No More Steam Keys Usable on e-store DCS?

There seems to be much hate to Steam from elements of the DCS community, which is a shame, because Steam is a great platform for the customer/consumer in general.

Well, see, Shagrat, that's kinda the thing. Afaik there's been no explanation, conjecture is literally all we have at present. We got a footnote stating that 'hey, things are totally different now, make sure you don't mix and match from now on.'

There was no explanation provided.

It was barely even brought to the community's attention. And it's a pretty big deal that going forward new modules will not function on standalone. I use standalone, but 50-60% of my modules were purchased through Steam. I've bought a dozen modules flr friends through Steam because it's easier to gift there.

You guys are all blowing it off because you don't use Steam or don't like it, but are ignoring that it's a significant change that can cause a lot of potential havoc...

And it was a footnote in the patchnotes. No advance warning afaik. Just bam. Now it's this.

They should have drawn more attention to this, beforehand, and definitely after.

I also hope they'll use good sense and on the various marketplaces emphasise these things are no longer compatible.

Well, see, Shagrat, that's kinda the thing. Afaik there's been no explanation, conjecture is literally all we have at present. We got a footnote stating that 'hey, things are totally different now, make sure you don't mix and match from now on.'

 

There was no explanation provided.

 

It was barely even brought to the community's attention. And it's a pretty big deal that going forward new modules will not function on standalone. I use standalone, but 50-60% of my modules were purchased through Steam. I've bought a dozen modules flr friends through Steam because it's easier to gift there.

 

You guys are all blowing it off because you don't use Steam or don't like it, but are ignoring that it's a significant change that can cause a lot of potential havoc...

 

And it was a footnote in the patchnotes. No advance warning afaik. Just bam. Now it's this.

 

They should have drawn more attention to this, beforehand, and definitely after.

 

I also hope they'll use good sense and on the various marketplaces emphasise these things are no longer compatible.

Honestly, this day was long in the coming ever since they pushed out their standalone's keys that was incompatible with steam version. If you followed that path we end up here in our current situation quite naturally.

Honestly, this day was long in the coming ever since they pushed out their standalone's keys that was incompatible with steam version. If you followed that path we end up here in our current situation quite naturally.

The standalone keys were there from the beginning. What changed is that Steam was no longer willing to add them to their database. Again, Steam is setting the rules not ED.

The standalone keys were there from the beginning. What changed is that Steam was no longer willing to add them to their database. Again, Steam is setting the rules not ED.

They could, however, add them in if DCS moved exclusively to Steam, so that existing standalone purchases would be honoured..

As I said earlier, imo, this would be the best solution after 2.5. Then we would have 1 version with the ability to run different betas or release versions, etc. etc. No more Starforce, or will my key work with Steam or standalone or both. It is a mess atm, and moving to Steam would tidy the whole thing up.

I dont think ED "needs" steam, I play Steel Beasts and they operate on a very small community.

There are ways to do this, such as setting a high cost entry bar or offering your sim services to the military if I were to use Steel Beast as an example.

Its not steam that causes the problems your discussing but starforce DCS DRM.

1. verification issues -> starforce, I don't see other games in steam having issues

2. early release -> they don't post them in steam as modules

 

If everything about DCS was only on steam these problems wouldn't exist. Steam helps the game get more players through its advertising platform, and they take a cut for that, thats fine and worth it. They need platforms like steam to market their game because on their own, the word isn't getting out (not from what I see).

 

DCS needs all the help they can get, it drives me CRAZY that the BEST VR GAME EVER is not really know to the VR community (yet its getting traction through word of mouth..)

Again......I have never purchased anything from Steam. I have never been on Steam. I see no benefit of using Steam. All I have ever heard was complaints about it.

I remember when the Battlefield franchise forced everyone to go through that ridiculous Origin to play their games. It took all of about a week before I tossed BF in the trash after that. I never went back to it. Origin added so much more complexity to actually owning the game that just didn't need to be there. And for what? Marketing? No thanks.

Steam is just another middle man that doesn't need to be there. I don't need a cheap module if I have to go through Steam for it. I would rather give ED the money and save the hassle. Whether it's just ED that's having Steam issues (I know that this is inaccurate because I have heard complaints from people who have other sims through Steam) or not. I just don't see any sense in adding another link in a chain that's already complex enough.

Everyone that I chat with who uses Steam pretty much sums it up the same way when they talk about it. "Steam is friggin great!!!!! When it's not sucking so bad.":music_whistling:

I'm not saying that people shouldn't get Steam. Obviously it serves some purpose for some people. But after having been around the block a few times, I compare the whining about it (Not just with ED) and the benefits I hear about it and it's just not for me.

Short cuts, fancy bells and whistles, and good deals are not always the best way to go.

The bottom line here is that, most likely, Steam is in control of this situation. However it works out, ED probably has no choice in the matter. The dog wags the tail and Steam is most certainly the dog in this situation.

Dont speculate.

The standalone keys were there from the beginning. What changed is that Steam was no longer willing to add them to their database. Again, Steam is setting the rules not ED.

Steam still uses starforce for the older modules, and several other titles, they have no problems with obtaining key lots from publishers/developers.

Steam's issue was merging externally purchased licenses into their database so users can buy externally and register their purchase with steam.

Again......I have never purchased anything from Steam. I have never been on Steam. I see no benefit of using Steam. All I have ever heard was complaints about it.

I remember when the Battlefield franchise forced everyone to go through that ridiculous Origin to play their games. It took all of about a week before I tossed BF in the trash after that. I never went back to it. Origin added so much more complexity to actually owning the game that just didn't need to be there. And for what? Marketing? No thanks.

Steam is just another middle man that doesn't need to be there. I don't need a cheap module if I have to go through Steam for it. I would rather give ED the money and save the hassle. Whether it's just ED that's having Steam issues (I know that this is inaccurate because I have heard complaints from people who have other sims through Steam) or not. I just don't see any sense in adding another link in a chain that's already complex enough.

Everyone that I chat with who uses Steam pretty much sums it up the same way when they talk about it. "Steam is friggin great!!!!! When it's not sucking so bad.":music_whistling:

I'm not saying that people shouldn't get Steam. Obviously it serves some purpose for some people. But after having been around the block a few times, I compare the whining about it (Not just with ED) and the benefits I hear about it and it's just not for me.

Short cuts, fancy bells and whistles, and good deals are not always the best way to go.

This conversation is - unsurprisingly - out of hand.

I get so tired of people criticising a service that they don't even use.

The facts are that Steam has saved the PC gaming world from rampant piracy and inevitable oblivion a few years ago. The fact is that if it wasn't for Steam, PC gaming would probably not exist.

'Steam doesn't need to be there'? Are you kidding? Of course it does, at least for the reasons I mentioned already. Steam is an excellent service that brings all PC games into one collective package. I say this, and I'm sure I have been round the block a lot more times than you! (Remember Geoff Crammond's 'Aviator'?) Please don't make pointless comparisons, e.g. Steam vs Origin. There is no similarity between those services at all, apar from the fact that they both deal in games. Why on earth should the problems of Origin relate in any way to another product?

No-one likes paying for things, but sometimes it is necessary. You pay eBay to reach a large customer base, your estate agent to sell your house, etc. etc. all because they provide a service that allows you achieve your goals by getting your message across to a much wider audience.

Now, I have no idea what the figures are for DCS in the Steam/ED Store sales, but I have no doubt that Steam certainly should provide a much larger user base for DCS, and with it's excellent marketing tools bringing it in front of many many more potential users than those that might hear of DCS by word of mouth, or stumbling across the ED web site.

Even if Valve take a 10% cut (I have no idea what it would be) it would not take many additional sales to make commission worthwhile for ED and the continued development of DCS.

After all, is that not what we all want?

Again......I have never purchased anything from Steam. I have never been on Steam. I see no benefit of using Steam. All I have ever heard was complaints about it.

I remember when the Battlefield franchise forced everyone to go through that ridiculous Origin to play their games. It took all of about a week before I tossed BF in the trash after that. I never went back to it. Origin added so much more complexity to actually owning the game that just didn't need to be there. And for what? Marketing? No thanks.

Steam is just another middle man that doesn't need to be there. I don't need a cheap module if I have to go through Steam for it. I would rather give ED the money and save the hassle. Whether it's just ED that's having Steam issues (I know that this is inaccurate because I have heard complaints from people who have other sims through Steam) or not. I just don't see any sense in adding another link in a chain that's already complex enough.

Everyone that I chat with who uses Steam pretty much sums it up the same way when they talk about it. "Steam is friggin great!!!!! When it's not sucking so bad.":music_whistling:

I'm not saying that people shouldn't get Steam. Obviously it serves some purpose for some people. But after having been around the block a few times, I compare the whining about it (Not just with ED) and the benefits I hear about it and it's just not for me.

Short cuts, fancy bells and whistles, and good deals are not always the best way to go.

You know that's incredibly ironic that you mention tossing you copy of Battlefield in the bins after EA forced you into origins. Because that's exactly how I feel about moving to standalone. So at least you understand how frustrating this move is for some of us.

The standalone keys were there from the beginning. What changed is that Steam was no longer willing to add them to their database. Again, Steam is setting the rules not ED.

^This

And now Steam seems to have decided it is time do Block the option to save some $ on a Steam Sale and use them on a competitive platform?

Bad move from Steam that's how it looks to me...

I find it very interesting at the least that somehow Steam is portrayed as the root cause and the origins of EDs choice to sell its own keys.

Can someone actually source me the reason why Steam didn't want to add keys to to their database in the first place ? There seems to be a lot of , what appears to be, baseless finger pointing and blame shifting.

Dont speculate.

 

 

 

Steam still uses starforce for the older modules, and several other titles, they have no problems with obtaining key lots from publishers/developers.

 

Steam's issue was merging externally purchased licenses into their database so users can buy externally and register their purchase with steam.

Of course they provide the old modules with StarForce, I guess you contract modes of sales for each product, and can't just change these agreements one-sided.

As for the "move everything to Steam" I would be more than pissed, if I would have to buy 80% of my modules again!

You guys remember the ED Store Keys cannot be used on Steam!

So for me Steam is not only something I don't need, it would mean a couple hundred Euros wasted, too, as the majority of what I have bought already can't be used on Steam, after Valve decided not to allow ED's keys into their Database!

Steam community is there, people use steam, people like steam. If you don't believe it, check activity here: https://steamcommunity.com/app/223750

There have always been issues with the standalone vs. Steam client differences.

If anyone honestly thinks this situation is not going to explode in our faces once the first purchases are made that are not compatible with each other... You are in denial. :)

And let me assure you, the steam crowd explodes fast, loud, with bad reviews and little room to reason with.

I find it very interesting at the least that somehow Steam is portrayed as the root cause and the origins of EDs choice to sell its own keys.

 

Can someone actually source me the reason why Steam didn't want to add keys to to their database in the first place ? There seems to be a lot of , what appears to be, baseless finger pointing and blame shifting.

ED used their "own keys" since more than a decade, with LOMAC, FC2 and DCS: BlackShark without Steam.

Even DCS World was later introduced to Steam AFTER it was sold through ED alone.

The logical conclusion would be, to drop Steam and StarForce, setup a separate DRM and sell everything from 2.5 on under your own control with no additional troublemakers and complexity!

At least that is what I hope for!

 

If anyone honestly thinks this situation is not going to explode in our faces once the first purchases are made that are not compatible with each other... You are in denial. :)

 

And let me assure you, the steam crowd explodes fast, loud, with bad reviews and little room to reason with.

let the free market decide.

I find it very interesting at the least that somehow Steam is portrayed as the root cause and the origins of EDs choice to sell its own keys.

 

Can someone actually source me the reason why Steam didn't want to add keys to to their database in the first place ? There seems to be a lot of , what appears to be, baseless finger pointing and blame shifting.

ED was selling their own keys before Steam ever came into the picture.

After ED started selling on Steam, ED keys could be used on Steam, then...

7 June 2014

 

Dear all,

 

We learned from Valve/Steam that they will be unable to continue merging DCS keys purchased outside of the Steam Store. As such and as of today, please note that any keys purchased outside of the Steam Store can no longer be used to activate DCS products on Steam.

https://forums.eagle.ru/showthread.php?t=125452

The reason is Steam knowledge and was never made public.

As for the "move everything to Steam" I would be more than pissed, if I would have to buy 80% of my modules again!

 

You guys remember the ED Store Keys cannot be used on Steam!

 

So for me Steam is not only something I don't need, it would mean a couple hundred Euros wasted, too, as the majority of what I have bought already can't be used on Steam, after Valve decided not to allow ED's keys into their Database!

Good grief! If DCS moved completely to Steam, then old keys would be sorted out in order to be validated under the new arrangement.

It is perfectly obvious that any company would not tolerate the current situation for long. If you were a restaurant owner, would you let someone come in use your facilities and eat food that they purchased from somewhere else? I doubt it.

Steam still uses starforce for the older modules, and several other titles,...

Which other titles?

Steam community is there, people use steam, people like steam. If you don't believe it, check activity here: https://steamcommunity.com/app/223750

 

There have always been issues with the standalone vs. Steam client differences.

 

If anyone honestly thinks this situation is not going to explode in our faces once the first purchases are made that are not compatible with each other... You are in denial. :)

 

And let me assure you, the steam crowd explodes fast, loud, with bad reviews and little room to reason with.

More data

Players in the last 2 weeks: 27,684 ± 4,842 (1.76%)

source: https://steamspy.com/app/223750

]

There have always been issues with the standalone vs. Steam client differences.

 

If anyone honestly thinks this situation is not going to explode in our faces once the first purchases are made that are not compatible with each other... You are in denial. :)

 

And let me assure you, the steam crowd explodes fast, loud, with bad reviews and little room to reason with.

A very good point. So omit the ranting kids on Steam by dropping it for good.

Until now, everybody could move over to standalone and use all his purchase keys, be it from early ED Sales or Steam.

Until now they all work in DCS World Standalone without Steam.

I guess Steam is putting up a hint, that their Keys won't work in DCS Standalone for each new module, and anyone, who wants so desperately to have everything on Steam, can easily buy everything from the Steam store.

If some people would never move away from Steam anyway, what the hell is the problem?!

Keep buying your modules from Steam and everything is fine.

Good grief! If DCS moved completely to Steam, then old keys would be sorted out in order to be validated under the new arrangement.

It is perfectly obvious that any company would not tolerate the current situation for long. If you were a restaurant owner, would you let someone come in use your facilities and eat food that they purchased from somewhere else? I doubt it.

Exactly, only that ED was so kind to allow customers to bring their Steam keys and use the facilities for quite a while.

I absolutely agree to your point... ED is totally stupid to let Steam keys into their Restaurant in the hope, they buy a drink at their place or some dessert.

A very good point. So omit the ranting kids on Steam by dropping it for good.

 

Until now, everybody could move over to standalone and use all his purchase keys, be it from early ED Sales or Steam.

 

Until now they all work in DCS World Standalone without Steam.

 

I guess Steam is putting up a hint, that their Keys won't work in DCS Standalone for each new module, and anyone, who wants so desperately to have everything on Steam, can easily buy everything from the Steam store.

 

If some people would never move away from Steam anyway, what the hell is the problem?!

Keep buying your modules from Steam and everything is fine.

You dont know the problem becaue youre not using steam, as simple as that. For me was convinient to have the steam option cause sometimes i have money left in my steam wallet but now i cant use it anymore (without having the problem of installing twice DCS World). And guess what, I cant just jump to steam cause i bought the nttr, m2k, normandy map pack

Just because you dont have a problem it doesnt mean theres not a problem

Greetings

You dont know the problem becaue youre not using steam, as simple as that. For me was convinient to have the steam option cause sometimes i have money left in my steam wallet but now i cant use it anymore (without having the problem of installing twice DCS World). And guess what, I cant just jump to steam cause i bought the nttr, m2k, normandy map pack

 

Just because you dont have a problem it doesnt mean theres a problem

 

Greetings

But you were aware the keys bought on the ED store cannot activate any products in Steam?! So why did you buy it, even before release?

Now you blame your decision to buy that map with the big red "Doesn't work with Steam" marker, on the ED-shop you bought it from, because the marker was actually right?! Really? :dunno:

By the way, just wait until NTTR, Normandy and Asset Pack is RELEASED, I am 100% sure they will be released on Steam shortly after.