Higby/Devs: PS2 Linux + Steam Q's - Page 2

Inverness · 2012-06-17, 10:47 PM

Originally Posted by Furber

I like the idea of it being advertised on Steam just because Steam is so popular. They've actually done a better job advertising the game so far than I thought they would have, Steam would push it even further into the public spotlight.

I agree with this. PlanetSide suffered from a great lack of advertisement, PlanetSide 2 should not. Steam will help it reach a large audience.

Envenom · 2012-06-17, 10:53 PM

Linux? Lol. It will be on Mac 10 million times faster than Linux.

super pretendo · 2012-06-17, 10:56 PM

If developing for linux takes any serious resources I can't see a point, since anyone can just have a dual boot of linux and windows.

CuddlyChud · 2012-06-17, 11:09 PM

I dunno much about steams business policies, but I think its probably up in the air right now whether or not PS2 will be on steam. I've been reading that a couple f2p games aren't going to be on Steam anytime soon because of something to do with their business policies (GW2 and Firefall).

Also, SOE already has Station Launcher, which is kind of like Steam for station games. And since its f2p and download, really Steam would just be for advertising, in which case maybe the money SOE would have to pay to steam would be better spent with just direct advertisement.

cybercrafted · 2012-06-17, 11:18 PM

Originally Posted by Bags

Higby is all for it, but T-ray was really hoping they'd have their own version of steam, and after seeing origin flop I hope that doesn't happen.

“We’ve got 12 million downloads of the application. We have 50 partners: independent game developers and publishers who are publishing on the platform. We’ve generated over $150 million in revenue, which represents huge growth on a percentage basis versus the previous year. In every numerical dimension it was a huge success!” -Origin’s Senior Vice President of E-Commerce, David DeMartini

Novacane · 2012-06-17, 11:42 PM

I too like the idea of having it on Steam, would probably encourage people that wouldn't normally see it to be exposed to it.

As far as linux or mac. I'm going to go out on a limb and say that it would violate legal agreements that SOE might have, to develop on Windows, to release on a freeware OS. Mac OS is just a pretty GUI on top of a linux kernel that you have to pay for. If you can run it on windows and don't use windows specific APIs or libraries (DirectX, anything in the Windows SDK, etc..) you can port it to what ever platform you want. However, I do remember somewhere during E3 it was mentioned that they would be using DirectX so, it's highly unlikely that you will see it on anything other than Windows without using 3rd party software like Wine.

indirect · 2012-06-17, 11:46 PM

Originally Posted by CuddlyChud

I dunno much about steams business policies, but I think its probably up in the air right now whether or not PS2 will be on steam. I've been reading that a couple f2p games aren't going to be on Steam anytime soon because of something to do with their business policies (GW2 and Firefall).

Also, SOE already has Station Launcher, which is kind of like Steam for station games. And since its f2p and download, really Steam would just be for advertising, in which case maybe the money SOE would have to pay to steam would be better spent with just direct advertisement.

You need to take into account EQ2 and DCUO are already on Steam, as well as Battleforge and Magic: Tactics (SOE run)

DoomBlackDragon · 2012-06-17, 11:51 PM

I think they will put PS2 on steam at one point. Still I would use the one on their website. Nothing worse then having steam running in the back ground of an mmo.

With Linux getting more and more support and people cracking games to run on linux. I would be more then happy to switch over to Linux. Windows is for fools. Linux is better then windows on every level. It just lacks the support needed for me to switch over.

zomg · 2012-06-17, 11:56 PM

Originally Posted by Novacane

As far as linux or mac. I'm going to go out on a limb and say that it would violate legal agreements that SOE might have, to develop on Windows, to release on a freeware OS. Mac OS is just a pretty GUI on top of a linux kernel that you have to pay for. If you can run it on windows and don't use windows specific APIs or libraries (DirectX, anything in the Windows SDK, etc..) you can port it to what ever platform you want. However, I do remember somewhere during E3 it was mentioned that they would be using DirectX so, it's highly unlikely that you will see it on anything other than Windows without using 3rd party software like Wine.

OS X is actually based on BSD, which is in turn based on UNIX. Linux is essentially a "UNIX-compatible" OS. Otherwise you are quite correct

Originally Posted by DoomBlackDragon

Windows is for fools. Linux is better then windows on every level. It just lacks the support needed for me to switch over.

Said like a true believer of lord Linus the Christ of computing

If it is lacking the support needed, then I would say that is a level where it is not better than Windows. Of course you have the right to your opinion of it

kaffis · 2012-06-18, 12:30 AM

Originally Posted by Goyo

I do not see why each developer/distributor cannot emulate steam. Why can't each developer/distributor offer thier own Direct download store attached to their product main site that has a database of which users have purchased which products and allow the user to re-download the game/software that has already been purchased? I see no reason they need to try to replace steam. Just make the purchase/install/reinsall as painless as possible.

Edit: that point is moot for PS2 as it is free to play.

There's no reason why each developer/distributor *cannot* emulate Steam.

There are several reasons why doing so would not be likely to garner them success.

A few of the shortest, punchiest, and most memorable ones, in no particular order, are:
1. People like having their games in one place, rather than spread across fifty accounts.
2. Many people are (rightfully) wary of creating new accounts with various services, particularly when there's a transfer of money involved. The prevalence of data breaching activities and the increased media profile of such events over the last few years has lead to people being more information/identity/security conscious.
3. Making a quality digital distribution platform is hard. Anybody can set up an FTP site. Making a client and service that offer value to the customer is much more involved, and everybody's playing catchup to Valve in that department.
4. Lots of people have very warm, gushy feelings about Valve as a company. Many game distributors do not. Few game developers have the resources to cut out the distributor and develop their own complex platform (see #3 above)

In any event, on the subject of Linux/OSX support for Planetside 2 -- consider that it's essentially re-writing 50% of the engine code from scratch, at the very least. The migration from DirectX to OpenGL is anything but trivial. The very thing that makes these APIs useful is how deeply integrated they become with your code, making it faster and leaner. In order to write API-agnostic code, you'd essentially be adding an entirely new abstraction layer into your code, slowing it down and crippling it enormously.

Bags · 2012-06-18, 12:31 AM

Originally Posted by cybercrafted

“We’ve got 12 million downloads of the application. We have 50 partners: independent game developers and publishers who are publishing on the platform. We’ve generated over $150 million in revenue, which represents huge growth on a percentage basis versus the previous year. In every numerical dimension it was a huge success!” -Origin’s Senior Vice President of E-Commerce, David DeMartini

Everyone on the internet hates it. I wouldn't have gotten BF3 through origin if it was on steam.

CuddlyChud · 2012-06-18, 12:32 AM

Originally Posted by indirect

You need to take into account EQ2 and DCUO are already on Steam, as well as Battleforge and Magic: Tactics (SOE run)

And Guild Wars 1 is on Steam but apparently Guild Wars 2 won't be. All I'm saying is that Planetside 2 being on Steam isn't a sure thing and there may or may not be good reasons for it not being on Steam.

zomg · 2012-06-18, 12:35 AM

Originally Posted by Bags

Everyone on the internet hates it. I wouldn't have gotten BF3 through origin if it was on steam.

Mostly for no reason though. It has crummy UI, but when you don't even need to touch it to play BF3... People just cry because they want to cry about something.

Steam was pretty awful when it was as new as Origin is. Much worse than Origin is now

For the record, I would have gotten BF3 via Steam as well.

Bags · 2012-06-18, 12:38 AM

Originally Posted by zomg

Mostly for no reason though. It has crummy UI, but when you don't even need to touch it to play BF3... People just cry because they want to cry about something.

Steam was pretty awful when it was as new as Origin is. Much worse than Origin is now

Was steam's TOS/EULA as controversial as Origin's?

zomg · 2012-06-18, 12:40 AM

Originally Posted by Bags

Was steam's TOS/EULA as controversial as Origin's?

No idea. Back then nobody was paying as much attention on things like that as people are now

Probably not though.

Still, I feel it was blown completely out of proportion by a few loudmouths. And internet loves a good lynching.