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Topic: Ever try get on steam?

DXDoug
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Posted at: 2017-10-04, 00:46

game looks great. maybe its just cause open source games dont usually go to steam etc, but yeah would be great to see on the market.


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einstein13
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Posted at: 2017-10-04, 12:54

Is "Steam" means somebody will pay for that?

I don't like idea that Widelands shouldn't be free.

Also is the steam free? I don't think so.

If I am wrong, please correct me. I don't use steam, only heard a lot about it.


einstein13
calculations & maps packages: http://wuatek.no-ip.org/~rak/widelands/
backup website files: http://kartezjusz.ddns.net/upload/widelands/

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kaputtnik
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Posted at: 2017-10-04, 20:41

There was a discussion earlier.

I don't think that the philosophy of widelands fit with the philosophy of steam. From what i know steam is to earn money, whereas widelands is just freedom without any goal for money (beside the needed money to run the servers).

Thanks to all the people who spend their free time for widelands, whatever they do face-smile.png


Fight simulator for Widelands:
https://wide-fighter.netlify.app/

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GunChleoc
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Posted at: 2017-10-04, 20:53

Actually, it's entirely legitimate to ask money for free as in freedom software - just think of how Linux distributions used to work, where one would buy a set of CDs and the distributor get some money for the effort of packaging & printing.

One beef I have with Steam that they keep ignoring my requests to create a translation team, seems that I need to spend some money with them before I am allowed to do any unpaid work for them...


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teppo

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Posted at: 2017-10-05, 06:37

GunChleoc wrote:

Actually, it's entirely legitimate to ask money for free as in freedom software

This chapter in the GNU philosophy even encourages it.

One beef I have with Steam that they keep ignoring my requests to create a translation team,

Why do we need a translation team from Steam? Widelands is already translated to many languages. Surely there are games in Steam that support fewer ones.

Edited: 2017-10-05, 06:41

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DXDoug
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Posted at: 2017-10-05, 12:30

Well i mean 2-5$ games arent that bad of a idea. But also keep in mind since everyone here thinks going to steam means having to pay to play it doesnt. The Game could def be in the Free To play Section an boom alot more players an you can keep the game free for all to enjoy face-grin.png donnu why everyone here thinks going to steam means making the game a have to purchase option. Since ya there is plenty free games on steam. Could always just go that route an make it a free to play game an then it would be just like it already is but with possible alot more people to play with for multiplayer etc.


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DXDoug
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Posted at: 2017-10-05, 12:38

einstein13 wrote:

Is "Steam" means somebody will pay for that?

I don't like idea that Widelands shouldn't be free.

Also is the steam free? I don't think so.

If I am wrong, please correct me. I don't use steam, only heard a lot about it.

Steam is a FREE application for gaming, and marketplace for gaming IT cost nothing to download the app and find millions of different games that are free to play, or ofcourse a game can purchase to play. There is literally thousands of free to play games on steam, that range from every type of game you could imagine to just single player games to MMO games to Multiplayer games etc all genres of pc games have an continue to be free on steam. Going to steam just means more players who could see the game and decide wether or not want to try it out. You can keep WildLands free to play, and bring in alot more players to the game. But ya you should check it out its the biggest / largest Internet Gaming Marketplace in the world.


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trimard
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Posted at: 2017-10-05, 16:01

The reason is pretty well summed up here:

https://www.reddit.com/r/linux_gaming/comments/2w298a/why_are_many_free_and_open_source_games_not_on/

Because to put something on Steam there have to be some person who may represent project in relations with Valve and many open source project don't have such people.

Technically license of open source games allow anybody to put their compiled code and assets on Steam even to sell them, but there is open question about trademarks. E.g even if trademark not registered ownership of project name technically belongs it's original creators so likely Valve not going to accept project to Steam if it's use same name, but not submitted by actual developers.

Other question that many open source games licensed under GPL and it's make it harder to use Steam integration as Steamworks SDK is proprietary and can't be linked with GPL'd game executable. In same time Valve don't provide easy way to use Steam-only features (as far as I aware WebAPI it's not exactly what can be used in game).

And that last problem might be the reason GunCheoc can't translate it properly.

Is "Steam" means somebody will pay for that?

No of course no. Many games are free on steam

Also is the steam free? I don't think so.

Steam isn't free. You have to buy 5dol worth of games before you can download any free games (last time I checked for a game that free on steam as part of a promotion). But that doesn't mean people won't have access to the link of the game where they will see it's free. anyway, the goal isn't to be available only on steam, the goal is to touch the people that only use steam as a mean for finding games. Those people certainly already have pay more than 5dol (again if these are really needed for free games).

Personnally, I think that's a good idea because that help to make a bigger player base. Yes people won't see the translations well, yes we won't have the stats. But all these will still be available in other distributions tactics.

And I'm ready to make part of the donation necessary to publish on steam, if that's the problem.


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kaputtnik
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Posted at: 2017-10-05, 19:12

I think i was misunderstood, or did not explain exactly what i meant: For me it is a great difference if Steam would grab our source code and deploy it, or if we offer our game to steam to help them to earn money. The latter reason is not what i want. And this is also against the GNU philosophy, IMHO.

Personnally, I think that's a good idea because that help to make a bigger player base.

Thats a good reason, but does not solve the problem of missing developers. And i don't believe the equation "bigger player base = more contributers" is true. Maybe i am wrong face-smile.png


Fight simulator for Widelands:
https://wide-fighter.netlify.app/

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GunChleoc
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Posted at: 2017-10-05, 21:52

teppo wrote:

Why do we need a translation team from Steam? Widelands is already translated to many languages. Surely there are games in Steam that support fewer ones.

We as Widelands, no. We as speakers of languages that are not on the Steam list, yes. Steam versions of games will only list availability for Steam languages, even if they have been translated into more languages. Happened to me with Frogatto & Friends, and will happen to me for SuperTuxKart and Battle for Wesnoth.


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