No more affiliation with steam?, Flayra/Max Options

[haymo]

We don't have any firm plans here yet but I'm quite sure we WILL have one. Now that we are able to sell the game from our own web site, I wouldn't be surprised if we sold pre-orders which let you play the beta before it was released. That would be a great way for us to raise some extra money to make sure we would ship an incredible game.

Sounds like they wont be going through steam anymore. Seems like a bit of a shame as steam is the leading in game distribution software on the Internet, is very successful in minimising game piracy and also the anti-cheat and good server-browser, oh and in-game friends, seeing what they're and the ability to join friends games etc etc etc etc

However, I could be wrong.

[SentrySteve]

Sounds like they wont be going through steam anymore. Seems like a bit of a shame as steam is the leading in game distribution software on the Internet, is very successful in minimising game piracy and also the anti-cheat and good server-browser, oh and in-game friends, seeing what they're and the ability to join friends games etc etc etc etc

However, I could be wrong.

I didn't read this as "now we're not using Steam." Instead I read it as "now we have more options, and if need be, we can do our own digital release from our site." If they want to 'unite the world through play' they'll need Steam's significant player base.

[Comprox]

They will most definitely be selling through Steam still, but likely other methods as well (like they did with Zen of Sudoku).

[ryknow69]

I will surely not buy it from site, Steam always seemed easier to me than paying to a site.

[SentrySteve]

I will surely not buy it from site, Steam always seemed easier to me than paying to a site.

It really depends. Buying from the site remove's Valve's cut from the profits of the game (aka NS2 devs get more money).

Also, since NS2 is now being developed on a different engine, it may not even support Steam community features. For example, I bought CoD4 over Steam but I cannot use the friend list to join CoD4 games or view what server my friends are on. This is the same for UT2k4.

Also, after watching how Valve consistently screws up patches for CoD4 (and the horrible botched release of CoD4 over Steam) I've said I'd no longer buy third party games over steam. I've stuck to that, and couldn't be happier. Now I can get patches the day they're released, instead of two days late.

[TychoCelchuuu]

On the other hand, because I bought Company of Heroes over Steam, when they screwed up the patching and everyone else had to reinstall, my game was perfectly fine. I can install it anywhere at ~3 megs a second and I don't have to give my credit card details to any additional sources. Red Orchestra, which I also bought through Steam (although that's the only option), lets me use the community features perfectly well and they even released a mod for that over Steam.

[Shockwave]

I've seen both good & bad uses of Steam, so it really comes down to how the UWE guys do it, for me. If it's fully integrated properly, preferably right down to allowing the use of the Overlay, then I'd probably be genuinely interested.

However, there's been quite a few titles where effectively Steam has done nothing but increase the cost and complication over installing from disc (which is exceedingly silly) and not provided anything extra in the process.

I'd like to think the UWE guys are usability-aware enough to realise this, but worth noting.

[darktimes]

personaly i have problems whit steam buying, maybe im just to old fashioned, but it wont accept my creditcard, and i like real cds more anyway.

so, is it possible to make a deluxe edition whit CDs sold in stores or internetstores (mediamarkt here in swiss. or amazone..)
i would really appreachiate (sp) that.

[CanadianWolverin...]

I could have sworn a lot of the problems I am reading here about Steam and 3rd party had to do with how much those 3rd party developers/publishers were willing to integrate it into Steam and that they even set the price, not Steam, yet they catch the flak if these comments are anything to go by. Unless I misunderstood what I read about Steamworks and other back end stuff when I was checking into if they were going to have Sins of a Solar Empire on there.

The only issues I have heard of holding water against Steam was refunds for games that don't work (but sometimes they do if they are bugged enough, I guess) and selling of a used copy of a game. Would be interesting if you de-activate a game you have on Steam, then send that activation to a friend.

This post has been edited by CanadianWolverine: Oct 20 2008, 03:24 PM

[ryknow69]

Eh, Cana is right, most of the problems are due to the 3rd Party itself, not steamworks.

[Marenz]

tbh, since valve put out steam, i stopped playing ANY valve games (including hl:ns). one reason was that it didn't accepted my legally bought key and i had my cd-case no longer at that time (yes hl costed only about 10euro at that time, but the simple fact that it happened was enough for me).

Thinking about all that DRM stuff makes me sick, i don't want that steam thing having any power over things I bought and play. I just remember a news saying that walmart is shutting down their DRM servers for drm-protected music files, means that ppl never again can unlock their music once they copy/reinstall it. its the same with steam. if they're gone your copy is also gone (sure, you can pirate it, but why would you buy it then anyway?)

if I was forced to play ns2 over steam.. that really would reduces the chances drastically for me to play ns2 at all.. maybe on an own unlocked server and cracked steam version.. dunno.. ( i would buy it ofc)

still i guess i would do it just to see ns2 .. but ->

This post has been edited by Marenz: Oct 21 2008, 07:06 PM

[Flayra]

We still plan on releasing NS2 on Steam. It's a huge great platform and I think we'd be crazy not to release there.

As far as community features go, we have already integrated Steamworks into NS2 and we may just use that for even the non-Steam versions.

[Max]

I'd add that we think a lot about the same issues/concerns/gripes people have mentioned in this thread.

[the_x5]

We still plan on releasing NS2 on Steam. It's a huge great platform and I think we'd be crazy not to release there.

Heh, well that killed the rumors nice & quick! gj Charlie.

As far as community features go, we have already integrated Steamworks into NS2 and we may just use that for even the non-Steam versions.

And that means what, exactly? I'm afraid I'm not following...

[Align]

Steam Community features? Auto-updates?
http://www.steampowered.com/steamworks/

[haymo]

^^ sweet

[mrloudtrousers]

Does this mean that the copy I preordered will work through steam or allow me to sign into steam friends list etc? It would really suck if the people who preorder the collectors edition for $40 early (like me), end up having a non-steam version and the people who pay $20 on release get a steam version.

IMO, having it on steam is great because you can get to your games anywhere, and use the friends list to join servers with friends. I would really consider this preorder an inferior version if a steam version comes out later.

[weclock]

I'd like to have the option to both be in-steam and be out of steam.

[steppin'razor]

Obviously the testing releases can be done however UWE sees fit, but I really hope the version I just pre-ordered is supported by steam.

[BadMouth]

What I want to know is will there be NS2 in a good old fashioned box, with a CD and a manual. Cos I'm a sucker for box art and manuals.