PA Modding: Double edged sword?

It's great to hear about your experience. Thanks for sharing it.

It's indicative of most casual gamers (myself included) who aren't aware of every little thing that goes on with every single PC game that's been created.

I agree that the fracturing and splintering of a pool of online gamers can and does exist when modding is available for said game.

This is unfortunate but its what happens when a game company abandons a game. I agree that Steam is very nice. But without the GPGNet servers FA's built in match making just can't function. Sadly this limits you to your Steam buddies unless you install a replacement lobby like FAF.

The fault for this partly lies with those responsible for shutting down GPGNet, partly with GPG for not making FA's built in lobby system more extensible, and partly with the Steam players for not using Google. It is not a result of FA being modable.

The fact that FA is modable and the fact that this allows FAF to exist is the only thing that will keep FA alive going forward. Steam can't save it.

Well that's what fourms and search engines are for.

If some of the players can't be bothered to find the main group its hardly anyone's fault but their own. If FA wasn't modable the situation would be far worse. In the case of FAF they have been posing matches to YouTube like crazy to try and publicize their existence. Its not their fault if some people just don't pay attention because they can't see the world outside of their Steam client.

Well FA is what it is, and I'm not saying that the fault lies with modding or really any 1 place in particular. All I'm saying is that the OP has a valid concern about split player bases (weather or not his focus on mods has merit). PA is not immune to the possibility of having a fractured player base, although I think their client-server architecture and game design when it comes to modding will help. It is worth looking into finding ways to keep the player base unified, especially considering how many games outlast their makers...

When said concern hasn't been true for any game I have seen, I wouldn't call it 'valid'. Especially because he - she? - has demonstrated he doesn't know much about the topic and all arguements have been refuted, multiple times.

I've got a life outside of gaming. Aside from a few titles of interest, I couldn't care less about the others. No need or inclination to google anything about games. But that's just me. To each their own.

If games aren't that important to you then why do you care at all? Also, do you have any actual points to make? Because we are still waiting for one.

Your admission of ignorance is the first step on the road of knowledge. You must merely wish to travel down it and you would find what you seek.

If you're too "busy" to do that though don't be surprised when people get exasperated at your unfounded and unteneble opinion

Also, I'm gonna have do disagree with you here. While I am a very casual gamer, unlike OP I do keep abreast with the details and news about the games I play actively. Though I was aware of FAF's existence and possibly larger player base I still prefer not to use it. From my understanding you can use free copies of FA to play FAF and it has long been my view that if you want to play legitimately, and actually purchased the game, you will activate your FA cd key on steam and play it in the most legit fashion possible. To me, FAF players are those who are taking advantage of the fact they can pirate the game and play online for free. If you own FA legitimately, you can play on steam any time.

TLDR: there are other reasons players might not want to use FAF besides not doing their homework. More education does not necessarily = a more unified player base.

It's nice to see that there are other gamers like myself with honor who don't pirate/torrent games and respect developers even after they may be long gone.

I never have and never will pirate/torrent a PC game.

Good grief. You prefer not to use the ONLY way to matchmake with people other than those on your friends list (legitimately or not) for Forged Alliance. We get it.

The fact that FAF doesn't split the community, but rather rallies those that are left is apparently something you can't comprehend.

Do you have a point to make or not?

If you don't want to use FAF that's fine. But that doesn't make mods responsible for fragmenting the player base.

Hu? FA sold in retail boxes without any need to ever install Steam to play it. I have one of said boxes. FA didn't hit Steam until long after it was released to retail. Playing a legit copy of FA has never required Steam.

This is totally incorrect. I'm sure plenty of people pirated FA but that has nothing to do with FAF.

Not if you didn't buy FA on Steam and don't want to be forced to install Steam to play FA.

Fair enough. But that still doesn't make mods responsible for fragmenting the player base.

He's the worst sort of internet: complaining for the sake of complaining.

I don't see how this relates to the current discussion. Can you at least try to make sense please?

My point was summarized in the TLDR section for those with low reading comprehension or those who prefer brevity. You would do well to reread it because I won't repeat myself. If FAF is the only way for you to matchmake, you didn't buy the game and I really don't feel sorry for you if it's now causing you troubles. If you did buy it, type your CD key into steam and there is your option #2. The player base may be smaller there, but it is by no means a private club for me and my friends... There is no one left behind that actually bought the game. Is that something You can comprehend nanolathe?

I did buy the game and I can use FAF... through Steam. I think you're deliberately misunderstanding now iron420

I can use either option and I purchased the game legitimately... twice in fact.

Steam lets me play with my friends. FAF lets me play with my friends AND online automatic matchmaking.

I never said it does.

I never said that either. I only said you can't play on steam without a legit key, while FAF lets anyone (pirate or not) play online. Either way you have to choose one, so why not play legit?

FAF enables pirated copies to play online, something the original client couldn't do and neither can steam.

I didn't buy mine through steam. I bought mine at launch and only activated my cd in steam to enable it there. Perhaps you should do your homework as you insist others do before making such a bold claim

Again, I never claimed that. Please read carefully before replying to the posts of others and use quotes where applicable.

Not true for people who bought FA outside of Steam.

Why should I be forced to use Steam if there is no reason for me to? I bought FA at Best Buy. Is my purchase somehow less valid than a purchase through Steam?

Actually, without a lobby server it is a private club for you and your friends.

Except for the people who prefer not to use Steam. Or does the world outside the Steam client not exist to you?

You are making an argument in support of that claim.

You implied it.

How is FAF without Steam not legit? Why should I have to prove to anyone but the developers that I paid for my game?

So? It is not the responsibility of the FAF team to fight piracy.

So you choose to activate on Steam. Good for you. Why should everyone be forced to?

You are making an argument in support of that claim. Please pay attention to the overall discussion.

This is really the only valid point you make. I didn't buy my copy through steam either but I like steam and the game is available there for purchase and is playable using it's native matchmaking options in game while playing on steam. If you are someone who bought FA but for some reason hate steam you are among the very small minority that FAF makes legitimate sense. This is an unfortunate situation that GPG has put on this small select group of individuals into, and steam is not to blame for that. In fact, I would praise steam for picking up the pieces after GPG and making FA playable using it's native matchmaking system for steam's users. It's a gift from steam (along with patch 1.6) that you aren't not forced to accept.