Elite Dangerous now on Steam

[khaitom]

You don't really pay people to print out a spreadsheet of 500000 accounts and write them Steam keys.

They do a lookup in some database, and based on that lookup they will generate and send out keys based on that, could probably script something like that together in a few hours.

Then why do Steam warn developers against ordering too many keys because of the difficulty of managing them? (source: steam's own FAQ)

Steam really need to get their arses into gear and sort things out. These delays aren't reflecting very well on them.

 

[Fisker]

Then why do Steam warn developers against ordering too many keys because of the difficulty of managing them? (source: steam's own FAQ)

Steam really need to get their arses into gear and sort things out. These delays aren't reflecting very well on them.

Probably because there have been some cases of grossly negligent behaviour from some companies, causing activation keys to leak. Like the 3 million dirt 3 keys that were leaked a while back.

I was merely trying to explain to him that doing it manually was really inefficient, it doesn't really change the fact that they would have to request somewhere in the region of 400.000 activation keys regardless, they just have to take care when they actually distribute it, a batch automated way is actually technically more secure in that regard than having some kind of service on their website give out keys to associated accounts, there could possibly be a security hole in the key requester or the data source could be available if you know where to look, as was the case with the Dirt 3 keys.

 

[GamerMaximas]

No more updates? Been few weeks already from the first one

 

[Tinman]

No more updates? Been few weeks already from the first one

The community manager addressed it just two days ago on a Twitchstream...nothing new though. Just that they are working on it and as soon they have something substantial to share they will.

 

[The Nude Wizard]

Steam really need to get their arses into gear and sort things out. These delays aren't reflecting very well on them.

This is in no way Valves problem. It only reflects poorly on FD

Dozens, if not hundreds of other game makers have been able to navigate the path of moving existing player bases over to steam with zero fuss or delay, just organised it, announced it to unsuspecting gamers, those that wanted it did so, those that didnt, didnt and life went on.


The problem here is the fact that Frontier neglected to

a) even consider the fact existing players might want a steam key

b) didn't consult with the playerbase as to their opinion before making a decision if they were actually not sure (thats hard to believe, but i digress)

and worse

c) Went ahead anyway to make a quick buck over a holiday weekend and were out of the offices and for the most part unable to properly respond to the FUD induced sh*t storm that resulted and are still fumbling for an answer to a question as i said earlier, hundreds have considered before, and found an equitable answer to.

 

[Kicks]

This is in no way Valves problem. It only reflects poorly on FD

Dozens, if not hundreds of other game makers have been able to navigate the path of moving existing player bases over to steam with zero fuss or delay, just organised it, announced it to unsuspecting gamers, those that wanted it did so, those that didnt, didnt and life went on.


The problem here is the fact that Frontier neglected to

a) even consider the fact existing players might want a steam key

b) didn't consult with the playerbase as to their opinion before making a decision if they were actually not sure (thats hard to believe, but i digress)

and worse

c) Went ahead anyway to make a quick buck over a holiday weekend and were out of the offices and for the most part unable to properly respond to the FUD induced sh*t storm that resulted and are still fumbling for an answer to a question as i said earlier, hundreds have considered before, and found an equitable answer to.

Having a steam-key is a "nice to have", it under no circumstances alters your game-play experience.

You speak as though Frontier are incompetent - which I can prove to you - they are clearly not.

I'd suggest you get off that tall horse you are un-enviably sitting on, and enjoy the game. I'd like a steam-key too, but I'm not the sort to start calling a company incompetent over it.

 

[The Nude Wizard]

Having a steam-key is a "nice to have", it under no circumstances alters your game-play experience.

I agree its "nice to have", i'd like one but even IF they came out day one and said, absolutely not, i'd have shrugged my shoulders and not really cared.

You speak as though Frontier are incompetent - which I can prove to you - they are clearly not.

I'd suggest you get off that tall horse you are un-enviably sitting on, and enjoy the game. I'd like a steam-key too, but I'm not the sort to start calling a company incompetent over it.

I'd suggest you stop treating companies like football teams, they don't need unwavering support or flag waving. I didnt quite use the word incompetent which i agree is harsh, but could it have been handled better?

If you believe not, then i'd present this 250odd page thread and other assorted ing and moaning around the internet as evidence you may not be right.

And fwiw, I enjoy the game quite a bit, its not about the game, entitlement or what i feel like im "owed" or the other easy go-tos that have been suggested in their defence. I just believe it wasnt in anyways Valves fault as suggested and was responding to that quote.

 

[PrometheusDarko]

This is in no way Valves problem. It only reflects poorly on FD.

Tell you what buddy, next time you revive a genre with a budget under 20 million quid, have the game sell over 4x as well as predicted, and bring back a childhood love to hundreds of thousands of humans, we'll let you make the Steam Key decisions. Until then, back off and let them do their job. At the end of the day Steam doesn't matter. Valve lost a lot of respect from me with their recent business tactics, so I'm frankly happy I didn't get a Steam key, and will not be using one if I do. If Steam meant that much to you, you wouldn't have bought the game without it. You did, so whatever ends up happening with keys will happen. But it doesn't make Frontier any less of a good developer for it.

 

[The Nude Wizard]

Tell you what buddy, next time you revive a genre with a budget under 20 million quid, have the game sell over 4x as well as predicted, and bring back a childhood love to hundreds of thousands of humans, we'll let you make the Steam Key decisions. Until then, back off and let them do their job. At the end of the day Steam doesn't matter. Valve lost a lot of respect from me with their recent business tactics, so I'm frankly happy I didn't get a Steam key, and will not be using one if I do. If Steam meant that much to you, you wouldn't have bought the game without it. You did, so whatever ends up happening with keys will happen. But it doesn't make Frontier any less of a good developer for it.

Taken on board, quickly dismissed.

 

[FuzzySpider]

I'd suggest you stop treating companies like football teams, they don't need unwavering support or flag waving.

That's true enough.

Looking back over this thread and seeing all the unwavering support for Steam, a company which is something of a parasitic entity harming gaming, and you can see so much flag waving it's ridiculous. There is absolutely no need to be angry with FD about this. If you bought a BMW direct from the company, then a month later saw the same model car in a local showroom, it'd actually be stupid to be angry about that. Yet this is more or less what is causing the rage here. The game available on Steam is the exact same game everyone bought from FDs own store. The only difference is that FD has much better customer service.

 

[The Nude Wizard]

That's true enough.....

I'm as easy about people criticising Valve all they like, they have a 10+ year history of ups and downs and I can easily see they've put noses out of joints over that time. My personal experience and i'd suggest that of millions differs but thats neither here nor there. The latest debacle over paid mods is a perfect example they're far from perfect and the criticism they recieved has been very entertaining for me and thoroughly deserved. "Parasitic", ruining gaming etc however is a bridge too far for me

But the crux of my post was to dismiss the suggestion this was somehow Valves fault and they need to "work it out". The getting of a key is near inconsequential, as are the analogies etc it has just become a tiresome drawn out affair for little reason. I'd prefer Braben to post a picture of himself giving steam users the finger and saying "no soup for you" and that would end the affair, at least it would have a conclusion

 

[Dirtbox]

I can tell you how I manage without steam - I don't.

I haven't been able to play the game for months because what little time I can put aside to get into the game is taken up by the launcher spending 2 hours updating the game at a pathetic speed.


If it's on Steam, I will actually get to play it because it'll be updated for me.

Actually, on Steam it just fires up the E: D launcher and patches through there.

I've just saved you $60!

Hi Jim, nice to see you here, but this says otherwise.

"Elite: Dangerous can be updated automatically by Steam as well as via the game's launcher."
http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2015-04-02-surprise-elite-dangerous-is-now-on-steam

Did Frontier flat out lie about it?

I wouldn't pay $60 for a game I already own, I want to be able to play the game I bought but their current method of updating is pathetic.

 

[Agarthan]

Capitalism. For a lot of Elite fans complaining about Steam, you guys seems to not like it in reality..

They have no qualms gouging for commodities in remote sectors though.

Seriously though, is this still not resolved?

 

[FuzzySpider]

Capitalism. For a lot of Elite fans complaining about Steam, you guys seems to not like it in reality..

Only when it's properly regulated with monoplies being broken up by the government of the day.

 

[Armour]

Capitalism. For a lot of Elite fans complaining about Steam, you guys seems to not like it in reality..

They have no qualms gouging for commodities in remote sectors though.

Seriously though, is this still not resolved?

Using how a player plays a game as way to criticise their stance on real-world issues is lame and you both know it. Are all the griefers in this game wannabe murderers in real life? I've read plenty of hysterical protests to the contrary on this forum. Are all the people who have enjoyed the game "Turbo Dismount" hypocrites because they've never propelled themselves off of bridges into the path of oncoming traffic whilst sat in shopping carts? What about those who play "I am Bread"? Are they to be lampooned because they haven't yet had themselves toasted, buttered, and devoured?

 

[CptPaul]

Where is our steam key or news!?

 

[fearlessfrog]

Using how a player plays a game as way to criticise their stance on real-world issues is lame and you both know it. Are all the griefers in this game wannabe murderers in real life? I've read plenty of hysterical protests to the contrary on this forum. Are all the people who have enjoyed the game "Turbo Dismount" hypocrites because they've never propelled themselves off of bridges into the path of oncoming traffic whilst sat in shopping carts? What about those who play "I am Bread"? Are they to be lampooned because they haven't yet had themselves toasted, buttered, and devoured?

It is not as lame as arguing that people shouldn't get Steam keys if they want them. What's the motivation in that? Spite?

If you want to protest against ED being sold on Steam then go for it, contact them and moan away. Frontier made that call to sell Elite on Steam, not the people in this thread.

 

[Armour]

It is not as lame as arguing that people shouldn't get Steam keys if they want them. What's the motivation in that? Spite?

I couldn't care less about the campaign for free Steam keys. If you persuade Frontier to do so, good for you. Resell it if you like. I just don't see a reason why they should feel like they have to acquiesce to shrill demands like that, though. There's no legal or moral case to be made. It's not like they were misleading anyone about their intentions - the "Frontier lied so we're entitled" posts I've seen all base themselves on the (intentional) misunderstanding that starting to sell the game on Steam, months after it was launched on store.elitedangerous.com, means that David Braben was lying about not launching it on Steam in some worn-out bit of a quote. Which it doesn't, obviously.

If you want to protest against ED being sold on Steam then go for it, contact them and moan away. Frontier made that call to sell Elite on Steam, not the people in this thread.

I think Steam have got enough trouble to be getting on with right now. I'm not sure that them throwing Bethesda under the bus was the wisest tactic, but their PR team appears to make Frontier's look like a bunch of geniuses.

 

[xondk]

It seems odd that in one sentence you appear to be so ignorant of Steam's benefits that you think using it as a shortcut organizer gets you "all the benefits"; and in the very next sentence show you are quite aware of arguably the most important benefit of using Steam.

No need for insults.

I am sorry, but you simply do NOT get all the benefits by adding the game as a non-steam game. For instance I cannot use the build-in Steam VR functions, build-in auto updater (as you mentioned), screenshot tools etc. Nor can I write a steam review. Also Steam does not take a cut from additional "steam keys" of the game.

I am slightly confused, I've added Elite Dangerous to Steam, and I can use screenshots, broadcasting and such just fine, updater is nice to have but not really needed imho launcher is fine. That said steam VR isn't even out yet, so we actually do not know if or if not it will work with Elite, and considering it requires more then just the steam client, but actually requires games built for it, at least as far as I checked, this is still an unknown.
If steam does not take a cut from additional steam keys, then I do not think it would be a problem or lengthy process, which it is when you look at games outside steam joining it.

But both of you, could you please state what benefits that I actually miss out on, because as I see it, the only one that is mentioned so far, is writing review, and seeing my game played time?..

 

[Uueerdo]

No need for insults.

I didn't intend it as an insult. I am ignorant of many things myself; sports for one, the game mechanics of train sims (but not their existence), etc...
I thought I was being clear by the way I was comparing the statements.

... updater is nice to have but not really needed imho launcher is fine....But both of you, could you please state what benefits that I actually miss out on, because as I see it, the only one that is mentioned so far, is writing review, and seeing my game played time?..

We've stated it over and over, you even stated it right there in the quote above....and then conveniently omitted it from your final list (of arguably, and conveniently, the least important features of Steam).
You've trivialized what many consider to be one of Steam's most important features, one of the original reasons Steam was created in the first place, the auto-updating. I've stated it over in the "poll" thread, I'll restate it here. When I find time to game, I want to play the game. I don't want to start the game's dedicated launcher and find I have to spend a significant portion of that time waiting for the latest updates. Steam can be set up to start with your computer, running unobtrusively in the background keeping ALL the games you have through it up to date and ready.

Here's another, better integration with Steam's features, like in-home streaming; it can be done with non-Steam apps, but due to a shortcut giving Steam only so much info, can be finicky (i.e. you'd have to at very least make sure the non-Steam Elite launcher didn't exit while you were playing.)


No one is asking Frontier to port the game to Steam; they've already done that.
For the people with a personal grudge against Steam; sorry it can't be undone, that genie is already out of the bottle.

No one (that I have seen) is asking for a Steam key that would give them an additional account.
Yet so many of the people bafflingly opposed to the option for others to get a Steam key keep holding up that strawman.