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Years ago I bought RimWorld directly from ludeon.com, but today I finally got around to registering it with my Steam library (I didn't have Steam back then, whereas now it is just about all that I use). However, I'm confused as to how I can go about buying the Royalty DLC. I'd prefer to get it through Steam, just to simplify payment, but I don't see a "Manage My DLC" link on the Steam game page, unlike with all of the games I've actually purchased through Steam. It looks like Steam will let me buy the Royalty DLC, but I'm concerned that doing so might result in it not working with my copy of RimWorld since the latter doesn't appear to be a "true" Steam purchase (despite the fact that I downloaded it anew today via Steam). Can I buy the DLC from Steam, or do I have to go through the ludeon.com website again and then do the same registration of Royalty with Steam?

Try to find and delete the Config (folder) and delete it.
Maybe these error's are from settings from the old Rimworld version.

Yes, that was it, thanks!  Sorry if this was an obvious/common error or anything ... I haven't tried to play RW for several versions until now.

Every time I start up the downloaded build 2009 for the Mac, I get the errors below shown in a dialog as soon as the main menu appears, before I have even tried to set up a game.  I have no mods installed ... this is the completely unmodified B19 Mac build as downloaded from SendOwl (not Steam).

RimWorld 0.19.2009 rev495
Verse.Log:Message(String, Boolean)
RimWorld.VersionControl:LogVersionNumber()
Verse.Root:CheckGlobalInit()
Verse.Root:Start()
Verse.Root_Entry:Start()

XML error: <graphicsQualityIndex>1</graphicsQualityIndex> doesn't correspond to any field in type PrefsData. Context: <PrefsData><volumeGame>0.8</volumeGame><volumeMusic>0.4</volumeMusic><graphicsQualityIndex>1</graphicsQualityIndex><adaptiveTrainingEnabled>True</adaptiveTrainingEnabled><preferredNames><li></li><li></li><li></li><li></li></preferredNames><resourceReadoutCategorized>False</resourceReadoutCategorized><runInBackground>False</runInBackground><customCursorEnabled>True</customCursorEnabled><edgeScreenScroll>True</edgeScreenScroll><temperatureMode>Fahrenheit</temperatureMode><autosaveIntervalDays>1</autosaveIntervalDays><pauseOnLoad>False</pauseOnLoad><devMode>False</devMode><langFolderName>English</langFolderName><logVerbose>False</logVerbose><pauseOnError>False</pauseOnError><userName>Anonymous</userName><historyUpload>Unspecified</historyUpload></PrefsData>
Verse.Log:Error(String, Boolean)
Verse.DirectXmlToObject:ObjectFromXml(XmlNode, Boolean)
Verse.DirectXmlLoader:ItemFromXmlFile(String, Boolean)
Verse.Prefs:Init()
Verse.Root:CheckGlobalInit()
Verse.Root:Start()
Verse.Root_Entry:Start()

XML error: <userName>Anonymous</userName> doesn't correspond to any field in type PrefsData. Context: <PrefsData><volumeGame>0.8</volumeGame><volumeMusic>0.4</volumeMusic><graphicsQualityIndex>1</graphicsQualityIndex><adaptiveTrainingEnabled>True</adaptiveTrainingEnabled><preferredNames><li></li><li></li><li></li><li></li></preferredNames><resourceReadoutCategorized>False</resourceReadoutCategorized><runInBackground>False</runInBackground><customCursorEnabled>True</customCursorEnabled><edgeScreenScroll>True</edgeScreenScroll><temperatureMode>Fahrenheit</temperatureMode><autosaveIntervalDays>1</autosaveIntervalDays><pauseOnLoad>False</pauseOnLoad><devMode>False</devMode><langFolderName>English</langFolderName><logVerbose>False</logVerbose><pauseOnError>False</pauseOnError><userName>Anonymous</userName><historyUpload>Unspecified</historyUpload></PrefsData>
Verse.Log:Error(String, Boolean)
Verse.DirectXmlToObject:ObjectFromXml(XmlNode, Boolean)
Verse.DirectXmlLoader:ItemFromXmlFile(String, Boolean)
Verse.Prefs:Init()
Verse.Root:CheckGlobalInit()
Verse.Root:Start()
Verse.Root_Entry:Start()

XML error: <historyUpload>Unspecified</historyUpload> doesn't correspond to any field in type PrefsData. Context: <PrefsData><volumeGame>0.8</volumeGame><volumeMusic>0.4</volumeMusic><graphicsQualityIndex>1</graphicsQualityIndex><adaptiveTrainingEnabled>True</adaptiveTrainingEnabled><preferredNames><li></li><li></li><li></li><li></li></preferredNames><resourceReadoutCategorized>False</resourceReadoutCategorized><runInBackground>False</runInBackground><customCursorEnabled>True</customCursorEnabled><edgeScreenScroll>True</edgeScreenScroll><temperatureMode>Fahrenheit</temperatureMode><autosaveIntervalDays>1</autosaveIntervalDays><pauseOnLoad>False</pauseOnLoad><devMode>False</devMode><langFolderName>English</langFolderName><logVerbose>False</logVerbose><pauseOnError>False</pauseOnError><userName>Anonymous</userName><historyUpload>Unspecified</historyUpload></PrefsData>
Verse.Log:Error(String, Boolean)
Verse.DirectXmlToObject:ObjectFromXml(XmlNode, Boolean)
Verse.DirectXmlLoader:ItemFromXmlFile(String, Boolean)
Verse.Prefs:Init()
Verse.Root:CheckGlobalInit()
Verse.Root:Start()
Verse.Root_Entry:Start()

The main thing that's kept me from playing as much RimWorld lately as I might otherwise like is the effort of creating a new video drama series set in the galaxy of Elite: Dangerous (my other favorite game right now). I just had the thought that there might be a few people hereabouts that would enjoy it, too. If so, here's a link to the preview video (the first full episode is in production right now):

http://youtu.be/iD5wY8gN8oo

A big thumbs-up to this thread.  Tynan has set an outstanding example of how an independent developer should handle his project.  Taking some time off to recuperate is completely understandable, and he sure left us with a lot of game to explore in his temporary absence!

(The original topic was locked, so I've had to start a new one.  Feel free to merge them if possible.)

I have some more information about the flickering rows at the top of the screen.

First off, I have seen this misbehavior on all three  of my Macs, although it seems most severe on the newest and most powerful iMac that I just bought.

Second, it seems to specifically occur (or at least worsen) during the nighttime hours.

Third, it only occurs when the Graphics Quality option is set to "Great".  Changing the setting to "Normal" stops the artifacts (and then changing back to "Great" brings them back).

Just posting this additional information in case it might help, especially if other Mac users start reporting the same problem.

Sorry for the delay in responding (real life crisis intruding).

Since the system is a Mac, there are no "official" graphics driver updates except for what Apple provides via its own updates, and my system is fully updated.  (I've heard that some people find a way to apply non-Apple-sanctioned Nvidia graphics updates to their Macs, but I have also heard that those updates cause as many or more problems than they solve, so I don't do anything like that.)

The Player.log file is attached.

[attachment deleted due to age]

I have always had an occasional problem with a small pattern of rapidly flickering and changing blocks in the UL corner of the screen, ever since the first RimWorld alpha that I got.  However, with A11, I am seeing that effect having greatly expanded to span the entire width of the top of the screen (see attached screen shot).  The whiter blocks shown are not static, but continuously jumping and changing in size, and there are often several rows thereof now rather than just the single row visible in this screenshot (except for one section visible in the UR corner where the block extends to a 2nd row).

[attachment deleted due to age]

1. There is a solid amount of content, IMO, even without mods.
2. The game is updated VERY frequently.  Tynan is presenting a shining example of how to do early access right.  Just look at his changelog at https://docs.google.com/document/d/1_rCdGYp3nbSUXFG4Ky96RZW1cJGt9g_6ANZZPOHyNsg/pub to see the progress on a daily basis and the amount of effort he is putting into this project. I have bought into a total of four early access projects to date, and I can only wish the other three of them ran more like the RimWorld project.
3. No one knows how close the game is to completion ... but who cares?  What is there right now is a very good game already, for what I regard to be a very reasonable price, and anything/everything that is still to come is gravy as far as I am concerned.

(I have no answers for 4 through 6.)

Now I'm curious. What are some advantages of indie dev?

1. Easy to change global company policy in an instant. This takes months to do in organizations and often sparks bitter political resistance from people with a vested interest in the old way.

2. All resources are fungible with each other since they're all just the time of one person. I can change to making a text game if I want; I don't have to worry about all the artists in my company who will now have nothing to do. Related to 1.

3. With one dev, there are no non-media-savvy devs who might say something that could get grabbed and made into some lurid headline. It's easy to be 100% consistent with your messaging and responses to questions. This in turn means there is no reason anyone should be prohibited from speaking to the community, which in turn makes you 100% participatory.

4. With nothing to lose, you're free to take risks on unusual properties. It's not necessarily the end of the world if you lose a year of dev time on something. But for a big company this is a disaster. Even if the company can survive it, the people who did it won't. So nobody takes any risks; strategies become about avoiding the possibility of blame for failure, rather than seeking optimal risk tradeoffs.

Many many others. I wrote about this a lot in my book actually.

Very nice, especially since this is a career turn that is not out of the question for me in the near future.  You just sold me a copy of your book.

I have been thinking about getting RimWorld. I have been watching some videos, but cannot make up my mind. I like complicated and difficult/challenging strategy games.

1. Does the game provide a good challenge in regards to developing a strategy or do you go through the same steps each time and can win without much difficulty?

There are certain aspects of the game that you will eventually develop patterns for dealing with that work more often than not, but there are many elements that vary dramatically from one game to the next.  (See next answer for more details.)

2. Which aspects of this game make it difficult or challenging?

Each map you start on is unique with regards to feature locations and availability: hills/mountains, water, good growing areas, availability of wild growing food and raw materials, etc.  Then throw in the fact that you will be starting with three colonists who have very unique capabilities and penalties that require you to employ them in the best way, and the fact that the specific enemies and other problems you will be facing vary as well, and the result is that each and every game quickly develops its own unique character.  In one game you'll be scrambling to power your base sufficiently to keep your turrets operating, while in the next game the problem will be food, and then the next game you'll have trouble keeping your colonists healthy or getting enough new ones to grow the colony, and in a game after that you'll set up camp in an area that is very convenient for resource gathering but which leaves you vulnerable to attack from too many angles.  There is always a new challenge (or more than one) in each new colony in Rimworld, or at least that's been my experience.  Sometimes it is frustrating and there seems to just be no way to keep a colony going (man, I hate malaria) ... which makes those times when I am able to build up a substantial colony with 10+ colonists, good defenses and lots of money to spend on high tech very satisfying.

I highly recommend getting it, and can't imagine you'd be disappointed.

Wow that's actually a really good idea.
Or have some things with 'room' bonuses so you are not limited as to where you want to place something.

But then how would you determine whether or not something is "in the room" or not?  Not all rooms have doors on all exits, and not all exits are even one square wide.  I personally think the "range" approach (which I agree is a good one) would be easier to implement and explain.

Insulation effectiveness could be determined by the material with which walls are made, before even allowing for the addition of actual insulation, as the OP suggests.  Real world case in point: wood walls don't insulate all that well unless separate insulation is added, while stone (i.e., brick) walls do a noticeably better job of insulating on their own.  I can testify to this, as I used to live in houses with the former, but now own a house with the latter.

I've never lived in a place with steel walls (hehe), but I suppose they wouldn't innately be all that good in this respect either, since metal in general conducts heat.

Curly braces give me a warm, fuzzy feeling and are the reason I cannot deal with Python as a language.

I agree with this in the area of languages at least (if not necessarily in data exchange formats). Python's indenting approach is IMO really not good for developing any programs of substantial size. Too easy for things to go wrong, even for someone as militant about proper indentation (in any/all languages) as myself.

On the other hand, even though I developed exclusively in C/C++ for nearly two decades, I am really, really over the need for semicolons as statement terminators. I consider them needless, cluttered syntax at this point.

Thus you have two of the reasons why Swift is well on its way to becoming my preferred language.

I've got to side with Tynan on this. I work with both XML and JSON in my job, and I still prefer XML for a number of reasons (some of which, like XSLT and Xpath, don't really apply here). IMO, JSON's main advantages surface when transferring data over the Internets and to/from browsers, which also isn't happening here.