PhilipPino wrote:
I can not understand why indie developers do not work from the start with the Steamworks API.
It is free, it takes your work and server load... forever. Steam is and remains the future platform.
One thing at least often is that Steamworks SDK and documentation can not be accessed by developers until the game has at least got through Steam Greenlight. For RWR, that meant we got access to that stuff after the game had already been 2-3 years under development, already having a functional online implementation and related services for around 2 years.
Now sure, we could and would very much like to upgrade and start using these services also provided by Steam, as it would make the game sit nicely inside Steam utilizing it to max potential. The Steam integration just tends to be pushed away as lower priority task given how things work reasonably well without it.
I'd personally be mostly interested about having Steam stats and achievements in place. Most of the others are redundant or already used (e.g. Join friend's game).
Note that having the game in Desura doesn't mean we can't use Steamworks services.
A good point with not integrating the online stuff too deep with Steam is that pirates can play too, means more players.