I've just read that the game cannot be installed from the disc until after it has been unlocked on Steam. However, the preload for downloads is already happening and I am expecting my disc to arrive with the post in a couple of hours.

Does anybody know if we'll be able to activate our game during the day and download/preload before it's released, basicly activating my CDkey and downloading without using the disc. 12 odd hours should be plenty of time to get it downloaded if so.

It may seem trivial to save an hour or so, but I have to be at work for 7am tomorrow. I don't really want to spend all my time tonight simply installing before I need sleep

Yes, you can input the cdkey from your manual through steam's 'add new game' and download it from their server.

Yes you can use the CD key to install the game.

You could have asked this in one of the other threads though, discussing instalation rather than creating another one

Yes, you can. Tried installing it from the disc, wouldn't let me, but it still showed up in my library and let me pre-load it.

Assuming the physical copy comes with a CD key in the box, you should be able to enter in Steam under 'add games' and download...

Nice one, cheers all. I hate all this newfangled Steam unlock business ><

Just curious but why would anybody want to download a game that they have the disk for?

So that it is preloaded for when it unlocks. Some people like myself buy the retail copy because we like to have the booklet etc. I feel more conected to the game if I have the physical version.... maybe I'm weird

Read the first post again

Decryption should be fast for 6 GB, plus you can just make sure your computer is turned on when it unlocks and the game will be ready for you when you wake up. It unlocks at 1 AM here, I'm not going to stay up for that, but when I do, it'll be there and all I'll have to do is press play.

Also I think the pre-load already includes the day one patch.

So that they don't have to wait the minute or so for it to copy the files from the disc when the game finally unlocks. Seems kind of excessive to me, but then people in later timezones are actually paying for VPN connections to Australia in order to get it 10/15 hours earlier, so I'm not really surprised.

So Steam will actually install the game on your system? I have the game already downloaded from Direct2Drive but cant install it cuz of Steam. But if I download it again using Steam I will be able to actually install that copy from Steam? Sorry, i know I'm a bit dense in the head.

Edit: I see dannythefool already answered my question. Thank you. ^^