Since TF2, L4D and other large titles, many of us use the Steam program found at http://store.steampowered.com/. If you never used or heard of the program, it allows you to use many benifits as a gamer to make life easier. Keeps track of games you bought and keeps them up to date. It allows you to download games and install them without CDs. Great for reformats! It also allows you to keep track of your buddies and what games they are played much like xfire. It'll show their status, stats and who they are playing with.

Now Steam offers select titles, but you can add any program to your steam games tab and run them from there. Why would I want to do this? Well many don't know this, but you can access your buddy list and chat windows what in any fullscreen game including 2142! It's awesome as an admin because it allows anyone in-game to contact me and I can responde you much easier. Plus I dont miss the message since it waits for me unlike the annoying in-game chat. It'll also tell all your Steam buddies your playing 2142, BF2 or whatever you add. Heck, you can even add Hearts to the program and tell everyone your playing

Well, once in have Steam installed, goto your "My Games" tab. Then click add non-steam game. This'll scan your start menu for shortcutts of any program you have listed. Find what you want to add, check it and click add. If you like me and dont have 2142 in your start menu, click browse and find the main .exe (like: bf2142.exe). Once you found it, add it. Heres the kicker, if your shortcut have added exe code like "+widescreen 1" you'll need to readd this in Steam. Heres how you do it: right click on the game. Then click properties. Then in the "Target" field add the directory and code (like: "C:\Program Files\Electronic Arts\Battlefield 2142\BF2142.exe" +menu 1 +widescreen 1).

Now as long as you start the game from Steam, you can enjoy the benifits of Steam while playing any non-steam game like BF2142. remember to use Shift+tab to access Steam while in-game!