Switching to Steam (not a can I preorder question)

[jimmysthebestcop]

Originally Posted by NotMuchTime

Steam provides me absolutely nothing. Any game that is provided DIRECTLY from the developer, I buy from the developer. The deserve every dollar if they are providing me the means to purchase and update the game. I cringe when someone says they like their games in one place. I do too, on my computer.

For a hardcore gamer and those that are computer challenged, Steam might be a good option. Even then, I'd purchase directly given the option.

It's very debatable.......

1st The large majority of developers flat out don't release stand alone copies anymore even Indy developers.

2nd Steam sales charts and active player lists are used by streamers to see which games they will play so it can bring in traffic to their streams. There are a lot of Indy only streamers as well but even they want to stream Indy titles that can good active users

3rd The independent sale directly might bring in more sales as Steam takes 30% but Epic only takes 12% and has been known to pay for exclusivity even from Indy developers.

4th Steam workshop modding community is absolutely gigantic. There are people that just mod games and don't even play them. But again they are attracted to which games get the users and which are popular in the workshop. But most of the OOTP modding community is using the stand alone installer. It fractions the user base.

So the question becomes if splitting the user base is a wise decision or not?

And if it just about the the Steam 30% then why not go Epic for 12%? Or even Epic exclusive if they write a big enough check?

OOTP has some things going for it most Indy games dont. Its been here 21 years. Its baseball. And its the best in its field. Most Indy games don't have that. So they need Steam more to get coverage not just to the player base but to the media and streamers.

And in this modern age Streamers sell like nothing else. I think OOTP being exclusive on Steam or exclusive on Epic would only help the income longterm. It would really help to attract non sports streamers. And there is certainly a lot of crossover with OOTP.

Just to use a streaming example look at Paradox's Imperator: Rome. There are NO streamers of this game for various reasons and the active players base is lower then Paradox own Victoria 2 which was released in 2010. And its like 50% lower.

There's this huge correlation between streamers and sales but games that aren't on Steam and Epic get less coverage.

It's the same thing with Kickstarter these days. Many games have their funding go to Kickstarter for extra pieces but Kickstarter brings in the hype bandwagon. Again it attracts users who just like to be backers on games. Successful kickstarter can lead to more streams which lead to more sales. Most of those campaign always include a steam key or Epic.

Again I would probably refer to a PR company specializing in video games but the Steam/Epic vs stand alone debate isn't really a simple.

[lencombs]

You can pre-order and add the game to your Steam account later after it goes live on Steam. Just click add a game, then Non Steam Game.

[Ktulu]

Originally Posted by lencombs

You can pre-order and add the game to your Steam account later after it goes live on Steam. Just click add a game, then Non Steam Game.

I could be wrong but... That doesn't make it a Steam game though, it just allows you to launch the game via Steam. You won't receive patches or have access to the workshop and it won't be licensed through Steam.

[Maddox]

I am kind of invested in my steam library so I apologize to the devs that you get a smaller cut.

I just checked. Steam says I have over 400 games so that is definitely being invested. Plus I have about $10 in my steam wallet already earmarked for the game.

[Westheim]

Originally Posted by Ktulu

I could be wrong but... That doesn't make it a Steam game though, it just allows you to launch the game via Steam. You won't receive patches or have access to the workshop and it won't be licensed through Steam.

This is apparently how it works, yes. Or rather, doesn't work.

[rudel.dietrich]

When the developer adds in micro transactions and a few months later declares that they are such a success that they no longer need to offer a pre order anywhere but their own website...then I start giving less of a damn about what their cut is.

I have a strong feeling that the amount they do in micro transactions from PT dwarfs the income they receive from selling actual copies of the game.

[El Jeffe]

If I'm on Steam now, which I am, and I buy from the Devs, can I still get the bonus pack from logging in with my OOTP20 ID?

[NotMuchTime]

Originally Posted by rudel.dietrich

When the developer adds in micro transactions and a few months later declares that they are such a success that they no longer need to offer a pre order anywhere but their own website...then I start giving less of a damn about what their cut is.

I have a strong feeling that the amount they do in micro transactions from PT dwarfs the income they receive from selling actual copies of the game.

I can appreciate what you are saying. It's curiosity that brings me to this forum. OOTP4 was my first, but I'm fairly certain OOTP20 is my last.