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5 Years Later... Still No Year 2?


The13thRonin

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Go figure that I only learn of this now. Still would rather not make a Steam account just to but the one DRM-free game, though. Don't trust them, and to hell with their client BS...

I'm not trying to "convert" anyone to using Steam; if you don't like it, don't use it, no skin off my back.

 

My only purpose in posting what I did was to attempt to clarify some misconceptions.

 

As someone who hates DRM in general and "pointless extras" that publishers use to "control" customers, I can certainly respect someone's desire not to have anything to do with Steam.

 

Personally, I like Steam, but that's just me. I can understand how some might not.

 

There's quite a bit more than just one DRM-free game on Steam, though. Of course, if one is using Steam extensively and only for DRM-free games, it's not exactly the most efficient way of going about doing things.

 

The only reason I can think of to do such a thing would be to take advantage of Steam sales, and even then, there are a lot of alternatives.

 

I doubt there are many (if any?) DRM-free games that are only on Steam.

 

As an aside, this is a rather neat site to find where one can buy games on sale on various sites, many of which are DRM-free. Off the top of my head, I would recommend both GoG and Humble Bundle as decent sources of DRM-free games, both of which have lots of sales.

 

Just a matter of when either Valve's brass runs out of patience or EA's brass offers enough money. If Valve didn't sell, they weren't offered enough to buy out their patience. Nothing more.

Everything/everyone has a price. This is a valid concern. I just get the impression that we're unlikely to see anybody offer Steam "enough" any time soon. It's a theoretical possibility, certainly, but I don't see it as a realistic likelihood any time soon; Steam's too big.

 

This would have to be a -major- buyout. And that's looking at it from a purely monetary perspective; I happen to believe that Valve has ethical/principle-based reasons for not selling out, which makes it even more unlikely in my view. Of course, we clearly have differing opinions on Valve/Steam's intent, so we can just agree to disagree on this topic.

 

If you ignore the latter, though (which is just an opinion/guess, after all), we're talking about a gigantic multi-billion dollar buyout. Not impossible, but not something that happens easily.

 

"Slightly" worrisome? And I'll admit they at least not as bad as types like Activision or EA and the like, but "good" isn't something any profit-dependant group can be.

Matter of personal opinion.

 

As I've said, I rather like Steam, so for me--personally--, yes, only "slightly".

 

And that's why I put quotes around "good"; it's relative.

 

Nothing exists in a vaccuum. I'm comparing Steam to the alternatives (big publishers/the AAA industry), and within that context, yes, I do think that they do more good than bad for the industry.

 

At the end of the day, of course, these are all businesses, and a business' purpose/sole reason for being is to make a profit.

 

This means that, inherently, any business is "bad" (in some form or another/to some degree) for customers because they want your money.

 

All this works based on exchanges, though, and if businesses want money/profit, they have to give you something for it. Some give more, some give less. I find that Steam gives good value, so I support them.

 

Profit is the end-game for any business, but there are many ways of making a profit.

 

Steam doesn't "need" a client, as GoG demonstrates. Steam "forces you to use" a client, because ad-riddled bloatware that stresses your internet and CPU to bring you the latest Steam-specific discounts for things you don't care about is "necessary".

Ad-riddled bloatware? When was the last time you used Steam? I've been using Steam for 5-6 years and I'm not sure what you're talking about.

 

I get a pop-up with a few pages of news about new releases and sales maybe once a month, which you can easily close without looking at. That's about as intrusive a thing I've seen.

 

And no, Steam doesn't "need" a client, as GoG demonstrates, as you say, but a lot of people (myself included) actually -like- the Steam client and find it to be a useful thing.

 

I don't have any smart devices, I don't use email, I don't have Facebook or use any social media, I don't use any IMs; Steam is my primary method of keeping in touch with my friends. I also like having my games in one place, not to mention automatic updates. I find the Steam client rather convenient.

 

Again, I'm not saying it's for everyone, but I'm using myself as an example of how some people might see the things you dislike as a positive, not a negative.

 

I also can't imagine what kind of computer you might have if the Steam client stresses your internet and CPU...

 

My last two computers were basically toasters, and the Steam client never gave me any trouble.

 

Speaking of which, though, will Y2's updates and patches be available exclusively through GoG/Steam/what have you as opposed to just being there on the relevant Support/Updates (sub-)forum?

The Legate has already answered, but I just want to add that I've never heard of a game that's available from multiple sources that only has updates available at some of those sources; that would kind of defeat the purpose.

 

Not to mention that you often have to buy multiple copies if you want it in multiple places (with the exception that when you buy directly from a developer, you can often have a direct copy as well as a Steam or GoG key included in your purchase, though this is not automatic/true in all cases).

 

I suspect you will have to do both steam and here as the steam user wouldn't even consider that there is a other place to look for updates then steam.

You should only have to do both if you have the game from both places, and two copies installed.

 

I'm not quite sure why someone would want two installed copies of the game like that, though.

 

You would certainly have the option of both (providing you own a copy from both places), but you should only need to update once, for whichever copy you have installed/are using.

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Everything/everyone has a price. This is a valid concern. I just get the impression that we're unlikely to see anybody offer Steam "enough" any time soon. It's a theoretical possibility, certainly, but I don't see it as a realistic likelihood any time soon; Steam's too big. This would have to be a -major- buyout. And that's looking at it from a purely monetary perspective; I happen to believe that Valve has ethical/principle-based reasons for not selling out, which makes it even more unlikely in my view. Of course, we clearly have differing opinions on Valve/Steam's intent, so we can just agree to disagree on this topic. If you ignore the latter, though (which is just an opinion/guess, after all), we're talking about a gigantic multi-billion dollar buyout. Not impossible, but not something that happens easily.

I've gotten the impression that there's been somewhat of a rash of multi-billion buyouts recently, at least relative to how often such things happen, but it's a fair question to ask whether it'll happen to Steam. I hope it doesn't, because whoever buys it is going to inevitably milk it to get their return on the investment, and rest assured, that'll be good for no one in the end.

 

Matter of personal opinion. As I've said, I rather like Steam, so for me--personally--, yes, only "slightly". And that's why I put quotes around "good"; it's relative. Nothing exists in a vaccuum. I'm comparing Steam to the alternatives (big publishers/the AAA industry), and within that context, yes, I do think that they do more good than bad for the industry. At the end of the day, of course, these are all businesses, and a business' purpose/sole reason for being is to make a profit. This means that, inherently, any business is "bad" (in some form or another/to some degree) for customers because they want your money. All this works based on exchanges, though, and if businesses want money/profit, they have to give you something for it. Some give more, some give less. I find that Steam gives good value, so I support them. Profit is the end-game for any business, but there are many ways of making a profit.

Good points, and I definitely have heard of Steam putting their foot down on suppliers when they crossed what Steam's brass/PR department perceived as an ethical line (which prompts opinions on whether that line is the right one, but it's usually to their users' benefit). I just cannot trust any situation where an unseen, unheard and untouchable top brass could potentially pull a plug or flick a switch and there go all of my games. There's a price posted on such actions, and sooner or later someone is going to make a good enough offer.

 

 

Ad-riddled bloatware? When was the last time you used Steam? I've been using Steam for 5-6 years and I'm not sure what you're talking about. I get a pop-up with a few pages of news about new releases and sales maybe once a month, which you can easily close without looking at. That's about as intrusive a thing I've seen. And no, Steam doesn't "need" a client, as GoG demonstrates, as you say, but a lot of people (myself included) actually -like- the Steam client and find it to be a useful thing.

 

I don't have any smart devices, I don't use email, I don't have Facebook or use any social media, I don't use any IMs; Steam is my primary method of keeping in touch with my friends. I also like having my games in one place, not to mention automatic updates. I find the Steam client rather convenient. Again, I'm not saying it's for everyone, but I'm using myself as an example of how some people might see the things you dislike as a positive, not a negative.

 

I also can't imagine what kind of computer you might have if the Steam client stresses your internet and CPU... My last two computers were basically toasters, and the Steam client never gave me any trouble.

Never have, I just don't trust it not to be or end up like it after I've sunk enough effort into it to have more to lose from letting it go. Give ads a hand, and sooner or later they'll demand an arm. Seen it before, expect to see it again.

 

It is convenient for those who need it, and I can imagine many do, but I simply don't trust the program. Steam has too much to gain from bugging it, rigging it, filling it with ads or what have you. Like I said, everything has a price, and I assume that whatever Steam stands to gain from tinkering with their client is a great enough bounty. That it doubles as DRM in most cases doesn't help.

 

My PC is an old one that suffices for the purposes I need it for, which is at least an order of magnitude less than what I have. It's not that it'd be strained by the CPU drain or that my internet would be (at least noticeably I hope, my internet can be...fickle, to say the least), it's the fact that it drains resources it doesn't need to drain.

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  • 1 month later...

It's September 2016

 

I apparently registered in 2011, had some PM-s with Legate over the years, lurked mostly, worried about Year 2, now I finally reached the point where I stopped caring, I give up and don't believe Year 2-5 will ever come out.

 

I just wanted to tell this, I don't know if I will ever return and log in again. Thank you all for the support, Legate especially, and farewell.

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Well, I've stopped caring about when Y2 comes out, and I'm still here!

 

I've been busy with my own projects, like getting a PS4. It should come Wednesday. Then all I have to do is get an actual game for it! ;)

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Formal Invitations are the best kind. :)

 

I used that so much this last playthrough that the other students should be afraid of opening their mail or readign any letter slipped their way... Unless they enjoy running my adventures for me, handling all the equipment and luggage and doing all the hard work so that I can slip in and take all the glory in between emergecy leaves from class where I imagine teleporting over to quickly do my thing, grab the fame and fortune and them sneak back to class telling the teacher there was a line outside the bathrooms..

It turned out to be a very useful ability and timeslot multiplier, without resorting to Mastery or Hypnosis.

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Try doing a playthrough like that abusing Voice of Favors instead. I mean you'd need to do so twice as often as writing Formal Invitations since it lasts half as long, but still. Surely nothing TOO bad will happen...

Fixed.

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  • 1 month later...

 

Legend of Wulin Heroes is probably the most similiar, and it looks interesting, but it has one problem - it was never translated from Chinese. Well, at least it's interesting to read that LP...

 

I'd second this as being a very similar type of SIM/RPG hybrid, just mystical kung fu themed instead of magic school. And while that 2001 version you linked hasn't been translated, a greatly enhanced and improved remake of the game has been translated and released on steam recently, called Tale of Wuxia. http://store.steampowered.com/app/377530/

 

I'd highly recommend this game to anyone looking for a similar title to hold you over until the DLC 17 release. Also on a positive note, despite Tale of Wuxia being foreign, having an overall poor translation, and being in an extremely obscure genre, it's actually seen a decent amount of success and has been met with a mostly positive response.

 

If an obscure Chinese game with an engrish translation, hardly any fanbase, and no advertising can do decently, a game of Academagia's quality should easily make the Steam best seller list :D

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