How do PC Game DVD's work?

[AstroBenny]

I've always bought my games off Steam and have never therefore owned an actual PC game disk.

How does it work? Since it's not steam how do you invite friends etc? And does the game install on to your PC or do you just play it off the disk?

[Muz]

Most games on discs these days come with a Steam key too, you insert the disc and install the files, steam will update the game if any are available and wolah.

[Killervolt]

You install the game from the disc, and you enter the code that comes with the box. Or you can use the code to activate the download and ignore the disk altogether.

[Guest Generallee]

Great, now i feel old

 

Put the disc in, install, play

 

At least that's what we did in good old times

[phoenix230197]

Or it forces you to download steam, then the game. It then installs from the download then asks you to insert the disc to verify the install.

 

Sims 3 did that to my Mrs when she got it. The kicker was it had to do it on adsl2+ with an 8mbps connection. 

[LogicalDrm]

How they work now or how they used to work?

Now they are just installers sold in stores. Nothing really more than that. Sometimes its worth to get one if your connection is bad or its cheaper that way.

Old days they contained DRM besides installer. So you needed to insert disc to play. For multiplayer you joined servers by name or IP. Or created one yourself.