with a VPN connection to the US from Romania; yes I know it's a long way
after that, STEAM won't start; maybe it's because the extremely low connection but I didn't had the nerve to wait for it
__________________
人は地獄を作った
zme-ul is offline   Reply With Quote
Old November 9th, 2009, 12:38 PM   #3
Golden Member
 

Posts: 1,003
CPU: C2Q 9400 2.66 GHz
GPU: Gigabyte 4870 512MB
M/B: Gigabyte X48 DS5
RAM: 2x2GB DDRII OCZ
PSU: Chiftec 550W
Default

Oh yeah, I forgot.

I used HotSpot Shield to buy some games from Stardock (title that were meant for Us market only) and it worked. I used paypal to pay for those.

Why would they ban you from Steam for using something like this? Let's say you moved to US and opened a bank account there? Would you still be obligated to pay prices in euros?

Wit this method they don't know from where you are and since they can't say you're from Europe, they charge you dollars. I see it as a fault on their side, not cheating from ours. they need a better country detection system.

This being said, I have only two games on Steam and I'm nt afraid to give it a try.
__________________
... what?
mkey is offline   Reply With Quote
Old November 14th, 2009, 09:09 PM   #4
Golden Member
 

Posts: 1,003
CPU: C2Q 9400 2.66 GHz
GPU: Gigabyte 4870 512MB
M/B: Gigabyte X48 DS5
RAM: 2x2GB DDRII OCZ
PSU: Chiftec 550W
Default

lol it works XD

I'll give you more info later. And it took only three days to figure ti out.

Here is the procedure:

1) What you basically need here is and US based HTTPS proxy. This is only one of the ways to get hold of it. So, get the Your Freedom app. It has a speed limited free edition, but it will suffice for what we need it to do. I chose the first on the list of downloads here http://www.your-freedom.net/index.php?id=3

2) Now you will need to create an account for this program here http://www.your-freedom.net/index.php?id=170&L=0
Input any data you want. You'll need to activate that account via e-mail.

3) This step takes a long fucking while, maybe sometimes was off for me, I don't know. a) You need to run the your freedom program, on the status tab click configure.
b) On the account information tab input your account info registered created earlier.
c) On the server connection tab, you will end to run the wizard. For the proxy settings leave blank if you don't use any, for the protocols I'm not sure if any are allowed to be deselected. I left them all on. When it finished the scan (like a few hours later, goddamn) I chose one of the servers based in US on the list. You will need HTTPS for this to work.
d) Close the window and you will find the address to be filed in for you.

4) Close the configure window and choose the ports tab. There check the Socks 4/5, Web proxy and use UDP for open VPN. On the application tab, select your browser and click the OK button to apply the settings for your application. When done, go to the Status tab and click the connect button.

5) I'm not sure about what to think of this step. You need to get the SocksCap 2.4 app (Google it) and get it installed. Now you should set under file, settings
a) Socks server "local host", port 1080
b) and check the Socks version 5 resolve all names locally
c) Now you choose new and select your browser there and add it to the list, BUT when I did this for explorer it crashed, so I didn't run explorer through this app and it still worked. Maybe you can skip this step. Try and let us know.

6) Go to www.tracemyip.org to verify that your IP and location has been changed.

7) For this step you don't need the proxy. Go to www.entropay.com and create a sort of virtual credit card there. You need a working credit card or a debit card which has the three figure security code on the back. *Some* Visa electron debit cards do have this code and they do work, like mine does.
a) You can input any info you want for your location, entropay will not check nor will they give your info to the merchant so it doesn't matter.
b) They have a 4.95% fee every time you load the card, so if you transfer 20$ to that card, they will charge you 1$. Others offer services like this one, if you find a cheaper card that also works, let us know. Entropay WORKS.
c) Supposedly you can open a "fake" account on paypal by using a proxy, but I haven't tested this one out.
d) When you have your account ready, click your entropay card and then it will display all the info needed - the virtual credit card number, security code, expiration date and your name on the card - Entropay user.

8) Finally, you go to Steam. DO NOT USE YOUR OWN ACCOUNT. K? What has been troubling me for a few days is the probability that Steam logs the IP address you use to connect usually. So, if you created the account in i.e. Mozambique, it will not allow you to use the method described here. At least it didn't allow me to do it.
a) Now you have your freedom app running and you're are connected to your US server. This will work for only 60 minutes at a time in this free version of the program.
a) Go to the log in page and create a new account. You should use the browser you selected previously in your freedom app and maybe you will need to run it through the sockscap (see above).
b) Now go chose your games, purchase them as a GIFT, choose your original account mail or username (if you have added this new account as your frined in Steam), then proceed to the check out. You input your Entropay card info here (number, security code and Entropay user)
c) For the address and other crap I'm not sure what is actually needed - what I did is go to the www.tracemyip.org, got the IP area, then on the web found some address and phone number for that city. This is very easy, just find some motel in the area and that's it.
d) Maybe the post code is enough, but I read somewhere they actually check if the phone number is correctly formatted. I don't know, really.
e) Note that some states have the additional sales tax that Steam will charge you. Supposedly Oregon does NOT have such a tax.

9) Holly crap, we're done. Disconnect from the your freedom server, you don't need the proxy anymore. Now you will receive either an email asking you to activate your gift or it will notify though Steam. You can safely dl your newly purchased game with your full internet connection speed.

Notes.

1) You probably can use HotSpot Shield freeware app instead of doing the first four steps. It will give you an US IP but Steam gave me a lot of hassle when trying to log in with that one. There are also other systems, like Tor (free) or Anonymity network (not free). Try and share your experience.

2) Some steps here can be simplified, so if you have any suggestions, feel free to share.

3) Banning consideration - steam maybe will not like what's going on here, but who gives a fuck. There is no way they can connect the dots, you have been given a gift of game from someone and that's perfectly legit. What did that user do to buy the game, well who cares?

4) I used IE as it seems it worked faster with Your Freedom then firefox did.
__________________
... what?

Last edited by mkey; November 15th, 2009 at 04:32 PM..
mkey is offline   Reply With Quote
Old December 1st, 2009, 08:34 AM   #5
Golden Member
 

Posts: 1,003
CPU: C2Q 9400 2.66 GHz
GPU: Gigabyte 4870 512MB
M/B: Gigabyte X48 DS5
RAM: 2x2GB DDRII OCZ
PSU: Chiftec 550W
Default

OK, a few updates for Windows 7, 64 bit.

At first, I couldn't get the Your Freedom app running at all, it nagged about missing java, even though I have it installed. So I went back to the download page and got the one-size-fits-all package, which is the recommended download, being this one.

This (I presume) also cleared up another issue I had, being the 2 hour waiting time for server scan to complete. Now this scan takes like one minute.

Then, as it turns out, Sockscap doesn't work on Vista/64bit, so just grab FreeCap program from here. The configuration is pretty much straightforward, go to file > settings, enter "locahost" for socks server and you're set to go. I added IE to run through FreeCap and configured it to use Your Freedom app.

This still works and I haven't been busted yet xD Nor do I expect to be busted.
__________________
... what?
mkey is offline   Reply With Quote
Old December 1st, 2009, 08:41 AM   #6
Site Staff
 

Posts: 12,117
CPU: Intel Core i7-965
GPU: ATI Radeon HD 4870
M/B: Intel DX58SO
RAM: 6Gb of A-DATA
PSU: X-Spice 630w
Default

Just I don’t understand all these complications.

1. Use a US proxy.
2. Start a new Steam account.
3. Use the gift feature on Valve's site through the US proxy and send the game to your original account as a gift.

Last edited by Regeneration; December 1st, 2009 at 08:46 AM..
Regeneration is offline   Reply With Quote
Old December 1st, 2009, 08:56 AM   #7
Golden Member
 

Posts: 1,003
CPU: C2Q 9400 2.66 GHz
GPU: Gigabyte 4870 512MB
M/B: Gigabyte X48 DS5
RAM: 2x2GB DDRII OCZ
PSU: Chiftec 550W
Default

You will need a HTTPS proxy and YourFreedom was the simplest way for me to obtain one.

Also, had you red carefully, you would understand you need some payment method that doesn't link you to your non US country. Credit cards will not work and as far as I know, Pay Pal won't either. So

1) Get an US HTTPS proxy - which might not be that easy to do
2) Find some sort of payment method that doesn't give away your info
3) Create a new Steam account and use it to gift yourself the games

Now, you would call this a guide?
__________________
... what?
mkey is offline   Reply With Quote
Old December 1st, 2009, 09:07 AM   #8
Site Staff
 

Posts: 12,117
CPU: Intel Core i7-965
GPU: ATI Radeon HD 4870
M/B: Intel DX58SO
RAM: 6Gb of A-DATA
PSU: X-Spice 630w
Default

Three months ago I bought a game to one of my friends at US prices using my way. Are you sure about the non-US CC system? perhaps that's a new feature.
Regeneration is offline   Reply With Quote
Old December 1st, 2009, 09:11 AM   #9
Golden Member
 

Posts: 1,003
CPU: C2Q 9400 2.66 GHz
GPU: Gigabyte 4870 512MB
M/B: Gigabyte X48 DS5
RAM: 2x2GB DDRII OCZ
PSU: Chiftec 550W
Default

Yes, I tried using a proxy and my Visa Electron Debit card an it didn't work.

It just went on and about how my location doesn't match my credit card info.

After thinking about it, maybe if you purchase the game as a gift, you get less hassle.
__________________
... what?

Last edited by mkey; December 3rd, 2009 at 09:08 AM..
mkey is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Bookmarks


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Rate This Thread
Rate This Thread:

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are Off







eXTReMe Tracker

Copyright © NGOHQ.com - All rights reserved
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium
without written permission of the site's owners is prohibited.
Powered by vBadvanced and vBulletin from Jelsoft
Copyright © 2000-2007 Jelsoft Enterprises Limited
Search Engine Friendly URLs by vBSEO 3.3.2

Contact Us - Archive - NGOHQ.com - NGOHQ.org - NGOHQ.net - Disclaimer - Top