I dunno, perhaps buy dota 2 for a scrap and activate it on your account?

I'll send you a free copy of DOTA 2. Simply activate it and reap the benefits.

WOW! Really? Thank you so much, your generosity will not be forgotten~ <3

Originally posted by ScootALU_:

Sadly, a premium Team Fortress 2 account does not allow one to add friends, join chats, etc.

Are you saying that you cannot use steam premium features such as adding friends after you have used the Upgrade To Premium Gift but have no other games in your library?

If that is the case, could you please tell us if activating DOTA 2 helped.
(or did you simply forgot to actually use the Gift?)

Used the gift, I'm waiting on DOTA 2. I always feel really awkward accepting gifts though, so I'd be happy to trade for it then let you all know. That's the reason I specifically mentioned "Steam premium" in the title, so others could find it.

Anywho, the answer is yes, I get the message: "Some features of the Steam Community become available once you have games in your Steam account".

In other words, premium TF2 =/= friends list privileges. I can be added, but not add.

No, I have some accounts with nothing more than premium tf2, they can add people just fine!

Dota2 "gift" is like the gift of tf2 f2p, it has no actual value anymore. Anyone selling it for more than a weapon is basically ripping people off, its given away most of the time.

Originally posted by MA☝Omgwtfbbqstfu™:

No, I have some accounts with nothing more than premium tf2, they can add people just fine!

That's probably because you purchased premium and Steam counted that as a store transaction. OP specified he got premium by trading which is different.

Either way yes a Dota 2 gift does give you full access to the Steam features.

^^Must be that premium steam relies on money spent then, as even though I'm *technically* premium, I most definitely can not add friends, join group chats, etc.

Unfortunate; I would think that valve would make this more clear. But then again, I can't expect free rides all the time, now can I. Looks like I'll have to tough it until I can work something out with PayPal.

EDIT: Didn't see your post there norby; I'll find out for certain when I try it out.

no it can't be true, else premium gift would be entirely useless. i think you just haven't done something right yet. a premium gift account is same as any other premium account. else no one would buy those things..ever.

anyways are you sure you traded for a gift, or didyou get a backpack expander..

i looked at your bp, you do not have a hire date badge, meaning you aren't premium. show us a screenshot of your backpack inventory history page, should show if you traded for a premium gift or not.

Premium gift on TF2 gives premium perks... only on TF2. You can trade, have better backpack space and such but as you didnt actually pay steam anything steam will not give you it's own special features.

Originally posted by CST:ORG Mercato S>Secret TC:

Premium gift on TF2 gives premium perks... only on TF2. You can trade, have better backpack space and such but as you didnt actually pay steam anything steam will not give you it's own special features.

hm strange lol i didn't know that.

Originally posted by MA☝Omgwtfbbqstfu™:

anyways are you sure you traded for a gift, or didyou get a backpack expander..

i looked at your bp, you do not have a hire date badge, meaning you aren't premium. show us a screenshot of your backpack inventory history page, should show if you traded for a premium gift or not.

He must have had a premium gift, because his number of backpack slots is 300 and not 150.
The hire badge is also awarded to F2P, it takes at least 7 days for it to drop.

Maybe Steam just takes a while to "notice" you now have a premium game before the Steam premium features become available. I assume you have tried restarting Steam.

I too find it hard to believe the premium gift would not give you full community access. That you haven't used a credit card should only prevent you from selling in the Community Market.

Anyway, it should not be hard to find someone willing to give you a DOTA 2 invite (I don't have any), as they are practically worthless. People sell them for 1 crate each.

Originally posted by Uranium235:

I too find it hard to believe the premium gift would not give you full community access. That you haven't used a credit card should only prevent you from selling in the Community Market.

Well lately, you need to activate/purchase a gift and then wait 15 days to even be able to trade. He's lucky his account is old and doesn't have restrictions like that.

Either way, since TF2 is F2P and when you activate a premium gift all you get is a "DLC" for it I think Steam doesn't count that as a purchase. Adding wallet to your account counts as a store transaction, even if you don't buy anything for 30 days, you'll be allowed to use the Community Market so I assume you automatically get Steam premium features as well. Dota 2 on the other hand is not F2P yet and you need a subscription for it in order to play.

The 15 days trade restriction because of Steam Guard applies to everyone, regardless of premium, F2P, what game (TF2 DOTA 2) or when you added a game to your inventory.

The thing is, that Steam says: "once you have games in your Steam account" (that are not F2P), not: once you made a purchase.
The only thing you get restricted in if you haven't made a purchase within a year that I have heard of until now, was selling at the Community Market.

Since you can get an unlimited Steam account by redeeming "a Gift or Guest Pass on Steam" or activating "a retail game on Steam", that do not require you to make a purchase with Steam too, I see no reason why using an Upgrade to Premium Gift should not work the same way.

If it does not, and I don't really know if it should, I think that would not make sense and be just wrong.

I recently gave an Upgrade To Premium Gift to a friend. Contrary to the wiki I have not received my Professor Speks yet, which I assumed would happen right away. So I think there is a chance this is just a glitch or simply needs some time.
Getting the hiring badge takes at least a week too, for some odd reason.

But I don't know either.

Originally posted by Uranium235:

The 15 days trade restriction because of Steam Guard applies to everyone, regardless of premium, F2P, what game (TF2 DOTA 2) or when you added a game to your inventory.

The thing is, that Steam says: "once you have games in your Steam account" (that are not F2P), not: once you made a purchase.
The only thing you get restricted in if you haven't made a purchase within a year that I have heard of until now, was selling at the Community Market.

Since you can get an unlimited Steam account by redeeming "a Gift or Guest Pass on Steam" or activating "a retail game on Steam", that do not require you to make a purchase with Steam too, I see no reason why using an Upgrade to Premium Gift should not work the same way.

If it does not, and I don't really know if it should, I think that would not make sense and be just wrong.

I recently gave an Upgrade To Premium Gift to a friend. Contrary to the wiki I have not received my Professor Speks yet, which I assumed would happen right away. So I think there is a chance this is just a glitch or simply needs some time.
Getting the hiring badge takes at least a week too, for some odd reason.

But I don't know either.

your friend chooses the person to give the prof speks to on account activation, an alert comes up like the new item alert and you choose who "helped you"...so its up to him not you...