Steam & PA // Questions, Answers, Discussion

Re: Will PA be availible via Steam?

I hope there will be no problem ^^

Re: Will PA be availible via Steam?

It'd be amazing to have this game on steam. The additions of achievements and the matchmaking system would benefit PA greatly.

Re: Will PA be availible via Steam?

From what I gather it sounds like PA is going to have it's own achievement system, I think they called them badges. I think it would be important to have badges either separate from Steam, or at least identical on steam to what is offered in copies of PA from other retailers.

As for matchmaking I cant recall anything specific, but given that they want to be as independent as possible from specific retailers and offer PA in as many places as possible, matchmaking might work with their own implementation rather than taking it from Steam.

Re: Will PA be availible via Steam?

That would be best, I think. If they are simply there for each platform.

The thing is: Once a publisher or developer goes bankrupt these are no longer tended to. I don't think it'll happen in the case of Uber anytime soon, but you never know. Giving retailers the possibility to use their own ways of connecting players is a great advantage, especially if they are able to incorporate one into the other.

At least I want it in my Steam library. I don't really care if I use their matchmaking system and so on, but I like to have my games in one place. Sadly enough I can't activate a lot of copies of games I have bought in the past that have become availible on Steam.

This remains my main concern.

EDIT: I've actually just checked with the FAQ on the new site and this is the official statement:

Still no answer as to the issue of the preorderd keys working for a activation on Steam.

Re: Will PA be availible via Steam?

This is the same issue that steam would present, Valve is also a company that is unlikely to go bankrupt but if it did then you would lose their implementation of matchmaking.

With that bit of nitpicking out of the way, Uber have stated that the community will be able to host their own servers and indeed is being encouraged in the same way that modding is being supported from the ground up in engine. It was even said on one of the live streams that they would not be surprised if the majority of servers online were run by the community. I think that should allay concerns that we would not be able to play PA if Uber went under as they are designing it to be independent of any retailers systems.

Re: If PA comes to Steam, can PreOrdered Keys be acivated?

With that of course you are right. Actually I'm not weary of either happening. I just want to be able to use the key I've preordered with my Steam Account ^^

Re: If PA comes to Steam, can PreOrdered Keys be acivated?

Certain non-valve titles are able to be reactivated through steam - for example, my UT3 Black Edition (boxed and sold as the Limited or Collector's edition). I bought it when it first came out, then a year and a half later randomly tried adding the key to steam - it worked, and suddenly I get access to the steam badges etc, and can reinstall/download/update a game I own hard solid media for via the steam platform!

With any luck this will be the way that PA goes, so we can get the best of both worlds (and so when we're all playing it, our steam profiles will show that we are and let people join us!!!).

Re: If PA comes to Steam, can PreOrdered Keys be acivated?

I'm sure it will be available on Steam from day one. It's a big game for the RTS genre, I'm sure Valve won't want to miss 50k possible purchases

Re: If PA comes to Steam, can PreOrdered Keys be acivated?

I support it being ADDED to steam, but I also like the idea of the game being standalone. Half of my heart loves steam and the other half pumps blood, and that half also likes standalone games.

Re: If PA comes to Steam, can PreOrdered Keys be acivated?

Don't worry the game will always run standalone because we have our own network backend system that's similar to steam. Hopefully the game will be on Steam but we don't control Steam so we can't promise it. It would surprise me if we didn't end up there though.

Re: If PA comes to Steam, can PreOrdered Keys be acivated?

Just something to note.

Remember when you turned off Steam integration in SMNC and it crapped out? Steam always provided a nice way to invite and organize friends to a game. Something really important for an RTS.

My 2 cents since you're not going to use Steam for that.

Re: If PA comes to Steam, can PreOrdered Keys be acivated?

Thanks for your answer! I really like Standalone games also, but I'm lazy so I prefer Steam.

Still.. Could you give us an answer to the lingering question: Will Pre Orders and Backers activate their keys when PA comes to Steam?

Re: If PA comes to Steam, can PreOrdered Keys be acivated?

Im wondering the same thing, we know that the game "might be" on steam, but (assuming it will be on steam) we dont know if backers and pre-orders will be able to activate their key on steam (So that you can choose to install it using steam even if you didnt buy it from steam).

Re: If PA comes to Steam, can PreOrdered Keys be acivated?

I would definitely like to be able to just click "Invite friend" when starting a match, have my Steam friends list pop up, and run down it.

Heck, I would be willing to give you more money (since Steam does take a cut) to get a Steam copy instead of the 'normal' digital copy (assuming this is the plan).

Re: If PA comes to Steam, can PreOrdered Keys be acivated?

It would be silly that the game wouldn't be redeemable on Steam. I mean some of us cashed out quite a sum for the game, it should be logical to make sure they are supportable by Steam.

I wonder will the sales reports be ever published? I always want to know the amounts of purchases done for games but every company keeps it a secret :cry:

Re: If PA comes to Steam, can PreOrdered Keys be acivated?

Its not as silly as you think, if we buy our games using steam they take a cut = we get to use their overlay and stuff. If we dont buy it using steam they get nothing.

There have been games that lets you unlock them at steam even if you didn't buy them at steam, but not even close to all games that are sold at steam lets you register a copy you didnt buy at steam.

Re: If PA comes to Steam, can PreOrdered Keys be acivated?

I would also be interested to know that if the game does come to steam if we would be able to activate the pre-ordered copies/keys on Steam. Also something else to consider what about future keys/copies purchased from Uber after the game has been released, although the original question may already imply that.

I'd say the default option would be to keep the game standalone but for those that like to keep all there games together on steam the option to do this would be nice.

Re: If PA comes to Steam, can PreOrdered Keys be acivated?

Still no response. Maybe it is because they just don't know. I think early backers and pre-orders should be able to activate their keys on Steam if it is availible there and if they so choose.

I'd like to have something official on that issue ^^

Re: If PA comes to Steam, can PreOrdered Keys be acivated?

Well its unfair to the ones who preordered it to not be able to redeem the key there. That would just spread the rumor of Steam being an A-hole and people would buy the game directly from Uber and disregard Steam completely. They get a cut if the game is bought from them like you mention so its in their best interest to bring as many people as they can to Steam.

Lets not forget the 5 million daily gamers that check out the steam store page.

Re: If PA comes to Steam, can PreOrdered Keys be acivated?

Yeah I think we were pretty clear on the "don't know yet" part.

Just to be clear what people seem to want is the option to get a steam code instead of an ubernet code?

Anyway if we knew we would say so but we simply don't know yet.