So whats keeping the steam 2.0 & nevada map update?

[oscar19681]

So how come steam users still dont have the 2.0 update & nttr map? The standalone version has the update for several weeks now. I dont understand why the steam version still is stuck with 1.5.2 ? Also when the nttr map is released for steam we dont have the option to pre-order the map like the standalone version? We have to pay the full price while

Others had the option to save a couple of bucks? It seems kind of unfair doesnt it?

And i see no point in going through the trouble of downloading the standalone version and redeaming my steam codes so i can download the nttr map. I payed , purchased the steam version on steam and i still payed for it so i dont understand why steam users are allways the last to get updates and such. I would have bought and downloaded the standalone version if i knew all this in advance but i didnt. Its not like the steam version is cheaper then the standalone or anything.

[Tirak]

And i see no point in going through the trouble of downloading the standalone version and redeaming my steam codes so i can download the nttr map.

 

Others had the option to save a couple of bucks? It seems kind of unfair doesnt it?

the last to get updates and such.

 

I would have bought and downloaded the standalone version if i knew all this in advance

 

we dont have the option to pre-order the map like the standalone version

By my count that's 3 reasons and a "wish i'd done it" right there in your own post.

 

Steam is a different distribution system, there are other things that need to be done to be made compatible with their update system. As such, alphas are not uploaded to Steam, too much work for too little gain, and steam takes a cut and runs its own sales, so why offer discount preorder bonuses to Steam?

[oscar19681]

By my count that's 3 reasons and a "wish i'd done it" right there in your own post.

 

Steam is a different distribution system, there are other things that need to be done to be made compatible with their update system. As such, alphas are not uploaded to Steam, too much work for too little gain, and steam takes a cut and runs its own sales, so why offer discount preorder bonuses to Steam?

 

Well to awnser your question is quite simple actually.

In the end im still a costumer buying ED,s product ( And the best out there of its kind nontheless ) like anybody else out there. Standalone or steam. And i Wouldnt see why i shouldnt be paying more or less or be treated differently just Because of a different disturbuntion system.

Edited December 27, 2015 by oscar19681

[boedha68]

I had steam. i am over now for a year to standalone, cause of these benefits. And the step can be done with the steamkeys. Steam will always behind.........

[Tirak]

Well to awnser your question is quite simple actually.

In the end im still a costumer buying ED,s product ( And the best out there of its kind nontheless ) like anybody else out there. Standalone or steam. And i Wouldnt see why i shouldnt be paying more or less or be treated differently just Because of a different disturbuntion system.

 

Sure you're a customer, and you get the finished builds just like everyone else. Because you've chosen to throw in a third party middleman, it takes a little longer to get those builds, and you don't get the alphas unless you get into their launcher.

 

Makes perfect sense to me. You want access to the latest Test and Beta builds, the most up to date stuff? Well you got to go through the ED launcher. These aren't full release builds, it would be irresponsible in fact for them to toss up the latest, potentially broken test build onto steam.

 

As to pricing, like I said, Steam runs its own sales totally independent of them, and it's Steam that doesn't accept ED product codes, not the other way around. If you've got a problem with pricing, take it up with Steam, not ED.

[Flogger23m]

These aren't full release builds, it would be irresponsible in fact for them to toss up the latest, potentially broken test build onto steam.

 

There is a beta option for a reason. Plenty of games do this. ED isn't unique in offering a retail build alongside a beta version.

 

As to pricing, like I said, Steam runs its own sales totally independent of them...

 

This is false. Valve does not set prices, the developer/publishers do. Including sale prices, discounts and duration. ED could sell their modules for 50 cents or $500 if they wanted to.

 

All that being said I can see them running the alpha in their own client only. It isn't mandatory and as it is unfinished work I can see why they prefer to do it in house only. As long as the retail versions on Steam get timely updates I don't see much of a problem. This is likely why beta modules are no longer sold on Steam to.

[Tirak]

There is a beta option for a reason. Plenty of games do this. ED isn't unique in offering a retail build alongside a beta version.

 

Additional work for frankly no extra gain. Remember, any update needs to be compatible with the Steam update system, which is time not well spent for interim builds, and ED has had a long standing policy of only providing full release builds to the Steam client.

This is false. Valve does not set prices, the developer/publishers do. Including sale prices, discounts and duration. ED could sell their modules for 50 cents or $500 if they wanted to.

You misunderstand. Steam runs its own sales, the discount sales. These are completely separate from any sales that ED runs.

 

All that being said I can see them running the alpha in their own client only. It isn't mandatory and as it is unfinished work I can see why they prefer to do it in house only. As long as the retail versions on Steam get timely updates I don't see much of a problem. This is likely why beta modules are no longer sold on Steam to.

The point is, right now there is no major full release, the next one will be 2.0 proper, not the current Alpha being run.

[ody81]

Additional work for frankly no extra gain. Remember, any update needs to be compatible with the Steam update system, which is time not well spent for interim builds, and ED has had a long standing policy of only providing full release builds to the Steam client.

You misunderstand. Steam runs its own sales, the discount sales. These are completely separate from any sales that ED runs.

 

The point is, right now there is no major full release, the next one will be 2.0 proper, not the current Alpha being run.

 

I think you're mistaken there. The Developers and publishers have veto over whether their products participate in those sales, and to what degree they are discounted. If DCS modules are on sale on Steam it's because ED makes it happen, not Steam.

 

And I'm all for ED switching to Steam if they ever would. Better hosting, better download speeds, quota free downloading on a lot of ISP's, an update/repair system that doesn't require command prompt, I could go on and on...

[Tirak]

I think you're mistaken there. The Developers and publishers have veto over whether their products participate in those sales, and to what degree they are discounted. If DCS modules are on sale on Steam it's because ED makes it happen, not Steam.

 

I don't think you're quite understanding what I'm saying. There is no inherent advantage to an ED sale over a Steam sale, both of them have separate sales that come around fairly often, allowing you to get modules for cheap. The advantage however does crop up, in that Steam does not allow you to use ED keys, while ED allows you to use Steam keys, for what it's worth.

 

And I'm all for ED switching to Steam if they ever would. Better hosting, better download speeds, quota free downloading on a lot of ISP's, an update/repair system that doesn't require command prompt, I could go on and on...

 

An additional layer of red tape and coding compatibility, loss of independence from any practices or requirements Steam may decide to enforce. No thank you, I'll keep my developer independence any day.

[ody81]

I don't think you're quite understanding what I'm saying. There is no inherent advantage to an ED sale over a Steam sale, both of them have separate sales that come around fairly often, allowing you to get modules for cheap. The advantage however does crop up, in that Steam does not allow you to use ED keys, while ED allows you to use Steam keys, for what it's worth.

 

 

 

An additional layer of red tape and coding compatibility, loss of independence from any practices or requirements Steam may decide to enforce. No thank you, I'll keep my developer independence any day.

 

Ah yes, that is true, as it stands the Steam sales ED has do strike a different demographic.

But I've said before, a lot of companies (all other companies in this situation??) manage to transfer there own storefront purchases to Steam keys without any trouble at all. This is a big deal ED could look into, I'd love to buy from ED directly and still transfer the keys to Steam, they did key transfers before and that's how I ended up using DCS on Steam.

 

And for the added layer of code and mess, steam updates usually hit at the same time as the standalone, at the latest it's a couple of hours later. Developers manage so how bad can it be?

 

As for independence, well, any company can cut and run from Steam should it get really bad in the years to come, nobody's holding a gun to their heads to use it, it's just a smart distribution platform with benefits. The NTTR download problem was pretty bad (and every other major release), wouldn't have happened on Steam leaving the customers happy and complaint free and that's hard to argue against.

 

But that's my 5 cents on the topic anyway, business is complicated and what seems like an easy fix to me doesn't make it a fact. Especially in a community with many people distrustful of Steam or worry about the 'gameification' of DCS that it could lead to. Meh.

[Tirak]

Ah yes, that is true, as it stands the Steam sales ED has do strike a different demographic.

But I've said before, a lot of companies (all other companies in this situation??) manage to transfer there own storefront purchases to Steam keys without any trouble at all. This is a big deal ED could look into, I'd love to buy from ED directly and still transfer the keys to Steam, they did key transfers before and that's how I ended up using DCS on Steam.

 

To name a high profile example of a company in a similar situation that does not use steam, I point out Star Citizen, a game with constant build updates that has absolutely nothing to do with Steam. Just because Steam is the most popular platform, does not mean that all developers should switch to that being their sole method of distribution. Quite the opposite in fact, and I find the monopolistic nature of steam to be rather concerning, though that's a rant for another day.

 

And for the added layer of code and mess, steam updates usually hit at the same time as the standalone, at the latest it's a couple of hours later. Developers manage so how bad can it be?

 

Yet it can be argued that the things most likely to cause the biggest disruption, i.e. new module releases, can take upwards of two weeks to come to steam. The current Mirage issue is merely further complicated by the fact that ED is on headlong tilt to finish up the 2.0 update, and is rolling many things into that before bringing it over to steam.

 

As for independence, well, any company can cut and run from Steam should it get really bad in the years to come, nobody's holding a gun to their heads to use it, it's just a smart distribution platform with benefits. The NTTR download problem was pretty bad (and every other major release), wouldn't have happened on Steam leaving the customers happy and complaint free and that's hard to argue against.

 

It becomes considerably more difficult to do so if you disband your other methods of distribution. Steam is a component of the ED distribution plan, but not the whole, nor even the primary supported method. Regardless that it may be the most common platform DCS is distributed on, maintaining developer independence of a third party is merely prudent practice.

 

But that's my 5 cents on the topic anyway, business is complicated and what seems like an easy fix to me doesn't make it a fact. Especially in a community with many people distrustful of Steam or worry about the 'gameification' of DCS that it could lead to. Meh.

 

I don't think anyone has concerns of DCS becoming "gameified" by Steam, though I haven't read significantly into the subject. I would however agree that there is reason to be distrustful of monopolies, they don't have a great track record.

[wolfstriked]

Its long enough ED come on and bring 2.0 to steam already!

[Abburo]

Guys, did you ever considered there might be some technical limitations which lead to the current status of versions distribution.

In this case the Starforce keys exchange between STEAM and ED is the main reason. Not easy to do, maybe some non-productive claims from Steam, etc. So, let it like this.

You can easily go from Steam to ED distribution, not the other way around. STEAM actually is here to add some new people into it. That is an opportunity that have to be used by any game producer these days.

[ody81]

To name a high profile example of a company in a similar situation that does not use steam, I point out Star Citizen, a game with constant build updates that has absolutely nothing to do with Steam. Just because Steam is the most popular platform, does not mean that all developers should switch to that being their sole method of distribution. Quite the opposite in fact, and I find the monopolistic nature of steam to be rather concerning, though that's a rant for another day.

 

 

 

Yet it can be argued that the things most likely to cause the biggest disruption, i.e. new module releases, can take upwards of two weeks to come to steam. The current Mirage issue is merely further complicated by the fact that ED is on headlong tilt to finish up the 2.0 update, and is rolling many things into that before bringing it over to steam.

 

 

 

It becomes considerably more difficult to do so if you disband your other methods of distribution. Steam is a component of the ED distribution plan, but not the whole, nor even the primary supported method. Regardless that it may be the most common platform DCS is distributed on, maintaining developer independence of a third party is merely prudent practice.

 

 

 

I don't think anyone has concerns of DCS becoming "gameified" by Steam, though I haven't read significantly into the subject. I would however agree that there is reason to be distrustful of monopolies, they don't have a great track record.

 

Star Citizen may not be the absolute best example, though I agree. Steam having a monopoly is a good reason for concern, but until a company with enough credibility and foresight come up with an alternative...

Ubisoft and EA have tried and haven't come close due to their prices being 'less than competitive'.

 

So for now it's Steam and GOG for everything else really :/

 

Waiting an extra two weeks for an update or module on Steam? Well that's down to ED's priorities I guess. They could release the Mirage for example tomorrow if they wanted to, but they don't and it's their call for whatever reason. Plus as the guy below says, then there's Starforce to think about...

 

Anyway, not trying to argue. It's been an interesting debate, like I said, I'd be all for a bigger push to Steam but it seems like ED has their hands full managing their own storefront (no insult intended) and the very being present on Steam is one more thing to do in a currently very busy up-in-the-air (pun intended) schedule.

 

The gamification worries I've seen around even here a few times. Some people worry about the Steam population as a whole, it is well known for it's trolling, hacking/cheating and toxic communities and I can't argue there (csgo player here lol)

 

Oh well, would love to see DCS get as much release love as the storefront, probably won't see it, I can deal with that :)

 

As long as the ED gears keep turning in some way I'm happy enough. And those gears have been turning well lately.

[Slazi]

Nothing wrong with customers asking. My main problem with this is it splits the player base.

 

I'm always going to stay on Steam.

[pegleg1972]

Still nothing

 

So still no news on nevada on steam.Been alot longer than 2 weeks.