Why aren't Steam keys included for purchases after Nov 4?

[TheVoidDragon]

I've been following the development of this game for a while and it looks great, i really like this sort of game so have been planning on buying it at some point. Last time i looked at the site it mentioned that when you buy the game you'd get a Steam key (once it's put on Steam) as well as the DRM-free version. Why has this changed now? I'm a bit disappointed as i now have to choose between the DRM-free version or waiting until the Steam version is out. If it was still both if you buy via the site, i'd buy it right now. I can understand not having it like that forever, but I didn't realize there was a time limit on it and expected it to at least be like that while the game was in alpha as a bit more incentive to get the game early and help development.

I didn't see a time limit for the Steam Keys being included, if i had i would of bought the game while it was like that. Was the date they wouldn't be included after actually mentioned anywhere before the 4th November? There is still no anticipated release date for the game on Steam, if it was coming out soon it would make sense but it seems a long way off.

[REMworlder]

The reason it's like this is because Valve policy doesn't allow us to promise Steam keys to people indefinitely. They seem to be generally cool about it when it's just for a Kickstarter or something, but after a while policy kicks in. They're running a business and they only make money off Steam sales, so I see their position on this.

I'm sorry for creating a bit of heartbreak about this. I'm going to see if I can get keys for people who may have missed the official deadline, but I definitely can't promise anything. Obviously I want to give as much as possible! But Valve's policies do win in this situation.

Regardless, everyone will always get all future updates at the same time, whether on or off Steam.

http://www.reddit.com/r/RimWorld/comments/2m90ma/why_wont_i_get_the_steam_key_if_i_bought_it_after/

TL;DR Valve doesn't allow for Steam keys to be distributed indefinitely. Non-Steam will still be updated.

[Mikhail Reign]

Sales = dropped. No way would I buy a digital copy of a game when its sole method of acquisition is via a download from a indie company server. What happens if Ty busts and cant make bandwidth payments? Or even if he died in a car accident or something random?

The "I'm waiting for it to come out on Steam" argument is now 100% completely valid.

[StorymasterQ]

Hey, no worries. Go wait until it comes out on Steam. But until then, you just won't get to enjoy the game like the rest of us.

[Tynan]

If I die in a car accident... there won't be any more updates either way

But of course it's your choice when to buy. I'm happy to have you as a customer now or later.

Anyway, yes, for the reasoning, see above. That's my answer on the reddit thread. The reason it wasn't announced before is because Valve emailed me that day and asked me to stop mentioning Steam. Which made perfect sense.

[StorymasterQ]

The reason it wasn't announced before is because Valve emailed me that day and asked me to stop mentioning Steam. Which made perfect sense.

But what about Steam Vents?

[Evelyn]

Sales = dropped. No way would I buy a digital copy of a game when its sole method of acquisition is via a download from a indie company server. What happens if Ty busts and cant make bandwidth payments? Or even if he died in a car accident or something random?

The "I'm waiting for it to come out on Steam" argument is now 100% completely valid.

That's ironic since you are now contributing to the problems that would lead to the very scenario (not the car accident one) that you're worried about.

[Tynan]

Feedback loops are beautiful and deadly.

[RayvenQ]

Buy it now, then buy it on Steam, hell, buy it a third time, because Tynan is a good developer who deserves your support via buying the game several times. Even though I bought the game long before the cut off date for getting a Steam Key, I'll certainly be buying another copy, maybe on steam, maybe on the original method of payment, hell, what I'll do is use the steam key to have it on steam, plus then buy an extra copy, because Tynan is a good developer,  I should know, I've seen and been around many, some good, some bad, Tynan definately falls in the good category.

[Darkfirephoenix]

Buy it now, then buy it on Steam, hell, buy it a third time, because Tynan is a good developer who deserves your support via buying the game several times. Even though I bought the game long before the cut off date for getting a Steam Key, I'll certainly be buying another copy, maybe on steam, maybe on the original method of payment, hell, what I'll do is use the steam key to have it on steam, plus then buy an extra copy, because Tynan is a good developer,  I should know, I've seen and been around many, some good, some bad, Tynan definately falls in the good category.

Don't forget that you can also buy steam keys and gift them to others. SPREAD THE LOVE!

[TheVoidDragon]

If I die in a car accident... there won't be any more updates either way

But of course it's your choice when to buy. I'm happy to have you as a customer now or later.

Anyway, yes, for the reasoning, see above. That's my answer on the reddit thread. The reason it wasn't announced before is because Valve emailed me that day and asked me to stop mentioning Steam. Which made perfect sense.

I was under the impression that it's free for a developer to generate steam keys of their game and do what they want with them, though. The Steam Greenlight page says:

If my game is accepted through Steam Greenlight, can I give my previous customers keys for the Steam version?

Once your game is accepted for distribution on Steam, we will give you as many keys for your game as you want at no cost.

However it does also say this:

Can I give away copies of my game in exchange for votes?

We don't think that giving away copies of your game in exchange for votes accurately reflects genuine customer interest. That is something we continue to take into account when evaluating titles to be greenlit.

So it seems they don't like it when developers promise Steam keys to people in advance to get more attention. It sounds like selling the actual keys or giving them away would be fine, but that's not really what you're doing right now so it's understandable.

I bought the game anyway, looking forward to trying it out.

[Darkfirephoenix]

Can I give away copies of my game in exchange for votes?

We don't think that giving away copies of your game in exchange for votes accurately reflects genuine customer interest. That is something we continue to take into account when evaluating titles to be greenlit.

So it seems they don't like it when developers promise Steam keys to people in advance to get more attention. It sounds like selling the actual keys or giving them away would be fine, but that's not really what you're doing right now so it's understandable.

The point of: "Steam keys for votes" is that they don't want games to be just voted on because the voters will get keys for free and that means that the votes don't really have a meaning ("Oh look! I can get a game for free if I vote on it! I love free games."). It's like giving out free samples to the first thousand people and everyone after that will have to pay.

We won't have the problem with Rimworld though: Most of us bought it already even if we don't get a steam-key, so the "bribing voters with keys" part won't affect us (I highly suspect that we have more than enough people here that bought the game already and will vote for Rimworld on Greenlight, if it ever goes there)

[TheVoidDragon]

Can I give away copies of my game in exchange for votes?

We don't think that giving away copies of your game in exchange for votes accurately reflects genuine customer interest. That is something we continue to take into account when evaluating titles to be greenlit.

So it seems they don't like it when developers promise Steam keys to people in advance to get more attention. It sounds like selling the actual keys or giving them away would be fine, but that's not really what you're doing right now so it's understandable.

The point of: "Steam keys for votes" is that they don't want games to be just voted on because the voters will get keys for free and that means that the votes don't really have a meaning ("Oh look! I can get a game for free if I vote on it! I love free games."). It's like giving out free samples to the first thousand people and everyone after that will have to pay.

We won't have the problem with Rimworld though: Most of us bought it already even if we don't get a steam-key, so the "bribing voters with keys" part won't affect us (I highly suspect that we have more than enough people here that bought the game already and will vote for Rimworld on Greenlight, if it ever goes there)

It seems Valve doesn't like developers saying "Buy my non-Steam game/Vote for it and I might give you a Steam key if i get them at some point, maybe". Several developers have promised Steam keys and then not given them away once their game was released. It sounds like developers shouldn't really promise to give them to people if they don't actually have any keys yet.

Tynan could give keys to people who buy it via the site anyway if he wanted to once the game is released on Steam. Including them with the DRM-Free version or giving them away would be fine once it's on Steam, just selling a promise isn't.

[litlbear]

Wait so I can't have a Steam key for when it's released??

[Jaxxa]

Wait so I can't have a Steam key for when it's released??

What date did you buy it on?