Re: SEV on Steam?
 

if SE5 had it's own built in auto updater/master server lists that would be cool. But beyond that steam and steam like game distributers are unesessary bloated crap. It wasn't broke, it doesn't need fixing. Only one I kinda like is guild wars. All you're account info is saved on their servers. It's like a 1 time subscription fee to buy th e account, then you either install from the cdrom or DL the client. GW isa muliplayer only game(nearly but not quite MMPORG) that is very 56k friendly, so no real single player mode and once a week or so a 3 MB update that installs in less then 20 minutes. It works for GW, and sorta works for CS, but for a game like space empires, hell no, that sort of distribution and DMR wold kill half the fun of the game.

Re: SEV on Steam?
 

Updates: http://malfador.com
Serverlist: http://seiv.pbw.cc

What's so hard about that?

Re: SEV on Steam?
 

Phoenix-D said:
"Arkcon: SEV is *not* going to be published on STEAM at the moment, so asking would be silly. Its a hypothetical question. "

True enough, there's nothing on the Strategy First press release quoted at the start of this thread that specifically mentions SEV ... but then again, it doesn't mention any titles at all! OK, so my question changes, "What does STEAM mean to Strategy First, the distributor of Malfador's product SEV ..." But the query is still kinda there.

Re: SEV on Steam?
 

What if malfador and/or shrapnel go out of business? What if you lose or break your cds? What if the pwb server crashes? I'm not at all thrilled about steam but some of the questions seem to apply to more traditional games delivery as well. The point about transferring games is a good one, though. Then again, most software is technically licensed, not sold, right? The L in EULA http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

Re: SEV on Steam?
 

If Malfador goes out of business, the patch is still available all over the web. Playing and updating the game is not dependent on a prorprietary DRM server scheme.

If PBW crashes, you can still play by email, or set up a replacement server easily. It is not dependent on proprietary DRM to play multiplayer, as Steam games are. Everybody has a full copy of the last turn's savegame, so there is little need for any downtime. When PBW was down for a few months a year or two ago, games continued via email or via PBW replacement site scripts. None of this is possible with Steam.

If you break your CD, you use your backup CD. With no shoddy DRM technology, exercising legal fair use rights is easy.

The license for the game is easily transferable. Delete your installation, give the CD away or sell it, bam, its transfered.

Re: SEV on Steam?
 

Don't you need a license key to play? Maybe I'm thinking of dominions II, it has been awhile since I reinstalled seiv...

Re: SEV on Steam?
 

That'd be Dominions 2. There isn't any CD-key for SEIV; even if there was, you could still play the game just fine... unless the game servers *have* to be online before you are allowed to play, in which case you go back to the problem with mandatory servers.

Re: SEV on Steam?
 

With keys, you can just write them on the surface of the CD and the backup.

Re: SEV on Steam?
 

1) I know it is hard for some people to fathom, but I have computers that are not connected to ANYTHING and they are still quite useful and fun.

2) What about installing the game on multiple computers in your home, so you can play on whatever one is not currently being used by someone else? That's fair use. Does steam allow that?

Re: SEV on Steam?
 

If SEV became a STEAM only product. I'd drop it like a leperous midget. I've had to deal with STEAM in the past when my kids tried (and failed) to install HL. I vowed never ever to touch it again. Even when titles like Ragdoll Kung Fu came along (something that I wanted for a long long time) I decided to not purchase it because it was a STEAM only download.

I'm dead set against STEAM in any form.
--
TAZ

Re: SEV on Steam?
 

have you tried steam recently?

I used to be a complainer about it, and to tell you the truth the early versions sucked, it sucks when you are forced to install it along with a game (such as when you buy HL2, read link I did in previous posts), it just plain sucks in any way to isntall it apart from:

installing from the internet, if you just do the normal download of steam, it installs very quickly and easily, you sign in, and then you can download easily and for free, any games you have already bought.

Personally it took ages for me to install HL2 with steam, and register it, I hated the process, but once it is there, BLISS!

converting games, like if you have HL classic installed, and install steam, and try to convert it, that is hell, and from what you said, I am guessing that is what you mean.. but it is something you only have to do the once.

Once the game is registered with steam, it is brilliant, if you get a new pc, all you have to do is download steam, type in account info, and double click the game, within mins (providing fast connection, it is all playable with patches configured..

not to try and be bad, but I was such a whiner saying how much I hated it, but once you realise how good it is, then you can understand it truly... infact, I will try right now, I am going to get a new pc, install steam, and play a game, I am going to record a video of it all right now so no one can complain about it!

as for everyone saying about going out of business, thinking about disaster.... just forget it, i will get slack for saying this, but we can deal with that whenever that ever happens...

Re: SEV on Steam?
 

I agree. I don't always have internet connection and I'd like to play my games without having to be online...

Do you have to be connected all the time to play, or is it just a one-time thing?

Re: SEV on Steam?
 

well, im ill, cant sleep, so I did it...

http://media.putfile.com/steam77

double click on the video when it loads to go in full screen, my res is 1280x1024, it may appear blurey if you use a smaller monitor, it was taken in real time at the full res.

also, when i was in game, ofr some reason it recorded it in the top left corner only... I was playing in full screen.

Re: SEV on Steam?
 

I beleive you do not have to be connected, as long as you do not sign out... I am not 100% sure on this, but I used to use it on my laptop, and apart from when I was at home, I had no connection, and I did play it away from here

Re: SEV on Steam?
 

Yeah you don't need a constant internet connection, as long as you do not log out you can use it offline

Re: SEV on Steam?
 

Just watched the video http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif good job
You can turn the pop ups about the games off in file>settings>messages>upcoming and new releases

Re: SEV on Steam?
 

glad you like it!

i am lucky to have a fast internet connection and a good computer... well that is a lab one, my main computer is even better http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif, that is just showing why I think steam is good, and SEv would be lucky to be on it.

as I said before, and I want to re say this, installing HL2 on a new machine, was hell, copying and converting a previous hl game to steam is hell... this is where you get horror storys, but once your game is on there, it is brilliant, and so simple to use!

as you can see from the video, when I said earlier that you can be in the game in less than 10 mins, I was not lying! with all the writing as well, I downloaded and installed steam, went ingame, went to training level, and moved around quickly, quit game, all in under 6 or 7 mins... I cant remember now, but anyway... video says it all, and from how they are promoting darwina, SEv can only hope to get the same treatment if it is realeased on steam!

Re: SEV on Steam?
 

why did i have to install steam, now I want to play cs or day of defeat a few times.... got to resist!

Re: SEV on Steam?
 

After thinking about it some more, I'd rather not have to use steam (or similar delivery system) either. The advantages do not outweight the disadvantages for me. But I can understand why some people would find it useful. Also, if it could be used by game developers to get freedom from big publishers, that sounds cool in theory.

Re: SEV on Steam?
 

Personally, I very much dislike the idea of buying something that does not exist in any other form than on my computer hard drive. Call me old-fashioned, but I like to have a disc in my hand, something physical that I can sell, copy, etc as I choose. Things like Steam make it difficult to exercise your rights as a consumer. Not to mention the fact that the whole "big brother" thing just isn't for me. I don't need some corporation to know whenever I play the game, how long I do it, etc etc ad nauseum. Not to mention the fact that a whole lot of people don't have high-speed internet, like me. It's just way too expensive if you live outside of a city. Which 50% of the world's population does. That's alienating a lot of your potential consumer base.

Re: SEV on Steam?
 

Space Empires is not a real-time game and thus not suited to the Steam platform, which is designed for fast-paced FPS games. SE on the other hand is a snail-paced 4X. Using Steam for SE makes no sense at all.

Re: SEV on Steam?
 

Steam may be convenient for some people, but I guess a little convenience is not enough for me. I don't want to have to answer to someone else to play a game that I own. I understand that software companies want to protect their rights, but if they think they can do it at the expense of mine they have another thing coming.

It would be really neat if I bought a copy of a game and steam went under. How am I gonna play it then?

Re: SEV on Steam?
 

Ok this thread has hit the point where people aren't reading previous posts, lets shut it down.

This thread is now closed for business, I think everyone that wanted to has made their point.

Re: SEV on Steam?
 

Jubilation!

Malfador said:
Thanks for the lengthy/thorough post. Not to worry, the CD version of the game does not require Steam to play. We’re only using it as a distribution channel at this point.

Re: SEV on Steam?
 

This is what I was hoping for, did anyone watch my video or read my posts properally?

as much as I am pro steam, I am anti digital distribution*, I think steam is a brilliant invention FOR PEOPLE WITH A FAST COMPUTER, AND FAST INTERNET, on my video, it shows me on a new pc, downloading steam, and then downloading half life at over 600kb/s then playing it within about 6-8 mins from start to finish!, I own a physical copy of half life.

I would love to be able to do what I did here, and buy a copy of sev, then register the serial key on steam, so then I can go to any pc, and just download the game, and put it in to a playable state quickly!

I am guessing this will be a either / or thing and not both, but as I said, steam really has its advantages.

* I have purchased upgrades through digital copys about 3 times as they gave a iso/bin to the file, and it was less than half the price of buying it normally, if I ever loose the file, I can re download for free, but I have a good working cd here!

by the way to fyron for a couple of your previous posts where you say about this, I am not against DRM in theory, content owners need a way to protect their work and enforce compliance. I am however against any sort of visable DRM that affects normal users, which is basically almost all drm products on the market today, please read that link I wrote in my earlier post, it will explain it all!

Re: SEV on Steam?
 

I read your posts entirely improperly. However that works... http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/cool.gif

Re: SEV on Steam?
 

Its called "off-site backups". Any responsible company does them.

Re: SEV on Steam?
 

How is an offsite backup gonna help anyone if valve goes tits up?