Stitch
Gold Member
They always refund pre-orders. Well since a few days lol
http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/131653-Steam-Adds-Refund-Option-for-Pre-Orders
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Jimquisition - Steam Needs Quality Control
- Thread starter Intheflorsh
- Start date
They always refund pre-orders. Well since a few days lol
http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/131653-Steam-Adds-Refund-Option-for-Pre-Orders
I've said "usually" because I didn't know they've turned that into an official policy, thanks for the info =)
It is impossible for consumers to be informed about every good that they purchase. Quality control measures, whether regulated by government or industry, reduce the information burden for consumers.
That said, I would disagree with Jim's thesis. I don't think Steam needs tight quality control because gamer interests are so varied. I have bought a few games that were critical darlings but I just cannot get into at all. An example is Europa Universalis. For me, it's a 2/10, but for others it is the deepest strategy game on the market. I don't want cult games like this to be restricted from Steam. Quality control for games without mass appeal must be tough.
As far as early access games are concerned - I was not aware that this was a problem. I've really enjoyed my time with the ever-expanding Don't Starve. I guess this is atypical for most early access games. Are most early access games in as poor shape as the games Jim showed, or are these just the high profile flops?
P.S. I thought one of the games he showed was Battlefield 4. LOL!
Because if Steam becomes to restrictive then there's less of a chance that we'll get some of the weird, yet successful, games that don't fit the standard definition of what a video game should be.
Think something like how Minecraft was years ago (I know that's not on steam), early on it didn't jive with what most people would call a complete game, and it still doesn't with some, but I'm glad it flourished. I want steam to allow risks like that even if it means a Bad Rats or Guise of Wolf, or whatever is allowed too.
Vane_MagicCity
Banned
Thanks for the link.
Pre-orders and unfinished games shouldn't be featured by Steam. That's just my "hyperbolic" opinion.
It apparently isn't a cash refund but rather a Steam credit. As a poster on that escapist thread pointed out, it's not a refund, it's simply allowing you to cancel your pre order and put the money in your Steam account.
Fair points. But it doesn't change the fact that there are devs taking advantage of this system and there is a flood of shitty games that have no business being on there under the guise that it's early access. Big difference between what Minecraft once was and games that are broken.
I don't want valve restricting games from growing into something bigger. But some adaptive quality control could go a long way.
I know. And God, do I love it. Haha.
Baleoce
Member
I don't get it either. The argument seems to be somewhat ignoring that PC is in and of itself an open platform with no restrictions that anyone can make a game for if they wish and sell on a whole multitude of marketplaces, or perhaps even their own marketplace. Nothing is stopping them from doing so.
Steam is a very popular, albeit closed digital distribution platform. Just like PSN or XBL or eShop, or Origin or Uplay are closed digital distribution platforms. Are we by proxy saying that every single closed DDP should open the floodgates to everything and anything? Or is Steam a special case for one reason or another, or perhaps because the PC itself is viewed (as I said above) as an inherently open platform, that we think Steam should transfer that philosophy over to its own business practice? Because it happens to be the most suitable and popular service on there.
Again, surely the idea behind a prestigious platform is to aim to make the best game you personally can, and try to earn your place on it. What Steam gains from this is a continuous strengthening reputation, and what the developer gains from it is visibility. A visibility that is earned, on a platform-holder that should acknowledge you've earned it. Some games just don't fit this bill.
Don't get me wrong, I fully understand and agree with the previous argument that the best content rises to the top. It always does, and it's no coincidence. The proof is always in the pudding. However there's a difference between meeting minimum requirement quality control, and just letting those floodgates go wide open. Heck, only yesterday we saw a case with a game called Paper Monsters, where the real developer Crescent Moon Games had zero clue initially that a fake version of their game had been put up successfully on Steam. This is the area where some form of minimum requirements should be used, and this is a situation where it becomes apparent that there was (presumably) no checks involved for that game to get onto the marketplace.
It's also true that Steam initially had trouble with being seen as *too* exclusive a marketplace. Something needed to be done about that as well, which is something again that I fully agree with. I really think there's room to meet in the middle on this one. But I definitely do not feel it should be open to anything and everything.
I'm all for Steam dropping the hammer on scams and I think customizing your Steam client is a great idea that will solve many gripes. I just don't want true creativity to be hampered in an effort to prevent those things.
I'm not sure if this still applies, but if you contact Steam support they'll offer you a cash refund or a steam wallet refund*.
*I've cancelled a few pre-orders on Steam before(sanity prevailed).
Delusibeta
Banned
The market has decided, Steam gets practically all of the non-F2P money in the PC gaming markets. Now, Steam is basically PC gaming.
Wiktor
Member
Quality control is terrible terrible idea. Steam is way to big in indie space. It's often be or not to be for indie devs. By creating tight quality control you're essentially killing indie gaming on PC, not so much financially, but the whole idea of independent publishing would be done, as Steam would replace regular publishers as gate keeper.
If Steam would just be one of many huge DD services they could go for quality control. But as it is now, having tight control would be disastrous for indie games on PC.
If Steam would just be one of many huge DD services they could go for quality control. But as it is now, having tight control would be disastrous for indie games on PC.
Wiktor
Member
I wouldn't go that far. Big PC games still sell better in retail than on Steam and casual (non F2P) gaming is practically non-existant on Steam.
What Steam gets is most of indie gaming money. There are small devs who can do well witthout Steam, but they're mostly making titles for hardcore niche audiences where they're pretty much have guaranteed sales, plus those audiences often are hostile towards Steam. Every other indie dev is screwed if they don't get on Steam.
Maybe Kickstarter will eventually help with changing that, but that's far off if it ever happens.
ThaiGrocer
Member
If I remember correctly, GabeN said the ultimate goal was to make Steam as much of an open market as possible while letting people curate for others. With the obvious restrictions in place, it sounds like a big problem to tackle for years to come. So Jim Sterling may never be happy with Steam ever again!
Canis lupus
Member
Just watched this. I only buy the games that get buzz, recommendations from gaf and shit games like those in the video pass me by and never confront me. I never actively search for new games and go deeper in Steam so I must've spared me from some horrible unfinished games.
dark_prinny
Banned
The majority of Steams users are core enthusiasts. Could you say the same about a mother buying a game for his son as a Christmas present? Or your average tablet user who just bought a broken micro transaction infected shit on his android/iOS device?
I don't think so.
SmoothRunningGun
Member
But who decides what quality is? It should be open. People will vote with their wallets.