[rsaxvc]

Has anyone looked at SteamWorks? Apparently, you can set up free games in steam.

There's also a neat tool called Steam Cloud, that lets you store savegames/screenshots and other user-related things online. This way, just log into steam and you get your profile.

Here's the API

[The E]

Actually, no.

For one, SteamWorks licenses are only granted at Valve's discretion, or with an Unreal Engine 3 license.
Second, I do have my doubts if a potentially copyright-infringing mod like this one is considered eligible for this.

[TopAce]

Not if I were authoritative on the subject matter, but people complain a lot about Steam, so I don't expect we'll be using it.

[chief1983]

I complain about it less than I used to.  I get what they had to do, and in certain situations I'll use it.  But I still would prefer an DRM-free hard copy of a game.  Just can't seem to get that any more.

[Titan]

I'd prefer not to have to get into steam to play this. This mod is the whole reason I got into this community, though I'm less of a SW nut now.

[rsaxvc]

We could have a standalone kit too.

I recently got a new desktop and had space to install windows. I, for one, like Steam. I understand they may not take our game, but the idea of a system that manages gamefiles is great for the average user. Kinda stinks for developers / people making mods, but it makes it much easier to push out update, new maps, and make sure everyone has the same files. Also, free advertising.

You can still register discs with it too, if you like.

[Angelus]

Steam??? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. No. Seriously.

In all seriousness, i'm not sure what the team would do, even if there wasn't this copyright thing.
But i never ever gonna touch anything Steam related, not even with a ten foot pole.
What would be the benefits? The only thing i can think of is - NONE. AT. ALL.

[LordMelvin]

I think this website says it best.

[chief1983]

You gotta admit, it has a lot of benefits, and it doesn't have to include DRM if we don't want it to.  But the system we're currently moving towards is likely going to resemble Steam's functionality.

[Angelus]

You gotta admit, it has a lot of benefits, and it doesn't have to include DRM if we don't want it to.  But the system we're currently moving towards is likely going to resemble Steam's functionality.

Wait. This sounds like:

No place where the files are hosted ( you know, like any Mod team does it ), where everyone can download them.
And if the team decides to make updates, i can't choose if i want them or not.
Just because the game forces me to download updates everytime, regardless if i want them or not.  [/oh yeah, sounds like fun]


Seriously though, what is Steams functionality, what are the benefits of having it??
Does this apply only to the FotG team ( a team internal decision ) or is it a SCP thing in General?

[headdie]

it is a marketing and retail tool for valve, ohh and if you run single or early dual core processors current incarnations max out your processor at random intervals untill you exit out the processor and in the case of my single core athlon 64 makes the the system stutter even windows works iffy

[Angelus]

My questions have partially answered on IRC.

I still have mixed feelings about the new System. 

[Snail]

wat

[Thaeris]

I say no to Steam as it blows large chunks out of you-know-where.

You should say no as well. 

[chief1983]

Yeah I doubt we'd actually use Steam.  It'd be more like Impulse, which is sort of like Steam done right.  But no one knows what that is.  It's still going to be proprietary though.

[SpardaSon21]

more like Impulse, which is sort of like Steam done right

Win.  Go Impulse!

[Iss Mneur]

more like Impulse, which is sort of like Steam done right

Win.  Go Impulse!

Don't all of these platforms require that you charge for whatever you are offering on them?

[SpardaSon21]

No.

[chief1983]

Why on earth would they require that?  And like I said, we're not going to actually use one of those, but we're getting some ideas from them, and tweaking it to work best for the community and with the way things are already set up where necessary.

[Iss Mneur]

Why on earth would they require that?  And like I said, we're not going to actually use one of those, but we're getting some ideas from them, and tweaking it to work best for the community and with the way things are already set up where necessary.

Because they are a for profit enterprise?

Anyway, it seems I missed where the topic shifted to "the getting some ideas from them".

That being said, a project to bring a Steam or Impulse like system to FreeSpace is already in the works in the form of wxLauncher 2.0.  I should be posting the initial request for input within a week.