Steam Direct Fee & Upcoming Store Updates

[therevillsParticipant]

http://steamcommunity.com/games/593110/announcements/detail/1265921510652460726

$100 per game… a lot cheaper than I thought!

[impixiParticipant]

What did it cost before?

TBH, from a consumer’s perspective I can only see negatives: Steam is already flooded with “crap”; if the entry barrier is even lower it’s going to get worse.

[Mark SiblyKeymaster]

Yes, 100 is good news – they were talking about 5000 or so originally!

> What did it cost before?

I believe it was 100 to put as many games as you wanted up on greenlight.

The new system is much more like ‘normal’ publishing too, which I prefer.

[GfKParticipant]

So, this Steam Direct thing then…

Is it like, “pay $100, guaranteed distribution via Steam”?  Or is it “pay $100, and we’ll definitely or most likely possibly at some time or other have a look if it’s any good, if you’re lucky”?

What I’m getting at, is, is there potential for instant and total loss of your $100 if they choose not to publish?  Reading the Steam blog on the subject does not seem to touch on this eventuality.

[therevillsParticipant]

Here is a link with more info:

https://partner.steamgames.com/steamdirect

Basically:

1. Sign paperwork
2. Pay app deposit fee
3. Complete bank and tax paperwork
4. Upload Build and prepare store page
5. Steam review to ensure your game runs (1-5 days)
6. Timing requirement (30 day waiting period)
7. Release

[GfKParticipant]

Thanks for the info.  Is it worth having solitaire games on there?

[edit] Jesus… just been having a look.  Tried to download the Steamworks SDK but I apparently can’t unless I give them $100 first.  I had a read through what I could see of the documentation and without access to the SDK to experiment with, I’m at a total loss as to how to get Blitzmax (or Monkey2) to a state where it’s acceptable.

Any pointers on what to expect, greatly appreciated.  $100 isn’t much but I’m not about to flush money down the toilet without knowing what I’m getting myself into.

[therevillsParticipant]

Is it worth having solitaire games on there?

Very much so

You dont need to use Steamworks if you dont want.

I’m having a hard time finding the BlitzMax thread which was very useful regarding the SDK…

[GfKParticipant]

So, do they put their own wrapper around it like BFG et al?

I was under the impression that the Steamworks SDK left it up to me to implement stuff which connects with their servers.  If not, what exactly is it for?

[therevillsParticipant]

Yeah when you upload a build via the SteamWorks SDK it will automatically add its wrapper/DRM stuff.

So to clarify, you need to use the SDK for uploading to Steam but you dont have to use it directly in your games.

The SDK allows you to add Steam achievements, leader boards, etc.

Here are the BlitzMax threads relating to the SDK:

http://wasted.nz/posts.php?topic=84183

http://wasted.nz/posts.php?topic=104599#1269235

[GfKParticipant]

Thanks for the links.

Just looking at other solitaire games on Steam and came across a couple of yours.  How come you’ve pitched them so cheap?  One of them is only £1.99, less a 20% discount which drops it to £1.59.

Is that all we’re worth these days?

[therevillsParticipant]

Is that all we’re worth these days?

Pretty much… I did have them higher when they were first released, but they were released awhile ago so I dropped the price.

Its going to be interesting to see how Steam Direct affects prices in general…

Our games have been selling on Steam since September 2015 and its made us a decent 5 figure sum over that time, not outstanding but it is an extra income stream.

[GfKParticipant]

Thanks – just signed up and paid the ransom.  Waiting for verification now.

The W-8BEN section needs MUCH better explained.  Tax stuff is always a pain in the arse – especially when dealing with foreign terminology.  Some of it may as well have been written in bloody Chinese.

[GfKParticipant]

Glitch in the matrix, maybe, but I just logged into my Steamworks account and everything’s now been verified – but they didn’t send any email notification of this.  Something to watch out for possibly if anyone else is awaiting verification, too.

Will start fiddling with it tomorrow, see what occurs.

[Mark SiblyKeymaster]

So, I have to pay 100USD to write a steam module?!?

[GfKParticipant]

Probably, as from what I can gather that’s the only way to get access to the API/docs.  You’d think they’d want to encourage language support.

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