I would focus purely on Steam, having your own launcher is neat, but it does add workload. You have to keep the launcher updated, you have to maintain a server which does all the version checking and all that jazz.
With steam you can theoretically do away with the launcher and just use the Steam API to deliver updates and such. With the added benefit that Steam can do “Verify Local Game Files” or somesuch which can fix just a single corrupted file, instead of having to re-download and re-install the entire game from scratch.
I say ditch the stand-alone launcher, go full Steam ahead.
Personally, I think Steam is the more logical option, as it provides many good features that can improve the users experience, and I think the positives far outweigh the negatives of privacy, and inconvenience for a tiny fraction of people.
I do think torrented may be an issue with steam, but there are ways to work around that, and so I think we should focus on steam and optimise the game for that.
In my opinion, I think that Steam would improve the users experience with the chat and the workshop. The game will also have more visibility so more people can buy it.
Nothing wrong with making the game Steam-compatible. However, I am strongly opposed to Steam-exclusivity and would like the standalone launcher to be retained. I do not have a Steam account, nor do I want to have to make one just to launch a single game.
Steam is a great platform and marketplace. It would be very good for this game to be there, especially from a marketing perspective: It is a community of gamers, looking for games to play.
I really don’t like having a separate launcher with a separate user account to remember just to play this game. If I feel like playing Automation, I have to find the launcher or even login to website, download launcher, wait for updates to apply and then play. I think Steam will be faster and easier to start the game up.
I currently have 150+ games on Steam and it works great for managing my library of games.
I would prefer a stand alone launcher. I personally had a bad experience with steam 4 years ago that disabled all my game library while deployed to Iraq. I dont like having all my eggs in one basket so to speak.
I’m game for Stream only, just let us know how/when keys would be converted to Steam key’s. I’ll add it next time I’m one steam.
Thanks, and Kudo’s to the Beta team for the great work!
I vote option 2, I honestly can’t imagine not wanting a steam account. I’m sure anyone who has to get one will find they’ve been missing out on something awesome.
I’m probably one of the biggest Steam haters you can find. Purely on my user experience with their platform. It loads anything (even stuff like library or my profile) annoyingly slowly, pointless annoying pop-up ads, defaulting to shop (and then waiting for essentially another advertisement to load) when you open client back after putting it in task bar, waiting for their damn client to patch before I can play my games, insisting on downloading and installing stuff I know it doesn’t have to install because I already have it before it let’s me to play my damn game. I also don’t care for their business practices with stuff like that whole steam card trading / levels shenanigans that only serve to squeeze more money out of people who don’t know any better. Not a real problem for me though since it doesn’t really affect me. So yeah I’d rather have it on GOG as far as large distribution platforms go.
With that said you are stretched thin as it is so extra work load (for my own convenience) of maintaining 2 versions of the game and your own launcher/patcher/DRM isn’t good idea.
I am totally against steam and i wouldnt have bought this game if the “early access” were on steam. I own ~20 games on steam but i still dont like it, i always choose other options if the game offer it! There arent many disadvantages of steam but the few of them let me have always an antipathy against it. You as a dev will always be bonded to steam. for me as a customer there are other things that happen and could happen in the future. Its like having his complete environment in the apple universum. Sooo many like it, they love it, they stay there whatever this imperium will make and will defend the policy. Will you choose money over wishes from a minor group? steam is for the laziness people, thats the main point why steam got so popular. And they even dont think about the problems comming from such a plattform. Or they dont wanna know it. But from my experience games that had 2 launchers (steam + their own), always their own launcher variante works better. e.g. Arma2 for steam? Horrible! steam workshop? 50/50 that is works. having your game sold for 3$ on the sommer sale? have fun!
WHY Steam? Isnt GOG (launcher, auto update) offering nearly the same for you? Or other platforms beside EA, Ubisoft and steam? For me GOG is offering a much better system.
I play Arma3 with realism mods. me and my clan will never use the steam workshop to manage the mods. I had enough “fun” with it on other games.
edit hehe Janekk, dito. but our text wont help us. too many for steam
I think problem Automation team could have with GOG is no DRM policy and I actually think this is one of rare circumstances where DRM actually helps. It isn’t big and known enough to have “high-profile crack teams” look at it and at the same time I bet a lot of people would first look for “tpb version” before even thinking about buying.
There arent many disadvantages of steam but the few of them let me have always an antipathy against it. You as a dev will always be bonded to steam. for me as a customer there are other things that happen and could happen in the future. Its like having his complete environment in the apple universum. Sooo many like it, they love it, they stay there whatever this imperium will make and will defend the policy. Will you choose money over wishes from a minor group? steam is for the laziness people, thats the main point why steam got so popular. And they even dont think about the problems comming from such a plattform. Or they dont wanna know it. But from my experience games that had 2 launchers (steam + their own), always their own launcher variante works better. e.g. Arma2 for steam? Horrible! steam workshop? 50/50 that is works. having your game sold for 3$ on the sommer sale? have fun!