Elite Dangerous now on Steam

[derv]

It's already well known an established that valve do not charge developers for acquiring keys to give out or sell elsewhere.

Exactly. So Frontier "looking in to it" probably means they are weighing up the options of more profit (making players pay for the same game twice over) against the fallout from annoying a significant chunk of their player base.

Do the right thing Frontier and sort out the steam keys already. This whole thing stinks of money-grabbing right now.

 

[Erik Marcaigh]

It's the perfect storm. On one side you have people who like Steam wanting something, i.e. keys, and on the other you have the 'grey-gamers' who barf at the Steam word and shake their little shrivelled fists in the air wishing the world would go back to 8-tracks and Reagan being in charge. It's catnip for forum trolls.

Wait, I really like Steam, and it's not only a good game launching platform, but a constant advertiser and point of sale too. I'm glad FDev branched out to it.
My fists aren't shriveled, but I would love Ronald Regan to be back in office. Tho at this point, he'd probably be President of the United Zombie States of America. And I think I'd be cool with that.
I'll pass on the 8-track. Cassette tapes were where it was at.

- - - - - Additional Content Posted / Auto Merge - - - - -

Do the right thing Frontier and sort out the steam keys already. This whole thing stinks of money-grabbing right now.

How about Frontier do the right thing right now and enjoy the long Easter weekend?

 

[Gold Member]

It's the perfect storm. On one side you have people who like Steam wanting something, i.e. keys, and on the other you have the 'grey-gamers' who barf at the Steam word and shake their little shrivelled fists in the air wishing the world would go back to 8-tracks and Reagan being in charge. It's catnip for forum trolls.

You should show some respect young'un. Steam, like everything else, doesn't last forever. But I suppose if a year is a long time for some people....10 years must seem like forever.

 

[Zigurd]

You think steam won't charge Frontier?

For giving keys to existing customers? Yes, that is exactly what I think. Do you have information that says otherwise?

 

[The Nude Wizard]

keep in mind there'd also be some "cost" in time and manpower from their point of view enabling a system to link accounts, changing website/backends etc so they might be waiting to see how successful selling on steam is first.

There is no way in hell this sort of thing was discussed and the idea of allowing existing users to get steam codes didnt come up, I'm more suprised they didnt address it when it was announced tbh. But hamfisting this sort of thing is de rigueur around here

 

[fearlessfrog]

You should show some respect young'un. Steam, like everything else, doesn't last forever. But I suppose if a year is a long time for some people....10 years must seem like forever.

Agreed, although I've been on Steam for over 10 years now. Let's hope Frontier don't ever turn off those servers though eh? Unlike a lot of steam titles that can be played fine offline, Elite D does require an online connection - and it ain't to Steam servers. Hopefully all these new Steam sales will keep the dream alive.

 

[Schpam]

Whats the deal with Elite Dangerous being marked up $10 on Steam ?

 

[Luniticisi]

Whats the deal with Elite Dangerous being marked up $10 on Steam ?

the goats crossing the bridge aren't enough?

 

[Armour]

Then what we are looking at in his post is his final word on the subject at that moment. From the information that he and Michael Brookes have at the time.

Yes. You are right. I have been corrected. I am a good boy and follow the rules. I will not even try to disagree with anything you say in future.

totally unrelated edit: I don't like the not-really-owning-anything-you-buy situation on Steam, but I will say one thing: their forums are refreshingly relaxed compared to some other forums.

 

[burtoner]

Just do what I doing, add Elite to steam as a non steam game, then other can see what your playing anyways..

 

[JeffRyan]

- The prevailing norm is to release games on Steam at the same time as not on Steam. The relationship with consumers starts on a sour note when you launch separately, because it's difficult not to see the initial launch as being about maximizing profit by denying Steam its cut, and then the move to Steam so quickly after launch as about, having exhausted the game's general demand, time to pick up the latent demand in the Steam audience. I don't think anyone is going to give Frontier the benefit of the doubt because of this.

Wow... I REALLY don't get this point of view at all. Why /should/ steam get the initial cut automatically. Frontier (as usual) have handled this all wrong, but in terms of trying to keep as much money on launch as possible instead of giving it to Steam... is that really so wrong? Why should mega-Steam get a cut of every new game that's out. If David and Co want an initial launch making their own money on their own work then good for them I say! Yes, launching later on steam to pick up the casuals makes perfect sense to me.

 

[Chance-]

Whats the deal with Elite Dangerous being marked up $10 on Steam ?

What do you mean? The game is 40 quid from elitedangerous.com and that is 60 usd. The game costs 60 usd on steam too.

 

[James Harper]

Interesting that you claim this. So why do we get an answer to the contrary about the same issue?



So if you claim that "multiple devs" have said it costs nothing, then why don't you link to those posts for us?

I don't know why a Community Manager chose to say such a thing (that Steam charges for the keys)

Look here:
http://www.steampowered.com/steamworks/

"It’s free: There’s no charge for bandwidth, updating, or activation of copies at retail or from third-party digital distributors."

http://steamcommunity.com/greenlight/faq/

"If my game is accepted through Steam Greenlight, can I give my previous customers keys for the Steam version?
Once your game is accepted for distribution on Steam, we will give you as many keys for your game as you want at no cost."

Is that proof enough for you?

And that greenlight faq isn't only applicable to greenlight, you can look here in the web archive: http://web.archive.org/web/20090226131820/http://www.steampowered.com/steamworks/

Same thing there.

More stuff: http://www.geekwire.com/2011/experiments-video-game-economics-valves-gabe-newell/
http://www.geekwire.com/2011/valves-newell-predicts-shakeup-for-closed-game-consoles/

Is all that proof enough for you?

You think steam won't charge Frontier?

Besides that, why do you want a steam key, you already have the game. I just dont get it.

See my post above (and many before that)
Valve doesn't charge for Steam keys to devs.

 

[Svahn]

Well, I certainly hope everyone who has purchased from the Frontier store will get a Steam key.

 

[TMorph]

I would like to activate the game on Steam.

 

[veelckoo]

I don't know why a Community Manager chose to say such a thing (that Steam charges for the keys)

Look here:
http://www.steampowered.com/steamworks/

"It’s free: There’s no charge for bandwidth, updating, or activation of copies at retail or from third-party digital distributors."

http://steamcommunity.com/greenlight/faq/

"If my game is accepted through Steam Greenlight, can I give my previous customers keys for the Steam version?
Once your game is accepted for distribution on Steam, we will give you as many keys for your game as you want at no cost."

Is that proof enough for you?

And that greenlight faq isn't only applicable to greenlight, you can look here in the web archive: http://web.archive.org/web/20090226131820/http://www.steampowered.com/steamworks/

Same thing there.

More stuff: http://www.geekwire.com/2011/experiments-video-game-economics-valves-gabe-newell/
http://www.geekwire.com/2011/valves-newell-predicts-shakeup-for-closed-game-consoles/

Is all that proof enough for you?



See my post above (and many before that)
Valve doesn't charge for Steam keys to devs.

Of course it is not good enough - Michael said that is NOT true! ;-)

 

[James Harper]

keep in mind there'd also be some "cost" in time and manpower from their point of view enabling a system to link accounts, changing website/backends etc so they might be waiting to see how successful selling on steam is first.

There is no way in hell this sort of thing was discussed and the idea of allowing existing users to get steam codes didnt come up, I'm more suprised they didnt address it when it was announced tbh. But hamfisting this sort of thing is de rigueur around here

They already have most of the system in place, look at this quote:

You can still buy it through our store and the steam version still goes through our authentication.

Michael

 

[Svahn]

Create some Steam Trading Cards while you are at it
I wouldn't mind adding an Elite badge to my Steam profile.

 

[The Nude Wizard]

They already have most of the system in place, look at this quote:

I'm not going to waste my time arguing with a Dio fan but I'd at least assume that adding new accounts is one thing, retroactively issuing is another but yeah I know, as an example the guys making Shroud of the Avatar made the switch over to steam without any fuss and they're running things on a shoe string. It may be easier/simpler/cheaper to do when its still in the greenlight/early access phase but yeah theres a long line of kickstarter games that havent had any trouble doing it lately despite it not being "in scope" at the start of the campaign. I still lean toward hamfistery as the cause

 

[Asp Explorer]

Create some Steam Trading Cards while you are at it

<shakes head>

Gaming isn't what it used to be. Trading virtual cards? Back in the day, we'd play swapsies with magazine covertapes and the occasional 3" floppy. Real tangible goods!