ArmA 3 on Steamworks?

[aviatormoser 6]

Not insensitive really no. Just not concerned about the same things that people that don't want or need a superfluous third party drm client are.

I agree that it's unnecessary. We don't really need Steamworks. The BI server lobby works fine.

I just want the facts to be straight. Steam is not a memory hog. It uses what...60 MB of RAM in the task bar? 0% CPU idling? And if you're really short on memory (which you shouldn't be), well then Steam will just be cached on the page file.

And here's the ironic part. I don't even have to launch Steam to play my Steam copy of Arma 2:CO. But some actually prefer launching through Steam so that they can use the overlay. To each their own.

So all this nonsense about Steam + Arma = clusterfuck is well...nonsense.

What ArmAriffic said. Trying to get everything to work properly with Steam is a real pain. I like Steam for some things, and ArmA is not one of them. ArmA+Steam=clusterfuck

Also, anything that is running on your computer will take up resources. The fewer, the more precious resources go to the game running. Do please correct me if I'm wrong, though

See above.

[Leon86 13]

^^^^^

you will need steam to play arma if they use steamworks.

anyway, you dont need steamworks to make joining multiplayer games easier.

[aviatormoser 6]

^^^^^

you will need steam to play arma if they use steamworks.

Yes, of course. But I want to make sure we are sticking to facts. Because a lot of these "resource hogs, clusterfuck installs, fascist DRM" claims are just as ridiculous as they sounds.

Most people don't want to install a 3rd party software. Neither do I. They shouldn't have to come up with tons of BS to advocate personal preference, though.

Personal preference is good enough.

[-Coulum- 35]

For me, steam just adds one more possible way to mess shit up. Granted, it doesn't happen often and usually can be fixed easily but really I don't see the need to take the risk.

Steam also seems to add a couple extra steps to everything - whether its getting the next beta, playing offline mode when your internet down or having to access your game indirectly while waiting for steam to update there always seems to be a little bit of extra work. I know, its not that big of a deal, but I am a lazy bastard and I see no great reward for all these extra steps.

Therefore I don't think that it should be mandatory, but having it as an option (like currently) is great for those who do like it.

[chortles 263]

But some actually prefer launching through Steam so that they can use the overlay. To each their own.

Funny thing is, people can actually use the Steam Overlay even for non-Steam copies of ARMA 2/OA just by adding a shortcut to A2/OA in the Steam Library.

[maddogx 13]

I'm still not convinced that Arma3 won't be using Steamworks, considering that the recent Arma3 gameplay developer job ad included "experience with the Steamworks SDK" as a welcomed skill. At the very least, they seem to be considering it.

[Smurf 12]

Add the little conversation they had in person after ACR release (you don't meet in person to release an DLC right?) followed by the introduction of betas for Steam and we might have something here...

Also, A2 was bad to use in Steam because it was just "thrown" there, everything was almost like a workaround and you almost had to download everything again after every patch.

Going with Steamworks you have: a DRM, anchievments, a friends thingie, the gamehub, better control over patches for clients, workshop?, the annoucments feature can be a powerfull tool. And the rage of some....

[metalcraze 290]

And here's the ironic part. I don't even have to launch Steam to play my Steam copy of Arma 2:CO.

Surprise. That's because ArmA2 has no steam bloatware integrated.

[chortles 263]

I'm still not convinced that Arma3 won't be using Steamworks, considering that the recent Arma3 gameplay developer job ad included "experience with the Steamworks SDK" as a welcomed skill. At the very least, they seem to be considering it.

Based on Ivan's old comment on why they weren't using Steam Workshop (seemingly implying that "BI doesn't know how to make the product interact with Steam on a software level") I wouldn't be surprised if having a dev with some experience on Steam would actually be meant for two things:

1) A possible "someone who already knows this" if they really do decide on Steamworks (IMO unlikely) OR

2) A possible "someone who already knows this" so that the Steam version of ARMA 3 could be clunky/"workaround heavy" (IMO more likely)

My #2 there is based on what Smurf said about why ARMA 2 was bad to use in Steam, because of so much working around needed (read: seemingly moreso than other non-Steamworks games) although I personally only noticed this when it came to "combining to form CO" being more complex than with non-Steam ("install OA into your A2 directory").

[bensch 1]

Steamworks etc. would be nice, but if I must like arma3 on Facebook or when I need a Sozial Network of any kind for this game, then bye bye.

[VoRtReX-uk 10]

I have found that steam works fine on every other game but ARMA2. So many times I have had to use team-viewer to fix peoples issues with ARMA2 + Steam.

I for one will not be buying the game via steam. One guy got so annoyed with his steam install, he actually managed to make it into a non steam install!

[chortles 263]

I have found that steam works fine on every other game but ARMA2. So many times I have had to use team-viewer to fix peoples issues with ARMA2 + Steam.

I for one will not be buying the game via steam. One guy got so annoyed with his steam install, he actually managed to make it into a non steam install!

Rectifying this for ARMA 3 is my speculation as to why BI would want a dev with Steamworks SDK knowledge.

[amadieus 0]

Yes steam integration please! Better online possibilties and if possible also the Steam workshop witch makes it atleast easy to run mods with Arma. Some games ''Kuch Ace Kuch'' are a pain to install.

Ther are actually no arguments to be against steam unless u got some bad internet connections...

[onlyrazor 11]

Ther are actually no arguments to be against steam unless u got some bad internet connections...

Which could be quite a lot of people. Internet isn't something you should take for granted. Especially with Steam's way of random downtime and locking you out of your games, telling you to try again later. Less restrictions, better game.

I'm all with a better mod installer, though. Could be done by community members or something.

[chortles 263]

Could be done by community members or something.

This is too often an excuse for the existing games' faults, I'd rather NOT need the community members to have to step in and fix something that BI got wrong, so here's hoping to see just how BI improves the mod interface/installer for Arma 2, I'm perfectly happy to have an improved interface that breaks compatibility with existing addons or that needs them to be redone from scratch (or made redundant) for Arma 3.

[onlyrazor 11]

This is too often an excuse for the existing games' faults, I'd rather NOT need the community members to have to step in and fix something that BI got wrong, so here's hoping to see just how BI improves the mod interface/installer for Arma 2, I'm perfectly happy to have an improved interface that breaks compatibility with existing addons or that needs them to be redone from scratch (or made redundant) for Arma 3.

What I meant was that they could hire community members to do it, especially since the installers are generally made to a high standard of quality.

[Leon86 13]

I'm still not convinced that Arma3 won't be using Steamworks, considering that the recent Arma3 gameplay developer job ad included "experience with the Steamworks SDK" as a welcomed skill. At the very least, they seem to be considering it.

DayZ maybe?

[chortles 263]

I doubt it -- although Rocket has declared that the DayZ standalone will get a Steam release (no reason NOT to) and of course Steam was almost certainly the source of the biggest influx of post-DayZ buys for Arma 2: CO (it's noticeable when you see how many "how to install and run DayZ" guides assume the use of Steam) I see no reason why DayZ's development/publishing path would have any bearing on Arma 3's, and the aforementioned solicit was for Arma 3 specifically.

[amadieus 0]

Which could be quite a lot of people. Internet isn't something you should take for granted. Especially with Steam's way of random downtime and locking you out of your games, telling you to try again later. Less restrictions, better game.

I'm all with a better mod installer, though. Could be done by community members or something.

Yep makes me wonder if ther is a possibilty for two seperated versions. The retail and gamesprocket version and the fully Steam integrated version ofcourse downloadable @ Steam.

[rautapalli 10]

Most noobs to Arma play DayZ, now that's a fact. They don't use ACE or other mods. My biggest gripe is that Arma is going to think they're the next CoD or Battlefield which sadly it isn't. What Arma has always been about is modding, which by moving to Steam, is most probably going to stamp all over.

I'd like to see this issue addressed; how is a Steam distribution of Arma going to handle mods? Because unless Arma somehow includes ACE features in release, then vanilla is probably going to suck balls. Vanilla Arma audio sucked, hence JSRS, ACE_SM etc. Vanilla effects suck, hence WarFX.

Also interested to see what Shacktak have to say as well.

Just like it handles them now with the possible Steam Workshop support on top? Have you people ever even used Steam? Do you even know what Steam is?

[jpoo78 10]

What a pointlessly stupid reply. Steam has already proven themselves time and time again to be the absolute best digital gaming service. Origin and the rest basically don't even come close. There's no realistic reason for not playing a game just because it's on steam, unless you've been busted playing hot copies of games or something to that effect.

Steam workshop, automatic updates, automatic beta participation, ABSOLUTELY HUGE and tight knit community? Hell yes, I'll pick steam every time!

[cuel 25]

Yes, with Six. Oh I see, the devs aren't happy, so instead they've decided to make a few dedicated players unhappy instead. The real reason why Steamworks was used was to combat software piracy but you know what, I can't remember a single Steam exclusive major title game that isn't on the Pirate Bay, and it's ironic that it's the guys who are torrenting that don't have to put it up with the whole Steamwork malarky.

If you read the dev blog again you'd notice that the piracy point was about launch piracy. Which I have never (ever) seen happen for a steam game since all preloaded files are encrypted until release date.

Games has always been and will most likely always be pirated, no matter if they're on steam or not. You can't stop this since they always find a way around the DRM. You can either throw a huge amount of money into trying to stop day-1 piracy and fail miserably or take a more secure route and ensure that your game cannot be pirated until release date. Games that ship their content with CD's has popped up on TPB and other sites a week, sometimes even earlier, before their set release date.

I've been using Steam for A2/OA/CO the entire time and I have logged over 2100 hours in it. I have never had any troubles installing addons, removing addons or updating addons. There's no problems using Steam with A2, and releasing A3 on Steam from day one will iron out the bugs that some people had to suffer from when running A2 retail and OA on Steam.

[jpoo78 10]

Most noobs to Arma play DayZ, now that's a fact. They don't use ACE or other mods. My biggest gripe is that Arma is going to think they're the next CoD or Battlefield which sadly it isn't. What Arma has always been about is modding, which by moving to Steam, is most probably going to stamp all over.

I'd like to see this issue addressed; how is a Steam distribution of Arma going to handle mods? Because unless Arma somehow includes ACE features in release, then vanilla is probably going to suck balls. Vanilla Arma audio sucked, hence JSRS, ACE_SM etc. Vanilla effects suck, hence WarFX.

Also interested to see what Shacktak have to say as well.

Maybe you haven't noticed that damn near every good game on steam is moddable? Steam is completely compatible with mods, I don't know why this would end up any different. If anything it's going to bring the mods (like ACE) to the spotlight even more, which I think is excellent.

Seems to be a lot of willfully ignorant gamers on this thread. Steam is not your enemy, that I can assure you.

[thnos 10]

That Arma 3 is exclusive steam, you need to have Steam installed or run, is a mistake, there are many users who do not want steam, for different reasons, I think they will lose customers because of this.

Many people prefer a digital copy or a physical copy, but hate steam, there are games that can only be obtained by steam and many people prefer not to have them, to not install steam.

If you want to sell it for steam, do it, but forcing users to install, use, update via Steam is a serious error, the gaming community is not steam.

"devblog says that, if not using steam, There was a very real chance there would be no Weapon 3 this year Otherwise."

Well then take your time, I prefer to wait before you force me to use steam. And not only speak of myself, like many people think, in this case I'm talking about me and my community.

Regards

I totally agree I prefer to wait rather than using steam.

[zoog 18]

,indeed,btw my hate is the same for all off these they will destroy the gaming bussines

This is just nonsense. They might destroy the current gaming business model but that does mean they nuke PC gaming. It's just a different approach, a different model, it's change. If any, many indie developers actually flourished with services like steam. When you stop buying games or boycotting games, that destroys the gaming business... :rolleyes: