News About Steam version?

[Feuerfalke]

Well, the disadvantage would be the extra work in preparing it for release through steam, and (potentially) extra work in patch deployments. There might be more problems inherent in Steam but I wouldn't know.

 

There was a nice interview with Neoqb, the team of the coming "Rise of Flight" stating the exact opposite. They also said, it's the cheapest choice for producers, as you don't have to worry about installers, server to download it from, registration servers and difficulties with people having to apply patches or even addons into the correct folders and files.

 

And as it was pointed out already, the community events, special offers and advertisements inside the client STEAM, not to mention group, squadron, budylist and online-stats-management address a much broader publicity than just the DVD sitting on a shelf or the download-link on the developers homepage.

[EtherealN]

Thanks Feuerfalke, wasn't aware of that interview.

[connos]

There was a nice interview with Neoqb, the team of the coming "Rise of Flight" stating the exact opposite. They also said, it's the cheapest choice for producers, as you don't have to worry about installers, server to download it from, registration servers and difficulties with people having to apply patches or even addons into the correct folders and files.

 

And as it was pointed out already, the community events, special offers and advertisements inside the client STEAM, not to mention group, squadron, budylist and online-stats-management address a much broader publicity than just the DVD sitting on a shelf or the download-link on the developers homepage.

 

Totally agree with them. Its not only the game available to a huge number of user on Steam you also advertise your product to them and with all the free stuff Steam has it will be good for BS in my opinion.

[Kilo_60]

So why has STEAM not let me log in to play Empire: Total War for the past two days straight!!!!

 

I keep getting a: "Server too busy message please try your request again in a couple of hours"! Type message...

 

I guess the installation of the new patch has overloaded the Steam servers effectively locking me out of the game for the past two days straight.

 

At least w/o Steam I could at least play the game and wait to install the stinkin' patch!!!

 

ARRRRRRGHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

 

Sorry but once I pay for a game I want to play it when I want too not when a network will ALLOW me access.

[Moa]

I'd buy Black Shark (again) through Steam. The reason for this is that Steam lets you make a backup of your game. The copy protection is in your Steam account so ED would still have a protected game (without evil StarForce) but you could restore your game from backup if you needed to. A big win-win for everyone.

 

I'd already had various versions of IL-2 about but I bought IL-2 1946 through Steam recently. I made a backup of 1946 using the Steam tools straight away. This was very fortunate as my installation was corrupted (dodgy hard disk) straight away, but then I simply restored by Steam backup and was back into it. I'm also able to play the game both on my laptop and my gaming rig, provided I only use one at a time.

 

Contrast this to Armed Assault where I got a crack in the disk and had to buy the damn thing again (another NZ $100) :(

 

Steam would be excellent for DCS titles. Copy protection for ED (without screwing with your DVD drivers), but we can still make personal backups. Sweet.

[MajorTom]

So why has STEAM not let me log in to play Empire: Total War for the past two days straight!!!!

 

I keep getting a: "Server too busy message please try your request again in a couple of hours"! Type message...

 

I guess the installation of the new patch has overloaded the Steam servers effectively locking me out of the game for the past two days straight.

 

At least w/o Steam I could at least play the game and wait to install the stinkin' patch!!!

 

ARRRRRRGHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

 

Sorry but once I pay for a game I want to play it when I want too not when a network will ALLOW me access.

 

Offline mode? Never had a problem playing a game when using offline mode.

[Washer UK]

Steam is the way forward

 

out

[Acedy]

Copy protection for ED (without screwing with your DVD drivers), but we can still make personal backups. Sweet.

 

Would you please inform yourself before making such a statement. Black Sharks copy protection has nothing to do with DVD drives or drivers (apart from the Russian DVD that is).

[th3flyboy]

Would you please inform yourself before making such a statement. Black Sharks copy protection has nothing to do with DVD drives or drivers (apart from the Russian DVD that is).

 

there have been many instances of reported issues with starforce screwing up disc drives. I had issues myself with FC where when I had 2 DVD drives it wouldn't let me play it. Fact is a lot of people just won't buy a game with starforce on it. Starforce has a VERY bad reputation, and as such, was a very poor choice of copy protection. You would be much safer just putting it on steam and using the new Steamworks DRM they recently put out. That way, every person gets a unique EXE through that system that is linked to their account.

[EtherealN]

flyboy, BS is using Starforce ProActive. It doesn't touch your DVD drives. The thing it has in commong with previous systems is that it's created by Starforce. That's pretty much it. Like Acedy said:

 

Black Sharks copy protection has nothing to do with DVD drives or drivers (apart from the Russian DVD that is).

 

What happened with FC and it's StarForce is irrelevant. You are effectively saying that the DCS:BS protection will do X to your DVD drive because some people reported such issues with FC.

 

Understand this very simple fact: Starforce != Starforce. They have several solutions, and the one DCS:BS uses has absolutely no relationship with your optical drives. None. (Except for the russian DVD version.)

 

---

 

I'd buy Black Shark (again) through Steam. The reason for this is that Steam lets you make a backup of your game.

 

I have three backups of my DCS:BS install files and my settings... One on a separate storage folder on this machine, one stored on a different machine, and a third sitting on my external long-term storage drive.

 

What's stopping you? I use the download version, does the DVD version prevent such backups?

Edited May 2, 2009 by EtherealN

[th3flyboy]

flyboy, BS is using Starforce ProActive. It doesn't touch your DVD drives. The thing it has in commong with previous systems is that it's created by Starforce. That's pretty much it. Like Acedy said:

 

 

 

What happened with FC and it's StarForce is irrelevant. You are effectively saying that the DCS:BS protection will do X to your DVD drive because some people reported such issues with FC.

 

Understand this very simple fact: Starforce != Starforce. They have several solutions, and the one DCS:BS uses has absolutely no relationship with your optical drives. None. (Except for the russian DVD version.)

 

---

 

 

 

I have three backups of my DCS:BS install files and my settings... One on a separate storage folder on this machine, one stored on a different machine, and a third sitting on my external long-term storage drive.

 

What's stopping you? I use the download version, does the DVD version prevent such backups?

 

Incorrect, What I am saying is that starforce has such a bad rep, that people won't buy the game just because it's on the game....

[Guest fishgills]

Incorrect, What I am saying is that starforce has such a bad rep, that people won't buy the game just because it's on the game....

 

Just a FYI...

 

Me and 12 of my sim flying friends are part of this group. We're excited about the game but we refuse to buy StarForce.

 

:(

[Dusty Rhodes]

That is a shame. I don't recall hearing one issue about Starforce with Black Shark. You guys are missing out on the best Helo Simulator since and maybe even better then Longbow 2.

[EtherealN]

Starforce has a bad rep, yes. I'm not exactly a fan either.

 

What I'm trying to get across is that it is pretty much impossible for the Starforce Proactive that DCS:BS uses to cause the type of issues that some other Starforce schemes have caused in the past, since it simply doesn't touch the hardware.

 

What it does is that it asks the hardware some simple questions (normal method, just like all your games does), like CPUID, RAM amount, Computer name and so on. This does not necessitate hardware access like the old disc-check systems had to do, it just needs to be able to do the same thing all games do to give you a proposal for your graphics settings and so on.

 

If the answers to the questions changes too much, it will then request a new activation. (Unless you have performed a deactivation-activation routine, whereupon it will not take an activation.) As far as I have been able to see, this happens entirely in userland and is therefore not a threat. The old StarForce solutions (and some that are currently used in games by, f.ex, EA and others) installs drivers that will have direct hardware access.

 

Basically, what has happened is that the people at Starforce actually listened to the complaints by users and created a solution that works for both parties, and TFC/ED selected that system for their protection because it is a good compromise. It offers them some protection, but it doesn't do so at the expense of ring0ing the user's computer or installing drivers with direct hardware power.

 

In my opinion, people that back off because they're afraid of Starforce are losing out for reasons of simple fear, which is a giant shame. There is nothing to be afraid of.

 

And the person telling you this is a person that did experience issues with the system in Flaming Cliffs and that has a very real distaste for how DRM systems historically have operated. (Ever since the awesome days of Sony's protected music CD's killing iMacs. :D ) But I have nothing to complain about with this system. So you should just chill out and enjoy the game. You're missing out!

[Acedy]

Sorry guys, I did not want to spawn yet another discussion about StarForce with my comment, just correct th3flyboy's statement. We have had the StarForce debate in the past and everything that needed to be said has already been said, and rest assured that Eagle know all the relevant facts and opinions.

This thread is about Steam, not about StarForce, so please let's get back on topic!

[Grimes]

Aside from the confidence I have in Steam it does have one feature which Black Shark kinda lacks....

 

A true "matchmaking" service. The black shark multiplayer screen is great for finding a game. There was something about Hyperlobby that made it work. You can talk with players not in the game. If someone couldn't connect or just had problems they would ask in hyperlobby. I'd bet a pretty large portion of new pilots would learn of the Lockon-forums because of someone in hyperlobby. Sure there were public debates, heated arguments, and general shenanigans, but thats what I LOVED about it. You interacted with other players more directly.

 

Steam would provide an outlet for those who would choose to use it. The community features are excellent, and it wouldn't be to difficult to find a like minded player through using Steam.

[Cyb0rg]

There was something about Hyperlobby that made it work. You can talk with players not in the game.

Indeed, this is someting i miss too.

[spyda]

i would buy on STEAM if available,

but really doesn't effect me to much as i bought from the DCS website any way

[HansRoaming]

I would like to see DCS on Steam so that ED can increase their revenue dramatically.

 

EDIT: Just now Steam promoted to me that HAWX has a 25% discount for this weekend only on Steam. That flexibility and exposure of such offers to a 20 million plus potential customer base is something that EDs download service cannot match.

Edited May 4, 2009 by HansRoaming