The Steam servers are currently too busy to handle any more preloads of RAGE...

[javaman]

The Steam servers are currently too busy to handle any more preloads of RAGE. Please try again in a few hours.

WTF!!!


They sure took my money without any problems.

I tried everything on the FAQ (change region, etc) https://support.steampowered.com/kb_article.php?ref=5483-YUFN-0521. Tried ones close to me (Central USA), then tried China, Finland, Russia and such (maybe they sleeping over there). Same freaking stupid error message.


This is crap!!!

Why the hell is there not a "keep retrying" option on the dialog instead of making me, "the user, customer, etc" keep pressing a stupid button. The dev that coded this need to be hung by his balls.

[M4nkoRid3r]

Demand will do that. I'm getting this too, chill, it's a week away.

[Hendar]

Haven't gotten anything like that, downloads quite slowly though but most steam games take a while to download.

[javaman]

Granted, but still, why not a "retry option"? After paying $60, I don't want to keep pressing the button. Even if it took a week to download it, I just don't like the idea of no retry button. How hard could that be to code? Not very!!! As I have written FTP, torrent, HTTP, etc that have proper exception handling to where they can retry indefinitely. Even put in option for wait between retries, or cap the amount of retries. I am not looking for anything advanced, a simple checkbox on the dialog that says keep retrying, and the dev can put the waits, etc at their discretion.

[Vlace_Wuhr]

Granted, but still, why not a "retry option"? After paying $60, I don't want to keep pressing the button. Even if it took a week to download it, I just don't like the idea of no retry button. How hard could that be to code? Not very!!! As I have written FTP, torrent, HTTP, etc that have proper exception handling to where they can retry indefinitely. Even put in option for wait between retries, or cap the amount of retries. I am not looking for anything advanced, a simple checkbox on the dialog that says keep retrying, and the dev can put the waits, etc at their discretion.

It's called server overload. If the server's are overloaded/full/down, the last thing you want is 50,000+ connection requests sapping bandwidth and server resources. "Please try again in a few hours" is the real hint. Not a few seconds. Automatically retrying adds significant overhead to servers.

They could add an auto retry button that tries again in a few hours, but theoretically that still has the potential to bottleneck/overload the servers every "few hours."

A queue system implementation would be better, but that would take more resources, and if you really knew what number you were you'd probably RAGE.

[javaman]

You would think with 50,000+ x $60 = 3 million, they would be able to afford to implement proper infrastructure (albeit software or hardware solution) to properly distribute this thing.

Hell, give an "estimated time until you get a download ticket" on the screen "before" I hit the purchase button.

[M4nkoRid3r]

Granted, but still, why not a "retry option"? After paying $60, I don't want to keep pressing the button. Even if it took a week to download it, I just don't like the idea of no retry button. How hard could that be to code? Not very!!! As I have written FTP, torrent, HTTP, etc that have proper exception handling to where they can retry indefinitely. Even put in option for wait between retries, or cap the amount of retries. I am not looking for anything advanced, a simple checkbox on the dialog that says keep retrying, and the dev can put the waits, etc at their discretion.

Yea, an auto retry would be nice.

[broadwey]

Dont be Moaning :P

Im fine with this message ill try again i a few hours, because I'd rather Steam stayed nice rather than getting in a hissy fit about loads of preloads (However I think it may be longer than a few hours, nobodys preloading that quick)

[Hammersmithblue]

I used AUTOHOTKEY with a custom script and tried for 9.5 hours straight (while I slept) without getting my preload to start. That was over 6500 attempts to launch the pre-load, so good luck if you are just clicking manually...

The Autohotkey script, should you want do something like sleep or see the wife and kids, is:

#z::
SetTitleMatchMode, 2
ReDoit:
IfWinExist, Pre-Loading RAGE
{
WinActivate
click 146, 154
sleep, 1500
IfWinExist, Preloading - Error
{
Send, {Enter}
sleep, 500
Goto, ReDoit
}

return
}

I put the "Pre-Loading Rage" window close to the upper left hand corner of the screen and press Windows-Z once the script is loaded. It clicks in a specific location, so the only line you'd have to edit is "click 146, 154" to get the cursor placement correct.

If you do something silly like remove the delays, good luck on getting this to stop wihout using a power button.

Top

[derrman0426]

I got the message first time too, but now after 3 other attempts my Steam just freezes and does nothing, the only way to get Steam back is to close it, I left it like that for over an hour and it was still frozen after that time.

[Hammersmithblue]

Another thread mentioned that the beta version of the steam client was locking up...

[derrman0426]

Another thread mentioned that the beta version of the steam client was locking up...

Yep, i just realized that i had it installed. Just uninstalled the beta and now i'm getting the error message like normal... Sometimes it's the simple things.

[NahorCA]

I got the message first time too, but now after 3 other attempts my Steam just freezes and does nothing, the only way to get Steam back is to close it, I left it like that for over an hour and it was still frozen after that time.

Are you using Steam Beta? If so, go back to the regular one. Several people (me included) had Steam Beta hang when preloading Rage.

[xenol]

It's also a free game weekend... which is the worst possible time to buy anything because you won't get it until Monday as all the servers are too busy with those requests.

What kind of ticks me off is that QoS is given to that, rather than the paying customers. But I guess you know, I bought the game, it's in my account, it's not like it's going anywhere. Besides that the game releases on Tuesday.

Unless of course, 20GB is going to take a weekend for you to download.

[{Yotsuba}]

Considering the speed it takes to start pre-loads and downloads in general (several seconds at least) and the fact that this error pops up in a fraction of a second after the first time you try I don't even think it is actually attempting to contact the servers on subsequent tries at all.

In short, pressing that button again and again isn't likely to help at all as it doesn't appear to actually do anything.

[enemyofportal]

it is really annoying. since 7PM yesterday, I have attempted to preload. it doesn't work but get the same message. it's 9:30 AM on Saturday. it never happened before. this is really strange. I think that I have to get retail version if this ♥♥♥♥ continues until release date. this is not why I preordered. Steam, seriously past 15 hours I got the same message (too busy)? come on.

[Wadsy]

It's also a free game weekend... which is the worst possible time to buy anything because you won't get it until Monday as all the servers are too busy with those requests.

What kind of ticks me off is that QoS is given to that, rather than the paying customers. But I guess you know, I bought the game, it's in my account, it's not like it's going anywhere. Besides that the game releases on Tuesday.

Unless of course, 20GB is going to take a weekend for you to download.


or if the only time you get free quota to download is the weekend.

[Hammersmithblue]

In short, pressing that button again and again isn't likely to help at all as it doesn't appear to actually do anything.

I agree. It communicates way too quickly. My guess is that there will be another client update and then things will start working as they should.

[kenclopz]

All I want to do is shoot the damn big ogre that pops up from behind the mountain cliff. C'mon preload!

[PutterMayhem]

You would think with 50,000+ x $60 = 3 million, they would be able to afford to implement proper infrastructure (albeit software or hardware solution) to properly distribute this thing.

Hell, give an "estimated time until you get a download ticket" on the screen "before" I hit the purchase button.


My guess is that the majority of the $60 is going to the publisher and developer and not to Valve who hosts the files.

Also they could have just not offered the preload. You are not entitled to the preload. The $60 you paid is for the game not the ability to download it early.

And to add infrastructure to handle the load for a week is not a smart use of funds. The rest of the time that server and bandwidth would go unused and would be a waste of money. Even if you were able to scale back the servers and bandwidth you'd still have to spend money on manpower to set up the servers with the right configs and then take them down again after you don't need them anymore.

[Mawgy]

I've never had an issue with downloading games. I'm using the Columbus Ohio server.

[xParasite]

They should charge 5$ extra for a pre order of the pre order so those who pay the extra extra 5$ get early access to preloading! makes total sense

[glazenuts]

How about this, DON'T TAKE THE MONEY UNTIL YOU CAN PROVIDE THE DOWNLOAD!!!! I'M seriously concidering disputing the charge on my credit card and ordering from newegg or amazon. If enough people threatened this they would add more band width.
Don't be a sheep.

[daniel_]

Almost 24hrs trying and nothing. -__-
Steam fix this problem please. :P

How about this, DON'T TAKE THE MONEY UNTIL YOU CAN PROVIDE THE DOWNLOAD!!!! I'M seriously concidering disputing the charge on my credit card and ordering from newegg or amazon. If enough people threatened this they would add more band width.
Don't be a sheep.


Try contact support first if you wish to cancel the pre-order or make a thread on General Steam Discusion about the problem it will call their attention more effectively and we will probably get an answer about it.
If you disputing the charge you will only get more trouble because your account will be blocked. :|

[JoeB]

For me, it started just fine last night but it was getting too let so I figured I'd head to bed and resume the next day (didn't see a need to keep my PC on all night). Now it seems I can't resume. Hopefully this is only a temporary problem. Other games download just fine. Rage seems to be the one with the issue. I am assuming they cap the number of downloads so that it does not impact their entire service but it's still stupid from our perspective since we purchases this game and want it ready to play as soon as possible.

I'm not going to cancel my pre-order though. Worst case scenario is I have to wait an extra day. However, if on launch date I STILL can't download this, then I will be rather upset at Steam's poor service (if that happens).

[Mikey-]

Oh my god, it's rage Rage! (Get it? rage Rage - ha!)

It's rage Rage, and it's outRAGEous! Ha, I love the title of this game.

[bubbacho]

For yanks in the U.S. it's not a "week away". This puppy is supposed to unlock three days from now. Tuesday release in North America and I believe a Friday release in Europe. Australia, who knows?

[broadwey]

THis'll sort itself out by Monday everyone chill XD

[javaman]

My guess is that the majority of the $60 is going to the publisher and developer and not to Valve who hosts the files.

Also they could have just not offered the preload. You are not entitled to the preload. The $60 you paid is for the game not the ability to download it early.

And to add infrastructure to handle the load for a week is not a smart use of funds. The rest of the time that server and bandwidth would go unused and would be a waste of money. Even if you were able to scale back the servers and bandwidth you'd still have to spend money on manpower to set up the servers with the right configs and then take them down again after you don't need them anymore.

My point was that $3M is alot of money and even a percentage of that of alot of money, so they can afford to accomodate.

And, yes, maybe they should have not offered the ability to preload. That way I would have not had any misconception when I made the purchase and I could have compared others who are offering this.

Any they don't actually need to outright buy the infrastructure. Use some cloud or tier 0 type service and "rent" what they need when they need it.

Steam was great a few years ago, they were the best in the business of digital distribution. The encryption, delivery mechinsim, etc -- they pioneered it. But now, I feel they are becoming "a big company".

Hell, with the brainpower Valve has, they can pull off some sort of inhouse torrent-like algorithm to better distribute this thing. I think they are just becoming complacent as of late. I am curious what the competition has to offer now (Origin, Amazon, D2D, etc). Maybe Steam is taking lessons from Netflix.

Why not use some of the same stuff as the Facebook DB guy did with Apache Cassandra. Google-like indexing capabilities. Distributing load across n servers -> add more servers = add more speed

[Larry_Dimmick]

Yeah I never thought I'd get a better experience by buying from Direct2Drive but they're letting me download the pre-load from their servers. Steam needs more servers.

[javaman]

I used AUTOHOTKEY with a custom script and tried for 9.5 hours straight (while I slept) without getting my preload to start. That was over 6500 attempts to launch the pre-load, so good luck if you are just clicking manually...

The Autohotkey script, should you want do something like sleep or see the wife and kids, is:

#z::
SetTitleMatchMode, 2
ReDoit:
IfWinExist, Pre-Loading RAGE
{
WinActivate
click 146, 154
sleep, 1500
IfWinExist, Preloading - Error
{
Send, {Enter}
sleep, 500
Goto, ReDoit
}

return
}

I put the "Pre-Loading Rage" window close to the upper left hand corner of the screen and press Windows-Z once the script is loaded. It clicks in a specific location, so the only line you'd have to edit is "click 146, 154" to get the cursor placement correct.

If you do something silly like remove the delays, good luck on getting this to stop wihout using a power button.

Top

Sweet! LOL

Steam servers are busy
...
click
...
Steam servers are busy
...
click
...
Steam servers are busy
...
click
...

Wonder if I can make this sucker hit up the settings, cycle the region server and restart Steam. Thanks for the new toy

[javaman]

Work in progress ...


#x::
SetTitleMatchMode, 2
ReDoit2:
IfWinExist, Pre-Loading RAGE
{
WinActivate
click 146, 154
sleep, 1500
IfWinExist, Preloading - Error
{
Send, {Enter}
sleep, 500
Send, {Enter}
sleep, 500
IfWinExist, Steam
{
WinActivate
click 30, 15
sleep, 500
click 30, 125
sleep, 500
IfWinExist, Settings
{
WinActivate
sleep, 500
click 370, 42
sleep, 1000
click 238, 213
sleep, 1000
Send, {Down}
sleep, 100
Send, {Down}
sleep, 100
Send, {Down}
sleep, 100
Send, {Down}
sleep, 100
Send, {Down}
sleep, 100
Send, {Down}
sleep, 1000
Send, {Enter}
sleep, 1000
Send, {Enter}
sleep, 1000
IfWinExist, Steam - Restart required
{
WinActivate
Send, {Enter}
sleep, 20000
IfWinExist, Steam
{
WinActivate
click 342, 207
sleep, 500
Goto, ReDoit2
}
}
}
}
}

return
}

[JoeB]

Considering the speed it takes to start pre-loads and downloads in general (several seconds at least) and the fact that this error pops up in a fraction of a second after the first time you try I don't even think it is actually attempting to contact the servers on subsequent tries at all.

In short, pressing that button again and again isn't likely to help at all as it doesn't appear to actually do anything.

Yeah, I'm starting to think that the error is not what we think it is but the Steam Client isn't programmed to display an appropriate message that reflects what is happening. On the other hand, maybe there are so many pre-loads for this game that the Steam servers are not accepting new ones until a certain time.

[MushRush66]

My point was that $3M is alot of money and even a percentage of that of alot of money, so they can afford to accomodate.

And, yes, maybe they should have not offered the ability to preload. That way I would have not had any misconception when I made the purchase and I could have compared others who are offering this.

Any they don't actually need to outright buy the infrastructure. Use some cloud or tier 0 type service and "rent" what they need when they need it.

Steam was great a few years ago, they were the best in the business of digital distribution. The encryption, delivery mechinsim, etc -- they pioneered it. But now, I feel they are becoming "a big company".

Hell, with the brainpower Valve has, they can pull off some sort of inhouse torrent-like algorithm to better distribute this thing. I think they are just becoming complacent as of late. I am curious what the competition has to offer now (Origin, Amazon, D2D, etc). Maybe Steam is taking lessons from Netflix.

Why not use some of the same stuff as the Facebook DB guy did with Apache Cassandra. Google-like indexing capabilities. Distributing load across n servers -> add more servers = add more speed

Sadly I think alot of people preordered Rage contigent on the ability to preload... I am still getting pop-ups that state "preorder Rage now and preload the game now", I think even the most ardent Steam supporters would have to admit that as being very misleading...

I was actually one of the lucky few that started dling at about 3:00pm yesterday afternoon... At 6:00 pm I checked the dl and noticed that Steam reset the file size (no big deal), but then it completely froze up (Steam) and after 10 mins I restarted the client... Big mistake... Now I seem to be in the same boat as everyone else...

What is odd is there may be a possibility that noone has been able to start a preload since after about 6:00pm last night (maybe someone could post if they were able to start and at what time)... If this is true then you would have to assume that the first block of preloaders could not have been as large as we might think, and many of those should be finished by now (it is 2:17pm pst here in Oregon)... Which leads me to believe that Steam is having some technical difficulties... Is what I just said plausible or at least logical?? I'm not trying to make that big of a deal out of this, but Steam clearly should not be advertising a preload for Rage, so buyer beware...

(By the way, I did put in a cancel preorder request... Not because I am having a temper tantrum, but because I only had a small window of opportunity to download such a huge game on a 174 kbps internet connection... Meaning, it would make more sense for me right now to buy retail then to wait for Steam to fix this and then start the download (I estimate that it would take my puny connection about 36 to 40 hours to dl the entire game), that should clear things up... Although I still haven't gotten a response from Steam regarding my cancellation request... Aye karumba, what a conundrum...

[MushRush66]

My very first bumpage...

[Revelation1024]

I managed to get 17.9 gigs of it downloaded, and then I paused it to play DEUS EX, I meant to leave it running, I went to bed woke up and STEAM had disappeared. Windows had done an Auto-update in my sleep. I slept the exact length of time it would have taken to finish the pre-load..... NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

[theyarecoming4u]

I managed to get 17.9 gigs of it downloaded, and then I paused it to play DEUS EX, I meant to leave it running, I went to bed woke up and STEAM had disappeared. Windows had done an Auto-update in my sleep. I slept the exact length of time it would have taken to finish the pre-load..... NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
Yes, there are few things more annoying that Windows Update automatically restarting your computer. The prompts to restart even interrupt fullscreen games. It's absolutely astounding that Microsoft hasn't done anything to address one of the most infuriating aspects of the operating system.

[StilbonGaming]

Oh my god, it's rage Rage! (Get it? rage Rage - ha!)

It's rage Rage, and it's outRAGEous! Ha, I love the title of this game.

LOL! You got to love it, it's just a great name for a game.

But I have to add that I am a little set back by the fact my preload started yesterday and then just stopped. So I'm wondering if either id asked them not to release a preload after the fact or their just having way too many gamerz playing on their serverzzzzz.:o

[Paladriver]

After many failed attempts to download via steam... I'm preloading using D2D Download manager but I have no idea how D2D pre-load works with a Steamworks enabled game. I'm assuming the install process is similar to a retail copy of the game and it will install into my steam directory?


Also the inability to pre-load on steam is about to make me....

(puts on sunglasses)

...RAGE.

[daydreamerxx]

i had it 70& finished then it stopped and i get his msg now to. The game releases in 3 days. Not a week and it is a 25 gig game.It will take a day or two to download for most people in general. Kind of ruins the point of pre ordering if you don't have it on release day.

[javaman]

Got my autohotkey script working to some degree. The server list always comes up in a different order after restart and I have found no way to step through one by one, so I just stuck a random number to loop the down key anywhere from 1 to 40 times. So far every country I have tried is the same quick azz busy response, so I am guessing no one is getting in worldwide. Unless Steam servers have their own regional bandwidth protections or such within (such as whois on your ip and only allow close ones).

Anyway...

#x::
SetTitleMatchMode, 2
ReDoit2:
IfWinExist, Pre-Loading RAGE
{
WinActivate
click 146, 154
sleep, 1500
IfWinExist, Preloading - Error
{
Send, {Enter}
sleep, 500
Send, {Enter}
sleep, 500
IfWinExist, Steam
{
WinActivate
click 30, 15
sleep, 500
click 30, 125
sleep, 500
IfWinExist, Settings
{
WinActivate
sleep, 500
click 370, 42
sleep, 1000
click 238, 213
sleep, 1000

Random, loop_count, 1, 40
while (loop_count > 0)
{
Send, {Down}
sleep, 100
loop_count -= 1
}
Send, {Enter}
sleep, 2000
Send, {Enter}
sleep, 2000
IfWinExist, Steam - Restart required
{
WinActivate
Send, {Enter}
sleep, 20000
IfWinExist, Steam
{
WinActivate
click 342, 207
sleep, 500
Goto, ReDoit2
}
}
}
}
}

return
}



I am having more fun leaning this useful utility and watching it play Steam like a player piano.

[Jachal]

The bittorrent thread was removed.... but this is an absolute perfect example of when BT would be perfect. Overloaded servers, many people trying to get files, large files size.

Its a shame BT has such a bad reputation. The money alone Steam could have saved on bandwidth.....ouch.

[fuv]

Yes, there are few things more annoying that Windows Update automatically restarting your computer. The prompts to restart even interrupt fullscreen games. It's absolutely astounding that Microsoft hasn't done anything to address one of the most infuriating aspects of the operating system.

It's trivial to stop windows autoupdating.

[Zoinks]

Yes, there are few things more annoying that Windows Update automatically restarting your computer. The prompts to restart even interrupt fullscreen games. It's absolutely astounding that Microsoft hasn't done anything to address one of the most infuriating aspects of the operating system.

Just change the settings to "Check for updates but let me choose whether to download and install them".

[fuv]

Its a shame BT has such a bad reputation. The money alone Steam could have saved on bandwidth.....ouch.

Doesn't really work like that though, does it? You think the money just disappears and the bandwidth remains? That's fairytale thinking.

It might sound like it would work for one isolated preload, but Steam has a huge catalogue of games. You might find downloading the latest shiny new title works, but do you really want access to your games governed that way? Do you want to beg for someone to seed a game so you can reinstall it?

And ISPs are not stupid, if Steam used BT and that had a huge negative impact on ISPs upstream bandwidth and made it difficult for them to manage the downstream they'd be up in arms, and probably be throttling the traffic.

Really BT isn't a good design or protocol for distributing files for multiple reasons. It works the way it does simply because it's, generally speaking, used to illegally distribute copyrighted material and the design is all about trying to avoid responsibility for that activity.

[Hellknite]

This would be less infuriating if Valve actually aknowledged this problem.

But no, they'd rather keep us in the dark.

I mean, I got a download speed of 70-120kb/s and I live in the UK. I will be lucky if I get it downloaded by launch. I need all the ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ time I can get to pre-load this.

[fuv]

This would be less infuriating if Valve actually aknowledged this problem.

But no, they'd rather keep us in the dark.

I mean, I got a download speed of 70-120kb/s and I live in the UK. I will be lucky if I get it downloaded by launch. I need all the ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ time I can get to pre-load this.

It's the weekend. Have you tried switching to the Manchester server? (assuming you're on the London one)

[Hellknite]

It's the weekend. Have you tried switching to the Manchester server? (assuming you're on the London one)

Oh, that's not what I meant. My download speed in general is 70-120kb/s all of the time (due to where I live). The game isn't pre-loading at all, getting this 'Steam servers are busy' message.

[fuv]

I've never had an issue with downloading games. I'm using the Columbus Ohio server.

Me neither.

Perhaps we should complain? Because everyone else appears to have preordered and gotten at least mild frustration and annoyance.

There's some definite rage too.

Which is what they advertised we'd get ;)

[MushRush66]

Me neither.

Perhaps we should complain? Because everyone else appears to have preordered and gotten at least mild frustration and annoyance.

There's some definite rage too.

Which is what they advertised we'd get ;)

What comes after Rage?? - - - Vengeance...:eek:

[JK_DC]

Have any of you tried deleting the clientregistry.blob and restarting Steam? That sometimes works with other issues.

[MushRush66]

Have any of you tried deleting the clientregistry.blob and restarting Steam? That sometimes works with other issues.

Tried that yesterday and it doesn't help...