kohlrak: If it is so, i want to know what it is. I don't see anything particularly profound or easy to use in steam's API compared to other alternatives out there that don't require steam.
BKGaming: Right. I'm not going to spend much time trying to go over all of what Steamworks offers, but in a general sense it's not any one thing where you can't doing something similar with alternatives, it's that Steam offers eveything in a nice neat easy to use package so why would any sane developer want to spend time trying to come up with alternatives. Could a dev use a third party, maybe open source MP service for instance? Sure, but why do that when Steam offers easy enough API to tap into that offers direct integration with a Steam account (that nearly every gamer has), friends list on the most popular service on PC, and a potection system (ie VAC) that will protect your game from cheaters all together in one service.
It's other not so obvious features like Steampipe, where you can instantly upload patches and create branches for beta's ect without having to code an integrated patch system inside the game.
It's the Steam ecosystem which includes Steamworks. It's big picture mode, it's steam link, it's the inventory system, it trading cards. These things make looking for alternatives redundant and a waste of money / time.
The only way to compete with that is by having an ecosystem that is also easy to use. That also allows direct integration. That also provides similar functionality.
If developers have to splice together a butch of different alternatives from multiple sources to create a similar experience or have to create their own solutions there just not going to waste the time, especially at GOG where the user base is already tiny in comparison.
Yeah, but the devs also have to accept that they're also beholden to steam and stuck with steam just as much as their customers. You think that'd be worth something, especially when not all those features are being used. Especially with this talk of steam possibly kicking games off (a very specific niche, i know, but it should still be a factor) as well as devs feeling unable to get going on steam due to the pure level of saturation of steam's market, you'd think these devs would understand the need to be able to be independent of steam.
