Monthly Archives: April 2014

The Deal With Steam Greenlight

Another Star, Computers, Indies

I hate Steam Greenlight. I really do. I even wrote at length about why.

A lot of people are asking me if Another Star will ever be on Steam Greenlight. Back in August, I stated that I didn’t know the answer to that question.

Truth be told, I’m not sure I care that Another Star has a tiny chance of getting through. I’m not sure I care that I’m losing sales by not putting the game there. Out of principle, I simply cannot stand the very idea of submitting it. I may yet give in, but the whole thing ticks me off and I’d rather just say “screw it”.

The problem is, principles don’t pay the bills. They don’t put food on the table. They don’t fund future projects, or even help keep hardware and software up-to-date. Valve has a virtual monopoly on the PC games market with Steam. A large number of gamers will not even consider buying a game if it’s not already on the service. It’s a sad, sorry state of affairs, but it’s the way things are, and despite Valve’s continued, empty promises that they’re going to overhaul the system it doesn’t look like it’s going to change anytime soon.

That said, Greenlight has improved since I wrote both of those entries, even if only a little. At this point, I can say with certainty that Another Star will eventually be on Steam Greenlight. I’m still not comfortable with the service, but at least it’s gotten to the point where I don’t immediately gag at the thought of it. (It’s more of a slow, delayed reaction now.)

The problem at the moment is cash. Steam’s horrendous $100 gate is effectively shutting me out for the time being. Moreover, it’s not a free ticket to success. The money I have right now is already set aside for things like bills and groceries, and my credit card is just about maxed out. I can’t justify buying what amounts to a lottery ticket at this exact moment in time. Later in the month, however, I should have a bit more money to work with, and I’ll try to get Another Star up on Greenlight then.

To be clear, I’m not asking for a handout. I’m just asking for patience. If you have $100 to pay for someone’s Steam Greenlight fee, please find someone who needs and deserves it more than me. There are a lot of struggling developers out there who deserve a shot. I have more money on the way, but a lot of them don’t.

Another Star’s Second Review

Another Star

Taylor Whaley of RegretZero has just posted his review of Another Star. He’s a bit of what he had to say about the game.

Another Star is the most charming retro RPG I’ve played so far this year. […] It’s presented well, and the plot isn’t half bad. The developer has perfectly combined core classical RPG gameplay while mixing in modern elements that improve the experience for modern gamers. It looks, sounds, and plays the part of a retro-RPG perfectly; Another Star feels a lot what an old game of its genre would, but plays so much better than those. While it’s definitely not perfect (suffering from minor bugs and a couple of minor gameplay annoyances) Another Star has been crafted with painstaking authenticity (the soundtrack is even composed in the style of a YM2413, a commonly used budget synth chip), and it clearly shows. If RPGs are your thing, Another Star is one game that should definitely be on your radar.

You can read the full review here.

Another Star’s First Review

Another Star

I meant to post about this when it first went live, but Another Star received its first review not long ago, courtesy of Nick Maroney on Geek News Network. And it’s mostly positive! Their conclusion:

For just $10, you will get close to 20 hours of play from this game. That’s not a bad deal any way you look at it. The world is expansive and there are dozens of secret nooks and crannies to find that hold extra bits of story or items to help you on your quest. While this game is a fantastic homage to the RPGs of old, it brings plenty of fresh ideas to the table. The innovative aspects of the game don’t always work, especially in the later part of the game, but at least you can adjust the difficulty and rate of experience and loot gains in the game options, which helps to overcome those late-game issues. If you like the classic console RPG and are looking for something fresh from the genre, Another Star would make a fine addition to your library.

The author’s criticisms are also well-grounded, and are definitely something I’ll have to take to heart on future projects. You can read the full review here on their site. Hopefully this is just the first positive review of many.