Why reinvent the wheel... steam friends/chat?

I don't understand why uber is reinventing the wheel when it comes to friends/chat.
Why not just use the steam functionality?

Not everyone uses steam.

The steam version does, obviously, but why make the independent game version forced to be a part of steam? Not to mention they can't really...

At it's peak today there were just under 6.5 million users online on steam (http://store.steampowered.com/stats/?snr=1_steam_4__110) ... uber wouldn't even have 1% of that. I keep trying to talk my friends (who are _all_ on steam into buying PA and they ask if it's integrated so they can join a lobby I'm in, etc... and I have to be honest and say no. I didn't kickstart PA in some weird hope that it was going to replace steam.

I don't know any PC gamers who aren't using steam. If you choose the standalone version then you generally know you're choosing to lose the benefits that steam provide.

The uber chat and friends list is supposed to integrate with steam if you have steam.

Not everyone uses steam. PA is not a game build around steam, so it cant completely base it's social features on steam.
I think the idea is that the uberbar does interact with steam if necessary.
If I remember correctly the PA for steam was announced after the KS

There are also some really cool things we will be able to do with mods now that game invites and player messages are handled with an open protocol like xmpp. Imagine tournament systems that automatically invite you to the next game, irc integrated right into PA, and other clever mods that can't be done with steam. (Which, again, a lot of us don't use.)

So you're saying you don't have a steam login?

Because PA is multiplayer game and Uber want it's to have long live. Obviously they want to maximize amount of players who will run game outside of Steam and pay their money directly to them. In this situation what's good for Uber it's good for us because they'll able to spend extra time on development and support of profitable game.

PS: Also I suppose UberNet will use Steamworks friend list in future so you won't need to manually add friend again.

My PA has nothing to do whatsoever with my Steam, yes.

Oh I have a steam account, but I never linked it to PA. I also don't plan to to that ever.

The standalone version is better imho, more commanders. Though I own both, a Steam 90$ one as well as an Uber 200$ one

I don't really need to explain my reasons for not using Steam in detail, but let's leave it at this; I plan to be playing this game 16 years from now. Will Steam still be around then?

My reasons don't really matter though. It's pretty rude to decide that just because you do it this way, the rest of us all should too. You're free right now to use steam chat, the steam friends list, and send game invites through steam. You'll have a hard time interacting with non-Steam users, but you don't seem to believe that those people exist anyway.

I'm in the same case here. not gonna link PA with steam.

I don't dislike steam. I even consider origin and Uplay alike should just keel over and die, just like microsoft games did. but I haven't opened steam in a long long time. And i used steam's chat in Global offensive but I found it counterintuitive and a resource hog.

I only ever used Steam for DOTA2, then uninstalled it right away when I got bored of it.
Don't get me wrong, I don't dislike it either... I just find it unnecessary. I want to run, install and uninstall my games without having to constantly rely on another software.

PS.: I'm just here for the free beer.

I don't use steam, I know Uber tends to put at least a simple main menu global chat and playerlist in their games (SMNC). I really REALLY don't like you sponsoring sending me up s*** creek without a paddle.

Me too. I have a few games on steam, I have any standalone games off steam. I have no strong ties to steam, just sales and update support. If a game is advance enough to have a self sufficient version of that, or if a game is so primitive as not to have updates, I opt out of steam. I rather have a physical copy independent each game, than an account banned lose 20 games thanks for the money.

That being said, SMNC was not integrated with steam, and it was fine, I used it with steam for other players who have it with steam since, like PA, SMNC was dual-use both standalone and steam-version. You just use both.

So, that leaves me with my big question to ask you @elvisior : The game should have steam integration, automatically display steam friends into the regular game's friend bar; However, whats wrong with both using in-game social features so you can actually click-join people, and using steam's alt-shift overlay, if both work?

I think the plan is to allow some integration with steam- however the system they are building will also support Ubers own stand alone system. To be honest I've never bothered with the social features on Steam itself, I only really use steam as a download portal if the price is better than other sources.

Hi my name is Kayon and I would like to introduce myself as the first PC gamer that you know that doesn't use Steam.

Let the free beer begin!

steam crashes a lot