Few Questions before i buy?

[JonVdub]

Hey guys spotted automation in the green light section of steam (big steam user)

So instantly after falling in love with i found the site and decided i must have it as its simply amazing as im a petrol head and a gamer and its one of a kind!

Anyway to the questions

I live in the UK so can i still buy an download it via payapl?

also its noted it will be on steam early access in early 2014 i would prefer to do the steam route as i already use it for 60+ games so if i am impatient an buy it now can i transfer it to my steam later on ?


Many thanks

[Jakgoe]

Hi Jon,
It is great that you are taking an interest in Automation, and it is certainly worth the $25 that you can get it for. To answer your questions:
1. Automation is based in Australia, but has players from nearly every country, including the UK. There should be no problem getting a copy there.
2. If you preorder, you will be able to download it on Steam for no cost when it is finished. However, I am not sure about the Early Access.

Jakgoe

[UltimateBMWfan]

All of the above

I'm pretty sure there'll be some sort of system where the Automation keys get transferred to Steam early access, and then become invalid. The people that don't use steam can then keep their valid keys for use with the existing launcher setup.

(At least that's how it's been proposed, the team hasn't implemented the idea yet, obviously )

Hope this answers all of your questions!

[Dareios90]

All of the above

I'm pretty sure there'll be some sort of system where the Automation keys get transferred to Steam early access, and then become invalid. The people that don't use steam can then keep their valid keys for use with the existing launcher setup.

(At least that's how it's been proposed, the team hasn't implemented the idea yet, obviously )

Hope this answers all of your questions!

Infact I hope that it will be this system, because I prefer to have both DRM-FREE (key based, actual launcher) and Steam version, also if it will mean to buy a Steam version of Automation (obviously another time Supercharged! LOL)!

[UltimateBMWfan]

The game definitely shouldn't have DRM. I think the team have basically decided to use the system above, and that'll get worked on soon.

[Dareios90]

The game definitely shouldn't have DRM. I think the team have basically decided to use the system above, and that'll get worked on soon.

So will Steam substitute the actual Launcher System?!?!

I hope no!
I'll buy another Supercharged ediiton on Steam, I swear!

But don't abandon the Launcher System please!

[Daffyflyer]

But don't abandon the Launcher System please!

Not sure yet, certainly if you have the Steam version you won't need to login to both Steam and Automation.

Ideally we'll manage to keep a non-steam version with just our usual login system too though.


Just curious, why are you so worried about losing the current launcher system? It doesn't really work all that well to be honest...

[Dareios90]

But don't abandon the Launcher System please!

Not sure yet, certainly if you have the Steam version you won't need to login to both Steam and Automation.

Ideally we'll manage to keep a non-steam version with just our usual login system too though.


Just curious, why are you so worried about losing the current launcher system? It doesn't really work all that well to be honest...

Because I have an "old" PC desktop where I installed all no Steam games, like GOG.com games or CD games.
It's only a my "mania" (Does it exist that word in english?).

I repeat, I bought Supercharged Edition, so it will not a problem to buy another SC Edition on Steam!
But my hopes are that updates will come to both versions.

I have yet a bad experience with studios that moved to Steam, they abandoned DRM-FREE version that customers legally bought...

So don't worry, I don't pirate pirate games! (Unless they are too old in order to find them in a legal way, like for Detroit and MotorCity , but if I find them on GOG.com or Steam I'll buy them! )

EDIT: I try to clarify, there isn't a rational opinion about Steam, I use it but I don't fell free with it, even if I bought all the games from their official store (at maximum from GamersGate of HumbleBundle), I always fear that one day G. Newell could wake up and he could decide to close all the Steam accounts.

You know, Steam ToS are a little vexatious, even if you are a honest customer/citizen.

P.S. You can ask to Pyrlix or UltimateBMWFan to check my Steam account, I have so many legal games that I don't need to pirate!
And I supported many and many indie games (Game Dev Tycoon, CarBiz, GameBiz 3, Real World Racing, Cypher, Uplink, 0 A.D., Prison Architect and of course Automation!)

[Daffyflyer]

I'd personally put far more trust in Steam than our dodgy homebrew login system. If the entire Automation team is killed in a tragic airship accident after release our login system would most likely go down eventually and render the game unplayable. Steam wouldn't

[Wirenfeldt]

I'd personally put far more trust in Steam than our dodgy homebrew login system. If the entire Automation team is killed in a tragic airship accident after release our login system would most likely go down eventually and render the game unplayable. Steam wouldn't

Famous last words that will come back to bite you in the rear.. I can just feel it.

[Dareios90]

I'd personally put far more trust in Steam than our dodgy homebrew login system. If the entire Automation team is killed in a tragic airship accident after release our login system would most likely go down eventually and render the game unplayable. Steam wouldn't

I ideally could agree with you but in my opinion it is a "forcing" to coerce the old legal buyers/customers/players to sign in to another service.

Daffy, it's very difficult maybe to explain, perhaps you prefer Steam because of the DRM, in my opinion indie studios always should have two binaries of distribution, one for "moral principles of indipendent studio", the other to increase fame and sales.

If you had to choose a major distribution digital platform in order to increase sales and fame, I would have preferred GOG.com at least.

[Daffyflyer]

We most likely will still retain the existing login system in parallel to the steam release, that'd be the ideal situation and I don't see why it shouldn't be technically possible. And of course any direct sales from our website allow more money to go direct to us, without steam taking a cut.

I don't actually care about Steam's DRM at all really, as it's not greatly different to the way it works with our own system, in that you can login anywhere you like, but need your username and password to do so. We don't really gain anything from going to Steam in that respect. I don't really see any "Moral Principals" difference between distributing on our website and on Steam either *shrug*

As far as I'm aware GOG wouldn't take us with our current system anyhow, as they'd want it to be entirely DRM free and able to be shared freely. That's something we might look into much later after release, but in a situation where we're relying on preorders to fund development, would probably be a bad idea.

So yeah, I still don't really think that Steam is any different, given that our game uses similar DRM already, is already sold via digital distribution, and uses a potentially more unreliable and poor quality system than Steam for updates/login etc.