GearCity FBS Milestone #1 Complete! Entering Build and QA Phase
Added 2023-04-15 21:04:54 +0000 UTCGearCity FBS Milestone #1 is complete, and now entering build and QA/Testing phase.
I still need to playtest to catch any major bugs. And I need to set up my build infrastructure for all the operating systems and architectures we need to support. I expect this process to take a few days, particularly because of macOS's legal inability to run on a virtual machine. I'm aiming for Saturday the 22nd. But it could be earlier.
This brings me to an issue. Today I was looking through Steam's documents for beta keys, and it seems there is a hard limit on the number I can request. This limit is 2500 keys, but they often deny anything over 1000 beta keys. Currently, we have only 80-something contributors, but I am unsure how many will jump on in the future. Also, Valve says there should be a time limit on any crowdfunding activities, which is the opposite idea of the FBS. So they could deny all the keys anyway upon inspection.
So it's looking like I will need to release closed-beta GC: 2nd Gear DLC under a password-protected Steam Beta tab, just like we did with the past Testing Builds, but with a password. Alternatively, I can make an external installer. That's an acceptable solution for Windows but a complication for macOS and Linux users.
So I think a Steam Beta Tab is the way we'll go. The password will periodically change each milestone. And hopefully, everyone will keep the passwords to themselves. (Self-defeating the purpose of getting more content and features otherwise.)
If you have any questions or comments or ideas. Feel free to comment.
Comments
>> Is the reason that "just sending out 2nd Gear non-beta keys to contributors and having it as a DLC" wouldn't work that it would then have to be for general sale, and the preference is to have it only be for FBS contributors for some time to encourage FBS contribution? << Valve has limited keys over the last few years to prevent a loophole bad developers created by selling keys at low prices while keeping their Steam prices high. Valve demands that Steam customers get the same deal as anywhere else. The problem is the FBS is a pay-as-you-want, preferably subscription pay-as-you-want. Steam offers neither. (I and others have suggested both many times on deaf ears.) Steam offers two types of keys, Retail and Beta keys. Retail keys are used once the product is approved, the store page is made, and the product is for sale. Beta keys can be used at any time. There are no limits to the number of Retail keys you can generate, although Valve has to approve it. However, Valve does set a hard limit on Beta keys because they want the same deal for Steam customers. Then if you look up their crowdfunding docs, the FBS not being time-limited would be denied more than the limit, if not denied outright or possibly de-platformed upon investigation. (Probably the former than the latter. I don't see them making such a stink over Patreon backers when many of their better-selling games do it too.) So that's the dilemma. I don't want to put 2nd Gear up for sale because it's not a complete DLC. It's only ~1/10th finished. Putting it up for sale would also discourage people from investing in the FBS, limiting the FBS funds coming in. That means fewer milestones are funded and less content is created. Also, the plan was to release 2nd Gear free to everyone once we start working on 3rd Gear. So selling it then making it free, without all the extra perks of the FBS... While we're not at 1000 needed keys yet, the issue will arrises when we need our 1000th key. We're already 1/10th of that limit, and 2nd Gear isn't even out yet. So the choice is to have the workaround now at the start or later when there are over a thousand people to manage. >> I wonder if Steam Playtest << Steam Playtest is designed for short-term, open join play testing. Valve prohibits its use for anything else, especially closed playtesting. And closed Beta/Playtesting is essentially what we're doing. I don't see much difference between using a link and subscribing to a beta branch. The good news is that you can also play GearCity Classic on the branch. So there isn't much lost other than not having a "GearCity: 2nd Gear" entry on your libraries, profiles, etc. >> Overall, I suspect either "beta keys" or the "password protected beta" would work fine, depending on your level of concern about FBS participation reaching 1000+ users.<< At one point during Early Access, we had over half the users using our Testing Build Branch, so it will be a little more cumbersome than passing out keys, but it works. I'm not sure if we'll hit 1000 contributors, but we're already nearly at 100, and it's better to be safe than not. AeroMogul alpha testing might drag in that many people. GearCity's Open Betas, before Steam Early Access, were pulling down 1,500+ downloads a version, and the game is 30x more popular now.
Eric Jones
2023-04-17 18:12:37 +0000 UTCIt's exciting that 2nd Gear is now fully functional! Looking forward to taking it for a spin! Is the reason that "just sending out 2nd Gear non-beta keys to contributors and having it as a DLC" wouldn't work that it would then have to be for general sale, and the preference is to have it only be for FBS contributors for some time to encourage FBS contribution? I wonder if Steam Playtest (https://partner.steamgames.com/doc/features/playtest) could work if the playtest request link is only available on the FBS Contributor forums? Still somewhat relies on not sharing links, and I haven't fully vetted it, but might be an option. Overall, I suspect either "beta keys" or the "password protected beta" would work fine, depending on your level of concern about FBS participation reaching 1000+ users.
Andrew
2023-04-17 03:32:29 +0000 UTC
