Learning new tricks never comes easy to some of us.
I recently installed Windows 8. At 16 bucks my computer guru (responsible for my computers usually costing half the price you paid, and running better than yours too in most cases) told me 16 bucks is something you just don't ignore. It was a limited duration option, and after this month the intro price of 40 bucks is going to the 'normal' price of 200 bucks. Now MS can think whatever they want, but not one of their OSs has ever been worth 200 bucks. And every one of their OSs has been simple to pirate. Some will like Windows 8 and some will not. Some will pay 200 bucks for it, and some will have paid 16 like me.
But the thing is, following installing it, I of course had to reinstall everything (huurfriiginrah).
Normally I reinstall my OS about once a year, as it takes only about a year before rebuilding of my system has rendered it necessary. Some of you though have never built a computer, and have been using an old archaic OS for like forever (it will be like forever in computer usage terms). It is not impossible to find people steadfastly defiantly still using a computer 'that works just fine'. I might argue that point.
But the thing is, I am no stranger to installing an OS. I don't care for it, but the worst part of installing an OS has nothing to do with the OS, it is the putting back on the computer all of your programs. And let me tell you, anything that makes the process a hassle, is endangering the worth of the software.
Matrix Games/Slitherine sell their games via the most totally simple totally easy, no effort required, installation methodology on the market. They have no superiors, and maybe only a few equals (although I have not met them, I am assuming they might exist only). It takes no hurdles, no hoops to jump through. An internet connection is not required ever at any time other than at point of purchase unless the gamer has found a magical manner of talking to the 'store' without needing to be online at the time. Because even to get a mailed physical copy, you still need to be online buying it. If you an get online once, to buy their game via digital download, then it is clear you could spend the few seconds to register it. Following that, well you no longer ever need to be in contact with them to play the game. You can install it as often as you like wherever you like. It's perfection.
So anything that can't keep up with that, is going to be in second place regardless of the situation.
But what about the developer? How much money will they be making in the end? Because in the end, it is logical to conclude they want to make money, lots of money is not a bad thing either. Unless they want us to seriously think them weird and that they did it only for laughs, and they are so well off they couldn't care less about profit.
Is Steam seriously a bad idea? It depends. If Steam is the ONLY source, it likely is not acceptable. My copy of Civilization V is totally worthless to me if I can not go online during installation. So if my computer evolves and I have no internet access, I have no game. There is no work around during install. You can play the game post install offline, but, if anything comes between you and Steam, no game.
If Steam is merely an option, then the situation changes. Because if I could install ALL of my Matrix Games/Slitherine titles via Steam, it would be ok, just as long as it was not mandatory. I am much happier buying via the non Steam method. But I am ok letting Matrix Games/Slitherine (and all their developers as a result) exploit the usefulness of Steam.
And to be clear, Steam IS useful, and saying it isn't just brands the person a fool. Hey it's your prerogative to be foolish, and it is our prerogative to call you a fool for it.
If Steam makes you NO money, then sure, don't use it. If it makes you MORE money than your own company site can manage, then it is silly to avoid it. But hey, no one is saying a company can't go it there own way. But companies often go it their own way and often they also 'go away' in their own way too.
When you look at Steam, you don't always see the obvious though. They have a forum. That means word of mouth and discussion and it is not your headache to maintain too. They have a library function that allows users to list all of the games, not just Steam titles too. Which means free publicity, because I have actually bought games in the past I had never heard of until I stumbled on to them out of the blue. They are a common meeting ground for the entire industry. They are advertizing without even trying to advertize, and we all know advertizing is never free normally.
Yes they sell games for absurd prices. They sell games so cheap sometimes one has to wonder how they make any money at all. But the world is full of gamers, and we likely number in the BILLIONs, not millions. But how many of them have ever heard of Matrix Games/Slitherine? You likely don't want to know. Unless you WANT to remain a hidden invisible company selling to a very small finite niche of grumpy old men
you need to go out and stand in full view of other gamers. When I was 15, I looked like every single gamer out there, only I discovered something new called wargames. It is no miracle to get a teenager interested in a wargame. But it IS a miracle to get a teenager interested in hunting for something that they have never heard of.
Just the other day, I had the pleasure to play my son a game of Civilization V after I bought him the copy. Played against 3 of his online contacts as well. They could be future wargamers, or not, based entirely on whether they actually ever encounter them. They all clearly are using Steam. But the young are more likely to try the new, something you can't expect a lot of from grumpy old buggers in their 50s and older. And to be honest, I have found more to dislike from my own age group, than I ever have from the young online. Yeah sure they might be a mouthy bunch in their own way, but then, most of us have kids, and you should already know how to deal with that at any rate.
I'm going to be adding all of my non Steam games into my Steam profile just because I can.
But it would be a good idea, if Matrix Games/Slitherine was doing the same to some extent.
I don't know how much it would cost to use their service, if it costs anything at all. You can write it off as advertizing expense if you need a reason.
You won't get any Steam sales until you have something on Steam to sell. And there is no reason you can't keep selling it through the usual company process, because sure as the sun will rise, you will have stubborn people like me that will insist on buying them that way full price and all.
But a million Steam sales at 1/3 of the price of the store price, is likely going to generate more cash in your pocket than the store does at full price.
And the more often you sell games in full view of the entire gaming industry, the more often your name gets mentioned where it can be seen.
I KNOW it is not easy to get excited about selling on Steam. But look what stubborn has done for the film industry eh. They won't evolve and non cares to listen to their complains.
