Steam - Error, "Failed to contact key server"

Gratuitous Forum Support
1

I purchased Gratuitous Space Battles from Steam and have played the game successfully on my laptop. I recently tried to do this without an internet connection. I launched Steam in offline mode and was able to run the game a couple times. Then when I went to run it again, I got this error from Steam, “Failed to contact key server”.

Is this to be expected, even when running in offline mode, and even when I’ve already successfully run the game before?

Is this a Steam issue or a Positech issue?

Should I be able to run the game without an internet connection?

2

I’ve apparently never typed those words, so this sounds like a steam issue, not positech.

3

so as far as you’re concerned, I should be able to run the game without an internet connection? Is there any periodic thing where it has to go out and contact any sort of license server - not steam, but positech?

4

Hi there, coder1024. I believe that GSB normally queries the Positech update server to see if your install needs auto-patching to the latest revision of the game. I’m sure that Cliffski can tell us what that entails, but to the best of my memory, that sounds like the extent of the connectivity it needs. I don’t personally use Steam, so proceed accordingly.

5

any calls the game makes to the server that fail should just time out. so if you arent online, the game may take 10 seconds or so extra to startup, but then run fine, although obviously without challenges etc.
So it sounds like something related to steam.

6

ok, thanks for the replies! Sounds like a steam issue.