I'm actually quite happy that baldur's gate is being released in steam.
It sucks for overhaul that they get (way?) less money per copy, but I know of at least 4 friends that refused to buy it since it wasn't on steam and will now purchase a copy. That's money they wouldn't had gotten any other way so I guess it's a win.
About keys for the existing users... it would be _very_ nice, I'm a steam user since mid 2004 and I'm quite used to the convenience of whenever I want to install a game just going to my library and have it downloading in 3 clicks, independently of what computer I'm using(I have 3 desktops and 2 laptops in my house). The beamdog client(or the standalone installer) doesn't add much more work but it does add some.
And also, collectionism. For me my steam library has become the modern equivalent of my shelves full of games in the 90's, to be honest just for that I would had bought(and waited for) the steam version too if it wasn't labeled as (almost) impossible from the start.
I like Steam, but I don't really care if we get a key for it or not. I already launch the game from there and I'd rather not let people know how much I love Baldur's Gate with that damnable timer they have.
@LukevanV I too launch the game through Steam, but unlike you I'd quite like to show people how much I love the game with that timer.
Just out of personal curiosity why would you launch the game through steam? For me I'd prefer to launch everything through a desktop shortcut. One thing that really bothers me about Far Cry 3 (even though I love the game) is that you have to open up uplay and launch it from there. It's bad enough to have to install DRM clients, but having to launch a game from with the client is annoying. Especially when you have multiple clients installed for different games. The only reason I like steam a lot is they have good sales and I can download the games from steam so easily on any computer.
Launching the game through Steam means the game is launched through the Steam overlay. With the overlay I can see when friends come online, message said friends, bring up a website from within the game, etc. There is a slight problem in that any overlay graphics don't fully disappear after they are on screen, but this is easily fixed by switching to another screen in the game (from the main game screen to inventory for instance).
Just out of personal curiosity why would you launch the game through steam? For me I'd prefer to launch everything through a desktop shortcut. One thing that really bothers me about Far Cry 3 (even though I love the game) is that you have to open up uplay and launch it from there. It's bad enough to have to install DRM clients, but having to launch a game from with the client is annoying. Especially when you have multiple clients installed for different games. The only reason I like steam a lot is they have good sales and I can download the games from steam so easily on any computer.
On top of what @Zarakinthish said I don't like having my desktop cluttered with shortcuts. If it were only the single player games it might be ok, but once you add multi player and games that I only play from time to time(Audiosurf, Revenge of the Titans, Frozen Synapse, ...) they end up being a lot of shortcuts. In steam I have a IM with a lot of people in it, so I will be installing it and launching it on windows start, it doesn't make much sense for me not to use the library to manage my games(even non steam ones) then.
Oh god, just going through the discussion on steam and how people are saying it is over priced. Getting some amazing gems like:
"Oh by the way. Anyone knows if they added full time voice acting like in modern games?" "could have added achievements for this price." "Don't buy this game and wait Project Eternity." "Oh great, the braindead Beamdog fanboys will probaly be over here soon."
Just out of personal curiosity why would you launch the game through steam? For me I'd prefer to launch everything through a desktop shortcut. One thing that really bothers me about Far Cry 3 (even though I love the game) is that you have to open up uplay and launch it from there. It's bad enough to have to install DRM clients, but having to launch a game from with the client is annoying. Especially when you have multiple clients installed for different games. The only reason I like steam a lot is they have good sales and I can download the games from steam so easily on any computer.
On top of what @Zarakinthish said I don't like having my desktop cluttered with shortcuts. If it were only the single player games it might be ok, but once you add multi player and games that I only play from time to time(Audiosurf, Revenge of the Titans, Frozen Synapse, ...) they end up being a lot of shortcuts. In steam I have a IM with a lot of people in it, so I will be installing it and launching it on windows start, it doesn't make much sense for me not to use the library to manage my games(even non steam ones) then.
There is that issue too. Steam says I have 216 games right now, but that isn't quite accurate since it counts DLC for games as "games". Needless to say I have quite a large library of games.
That is the logical equivalent of don't eat this really yummy cake today, wait until 2014 and eat another really yummy cake then.
Cake is awesome. You should eat both.
That being said, the only few discussions I've read on steam all read like Barrens chat from WoW.
I still don't get how Atari got the rights to distribute the edition of the game that Overhaul fixed bugs on added NPCs and areas and items to. I mean I guess I know how, that is obviously the contract they had to go with to make anything happen. However that is still messed up.
I'm glad I bought this copy from Overhaul, and I'll be buying BG2:EE from Overhaul as well.
Overhaul receive only a portion of the income when a BGEE is bought from Steam? How much portion are we talking about? That's very unfair. Are they the same people who gave the contract limitation? *angry*
Oh god, just going through the discussion on steam and how people are saying it is over priced. Getting some amazing gems like:
"Oh by the way. Anyone knows if they added full time voice acting like in modern games?" "could have added achievements for this price." "Don't buy this game and wait Project Eternity." "Oh great, the braindead Beamdog fanboys will probaly be over here soon."
Oh why Atari, why?!
So, basically, the same discussions that were all over the place here at launch?
Granted, with it being the Steam forums it's probably a bit worse.
I would pay for it again if it ran on steam for linux.
I reckon that might be part of the reason that BGEE is on Steam. Beamdog did mention a Linux version at some point..
The mac version could benefit greatly too from steam. If atari doesn't end up being worse than apple with approval process for patches it would mean no more dependency on apple's SLOW approval process.
Overhaul receive only a portion of the income when a BGEE is bought from Steam? How much portion are we talking about? That's very unfair. Are they the same people who gave the contract limitation? *angry*
Steam takes 30% for every sale.
Oh, they do? I wondered for that for a time before. I'm talking about Atari though.
I said I'd get it when it came out on steam & I just shelled out my $20. Thank you beamdog, you now have a some $$ you wouldn't have had otherwise. Now enchance BG2 & ToB & get that out on steam!
Steam really has done wonders (maybe even saved) PC gaming since 2004. It is my gaming platform of choice and I love that BGEE was released there. Really, it can only give the game more exposure.
Oh god, just going through the discussion on steam and how people are saying it is over priced. Getting some amazing gems like:
"Oh by the way. Anyone knows if they added full time voice acting like in modern games?" "could have added achievements for this price." "Don't buy this game and wait Project Eternity." "Oh great, the braindead Beamdog fanboys will probaly be over here soon."
Oh why Atari, why?!
Braindead Beamdog fanboys? What the fuck is wrong with those people? See, THIS is why I didn't want BG:EE on Steam. The larger your audience becomes, the more morons get access to your games, which is not necessarily a good thing. Next suggestion will be giving the female paper dolls bigger boobs or something. *sigh*
We're having a very hard time convincing Atari to agree to allow us to provide Steam keys. I continue to press the issue. -Trent
If you can't get us Steam keys you could always give BG2EE for free to people who bought BGEE from here, or at least a very significant discount.
.... Are you kidding? Why would a company that never made ANY promises what so ever about it not comming out on steam give you discounts and/or steam keys at their expense now that it is on steam? Granted if they can get us steam keys without it costing overhaul any money then I'm all for it. But if it is going to cost them anything then I say HELL NO!
I like to have my games on steam as much as the next guy but I don't see any reason to move my BG:EE game over there. Then I'd actually have to have that client open to play BG:EE instead of just playing it through my install? I know steam has an offline mode but I've had loads of problems with it not functioning and I would loathe not being able to play BG:EE because I moved it to steam instead of just keeping it as is.
Furthermore I detest steams pricing policy: "This game is going to cost 50$? Let us see if we can get the europeans to pay 50 euros for it!" Wth? It is often better/cheaper for me to go to a physical store and buy the game there and then use the code in there to get it on steam aswell.
Trent and the team are still in negotiations with Atari, but in the mean-time you can still add the game to your Steam library and launch it from there. Follow these steps:
1) In the Steam browser window, select the "View" drop-down, and choose "Games List". 2) At the bottom left corner of the window, click "Add Game", and select "Add a Non-Steam Game" 3) Select Baldur's Gate Enhanced Edition from the list, and click "Add Selected Programs" (it should show up automatically)
And that's it; the game will launch normally just like any other Steam game, and you can still run it offline if your internet goes out (by running baldur.exe).
Steam really has done wonders (maybe even saved) PC gaming since 2004. It is my gaming platform of choice and I love that BGEE was released there. Really, it can only give the game more exposure.
This.
I'm surprised Steam is getting so much hate in this thread. Ya I know it sucks that dev's aren't making as much through Steam, but I think the exposure via Steam would be a great boon for overall sales. Steam has amazing support for Indie games, and the exposure they get leads to a lot of sales - especially during the Steam Sale periods. I mean just look at Amnesia, FTL, Terraria, Magicka, Limbo, Mark of the Ninja, etc. Most of these games probably wouldn't have sold as well without the exposure via Steam (many are only found on Steam). I realize BG isn't technically an indie game, but BG:EE kind of is with its level of exposure and methods of distribution.
Besides, every time i see an old popular game get re-released or go on-sale on Steam, I usually see them jump up into the top 10 sellers list. I remember KOTOR2, for example, got re-released around the Fall Steam Sale, and it sold like hotcakes. Hell, if you check right now, BGEE is number 2 on the top sellers list.
There's an obvious demand for it, and I can see why. Many people want to have all of their games on as few libraries as possible, and Steam is the best one overall. Steam's popular because it has good support, has a large selection of games, good UI, fairly benign DRM, and obviously AMAZING deals. I agree with Kortok, I wholeheartedly believe that Steam helped contribute to PC gaming's relevance today. In fact, Sony and Microsoft have taken notice and are trying to emulate Steam services with the upcoming consoles. Well, that and to try to stomp out resell stores like Gamestop...
With that said, I'll still probably buy BG2:EE directly through the devs just so they get more money, but I'm glad BGEE appeared on Steam because it would only bring in more customers.
There's an obvious demand for it, and I can see why. Many people want to have all of their games on as few libraries as possible, and Steam is the best one overall. Steam's popular because it has good support, has a large selection of games, good UI, fairly benign DRM, and obviously AMAZING deals.
With that said, I'll still probably buy BG2:EE directly through the devs just so they get more money, but I'm glad BGEE appeared on Steam because it would only bring in more customers.
I'm not against BG:EE being on steam either. And some of the things you say about steam are spot on. But amazing sales? Sure some of them are good. But I've seen games on 75% off on steam and then I looked at a physical store in my country and there the same game was for less... without being on sale or being a used copy... (it was kingdoms of amalur: reckoning). You want all your games in one library? Use the method that Aosaw came up with. That way you can add the game to your steam library. Granted you wont be able to download it via steam but at least you can start it via steam. If overhaul is able to get steam keys for the people who've already bought the game via. beamdog then excellent. Let the people who want the keys have the keys. But I'd be against overhaul spending any money on it. And it is unlikely that valve/steam is going to give people who've already bought the game via. another client free keys.
Comments
It sucks for overhaul that they get (way?) less money per copy, but I know of at least 4 friends that refused to buy it since it wasn't on steam and will now purchase a copy. That's money they wouldn't had gotten any other way so I guess it's a win.
About keys for the existing users... it would be _very_ nice, I'm a steam user since mid 2004 and I'm quite used to the convenience of whenever I want to install a game just going to my library and have it downloading in 3 clicks, independently of what computer I'm using(I have 3 desktops and 2 laptops in my house). The beamdog client(or the standalone installer) doesn't add much more work but it does add some.
And also, collectionism. For me my steam library has become the modern equivalent of my shelves full of games in the 90's, to be honest just for that I would had bought(and waited for) the steam version too if it wasn't labeled as (almost) impossible from the start.
"Oh by the way. Anyone knows if they added full time voice acting like in modern games?"
"could have added achievements for this price."
"Don't buy this game and wait Project Eternity."
"Oh great, the braindead Beamdog fanboys will probaly be over here soon."
Oh why Atari, why?!
"Don't buy this game and wait Project Eternity."
That is the logical equivalent of don't eat this really yummy cake today, wait until 2014 and eat another really yummy cake then.
Cake is awesome. You should eat both.
That being said, the only few discussions I've read on steam all read like Barrens chat from WoW.
I still don't get how Atari got the rights to distribute the edition of the game that Overhaul fixed bugs on added NPCs and areas and items to. I mean I guess I know how, that is obviously the contract they had to go with to make anything happen. However that is still messed up.
I'm glad I bought this copy from Overhaul, and I'll be buying BG2:EE from Overhaul as well.
Granted, with it being the Steam forums it's probably a bit worse.
I want a key so bad now...
Granted if they can get us steam keys without it costing overhaul any money then I'm all for it. But if it is going to cost them anything then I say HELL NO!
I like to have my games on steam as much as the next guy but I don't see any reason to move my BG:EE game over there. Then I'd actually have to have that client open to play BG:EE instead of just playing it through my install? I know steam has an offline mode but I've had loads of problems with it not functioning and I would loathe not being able to play BG:EE because I moved it to steam instead of just keeping it as is.
Furthermore I detest steams pricing policy: "This game is going to cost 50$? Let us see if we can get the europeans to pay 50 euros for it!" Wth? It is often better/cheaper for me to go to a physical store and buy the game there and then use the code in there to get it on steam aswell.
I'm surprised Steam is getting so much hate in this thread. Ya I know it sucks that dev's aren't making as much through Steam, but I think the exposure via Steam would be a great boon for overall sales. Steam has amazing support for Indie games, and the exposure they get leads to a lot of sales - especially during the Steam Sale periods. I mean just look at Amnesia, FTL, Terraria, Magicka, Limbo, Mark of the Ninja, etc. Most of these games probably wouldn't have sold as well without the exposure via Steam (many are only found on Steam). I realize BG isn't technically an indie game, but BG:EE kind of is with its level of exposure and methods of distribution.
Besides, every time i see an old popular game get re-released or go on-sale on Steam, I usually see them jump up into the top 10 sellers list. I remember KOTOR2, for example, got re-released around the Fall Steam Sale, and it sold like hotcakes. Hell, if you check right now, BGEE is number 2 on the top sellers list.
There's an obvious demand for it, and I can see why. Many people want to have all of their games on as few libraries as possible, and Steam is the best one overall. Steam's popular because it has good support, has a large selection of games, good UI, fairly benign DRM, and obviously AMAZING deals. I agree with Kortok, I wholeheartedly believe that Steam helped contribute to PC gaming's relevance today. In fact, Sony and Microsoft have taken notice and are trying to emulate Steam services with the upcoming consoles. Well, that and to try to stomp out resell stores like Gamestop...
With that said, I'll still probably buy BG2:EE directly through the devs just so they get more money, but I'm glad BGEE appeared on Steam because it would only bring in more customers.
But amazing sales? Sure some of them are good. But I've seen games on 75% off on steam and then I looked at a physical store in my country and there the same game was for less... without being on sale or being a used copy... (it was kingdoms of amalur: reckoning).
You want all your games in one library? Use the method that Aosaw came up with. That way you can add the game to your steam library. Granted you wont be able to download it via steam but at least you can start it via steam. If overhaul is able to get steam keys for the people who've already bought the game via. beamdog then excellent. Let the people who want the keys have the keys. But I'd be against overhaul spending any money on it. And it is unlikely that valve/steam is going to give people who've already bought the game via. another client free keys.