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Shapermc
Hot Sake!
Joined: 14 Oct 2004
Posts: 6279
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 Posted: Tue Jan 29, 2008 6:39 pm Post subject: I feel the need to discuss Steamworks (by Valve) |
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So, I assume that everyone knows by now that Valve has decided to release Steamworks, a back-end for digital distrobution, for free. Here's a list of what it does for free:
| Quote: | Steamworks offers:
Real-time stats on sales, gameplay, and product activation: Know exactly how well your title is selling before the charts are released. Find out how much of your game is being played. Login into your Steamworks account pages and view up to the hour information regarding worldwide product activations and player data.
State of the art encryption system: Stop paying to have your game pirated before it's released. Steamworks takes anti-piracy to a new level with strong encryption that keeps your game locked until the moment it is released.
Territory/version control: The key-based authentication provided in Steamworks also provides territory/version controls to help curb gray market importing and deliver territory-specific content to any given country or region.
Auto updating: Insures all customers are playing the latest and greatest version of your games.
Voice chat: Available for use both in and out of game.
Multiplayer matchmaking: Steamworks offers you all the multiplayer backend and matchmaking services that have been created to support Counter-Strike and Team Fortress 2, the most played action games in the world.
Social networking services: With support for achievements, leaderboards, and avatars, Steamworks allows you to give your gamers as many rewards as you would like, plus support for tracking the world's best professional and amateur players of your game.
Development tools: Steamworks allows you to administer private betas which can be updated multiple times each day. Also includes data collection tools for QA, play testing, and usability studies. |
Pretty hefty stuff just for free and I assume it will lure quite a few people into the Steam fold. But is this good or bad? I question it because this will seemingly make it a lot easier for people who've never thought of digital distribution for profit jump on board. Will games like Knytt end up coming out on Steam just because it's easier or will the indie spirit shine though?
Or is this just for bigger/smaller indie companies that can't seem to get ahead for things like Aquaria? Stuff that's going commercial but is having problems getting off the ground.
What are other people's thoughts on this?
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The average man has a secret desire to be a swaggering, drunken, fighting, raping swashbuckler.
-Robert E. Howard in a letter to a friend circa Decmber 1932
"There is no place in this enterprise for a rogue physicist!" |
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Worm
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Joined: 08 Jan 2008
Posts: 142
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| Posted: Tue Jan 29, 2008 6:59 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: | | Stop paying to have your game pirated before it's released |
Woah, they're paying people for this?
Anyway, Steam really beats out most Digital Distro systems, so I'm not particularly against it. I got Beyond the Sword on steam mainly because I didn't want to leave the house. Though something can't beat just being able to redownload a normal/transfer exe ad infinitum, as with DROD, or Geneforge. I'd include Devil Whiskey but they shut me out of my owning of their game after a year, WHAT DICKS.
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Exit stage left, exit stage right, there is no place to run, all the fuses in the exit signs have been BURNT OUT |
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The Great Unwashed
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Joined: 27 May 2006
Posts: 359
Location: Perth, Western Australia
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| Posted: Tue Jan 29, 2008 7:42 pm Post subject: |
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Steamworks seems like a great idea to me. Valve are really leading the way in online delivery and this seems to me like a really good step to show their commitment to the movement. God bless 'em.
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Harveyjames
the meteor kid
Joined: 06 Jul 2006
Posts: 3636
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| Posted: Wed Jan 30, 2008 6:14 am Post subject: |
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Yep, good stuff
The PC/Mac is not a huge market for gaming, though, right? Seems these guys would be better off getting their shit on WiiWare than getting a Steamworks license. Or would they? |
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ryan
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Joined: 20 Feb 2005
Posts: 999
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| Posted: Wed Jan 30, 2008 11:47 am Post subject: |
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The PC is still a very big market, and I'd assume the Mac as well seeing as how good Windows games play via Bootcamp and the upcoming big Mac releases (Spore for one), but it doesn't seem as such because the NDP doesn't track online sales (GamersGate, Direct 2 Drive, Steam, etc.). It's not as big as it used to be, but it's still very large, especially over there ... well, over there over another channel or so.
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Come to me, Mordel. We shall depart. |
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parkbench
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Joined: 02 Jul 2007
Posts: 145
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| Posted: Wed Jan 30, 2008 12:14 pm Post subject: |
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1984, Big Brother, Illuminati, Google controls the world, etc. etc.
What I mean to say is: this is a great move and I wonder how long it will take for people to come up with a conspiracy theory behind it.
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Shapermc
Hot Sake!
Joined: 14 Oct 2004
Posts: 6279
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| Posted: Wed Jan 30, 2008 7:21 pm Post subject: |
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Well, there's no conspiracy. I mean, it's obviously a move both to be pretty decent guys, and to make money at the same time. If Valve was acting like this was a completely altruistic move then they should be ashamed of themselves, but it doesn't appear that way.
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The average man has a secret desire to be a swaggering, drunken, fighting, raping swashbuckler.
-Robert E. Howard in a letter to a friend circa Decmber 1932
"There is no place in this enterprise for a rogue physicist!" |
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dhex
Breeder
Joined: 13 Dec 2004
Posts: 6319
Location: brooklyn, Nev Yiork
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| Posted: Wed Jan 30, 2008 8:36 pm Post subject: |
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there's no such thing as altruism.
also this is fucking scary as hell!
maybe the whole indie games thing is a bad idea after all.
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Harveyjames
the meteor kid
Joined: 06 Jul 2006
Posts: 3636
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| Posted: Wed Jan 30, 2008 8:52 pm Post subject: |
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You are fucking with me
PRISON TYCOON? Who would ever want to play that? |
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Dracko
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Joined: 10 Oct 2005
Posts: 2613
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| Posted: Wed Jan 30, 2008 8:58 pm Post subject: |
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Who wouldn't?
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Harveyjames
the meteor kid
Joined: 06 Jul 2006
Posts: 3636
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| Posted: Wed Jan 30, 2008 8:59 pm Post subject: |
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| Jeffery Archer? |
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The Great Unwashed
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Joined: 27 May 2006
Posts: 359
Location: Perth, Western Australia
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| Posted: Wed Jan 30, 2008 9:00 pm Post subject: |
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I dunno, that's a pretty neat idea! I'd be interested in playing it, pretty much just to see how many riots I could get.
Anyway, if you're disturbed that, I'd be more disturbed that it's the third in the series.
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Harveyjames
the meteor kid
Joined: 06 Jul 2006
Posts: 3636
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| Posted: Wed Jan 30, 2008 9:16 pm Post subject: |
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I watched a documentary where Louis Theroux visited prison, it was as depressing as all hell
Then again if you can make game boy games about war...!
Spore has that thing where if the animals mate, wacca-wacca porno music plays, so they shouild have the same in this game every time someone gets bummed. Then, I guess the game would be ok |
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dhex
Breeder
Joined: 13 Dec 2004
Posts: 6319
Location: brooklyn, Nev Yiork
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| Posted: Wed Jan 30, 2008 9:19 pm Post subject: |
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"bummed" in america means "sad" or "mildly depressed" you know.
i believe the term you're looking for is "buttfucked."
also shit yeah the third version: all's fair in love and warden!
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The Great Unwashed
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Joined: 27 May 2006
Posts: 359
Location: Perth, Western Australia
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| Posted: Wed Jan 30, 2008 9:34 pm Post subject: |
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Love and warden!
Promote that man.
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