Doom3 steam purchase "error key is already in use"

[markus27183]

I just purchased Doom3 on steam.  I enter the CD key that it shows in the Doom3->Manage>CD Keys, and Doom3 says "error key already in use". 

WTF.  Who do I talk to?

[Major Arlene]

if you purchased it on Steam then it should already be in your library, there shouldn't be any other steps to play it other than to install it.

[markus27183]

Just now, Major Arlene said:

if you purchased it on Steam then it should already be in your library, there shouldn't be any other steps to play it other than to install it.

It's in my Steam library.  I open Doom3, it asks for Doom3 key and ROE key.  I type in Doom3 key and ROE key, it says Doom3 key is invalid already in use.

[Major Arlene]

https://steamcommunity.com/app/9050/discussions/0/6382186451013976093/

Try this.

[markus27183]

That comment says to paste in the ROE key, which I did.  I also pasted the Doom3 key and the ROE key, and it said "Doom3 key already in use".  

So the screen asks for Doom3 key AND ROE key.  I paste in each one (they are different).  It says Doom3 key already in use.  It occurs to me someone else may have stolen the key from Steam, or hacked it using a keygen or something.  If this happened, what would be the solution?

 

 

Edited November 1, 2022 by markus27183

[Edward850]

You have likely installed/run the expansion pack out of order which mucks things up given they have two different keys while both are needed but are auto configured by Steam separately, and have made a ham of your install trying to fix it. When done correctly you never need to enter the CD keys for Doom3 on Steam.

 

Uninstall both Doom3 and ROE, then install just Doom3 and run it, make sure the key is verified by simply starting the single player (it will be automatically configured), then install ROE and run it doing the same.

Edited November 1, 2022 by Edward850

[markus27183]

Thanks, uninstalling all 3 Doom 3 games and reinstalling Doom 3 first worked.   When I first installed, I just told the Steam isntaller to install all 3 Doom games, which it did (in parallel), so I don't feel I did anything unreasonable.  

[Edward850]

Indeed that wouldn't be an unreasonable assumption. Doom3 is a very early Steam game and has some legacy cruft tied to how it and it's DLC works.

Fortunately I think Doom3 is unique on Steam in this regard, as it's about the only game that has a CD key for a DLC item that is itself another launch entry but still installed inside the base game.

Even SiN had some arcane behavior (the multiplayer was another game entry, Steam lacked multiple launch items in the early days) but lacked any sort of CD key.

[DoomGater]

Why doesn't anyone pay attention to posting in the right forum anymore?

[Edward850]

Well Doom3 is 18 years old now, it's basically itself old enough to also be classic Doom, given it's now older than classic Doom was when we first named it as such. :P

[DoomGater]

18 hours ago, Edward850 said:

Well Doom3 is 18 years old now, it's basically itself old enough to also be classic Doom, given it's now older than classic Doom was when we first named it as such. :P

To be regarded as classic needs more than age.



By the way and completely off topic: Where's the promised  port of Nightdive's Blood Fresh Supply? Did you manage to get a new Linux guy? ;-)

Edited November 6, 2022 by DoomGater