Matrix Games Forums

No it's not. Both sides of the debate can do what they want. Nobody is forcing anybody either way.

By all means continue then. I'll go the play the game.

ORIGINAL: Gregorovitch55

I don't think they actually ban people permanently for trying that scam.

You mean you don't know. Also, blocking payment doesn't necessarily imply 'scam'. Small claims court will determine that. BUT, in the meantime I could still 'drive' myself to the courthouse in my other car. Steam's policy takes 'that ability' away.

As I said before. .. you would probably sing a different tune if 'it happened' to you.

ORIGINAL: Spacecadet
They're all DRM free, I have them backed up as needed, and can move/install them however/whenever I please.

And with Steam many are the same way.

I also don't have a Backdoor or Big Brother (Steam) tracking me - and yes, when you need to have their Client running to even validate your Email, that's intrusive and something fishy is going on.

That's fair. I imagine you don't use skype, email, twitter, facebook, any kind of chat client, a cell phone, etc..

That's your call and I'm fine with that decision of your's. All the power to you on it.

Microsoft used to have a Music store, they shut it down and those purchases are effectively gone.
Is Microsoft smaller than Steam?

As was pointed out Microsoft's primary business is Operating Systems and Office productivity and not Music. If Microsoft decided to get out of Operating Systems or Microsoft Office it'd be similar. Do you ever think that'll happen short of them being outplayed in the market?

I linked that EA was looking at buying Steam, do you really trust EA to do the right thing?

To be fair, EA's Origin has a lot of better policies when it comes to Consumer rights than Steam. So.. maybe? It depends on how they implemented stuff. On Origin there is a defined refund policy. On Origin they give away games regularly. On Origin the customer support people go out of their way to help unlike Valve staff.

When I ignore the EA filter that I have and look at Origin as a product I have to admit that it -is- better than Steam. But.. it is EA and that's a hard thing to get around.

I understand a lot of people like Steam, and that's fine, it's just not something I can accept.

That's great! Then why do you keep trying to bash it and go on and on about it with points that aren't always accurate?

As an aside, if you read any license agreement for software you will discover that you don't own any of it. All licenses are licenses to use the software and not to own it.

I am really happy to see Distant Worlds doing well on Steam. I'd love to know how the sales of Universe on Steam compare to sales of Universe elsewhere but I doubt that kitten will be let out of the bag.

Seeing Universe pop back into the top ten after some youtubers gave it more exposure is amazing. I believe the Steam strategy is proving itself to be a good one and it also validates the suggestions (which Matrix/Slitherine appear to have followed to an extent) of getting the game out into the hands of Youtubers.

Next up - get the game into the hands of Twitch casters. Make it happen Matrix/Slitherine or hire someone new to manage current and upcoming social mediums for marketing purposes.

ORIGINAL: Icemania

No it's not. Both sides of the debate can do what they want. Nobody is forcing anybody either way.

By all means continue then. I'll go the play the game.

The thread title includes:

1.) DW:U
2.) Steam

How discussing either could be considered 'moot' is beyond me.

Dude, I didn't say it was off-topic, I'm suggesting energy is better spent elsewhere ...

Chow.

ORIGINAL: Icemania

Dude, I didn't say it was off-topic, I'm suggesting energy is better spent elsewhere ...

Chow.

Fair enough. Edited for accuracy.

ORIGINAL: mr_flappypants

ORIGINAL: Gregorovitch55

I don't think they actually ban people permanently for trying that scam.

You mean you don't know. Also, blocking payment doesn't necessarily imply 'scam'. Small claims court will determine that. BUT, in the meantime I could still 'drive' myself to the courthouse in my other car. Steam's policy takes 'that ability' away.

As I said before. .. you would probably sing a different tune if 'it happened' to you.

I do know. A number of people on the X:Rebirth forums tried that after it's release due to the awful nature of the game.

They didn't ban people's accounts for that. What they will do though is block your access to that one specific title until the matter is resolved. In theory, they could temporarily block your account, but for the people who did it over on the Rebirth forums, that's not the course of action they took. Still, I've never found a need to do a charge back, since Steam customer support has always been willing to work with me on games that are completely broken, like Legends of Pegasus.

Also, why would it happen to him? Steam doesn't just randomly go around shutting down accounts, and generally it takes a serious breach for them to even consider it. At that point, he won't be "singing a different tune", he'll be saying to himself, "I really wish I hadn't participated in a major scam when I knew the consequences".

My ten cents... I would argue it's off topic, the topic here is distant worlds is in the top 10 on steam, sure the discussion has to do with steam but the topic is how DW is doing on steam not the merits of steam. If you want to question the merits of steam why not make a thread specifically for that?

oh no it just dropped to #11[:(]

ORIGINAL: mr_flappypants

ORIGINAL: Icemania

No it's not. Both sides of the debate can do what they want. Nobody is forcing anybody either way.

By all means continue then. I'll go the play the game.

The thread title includes:

1.) DW:U
2.) Steam

How discussing either could be considered 'moot' is beyond me.

Steam having "DRM free" games is a more recent development, though you still need the Client to buy/download it don't you?

Email, guilty - though I'm not certain how that figures in.

Not bashing, just answering a question and giving my reasons for why I don't use the service.
Points are/were historically relevant.

ORIGINAL: flanyboy

My ten cents... I would argue it's off topic, the topic here is distant worlds is in the top 10 on steam, sure the discussion has to do with steam but the topic is how DW is doing on steam not the merits of steam. If you want to question the merits of steam why not make a thread specifically for that?

Because the discussion has evolved and thereby incorporated Steam (as a source of purchasing DW:U) into the thread. I could argue that arguing about it is off-topic but that could be considered as being off-topic.

ORIGINAL: Jim D Burns

ORIGINAL: mr_flappypants

If I buy,

Steam gets around this by not selling you anything. It's all a rental and subject to their control. You have no rights period.

Jim

Which is another reason not to use it.

ORIGINAL: mr_flappypants

ORIGINAL: flanyboy

My ten cents... I would argue it's off topic, the topic here is distant worlds is in the top 10 on steam, sure the discussion has to do with steam but the topic is how DW is doing on steam not the merits of steam. If you want to question the merits of steam why not make a thread specifically for that?

Because the discussion has evolved and thereby incorporated Steam (as a source of purchasing DW:U) into the thread. I could argue that arguing about it is off-topic but that could be considered as being off-topic.

Steam threads always end up like this. [8|]

And to clarify, I'm glad that Steam is there for people that want to use it. It's just not for me.

ORIGINAL: Icemania

No it's not. Both sides of the debate can do what they want. Nobody is forcing anybody either way.

By all means continue then. I'll go the play the game.

Ice has a point. Who cares which side you fall on?

Let's see some screenshots and let's talk shop! Anyone have any awesome moments to share? Anyone been selling all of their friends on this game? I've finally been able to convince a few of my buddies to buy it. They're (like I knew they would) loving it.

I bought and upgraded my game on matrix and activated that on steam I then purchased a new copy in steam and gave my friend the game. I bought the second copy directly through steam because of how easy it is to gift there rather than directly through matrix which is more complicated to gift through.

Steam gets around this by not selling you anything. It's all a rental and subject to their control. You have no rights period.

From the Steam EULA:

the consumer protection laws of your country shall prevail

and

In the event that any provision of this Agreement shall be held by a court or other tribunal of competent jurisdiction to be unenforceable, such provision will be enforced to the maximum extent permissible and the remaining portions of this Agreement shall remain in full force and effect

<-- The above is itself unenforceable.