SEIV via Steam - Page 2

wilhil · #11 January 12th, 2006, 05:49 PM

Is it just me, or is almost everyone here really paranoid about steam!

ahhh, im not going to get involved in this!

Ragnarok-X · #12 January 12th, 2006, 06:00 PM

I have to admit im pretty dissapointed. Even only considering to combine SEV with steam (not important for what, but even the simple thought) feels like Aaron has lost his mind and is looking to make as many $$$ as possible. I was always happy with SEIV being a niche product, but if a game gets in contact with steam, i will most probably not even consider buying it. Im really very dissapointed, on a moralic level.

Fyron · #13 January 13th, 2006, 12:04 AM

Quote:

wilhil said:
Is it just me, or is almost everyone here really paranoid about steam!

It's pretty much just you.

Ragnarok-X, the publicaly stated goal was always to get SE5 in the mass retail market... Steam is just another distribution channel.

TheDeadlyShoe · #14 January 13th, 2006, 07:37 AM

Quote:

I have to admit im pretty dissapointed. Even only considering to combine SEV with steam (not important for what, but even the simple thought) feels like Aaron has lost his mind and is looking to make as many $$$ as possible. I was always happy with SEIV being a niche product, but if a game gets in contact with steam, i will most probably not even consider buying it. Im really very dissapointed, on a moralic level.

Don't be silly. The man needs to eat, and it's no skin off your back or anyone elses, so where's the problem?

Digital delivery is FTW as far as independent games are concerned.

Some people may know that Darwinia was released via Steam recently. This was an excellent idea. It made purchasing and acquiring the game very easy. Frankly, I'm mildly irritated with having to mail order everything, and I've got so many CDs already that I've already exceeded my ability to organize them.

Combat Wombat · #15 January 13th, 2006, 01:00 PM

Its not like Aaron is sitting in a cozy office at the top of his skyscraper counting his money lol. He is probaly slaving over a hot computer right now making SEV as good as he can.

Phoenix-D · #16 January 13th, 2006, 05:36 PM

Digital delivery is good, Steam isn't. I'll put up with it for multiplayer only games like Red Orchestra, but for SEV? CD, please.

wilhil · #17 January 13th, 2006, 08:22 PM

ahh, I will say it anyway...

this is prety much what I said in the other topic.

Steam is good IF you have a fast internet connection and fast computer only so you only see the benefits.

As I did before when people were complaining, watch my video at http://media.putfile.com/steam77 max it to full screen, I have a high res, if you dont, it may come up weird, when HL is open in the top left corner, I was seeing that full screen.

Steam is brilliant for digital distribution, and for DRM, it is not that bad.

I will never buy a digital only product unless it is MUCH cheaper, I like to have something to show if I spend money, I on the other hand bought one digital program when they offered a upgrade for half the price, and I could download a iso to burn, I saw no reason not to.

I am against DRM when it affects the end user, I have so many old games (+5 years) that are no longer working due to broken drm software, (I know this as when I used a nocd, it got my game working), DRM seems to only affect legitament users, My post - http://www.gamedev.net/community/for...opic_id=353819

If they manage to get a drm that only affects pirates, I would be fine with it, but at the moment it only really seem to affect the propour owner, With steam, I had a hell of a time joining HL2 with steam, but once I did, it is much better, (e.g. look at the vid, you will see the benefits!)

As I said, Steam slows down a game loading SLIGHTLY, and I hate the fact that joining a game is hell, but once you have it is bliss!

I will not get SEV if it is steam only, but it is not, so I am ok, however it is as it says, and cd as well, that is perfect, I hope it is like halflife generations, I have that on cd, I can install it from cd, or like in the video, I can go to a new pc, install steam and play straight away without any hasstle.

people worrying about steam is being paranoid, in 5 years, I predict that if not steam, there will be one digital distribution system that will be big, it is the future. more and more houses get broadband each day, I am in the UK, they have just rolled out 24Mb/s ADSL2+, I like the fact I can load steam on my pc, click on a game, and just load it quickly, I have a fast pc, I do not even see the overhead of loading it.

I have repeated points over and over again here, hopefully it will stick and you will understand!To sum it up : I personally do not mind drm in steam, because as I said, it is invisible to the end user, and the game runs fast, and efficent. I will never buy a steam only game, (unless it is much cheaper, and only available this way), when I can have a physical copy, but I like having a physical copy and at the same time being able to do one click and install games from any pc without touching a cd.

Thanks

Fyron · #18 January 13th, 2006, 08:27 PM

Quote:

I have repeated points over and over again here, hopefully it will stick and you will understand!

The best part is that it goes both ways, wilhil.

wilhil · #19 January 13th, 2006, 09:37 PM

I am just trying to be honest here and not take a one sided look at steam,

I know that if you live in a area where there is no broadband or fast internet then you will not benefit, and should be able to get a cd, or just so you can play solo.

That being said, I think steam will be the holy grail for indies, It allows publishing at a much better rate, and the developer has a lot more control, hence valve distributing games themselves now.

I just hope as I said, it will not be the only choice, As I said, I would personally like to have the option to use steam as a distribution platform, and only that. I own a cd, I can then choose to activate a product on steam, then I can install either by cd, or steam... I am sorry if it is annoying to keep refearing it, but that vid of me showing loading HL on a new machine really does show how good it is.

Frankly, with the DRM overheads, that is not to much of a problem, as much as I am not a big fan, it is much better than any other soloution on the market, I know it will be supported for years to come, and frankly the sort of games being released like SEV, HL2 and more require a beefy pc to run good, so if you have the hardware needed, you will not see the overheads.

I have got here a game called incoming, I installed it, I got a CTD error during loading, as a programmer I instantly recognised the error being a unsupported call that had been taken out the xp kernel to do with the cd drive, I downloaded a no-cd program, and the game worked fine.

I wish I lived in a world where developers did not need to use such methods, but they do, and steam is good as drm because it will always be updated, and game son it, I will be sure can work with my pc in 5-10 years from now. Yes it is a chance valve could go out of business, but that is really not likly.

but on a sad note, I think that pc gaming will become less popular ovre the next 5 years due to copy protection, and things like steam will accelerate it. I remember now about 3-5 years ago, I have always had more than one pc here, I could have a few friends around and install HL, or C and C, or any other game to multiple machines (c and c allowed this with multi playable disks), and have a damn good time together playing games, now places do not allow the same serial key to be used across a lan. I can buy halo and play 4 people on the same console, but I have to buy 4 copys of halo PC edition to do the same thing on the computer... It is not fair! as DRM comes better, I think that pc gaming will die out... well at least for RTS, FPS games. Games like SE will be safe as long as they listen to the fans. I will be happy to play for years to come as long as I am allowed to have a copy on my pc and laptop, and can transfer saves easily! I know SEV may have better protection, from seeing the info that beta testers had to give, but I just hope that I will be easily able to copy folders and the game just works without doing anything. I like copying the folder to a new pc and it just works!

anyway, ending rant, I could go on forever!

JAFisher44 · #20 January 14th, 2006, 12:58 AM

I don't have a problem with digital distribution. My problem is with authentication. The fact of the matter is that if a game requires authentication over the internet, through a company to work IN ANY WAY then I don't want it. Or at least I don't want to pay for it. The problem arises from the fact that I have no certainty that the game will continue to work as long as I own it (which will be the rest of my life.)