Steamworks

[Backov]

Originally Posted by mpdeveloper_B

If you want to have access to everyone using steam, why don't you just submit your game to steam instead, steamworks is just for copy protection, and to keep them from stealing it.

Your opinion, or your response from Mike?

[Bad Sector]

Really, i just wonder *how else* you think one can access steam's users without publishing his games on steam?

In any case, if i remember correctly at some interview Gabe Newell said that if you want to put your game in Steam just email them. If they think that the game is good, they'll put it, otherwise they won't. Just like most places out there. And Steam has many indie games in there (even an indie category - although i'm not sure if this is good or bad...) so there isn't anything like "Valve will only put AAA games".

[tagged]

Well after I saw steam announce the release of "Prison Tycoon 3" I realized they are not strict in quality AT ALL

If anyone has tried that game, it's terrible. Must have taken one person 4 months of work with no time to balance or fix bugs... Sad to see that such a crappy game can get on steam while so many brilliant indie games are left in the cold

[mpdeveloper_B]

Originally Posted by Backov

Your opinion, or your response from Mike?

mike mentioned it in a message that i posted here, he also said that steam is for big name developers and indies alike, all you have to do is submit your game to them for evaluation and when they are selling they just ask for a percentage of sells rather than you paying them upfront or montly

[mpdeveloper_B]

Originally Posted by Bad Sector

In any case, if i remember correctly at some interview Gabe Newell said that if you want to put your game in Steam just email them. If they think that the game is good, they'll put it, otherwise they won't.

that's 100% true, i had asked mike about it and that's the response i got, and as in the post before this one they only ask for percentage out of each sell rather than upfront costs

[mot]

Steam certainly looks like a good place to sell games.

Some questions about the toolkit:

1. If someone uses this SDK to add some multiplayer functionality into a game, does it require connecting to Valve's Steam servers or is it possible to have one's own? I mean one to keep the player identities, highscores etc.

2. Mac port, ever?

[Klaim]

Yeah, that's the main question technically : Do they provide the server side application?

[mpdeveloper_B]

i wouldn't think any of those features would be with steamworks, i may ask him

[vjvj]

It sounds to me like Valve is trying to separate the notion of Steam as a "publisher" vs. Steam as a "platform".

So if you aren't being published/sold through Steam but are going through Steamworks, you gain all the benefits of being on the Steam platform (anti-piracy, auto-updates, digital distribution, community stuff, etc.) but still have to find your own customers to sell to.

Sounds pretty compelling, although it might be a bit weird for some of us to require a Steam download/install to run the game. The casual market might take some time to accept that.

[OremLK]

I wouldn't bother with Steamworks for casual games, anyway; the biggest benefits you're getting are the community/multiplayer aspects, and all of that stuff is very hardcore gamer-focused. As far as DRM goes, I don't know the details, but I've heard that Steam games are very easy to pirate, easier than other DRM schemes.

[mpdeveloper_B]

Originally Posted by OremLK

I wouldn't bother with Steamworks for casual games, anyway; the biggest benefits you're getting are the community/multiplayer aspects, and all of that stuff is very hardcore gamer-focused. As far as DRM goes, I don't know the details, but I've heard that Steam games are very easy to pirate, easier than other DRM schemes.

well, any game WILL be pirated, but the thing is if your game is pirated from steam, they can't use steam with it, so they can't get updates, play multiplayer , etc. so they lose all the benefits of it being on steam

[Klaim]

As far as DRM goes, I don't know the details, but I've heard that Steam games are very easy to pirate, easier than other DRM schemes.

The fact is that their games are easy to pirate ONCE it have been done. But what they arg is that it takes at least one week to break the game, instead of few hours or -x hours (like often in the traditional distribution system).

So for their games, it's "good enough" : it protects enough to let the game make money before it becomes much easily available.

[Nikster]

I seen it has been release.. clicky

[Klaim]

Another page describing more technical details have been published : https://partner.steamgames.com/docum...nning_on_steam

[cliffski]

did anyone ever get a reply back from them?

[ChrisP]

Originally Posted by cliffski

did anyone ever get a reply back from them?

Nope. Mind you, I only sent the one email, and that about a week ago, so I'm not terribly surprised. But if nobody else has heard back either, that's a bit worrying...

[mot]

I tried twice and never got a reply.

[defanual]

Perhaps if you said you were from ubisoft (or someone of similar status), bet they'd of replied in no time

[Klaim]

You might want to read this thread : SpaceDude did get in touch but it don't seem to be verry...(how would i say....happy?)

http://www.ogre3d.org/phpBB2/viewtop...r=asc&start=25

[defanual]

Hmm, I kinda suspected this, sounds like the case is the same for wiiware http://www.warioworld.com/apply/wii.html

Oh well, none are as open/free as suggested, and depending on who you are, theres not much of a revolution as alluded, but if your a known or established indie, things are looking good, if your not, it looks like the pc & web are still your starting point and main proving ground

[cliffski]

not to mention your one opportunity to take 90% rather than 30% of the money...

[defanual]

Originally Posted by cliffski

not to mention your one opportunity to take 90% rather than 30% of the money...

Oh yeah, that as well!