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This GameSpy preview gets very interesting in the last paragraph:
Second, Rebellion will have full Steamworks integration for multiplayer and achievements -- a huge improvement over vanilla Sins' system. Because of Sins' rich modding community, Fraser says Ironclad is definitely interested in getting Steam Workshop set up, though there are certain technical hurdles that might prevent it from happening, so he wasn't able to make any promises during this demo.
Considering AFAIK Stardock is still serving publisher duty for this game, I can't help but think this is a massive U-turn from their "we don't want anything to do with Steam" policy pre-GameStop.
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DelusionsBeta: Considering AFAIK Stardock is still serving publisher duty for this game, I can't help but think this is a massive U-turn from their "we don't want anything to do with Steam" policy pre-GameStop.
Well since Stardock don't own Impulse any more, they don't really have any allegiance to it I suppose.
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SirPrimalform: Well since Stardock don't own Impulse any more, they don't really have any allegiance to it I suppose.
Besides, I don't have any real info on this, but you never know how 'painless' the transaction of Impulse to gamestop has been: Stardock might as well hate it now.
Very annoying, considering they had previously declared some commitment to DRM-Free.

They had also expressed concern over Steam's monopolizing of the PC market.

This isn't a white flag, this is straight-up hypocrisy.
Post edited February 19, 2012 by elus89
Here we go again
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elus89: Very annoying, considering they had previously declared some commitment to DRM-Free.

They had also expressed concern over Steam's monopolizing of the PC market.

This isn't a white flag, this is straight-up hypocrisy.
Brad said that because of past experience (demigod) they will use 3rd party solution to multiplayer - so options were:

GameSpy - unreliable old tech, not popular
GFWL - very annoying junk that has taken title "most hated software" from Vista
Impulse : Reactor - not released, owned by GameStop, most likely already scrapped.
Steamworks - good features, often updated, liked/tolerated by vast majority of players.
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elus89: Very annoying, considering they had previously declared some commitment to DRM-Free.

They had also expressed concern over Steam's monopolizing of the PC market.

This isn't a white flag, this is straight-up hypocrisy.
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Rebel44: Brad said that because of past experience (demigod) they will use 3rd party solution to multiplayer - so options were:

GameSpy - unreliable old tech, not popular
GFWL - very annoying junk that has taken title "most hated software" from Vista
Impulse : Reactor - not released, owned by GameStop, most likely already scrapped.
Steamworks - good features, often updated, liked/tolerated by vast majority of players.
He probably shoudn't have started all that grandstanding against Valve then, if he wasn't prepared to back it up.
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Rebel44: Brad said that because of past experience (demigod) they will use 3rd party solution to multiplayer - so options were:

GameSpy - unreliable old tech, not popular
GFWL - very annoying junk that has taken title "most hated software" from Vista
Impulse : Reactor - not released, owned by GameStop, most likely already scrapped.
Steamworks - good features, often updated, liked/tolerated by vast majority of players.
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elus89: He probably shoudn't have started all that grandstanding against Valve then, if he wasn't prepared to back it up.
I dont remember him saing that Steamworks is bad tech - just that he saw it as a problem for him (as owner of Inpulse) because it gave even more users to Steam, which was already dominant player in digital distribution.
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elus89: He probably shoudn't have started all that grandstanding against Valve then, if he wasn't prepared to back it up.
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Rebel44: I dont remember him saing that Steamworks is bad tech - just that he saw it as a problem for him (as owner of Inpulse) because it gave even more users to Steam, which was already dominant player in digital distribution.
Eh, I'm pretty sure the tone of what Brad said was more confrontational than that... not sure I can be arsed to look it up, though.

Edit: Here's the latest of Brad's trash-talk: http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/109222-Stardock-Boss-Thinks-Steam-Is-Holding-Back-Half-Life

Search Brad Wardell on The Escapist, you should be able to find much more. He seemed kinda obsessed with Valve and Steam, so I guess it isn't any wonder his flagship game is now SteamWorks.
Post edited February 19, 2012 by elus89
I think so long as they distribute a DRM-free version on their site along with a steam key for multiplayer (as dungeons defenders does) there shouldn't be a contradiction of their own ideals.
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Rebel44: I dont remember him saing that Steamworks is bad tech - just that he saw it as a problem for him (as owner of Inpulse) because it gave even more users to Steam, which was already dominant player in digital distribution.
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elus89: Eh, I'm pretty sure the tone of what Brad said was more confrontational than that... not sure I can be arsed to look it up, though.
I agree that he was pretty confrontational about danger of Steam monopoly - but I dont remember him ever saying that Steamworks is bad from technical perspective.
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Tizzysawr: I think so long as they distribute a DRM-free version on their site along with a steam key for multiplayer (as dungeons defenders does) there shouldn't be a contradiction of their own ideals.
I don't believe that's what SteamWorks implies.
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elus89: Eh, I'm pretty sure the tone of what Brad said was more confrontational than that... not sure I can be arsed to look it up, though.
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Rebel44: I agree that he was pretty confrontational about danger of Steam monopoly - but I dont remember him ever saying that Steamworks is bad from technical perspective.
That's not really the point though, he was trying to approach anti-Steam from a principled perspective, so whether he respects their tech or not is irrelevant to his stated opposition.
Post edited February 19, 2012 by elus89
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Tizzysawr: I think so long as they distribute a DRM-free version on their site along with a steam key for multiplayer (as dungeons defenders does) there shouldn't be a contradiction of their own ideals.
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elus89: I don't believe that's what SteamWorks implies.
Dungeon Defenders is SteamWorks. It uses the cloud, has steam achievements and multiplayer through trendynet can only be done on Steam. However, DRM-free installers are given to customers on other retailers (Amazon, Gamersgate...) along with the Steam key they can use shall they want to play multiplayer. If they don't care about MP, their single player experience is DRM-free.
Ha!

Ha!

Ha!

Ha!

Ha!

:D
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elus89: I don't believe that's what SteamWorks implies.
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Tizzysawr: Dungeon Defenders is SteamWorks. It uses the cloud, has steam achievements and multiplayer through trendynet can only be done on Steam. However, DRM-free installers are given to customers on other retailers (Amazon, Gamersgate...) along with the Steam key they can use shall they want to play multiplayer. If they don't care about MP, their single player experience is DRM-free.
Fair enough, if that game is considered SteamWorks, I'm incorrect. Should we believe that a game that's touted primarily on its SteamWorks features will have a Steam-(and DRM) free release as well, though?
Post edited February 19, 2012 by elus89