Error Tagging Game and other off-topic musings

[zylche]

Attempting to tag this game as 'Mobile Port' is returning an error. Is this issue affecting other games or is this an isolated incident?

[Da Nerdo]

I had problems adding this too, I think it might be an issue with steam, can the dev add it to the game? I hope its not broken, I would hate for these tags to be broken.

[dsmart]

First, the game is not a mobile port.

And Valve have caught on to the fact that people are abusing the tagging system. So some tags cannot be set. That's one of them.

http://kotaku.com/the-first-day-of-steam-tags-will-make-you-laugh-and-cr-1522262945

[Da Nerdo]

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.inc3000ad.lodtactics but is google lying then? :ohdear:

[dsmart]

Oprindeligt skrevet af Señor Scarybagels:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.inc3000ad.lodtactics but is google lying then? :ohdear:

You can't be serious. Please read this.

How does releasing a multi-platform (you do know what that means, right?) game end up being a port?

[Da Nerdo]

I believe you, I just was wanting to know what side I should follow, since clearly you have done nothing wrong.

[zylche]

Oprindeligt skrevet af dsmart:

First, the game is not a mobile port.

And Valve have caught on to the fact that people are abusing the tagging system. So some tags cannot be set. That's one of them.

http://kotaku.com/the-first-day-of-steam-tags-will-make-you-laugh-and-cr-1522262945

Tags are beneficial to show what a consumer interpretation of a product's defining features. The mobile origin is a defining feature given the information on the store page. If this is not accurate, please try to inform your consumer base better at the store-level. The information shown on there does not differentiate it from the mobile version, and the inclusion of mobile reviews reaffirms this notion.

[PawsRPG]

Copy pasta go!

I believe the problem may be perception and how the word "port" is used in gamer vernacular. It might be more accurate to consider each version of this game as concurrently developed. I see people do this with Vita and PS3 games too, and it's equally baffling.

Every developer has their own decisions on how to release across multiple platforms.
*Popcap releases a game across many platforms, but they're not ports -- they're serially developed, one at a time.
*Telltale conversely DOES port from PC to other platforms, and their Xbox 360 versions in particular suffer for that.
*Madden games are an easily recognized concurrently developed game across all platforms at the same time.
*NISA's Disgaea games are good examples of enhanced ports -- the original game is ported to a new platform then expanded upon.

Hopefully those examples give some insight on game development philosophy :)

[zylche]

If they were concurrently developed then it would not be an issue providing platform-specific reviews. The average consumer will not look past the store level. The information available at that level does not provide consumer confidence that this is anything more that a port. Vita games uses different controller input than PS3 games and the UI is similarly different. For instance, you do not compare 10-foot interfaces to interfaces at face-level. They are wildly different from both a design and usability standpoint. Both garner different reviews, and this also applies to certain mobile-specific features and expectations.

[PawsRPG]

I'd take a guess and say those are the reviews that came out first and will likely be replaced as PC coverage rolls out; it's much easier to get pre-release mobile codes than it is to get steam pre-release codes, and frankly with the state of video game "journalism" I'd trust very few sites with a DRM-free copy.

I didn't presume it meant the game was a mobile port; it's certainly your prerogative to disagree :)

[zylche]

It is not easier to give pre-release copies to developers through Steam than mobile. A steam press account already provides access to titles. If a reviewer does not have one and you want them to review it generating keys is free and easy through the steamworks interface. There is no need for obfuscation on these matters.

I took the time to search for PC reviews, and the state of video game 'journalism' does not change other games from using them. Here are they are:

IGN [Russia]: http://ru.ign.com/review/5291/line-of-defense-tactics-review
Softpedia: http://www.softpedia.com/reviews/games/pc/Line-of-Defense-Tactics-Tactical-Advantage-Review-426900.shtml
GeekedOutNation: http://www.geekedoutnation.com/videogame-reviews/line-of-defense-tactics-tactical-advantage-review-pc/

These are the extent of reviews I can find outside of a metacritic user review posted by a moderator here.

[PawsRPG]

Erm, to the first point you agreed with me, and I'm not sure that's what you intended.

To the second point, the reviews you've listed are in a foreign language, have no quotables, and promote the mobile port silliness.
I understand why you made the mistake, so I will happily revise my statement -- the reviews will likely be replaced when suitable PC candidates roll out. Unless you're suggesting he pull a Castle Doctrine move? http://www.falsegravity.com/?p=572 ;)

[zylche]

I did not agree with you on the first point, nor does my post lead to that issue. The process for receiving a game for review on mobile platforms is more complicated then Steam. Your misconception of DRM-Free copies being handed out shows that you lack knowledge of how it works so I attempt to tell you different ways it is done.

The reviews I posted are all the available ones for the PC version as of now. Language and content did not factor into this at all. It is a matter for the developer to filter as they see fit and providing platform-appropriate reviews will improve consumer feedback at the storefront.

I do not see where I asked for intentionally misleading statements to be posted, nor how it improves discussion besides a derail.

[PawsRPG]

I'll agree to disagree; I don't lack a particular knowledge, merely have a different background. Getting review copies out on mobile, from my own experience, is certainly easier than Steam's system. Bear in mind I'm discussing pre-launch here. Post launch, Steam's as simple as everyone else.

Winkie at the end. Winkie, as in jest. I should remember that the Steam forums have no sense of humour, but it wasn't all flippancy. I conversely think a dev's job is to present the game in the most positive light they can. If I feel they're being deceptive, I'll do my own research outside of Steam. I think you have an expectation that isn't shared; you're not wrong, but nor is anyone else who doesn't agree.

[zylche]

I do not care about your personal opinions. I am trying to have a discussion with the developer about their storefront and its appearance to the average consumer.

[dsmart]

Oprindeligt skrevet af Paws:

I'd take a guess and say those are the reviews that came out first and will likely be replaced as PC coverage rolls out; it's much easier to get pre-release mobile codes than it is to get steam pre-release codes, and frankly with the state of video game "journalism" I'd trust very few sites with a DRM-free copy.

I didn't presume it meant the game was a mobile port; it's certainly your prerogative to disagree :)

Which is precisely what happened. We were able to get the OSX, iOS and Android builds up first they have a more streamlined process for taking games from approval to release. In fact, the games were approved for released almost two weeks before I actually released them because I was waiting on the Steam version to be enabled and released.

The PC version was delayed for many reasons.

SteamWorks has to be implemented. Its not like you just package the game and off it goes. You have to use their SDK to get the game ready for Steam.

Then you have to test, test and test.

Then you have to wait for your Valve a/c manager to check, verify, approve etc.

Then you upload it to their servers (after testing it using local servers based on Steam).

Then you have to setup the store.

Then they have to have review and approve everything.

Then you have to talk about nailing down the price; which, as I discussed in one of my pinned missives, ended up with one SKU instead of two.

So we had to go back and get that sorted out (one SKU vs two).

Then you go through all that again.

So, after all this waiting, I made the decision to release the other platforms and get that out of the way.

Then we released the PC version which is based on Steam. So other stores like GameFly, GamersGate etc don't have to use their own DRM, instead, they use Steam keys as well. And we had to wait for them to get their stores sorted out before giving everyone the go-ahead because having your game on one partner's site before the other, is not good business practices.

And that's why the PC version came out after. NOTHING to do with a port or any of that nonsense. The game builds were 100% ready - around the same time but the PC version was delayed for the aforementioned reasons.

And yes, we didn't give anyone access to this game without some of DRM. The iOS and Android versions were all handled via TestFlight for testers, publishers and media. And since we didn't have that luxury with the OSX and PC versions, they had to wait for the OSX version to be approved for release in order for us to generate codes (via the AppStore) to give out.

And similarly we had to wait for the Steam based PC version to be approved and ready for release, before we could generate Steam codes; which we then gave out. Which is why the first PC review[i.massively.joystiq.com] is only just now coming out.

NOTE: We only started giving out Steam codes on the day the PC game released, Feb 11th. Prior to that, they simply did not exist. And our pr/marketing companies, EvolvePR and Clever Communications, were responsible for that after we passed them along.