Steam or direct from Frontier? - the demise of an Xbox player

[CMDR Theolan]

Ok, so I’ve taken delivery of a gaming PC that exceeds the spec for Odyssey, so hopefully no problems there.
Someone in another thread said “when I say PC I mean Frontier and not Steam”.
If I purchase Odyssey through Steam at some point in the future do I run the risk of being ditched like I was as an Xbox player?
Do I purchase through Steam or Frontier?

 

[Ettanin]

i recommend getting both from Frontier (albeit i'd recommend getting Odyssey at your own discretion due to it's high hardware requirements to get the expansion to work properly). Binding your account from Steam or Epic is cumbersome.

 

[NewBlacksmurf]

I went direct, I don't understand getting Steam but that's me. I don't need yet another launcher or app running.

If they stop supporting Steam...well it won't be just this game. I believe the only reason people use Steam for this is the VR folks.

 

[CMDR Theolan]

i recommend getting both from Frontier (albeit i'd recommend getting Odyssey at your own discretion due to it's high hardware requirements to get the expansion to work properly). Binding your account from Steam or Epic is cumbersome.

Thank you

 

[CMDR Theolan]

I went direct, I don't understand getting Steam but that's me. I don't need yet another launcher or app running.

If they stop supporting Steam...well it won't be just this game. I believe the only reason people use Steam for this is the VR folks.

Thank you

 

[Felix DiCestria]

I went with Frontier.
I know I'll have to get Steam to download X4 but I can get Steam free keys afterwards.

 

[stormyuk]

Frontier advantages, clean and easy install. Disadvantages, usually more expensive and hardly ever on sale.

Steam advantages, usually cheaper on sale more often and you can buy from other sources at discount. Disadvantages are it's forever intertwined with steam.

I went Frontier Store during the recent sale.

 

[Rochester]

The Frontier store is reliant on a rented server to download your install and updates, dependant upon your location this may result in longer download times.

This can be problematic when there are multiple patches each week.

I’m a UK backer, really great bandwidth and for several years used the FD store for launching the game, no problems generally, but recently patch installation began to take anything from 40 mins to 6 hours!

FD confirmed to me it was due to their server which was a bit glitchy, and problematic.

I already had Steam for other titles, and FD showed me where the free ED Steam key was within their store, which allowed me to link my existing profile to my Steam account; now patch installations take seconds.

Each to their own, buying from the FD store / Steam should not affect your statutory consumer rights, Steam is more likely to apply some discounts, their dedicated server may mean your installation / patch updates may be faster, and aesthetically speaking I prefer the Steam page, it’s easier to read the news etc.

 

[CMDR Theolan]

I went with Frontier.
I know I'll have to get Steam to download X4 but I can get Steam free keys afterwards.

Thank you

 

[CMDR Theolan]

The Frontier store is reliant on a rented server to download your install and updates, dependant upon your location this may result in longer download times.

This can be problematic when there are multiple patches each week.

I’m a UK backer, really great bandwidth and for several years used the FD store for launching the game, no problems generally, but recently patch installation began to take anything from 40 mins to 6 hours!

FD confirmed to me it was due to their server which was a bit glitchy, and problematic.

I already had Steam for other titles, and FD showed me where the free ED Steam key was within their store, which allowed me to link my existing profile to my Steam account; now patch installations take seconds.

Each to their own, buying from the FD store / Steam should not affect your statutory consumer rights, Steam is more likely to apply some discounts, and their dedicated server may mean your installation / patch updates may be faster.

Thank you

 

[CMDR Theolan]

Frontier advantages, clean and easy install. Disadvantages, usually more expensive and hardly ever on sale.

Steam advantages, usually cheaper on sale more often and you can buy from other sources at discount. Disadvantages are it's forever intertwined with steam.

I went Frontier Store during the recent sale.

Thank you

 

[Juniper]

If you buy from the Frontier store, you have the option then of buying additional copies when on sale (for different Commanders).

With Steam, you can't buy additional copies so you are fixed to playing one Commander only.

 

[stormyuk]

FD confirmed to me it was due to their server which was a bit glitchy, and problematic.

In contrast I am in the UK on a fast FTTH 300Mbps connection and did a fresh install of Elite and Odyssey last weekend on my PC and it flew down maxing my connection out on Windows 11.

No problems here.

Granted busy patch days might be more problematic but, the saying goes 'Don't play on patch days'

 

[Rochester]

In contrast I am in the UK on a fast FTTH 300Mbps connection and did a fresh install of Elite and Odyssey last weekend on my PC and it flew down maxing my connection out on Windows 11.

No problems here.

Yes I don’t think it’s a widespread issue,

There are also a few Windows systems which can interrupt the FD store link, including firewalls and Windows security; with Steam that’s never been an issue to date (so far).

 

[Ettanin]

It seems send download (in multiple threads) requests once-per-file, which means on very high speeds, your latency, even in the 20 ms range, in fact, can throttle the speed as a tiny amount of time passes between the finishing of the download of a small file and the acknowledgement of the download request for the next file. My gigabit line only managed 300 MBit/s while doing a fresh install of Horizons and is actually saturated on other services. If data would be downloaded in blocks instead (as Steam, f. ex., does), this effect wouldn't occur.

 

[Crusina Luachra]

Ok, so I’ve taken delivery of a gaming PC that exceeds the spec for Odyssey, so hopefully no problems there.
Someone in another thread said “when I say PC I mean Frontier and not Steam”.
If I purchase Odyssey through Steam at some point in the future do I run the risk of being ditched like I was as an Xbox player?
Do I purchase through Steam or Frontier?

I've def heard direct is the way to go.

Like with final fantasy XIV, it was a mistake to ever go buy it through steam. I can't imagine this would be any different.

 

[CMDR Theolan]

I've def heard direct is the way to go.

Like with final fantasy XIV, it was a mistake to ever go buy it through steam. I can't imagine this would be any different.

Thank you

 

[DJ]

I'm glad all my pestering of FDEV to get the original ED launchable via steam is so well appreciated by the pc Cmdr community!

@CMDR Theolan No, you can't get "ditched" as it's effectively just a modified EDO launcher for the exact same pc game... offering a glut of steamed perks. Evidently in the minority I find steam invaluable for my social gaming. I've never once tasted VR! No perceptible performance hit to EDO or W10 whatsoever imo. I do also play other games via steam though, which I feel, like @Rochester, makes it horses for courses.

More importantly, I hope the transition process arrives soon so that you can enjoy EDO on your newly purchased beast!

[ *Glut is most definitely an exaggeration of mine, given FDEV never capitulated to my Codex & Ranking cheevo demands... ]

 

[Mr T]

I've gone with Steam for the majority of my games, including ED with Odyssey. Mostly because Steam has lots of great sales so you can pick up games at a good discounted price. I've never had any issues running games via Steam.

 

[CMDR Theolan]

I'm glad all my pestering of FDEV to get the original ED launchable via steam is so well appreciated by the pc Cmdr community!

@CMDR Theolan No, you can't get "ditched" as it's effectively just a modified EDO launcher for the exact same pc game... offering a glut of steamed perks. Evidently in the minority I find steam invaluable for my social gaming. I've never once tasted VR! No perceptible performance hit to EDO or W10 whatsoever imo. I do also play other games via steam though, which I feel, like @Rochester, makes it horses for courses.

More importantly, I hope the transition process arrives soon so that you can enjoy EDO on your newly purchased beast!

[ *Glut is most definitely an exaggeration of mine, given FDEV never capitulated to my Codex & Ranking cheevo demands... ]

A belated ”Thank you” for the advice. I went with Steam. Simply couldn’t wait. I’m often described as being very patient but the wind was kinda knocked out of my sails playing Elite on the Box ever since the announcement to drop all console development, and I just stopped playing but didn’t want to give up on the game. So, PC account created via Steam and I started playing on my, I think you called it “newly purchased beast”? I tell you what though, WOW!!! What a difference in improved graphics and sound. I’ve also now connected it up to a projector and use headphones so I’m really immersed and just lose myself in the play. I jump out of my skin nearly every time I get interdicted now.
Re the transition… if my xBox account is getting a free Elite Horizons to copy to, I’m assuming that will be direct from Frontier? Well two PC accounts appears to be something a number of folk on the forums say is a useful thing to have and do??? So I’ll be playing via Steam and Frontier’s servers depending on which account I’m playing from. I suppose the question I had about Steam or go direct has sort of become redundant As far as Elite Horizons is concerned. The question to now ask is which account should I purchase Odyssey for? Is one server better than the other for that???
I’ve started spending all my ARX on xBox and have to admit to buying more even though I said “right that’s it, Frontier isn’t getting another penny out of me!” It occurred to me that if I’m going to spend cash out on extras then since they will be getting copied over I might as well benefit both the Box and my new best friend the PC. BOGOF. Not sure what I’ll then do but someone already has their eye on my xBox account as a hand-me-down.
I’m very grateful to Frontier for doing what they are with console transfers. I just wish they’d saved us all a bit of stress by prepping and delivering this at the same time as making their announcement to drop console development. Never mind, there’s a lot worse happening in the world and this is just a game, but I cant help marvelling at just how much it matters!
Thanks again for the advice.
See you in the black.