1 Topic by Celebro (edited by Celebro 2014-03-01 01:32:32)

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Topic: What is Steam's early access?

DEV Zoom wrote:

But you don't know the whole picture yet, I think you'll understand better when we have laid all our cards.

OK, this is my take on what early access is on Steam.

Browsing the early access games on steam, there is something in common with all Steam early access games like Kerbal space program, Dayz, Rust, Starbound to name a few even an MMO space game Entropy. All these games have no monthly subscription, you buy it once and it's yours.

Checking out what early access means on Steam here: http://store.steampowered.com/earlyaccessfaq

Something of note:

Steam wrote:

Is this the same as pre-purchasing a game?
No. Early Access is a full purchase of a playable game. By purchasing, you gain immediate access to download and play the game in its current form and as it evolves up and through 'release'.

As you see here you are purchasing a product to access the game so my guess is Perpetuum will lose the sub for a one time purchase, and this is the only way I think we can get loads more players (edit: as Dev Zoom estimates), I am sure it's a marketing stragedy Valve would advise.

If the game remains Subscription based, it would be the ONLY game with this model in early access on Steam!

/Tinfoil hat off big_smile

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Re: What is Steam's early access?

Lol alrighty then. I'm curious to see how this will be implemented. So exciting yarr

3 Reply by Celebro (edited by Celebro 2014-03-01 01:33:04)

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Re: What is Steam's early access?

DEV Zoom wrote:
Celebro wrote:

Does that change the Sub pricing in any way?

I know there are early access games that are more expensive than normally but we won't go that way.


If you are trying to compare other early access games in pricing then I can see  you are moving away from a subscription base model to a 1 time purchase model. Although I am not sure what is going to happen to time based progression, maybe sell EP but with some limitations on how much you can buy.

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Re: What is Steam's early access?

Kokomut wrote:

Lol alrighty then. I'm curious to see how this will be implemented. So exciting yarr


Yes sounds exciting , maybe the only way to get the player base we need for a working game. Only explanation I have, as Dev Zoom sounds too optimistic, in regards to a large player surge, with a subscription model in place.

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Re: What is Steam's early access?

Celebro, I think you are thinking to hard here man. Just sit back, relax, and and watch as it all comes together. smile

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Re: What is Steam's early access?

Shadowmine wrote:

Celebro, I think you are thinking to hard here man. Just sit back, relax, and and watch as it all comes together. smile

Relax? It's taking to damn long, and I don't even remember when this game was Green lit tongue

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Re: What is Steam's early access?

Ikr at this rate Beastmode might actually get laid before steam.

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Re: What is Steam's early access?

Jita wrote:

Ikr at this rate Beastmode might actually get laid before steam.

You're definitely gonna be cleaning coffee and spunk from my monitor before steam. big_smile

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Re: What is Steam's early access?

Even if I am wrong on my prediction , does anyone think it's a good idea for a one time only purchase, and maybe charge for every expansion or optionally charge for a limited amount of EP every month?

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Re: What is Steam's early access?

Celebro wrote:

Even if I am wrong on my prediction , does anyone think it's a good idea for a one time only purchase, and maybe charge for every expansion or optionally charge for a limited amount of EP every month?

I don't think it was ever stated that this is what they are doing, did they?

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11 Reply by Celebro (edited by Celebro 2014-03-02 01:05:08)

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Re: What is Steam's early access?

Shadowmine wrote:
Celebro wrote:

Even if I am wrong on my prediction , does anyone think it's a good idea for a one time only purchase, and maybe charge for every expansion or optionally charge for a limited amount of EP every month?

I don't think it was ever stated that this is what they are doing, did they?


No they didn't say it, but they did say they were going early access. No game on steam with the early access tag, has a subscription model as far as I'm aware, they all are one time purchase games.

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Re: What is Steam's early access?

Jita wrote:

Ikr at this rate Beastmode might actually get laid before steam.

I'm optimistic, but even I won't wait 8 years for this game to be released on Steam.

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Re: What is Steam's early access?

Celebro wrote:

Even if I am wrong on my prediction , does anyone think it's a good idea for a one time only purchase, and maybe charge for every expansion or optionally charge for a limited amount of EP every month?

No. EVE: Online has the same business model on Steam, and Wildstar will as well when it appears there. With an option to purchase gametime for ingame currency, that should be quite sufficient. Buying EP will turn many people away from this game, and open for exploitation of the opportunity.

14 Reply by Celebro (edited by Celebro 2014-03-02 14:44:06)

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Re: What is Steam's early access?

Matsu Crunch wrote:
Celebro wrote:

Even if I am wrong on my prediction , does anyone think it's a good idea for a one time only purchase, and maybe charge for every expansion or optionally charge for a limited amount of EP every month?

No. EVE: Online has the same business model on Steam, and Wildstar will as well when it appears there. With an option to purchase gametime for ingame currency, that should be quite sufficient. Buying EP will turn many people away from this game, and open for exploitation of the opportunity.


Eve online is not an Early access game. Early access has a one time purchase model judging from what I read on the Early access FAQ. We all in a way purchasing x amount of EP when we Sub every month, and asking players to pay a monthly fee on an early access game won't bring anymore players than the ones we are getting now. Put 2 and 2 together and you can see where this is going.

I am quite convinced they might move forward like I said, but in terms of skills it can go many different ways.

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Re: What is Steam's early access?

Correlation does not imply causation. Besides, Perpetuum is free, in the sense that all you need is a subscription (not like most other subscription-based games, which are usually an one-off purchase with a first free month).

The page you are referring to also clearly states 'developers have varying approaches'.

Not to say, I don't agree with Perpetuum having a place among other Early Access games. It's publicly not in beta, so trying to posit it as Early Access is coming off as dishonest.

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Re: What is Steam's early access?

Yeah, right. Perpetuum is completely free, we are just donating cuz we like this game smile

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17 Reply by Celebro (edited by Celebro 2014-03-02 16:47:14)

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Re: What is Steam's early access?

Doek wrote:

The page you are referring to also clearly states 'developers have varying approaches'.


Way to take a phrase out of context. This means they have varying approaches how they post updates and news.


Steam wrote:

Early Access is a full purchase of a playable game. By purchasing, you gain immediate access to download and play the game in its current form and as it evolves up and through 'release'.

It clearly states it's a FULL purchase.

See also how 'release' is in quotes meaning it can imply other games already released.

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Re: What is Steam's early access?

Early Access = Full game, you pay in full for (in Perpetuum's case thats a monthly sub)

But with the caveat that the game is being worked on and things will change.

Thats my interpretation, and probably the one designation that is closest to Perpetuum's actual state when its released on Steam, hence the reason why the Devs are choosing this label.

IMO. But really, pointless speculation is pointless.

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Re: What is Steam's early access?

Celebro wrote:

Way to take a phrase out of context. This means they have varying approaches how they post updates and news.

Steam wrote:

Developers have varying approaches, so it's a good idea to look at a store page before you jump into any game. You'll notice that announcements from developers show up on their store pages now, so you can get a snapshot of recent update or news directly from the source.

The context here is how developers go about developing their game, and how you can, through updates and news, get a snapshot on this. As to determine if the game is worth your time in that respect.

Celebro wrote:
Steam wrote:

Early Access is a full purchase of a playable game. By purchasing, you gain immediate access to download and play the game in its current form and as it evolves up and through 'release'.

It clearly states it's a FULL purchase.

See also how 'release' is in quotes meaning it can imply other games already released.

Do realize the point of Early Access is to buy yourself in early during the development process, before release. It's about getting involved and actively influencing the development process (which is the point for both games and developers). That in itself is perfectly compatible with a subscription model, which is a way to make money keep the game running after release. Again, after release.

It'll probably be a short Early Access phase, during which Perpetuum is completely free to play, and after which, it'll be a subscription-based game on Steam. Probably with some perks for players who participated in the beta. Let's just call it that, otherwise Early Access would just not make sense.

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20 Reply by Celebro (edited by Celebro 2014-03-03 16:09:39)

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Re: What is Steam's early access?

Doek wrote:

otherwise Early Access would just not make sense.


True, early access makes little sense with a subscription, that's my point.

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Re: What is Steam's early access?

My crystal ball works ^^ lol

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Re: What is Steam's early access?

Umm...

Let me explain how early access on steam works

You pay them money for a game, and they can give you any form of game, in an absolute mess state, unfinished, and go ..."welp its EA"


So my crystal ball, which is fully operation unlike the above poster with his cheap "peons version" from walmart...tell me.

This game is going on steam, and its going to say there are a lot of features that it doesn't have currently in game... and keep the EA (early access not *** game publisher electronic arts) tag...

Might be interesting there might be a lot of surprise features listed there on steam, and granted steam works out well and they make decent money, enough to hire more Hungarian potato mathmaticians, these super secret features might become a reality.
And now that the game is buy to play...

They can make the game as an EA game, then if there are any complaints just shrug it off as a work in progress.

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