Hi,
I have played since the 2038 game launched some years ago.
Since I have a decent pc with no dvd player, I cannot get the game to run anymore?
I have the steam version which I’m not sure will work here?
I used to have the DVD copy, but I cannot find and or run it anyway - I have no DVD player?
How can I please get back into my favourite game?
Any and all help appreciated, I’m not a techie, so please treat me like an idiot when explaining!
Hello there, welcome back 
The Steam version will indeed not work. If you catch glimpses of processes that claim to use it, these still require the original game (and only throw Steam into the mix to track gametime through Steam anyway). So TL;DR, the original game is required.
Now since you don’t have an optical drive, you’ll need to acquire a legitimate ISO of the original game. You may copy your own DVD into an ISO through an external optical drive or some such, or otherwise acquire an ISO through legitimate means. For more help with this step, you may also ask around in the project’s Discord server: London 2038
For the installation process, some useful links, and common issues, you may consult the installation guide here: London 2038 Detailed Installation Guide – London 2038 – For the Living!
Hope this helps.
I have no idea how to do any of this sadly.
I got the game working on my last PC, but have no idea how to achieve this now.
I cannot locate my own DVD, must have lost it moving house - is there only way I can use the steam version?
No, unfortunately (in terms of convenience) not. Steam on its own does not work with 2038, and any installations that do use it still use the original game as the foundation. So you’d still need the original regardless (and Steam doesn’t add anything to the game anyway, beyond gametime tracking).
In short, you’ll need a DVD or ISO of the original game. In this regard I can only direct you to legitimate platforms like Amazon and Ebay, as we cannot in any way condone or facilitate piracy. However, you may ask around on the project’s Discord server in case other players can provide additional directions.