Matrix needs a Steam like portal

[JFalk68]

It's 2014, it's time to move forward!

Why doesn't Matrix have it's own Steam like portal? I want a portal to shop for for games just like Steam and I want all the benefits of a Steam like experience as well. I like how Steam makes it easy to redownload games and it keeps track of your library so nicely. Steam is huge and the success of it is huge as well, so why doesn't Matrix capitalize on it and invest in creating their own version for wargamming? I see more and more wargames migrating to steam and taking advantage of it, does Matrix want to lose on on those games and future games as well? Steam is quite attractive to the people that sell games as well!

Many of us get new PC's every so often and Matrix has been since 2000 and they will be around much longer. One problem with getting a new PC is updating and reinstalling your old PC games and making space for new ones. If we had a Steam like product to use, it would remember every single you game you bought and you could easily install those games on your new PC by logging into your Matrix account portal.

There are always a small anti Steam minority but every year that minority gets smaller because those old guys die off Anyways, still give the old guard/anti-steam guys their usual support and allow them to tediously reinstall games and find codes with whatever archaic system them use like saving old PC games and DVD's and grant us the new option of having a Steam like portal that keeps all of our wargames in one spot!

[gradenko2k]

Alternatively they could just put their games on Steam.

They're already most of the way there what with a weekly sale and DRM that's as free or as restrictive as Matrix might want and offline-capability that's as free or as restrictive as Matrix might want.

[Chickenboy]

Steam sucks. Straight up. Thank goodness Matrix has avoided that soul-sucking death spiral. I (and many others I know) will never buy another game on Steam under any circumstances.

[PipFromSlitherine]

Many of our games are already on Steam. Buy from us (DRM free, yours forever) and get the free Steam key if you wish. Win-win.

Cheers

Pip

[terje439]

ORIGINAL: PipFromSlitherine

Many of our games are already on Steam. Buy from us (DRM free, yours forever) and get the free Steam key if you wish. Win-win.

Cheers

Pip

I must say that I really enjoy this feature, and use it on all games bought here. Makes it really easy to load up a game I have not played in ages.
Still make my purchases here though.

[radic202]

As much as I agree with OP and would use one by Matrix/Slitherine, I have never had any issues with Steam, heck transferred all my Matrix Games (the ones that I can) to the Steam Portal for better access or actually for a much cleaner Desktop. Think I have like 198 games on the Steam portal at the moment. The only thing that bothers me is if Steam went "belie up" what would happen to all my games that I have no hardware for?

[MrsWargamer]

I only went to Steam as it meant go or no Civilization V.

I don't hate Steam, and I don't mind Steam, but I refuse to like Steam over the alternative that is Slitherine Groups method of installer serial and no other requirements.

All of my Steam games are schlock I wouldn't care a hoot over losing if it ever came to that.

I like that Steam is giving Slitherine valuable exposure. I consider it merely the cost of advertising. I like that I was given Steam keys for all my purchases. A major cool move on the part of Slitherine Group. All the perks of both worlds none of the downsides.

And there ARE downsides. If Steam gets in a snit they CAN sever you from your legal purchased product in a heart beat.

I don't require Slitherine Group to pretend they need to compete with Steam though. I'm happy to let them USE Steam, and that really is how I see it. Steam is being exploited not the other way around. Advertising isn't free, it is a very real cost of business, so if Steam has sales and seems to be giving away product, it is really the cost of advertising and nothing more.

Wargaming is a very small niche, and advertizing is vital. Going to Steam had to happen. I'm just glad Slitherine Group has been able to have it both ways. I'd rather pay full price at Slitherine Group rather than buy it cheap on Steam. I like KNOWING hell will freeze over before I can't play any of the games I buy here. But I have them all listed on my Steam account. Just doing my part to make the games visible eh.

[radic202]

ORIGINAL: MrsWargamer



I like that Steam is giving Slitherine valuable exposure. I consider it merely the cost of advertising. I like that I was given Steam keys for all my purchases. A major cool move on the part of Slitherine Group.

That is the part I love the best. I can guarantee you that some of had never heard of Matrix/Sliterine or even the type of wargames that they produce, for that I am thrilled that they made the move over.

The best part is to see how active Iain and many others from the Developers post regularly and answer questions on the appropriate Steam Forums. It may not be a big significant sign to Matrix/Sitherine Management but it does have an impact in the short and long run. Believe me, many will purchase a game when they see direct input from the Company Developers. For that, thanks Iain and others for posting there, as it makes it much easier for me to steer possible purchasers to these type of games.

[aaatoysandmore]

ORIGINAL: Chickenboy

Steam sucks. Straight up. Thank goodness Matrix has avoided that soul-sucking death spiral. I (and many others I know) will never buy another game on Steam under any circumstances.

I 2nd this ^^^ post. I like being able to get my games here "without" having to jump thru hoops with DRM schemes. Storing your games here is just as easy just takes a bit more intelligence is all. [:D]

[t001001001]

Steam sucks. Straight up.

No. Actually it doesn't. All my games are organized, I can re-download anything I've ever bought there w/ a click. It works perfectly. For gaming it's the best client software since sliced bread.

Thank goodness Matrix has avoided that soul-sucking death spiral. I (and many others I know) will never buy another game on Steam under any circumstances.

That's odd. I bought Panzer Corps on Steam months ago. I've also bought expansions via steam by simply clicking on what I want to buy. Point-click-purchase. Very convenient.

You don't have a clue what you're talking about.

[t001001001]

Man. I'm sorry, Chickenboy. I try not to be unseemly [:o]

I didn't like Steam at first either, but it really does work perfectly and ur not doing urself or anyone else any favors to trash it offhand.

Matrixgames are marketing their products there already. They expose their product to millions of gamers rather than thousands.

No doubt it costs im a percentage of sales. It's always a balance of units sold vs how much*per. It'd be interesting to see how they've done since steam releases. Not b/c I'm nosey, it'd just be interesting. I'm pulling for im, I hope they do well. I think releasing the games on steam was a really good idea. The devil is in the P/L.

[aaatoysandmore]

ORIGINAL: t001001001

Steam sucks. Straight up.

No. Actually it doesn't. All my games are organized, I can re-download anything I've ever bought there w/ a click. It works perfectly. For gaming it's the best client software since sliced bread.

Thank goodness Matrix has avoided that soul-sucking death spiral. I (and many others I know) will never buy another game on Steam under any circumstances.

That's odd. I bought Panzer Corps on Steam months ago. I've also bought expansions via steam by simply clicking on what I want to buy. Point-click-purchase. Very convenient.

You don't have a clue what you're talking about.

Yes actually it does. Steam is the worst thing this side of cancer. [:D]

[Aurelian]

Never had a problem with Steam.

[Werewolf13]

ORIGINAL: aaatoysandmore

ORIGINAL: Chickenboy

Steam sucks. Straight up. Thank goodness Matrix has avoided that soul-sucking death spiral. I (and many others I know) will never buy another game on Steam under any circumstances.

I 2nd this ^^^ post. I like being able to get my games here "without" having to jump thru hoops with DRM schemes. Storing your games here is just as easy just takes a bit more intelligence is all. [:D]

Then you've never dealt with STEAM for there are no hoops to jump thru at all. You put your money on the table, download the product and you're done. That's it. It's easier than going to the store and hoping there's a boxed version on the shelf or ordering online and waiting days and days to get it unless you pay a huge premium for 1 day delivery.

Your talking STEAM about like you talked HOI3 and Brazil aaatoysandmore. In other words out the nether parts of your body.

[Rosseau]

Matrix gets the DRM-free award, that is for sure. Actually, the only DRM that really drove me nuts was Ubisoft and required Ubiplay registration.

[Tejszd]

My preference is for Matrix to offer direct downloads and Steam keys for those that prefer the pros/cons of being tied to Steam.

[gradenko2k]

And there ARE downsides. If Steam gets in a snit they CAN sever you from your legal purchased product in a heart beat.

AFAIK this has never happened. Steam can pull a product off their catalogue to prevent any new people from buying it (as was what happened with AGEOD a while back), but they've always allowed people who have already purchased the game to keep playing the game and even keep re-downloading it from their servers. They just don't sell any more of them.

Matrix gets the DRM-free award, that is for sure. Actually, the only DRM that really drove me nuts was Ubisoft and required Ubiplay registration.

How does Matrix get the DRM-free award if you have to type in a serial key every time you install their game, compared to hitting one button to install and hitting another button to play?

[Kayoz]

ORIGINAL: gradenko_2000

And there ARE downsides. If Steam gets in a snit they CAN sever you from your legal purchased product in a heart beat.

AFAIK this has never happened... they've always allowed people who have already purchased the game to keep playing the game and even keep re-downloading it from their servers. They just don't sell any more of them.

Wrong. Do a Google search for "steam account locked" - you'll find plenty of cases where they've locked accounts - prohibiting their customers from playing the games they've purchased.

Sorry, the facts simply fly in the face of your assertion.

*edit*
In case the task of checking your facts is too onerous, here's one example:
http://www.rockpapershotgun.com/2012/02 ... eam-games/

Never happened? Really?

ORIGINAL: gradenko_2000
How does Matrix get the DRM-free award if you have to type in a serial key every time you install their game, compared to hitting one button to install and hitting another button to play?

Well, so long as you keep the serial key, it doesn't matter what happens to Matrix. If they don't like you and ban you, you can still play and re-install at your pleasure. Can you really fail to see the difference between this and some desk-jockey at Steam clicking a button and denying you access to each and every purchase you've ever made from Steam?

I thought rosseau's point was quite clear.

[gradenko2k]

Wrong. Do a Google search for "steam account locked" - you'll find plenty of cases where they've locked accounts - prohibiting their customers from playing the games they've purchased.

I was operating under the impression that she meant something on the scale of a game being pulled from everyone's accounts, not a scenario where a specific individual's account access is pulled over a legalistic issue.

I withdraw my claim.

Well, so long as you keep the serial key, it doesn't matter what happens to Matrix. If they don't like you and ban you, you can still play and re-install at your pleasure. Can you really fail to see the difference between this and some desk-jockey at Steam clicking a button and denying you access to each and every purchase you've ever made from Steam?

I thought rosseau's point was quite clear.

That's not really any different from a scenario where the publisher/developer asks Steam to not put any DRM on their game as it's released on Steam. Take a Paradox game for example - as long as I keep my downloaded copy of the game stored somewhere (which is not essentially different from having to store a Matrix installer+serial key text file), Paradox and Steam could collapse into a black hole tomorrow and I'd still be able to play Crusader Kings 2 as much as I want.

[parusski]

ORIGINAL: radic202

As much as I agree with OP and would use one by Matrix/Slitherine, I have never had any issues with Steam, heck transferred all my Matrix Games (the ones that I can) to the Steam Portal for better access or actually for a much cleaner Desktop. Think I have like 198 games on the Steam portal at the moment. The only thing that bothers me is if Steam went "belie up" what would happen to all my games that I have no hardware for?

I have also never had any problem with Steam. The hatred of Steam makes no sense.