Ask Paradox (almost) Anything Thread (no support/tech or code questions)

[Shams]

Will there be a non-Steam release of Magicka at any point? Alternatively, will there be a patch to remove Steam DRM? I have not played the game yet, because I refuse to use Steam. Needless to say, I will not buy any expansions if I cannot play the game.

No there will not - like I said numerous steam features are an integral part of Magicka - we would never release a non-steam version as that would cripple the game and make it much worse than it actually is. Nor do we have the resources to build said features outside steam.

It's a shame you won't play it - It's a great game.

/s

 

[Fredrik II]

Shams, enlighten me.

In this age of digital distribution, the role of a publisher, specifically, has changed a lot. Not as much CD/DVD boxes or inserts to design and manufacture, not as much expense in the production of manuals, not as much warehousing and delivery expenses. Advertising...etc. The task for a publisher is still however to distribute a usable product on behalf of the developer. But...

But what else does a publisher do that Steam isn't all ready doing? You see, the voices in my head tell me that Steam/Valve has still much room for growth. The vision I receive is Steam growing in such a way that it is providing many publisher oriented features where it could possibly take-over many publisher tasks (at a very competitive fee). The current publisher related tasks include cross-platform connectivity, Steam-Play for the Mac-aanites, Steam Cloud. Steam possibly could have storage capability in Saturn as well as on Earth (relax; what I mean is Steam has A LOT storage and I'm not making a reference to Satan ). Steam all ready has the framework established to offer DLCs for any of the games sold through them.

So has the era of the independent publisher come to an end? Could Steam become the main publisher for the gaming industry?

I actually think a publisher is more needed than ever in todays industry. For every Minecraft out there (one company so far) there are hundreds, if not thousands, of studios with great ideas, talented people and absolutely no cash or knowledge how to market or sell their product. Can a publisher make a big difference? For a lot of these studios the answer is yes. Thinking that a good game sells itself, or hope for a miracle to happen (Rovio created 50+ games before Angry Birds) is another way to go, but it is a long and hard road to walk. If a studio want to focus 100% on creating great games, I think we are a great partner, and the number of emails we get every week speaks for this as well

 

[SolSara]

Do you guys use ergonomic mice and keyboards? If not, why? It'd be more healthy.

Kallocain has some sort of weird pen-looking mouse, but most of us use regular mices if we don't insist on buying our own. I don't like ergonomical keyboards but if I ever feel the need to use those I think I would get used to them.

Do you guys use standing desks? Sitting down all day is detrimental to your health; you shouldn't be doing it!

All desks are height-adjustable tables but I can't say any of us use that function regularly.

 

[Johan]

Any tips for maintaining body mass and promoting general longevity? Given sedentary worklives behind keyboards, eating well all sorts of things to keep going, I was wondering if there were any overall strategies from the masters of strategy game development. I am past living on ramen noodles and peanut butter, and I do get to the gym a few times a week now.

Just eat healthy, walk alot, and exercise a few times each week.

Don't eat weird stuff with stuff added to them, make your own food!

 

[Johan]

Does this mean that with the new patch and expansion policy, games developed in-house will end up Steam-only? Please tell me that is not the plan!

I wouldn't rule it out. It would reduce costs a lot, and since about 90% of you guys buy from Steam, it would be natural to base things around it. And I'm one of the owners of GG.

 

[Doomdark]

You seem to have a lot of rather physically fit employees. Based on a recent conversation with my wife:

Wife: "What are you watching?" 
Me: "The trailer for a new strategy game coming out next year [CK2 that is]."
Wife: "Well, there goes five more years of your life. Wow, that guy is really buff!"

Don't worry, Doomdark, I'm not jealous.

Any tips for maintaining body mass and promoting general longevity? Given sedentary worklives behind keyboards, eating well all sorts of things to keep going, I was wondering if there were any overall strategies from the masters of strategy game development. I am past living on ramen noodles and peanut butter, and I do get to the gym a few times a week now.

Lol! Well, eat more protein (especially if you're going to the gym regularly...)

 

[Kallocain]

Do you guys use ergonomic mice and keyboards? If not, why? It'd be more healthy.

Do you guys use standing desks? Sitting down all day is detrimental to your health; you shouldn't be doing it!

Do you guys ever plan to get rid of some of the older avatar groups? Do you hate any avatar groups? Do you <3 any avatar groups?

1. Some do. I have one of these for example: http://penclic.se/. Always fun when someone else is trying to use my computer.
2. Most of us have desks you can raise if you want to. Some even use them.
3. Not particularly.

 

[Johan]

"You guys" as in customers, probably. "You guys" as in forumites, more doubtful.
In any case, those Steam numbers can rise partially so high due to their super discount sales, I suspect.
Not necessarily the most profitable customers (relatively, of course).

I don't care about those numbers really. I compare the amount of people who buy at day#1..

 

[podcat]

Real men use a Model M or a Das Keyboard. Keys ought to be big, heavy and moreover click when you press them. It should be an enjoyment to type on a keyboard, not feel like you are pressing your finger against a flat surface.

the best keyboard I ever used was the old Sun 6 keyboard: http://www.aquaphoenix.com/graphics/SunKeyboardType6/SunKeyboardType6_front_top-small.jpg

I don't believe in ergonomic keyboards, use better editors instead, but most importantly dont have the same keyboard at work and home so you dont get RSIs. we got some stock logitech keyboards at work and home I use a G15. macbook keyboards are also excellent for coding.

 

[Darkrenown]

Kallocain probably is not, and will never be, a real man.

When you come right down to it, Kallocain is a bit girly.

 

[Kallocain]

Real men use a Model M or a Das Keyboard. Keys ought to be big, heavy and moreover click when you press them. It should be an enjoyment to type on a keyboard, not feel like you are pressing your finger against a flat surface.

I'm not sure why you discuss keyboard when I linked to my clicking device. Of course I use a keyboard too, and when I'm not playing with an iPad or similar, my keyboards have keys yes...
I'm so glad I can ignore what real men are supposed to do or not. Or what real women are supposed to do or not for that matter. Few know this, but I'm actually an android. Schhh, don't tell anyone.

 

[ForzaA]

Few know this, but I'm actually an android. Schhh, don't tell anyone.

Android is it now? I thought it was cyborg?

 

[podcat]

Emacs commands

I actually bad wrists and hands during last year at uni. it was Emacs fault. too many stupid keybinds. I switched to Vim and felt good after just a week or two.

 

[podcat]

Oh, follow-up question: What do you guys code in? And what would you guys like to be able to code in, if you had 100% knowledge of that editor/IDE?.

we code in visual studio. personally I'd like if I could work 100% in textmate, but its mac only.

 

[Johan]

Oh, follow-up question: What do you guys code in? And what would you guys like to be able to code in, if you had 100% knowledge of that editor/IDE?

I know that the scripters seem to like Notepad++, from an earlier question.

I still use Ultraedit though.. It was popular a few years ago, so we bought licenses then, but now people here prefer notepad++.

 

[Johan]

That... would really be a slap in the face to loyal customers. Do not underestimate how important software being DRM-free is to many of us.

True. But steam isn't a DRM really.

 

[podcat]

...strongly discourage any encyclopedia citations...

If you're at a university, you're expected to use scientific sources. Wikipedia is not one of them. And they don't pretend to be.

in all fairness I'm not sure why random scientific papers should be regarded as more likely to be true than random posting online that is guaranteed to be reviewed by many people. Anyone can publish stuff right and if only your professor checks it thats a lot less checking than hundreds of people in the field fixing the wikipedia page.

 

[Johan]

Steam is many things. But, undoubtedly, DRM is one of them.

*sigh* So many misconceptions on the internet.

Steam is NOT a DRM. Steam is a distribution platform with dozens of features that makes it a preferred solution for many developers that do not have blizzard-sized budgets.

When using Steam for your game-distribution you have the possibility to enable a DRM on the game.

Without enabling DRM, having a game installed through steam is no different that any non-DRM game installed by GG.

There is 0% difference between a Sengoku installed through Steam and one installed through Gamersgate or Direct2Drive or retail-box.

 

[Johan]

Q3) Has paradox given thought/made plans to make future games on Steam make expansions/patch levels optional? So that if I buy EU+NA+IN+HttT+DW, I can play with whichever form of the game I desire? With whatever patch I choose? So in the future, is paradox planning to make it possible for me to install only up to HttT 4.1, even though lets say a 4.2 is out, as well as DW 5.1? The reason I ask is because this very directly affects mod-friendliness. An example would be the general inability (or atleast difficulty) in playing MMtM for Steam DW purchasers.

Thats the goal of our new patch & expansion strategy. You should be able to decide exactly WHICH expansions you want enabled..

 

[Shams]

Honestly: how important is the appearance of the game to each individual PI staff?

What do you mean by appearance? graphics? how it's viewed by players? Journalists? industry peers?

Also - thanks for getting us off that Steam topic....

/s