From what I understand, Valve had offered Steamworks to Krenzo some time ago. So why don't we go for it? If the devs are looking to do more regular updates, with sometimes unpredictable results, I think this is just what we need. I believe the reason why Krenzo was hesitant on Steamworks was because he and the devs wanted to wait for a more complete release. But when will that be? What will qualify for that? I know planes are "close", but what about ships? To be "complete", this mod may still need years of work. So will Empires still have a playerbase years from now? Will Steamworks still be available to us then? The only downside I can see with this is an influx of emp_recruits. We need a constant flow of new players to keep the mod alive, but too many could overwhelm the people who know what's going on in games and just result in chaos and noobery. So what I propose is we release with Steamworks, but very obviously label it a beta and work in progress. Perhaps we can contact the major mod sites (PHL, HL2.net) and ask not to be spotlighted to minimise the exposure. This way, devs can make any changes they want, everyone can playtest them, and if shit gets fucked, easily revert back. And if we roll out on Steamworks as quietly as possible, we won't get a huge flood of noobs. If this mod is as dead as I've heard some people say, well then fuck it, go down in a blaze of glory on Steamworks. /rant PS to McGyver: I know you mentioned this in another thread, but I've been thinking the same thing. And to you about an amount of updates you can make: "Update as much as you want, with as much as you want—there is no charge for bandwidth." http://www.steampowered.com/steamworks/publishingservices.php
awesome, devs keep blowing me away these last 3 weeks, keep up the work but 1 special developer might try to be more happy mooded and talk less about dying empires
Hot damn! Well good work devs, keep it up. I just wish you guys would keep us in the loop a little more. Even just a one-sentence blurb in the dev blogs saying what you're working on would be nice.
my thoughts exactly ... why did yuri narrate "the thought is quicker then the mind" when i typed that?
Yes, but we are talking about a non paying mod here and some people were dreaming about a little update every week. I doubt Valve would be happy about this, since every update means a little bit of work for them. And it seems some people don't get it: Dizzyone was joking when he called Empires dead.
the updater doesn't cost valve any work or effort I imagine. If it took effort, it wouldn't be completely free of charge. They've probably developed a way to let mod makers upload the files that are then automatically configured into an installer that runs through steam, or upload an installer of some sort that is made by steam for them to package everything together with. If there is an actual person to talk to and do this for the devs, then I take it all back and praise valve for going so far as to pay someone to help others put a free game on steam. PS: I was making a bathroom in a map, and I was wondering if there was any chance I could have one of those changing billboards that valve puts in it's games now to put on the back of the toilet stall doors and above the urinals. Thanks in advanced!
Well you could do it with a series of triangular rotating doors with each set of faces textured as one, or you could use the env_texturetoggle entity.
i hope noone would mind if i bump this thread ( thats what search is for right? ) I have two questions 1. Is it still in the works? 2. Could the webmasters *or devs or whoever is handling the webpage with the news and downloads etc* put a message in the news that empires is soon going to be hosted by steam?
I think they're trying to..."finish up," empires, as well as make it more noob friendly, before it's added to Steam.