Please strictly restrict the early access to prevent abuse.

[sass00n1]

Nowadays, many games abuse the early experience. The original intention of EA is to collect player feedback, but now many game manufacturers turn EA into a shield, so that they can get the tolerance of the players, so as to deceive the players to keep the game evaluation at a certain value. deserved praise. This kind of abuse completely violates the original intention of EA, and is unfair to players and game manufacturers who use EA correctly.

My suggestion is to strictly restrict ea games in the store interface, for example, let the publisher upload the game's roadmap and detailed update log in a large area, and clearly display the latest update date of the game (that is, this It has been x days since the game was last updated). Use these things to restrain game manufacturers who abuse EA, and let players know the health of this EA game. Although the current store page also has EA prompt information, but this is too inconspicuous, it is even shrunk by default, and many players will not expand it to view it. And I mean need a huge obvious area, if the developers don't choose to upload these details, then this kind of ea shield plan will be exposed.

Note that non-EA games don't need these, because it is already a complete product, and they don't need these to distort other people's impression of it.

I know that EA games have made some disclaimers in certain places, such as it is currently in the development stage, do not buy it. But the structure of the store should be self-explanatory to the customer, not a statement in a corner, which is very unfair to the customer. A product, if it decides to make it to a store, needs to be tested by users at some point, not some kind of legal statement and behind-the-scenes disclaimer. Otherwise you should not be eligible to be paid by players.

The abuse is so terrible that many manufacturers don't take the game seriously, it is full of bugs everywhere, and then their life-saving strategy is to mark the game as "early access", so that they can recover their mistakes.

Notice! ! ! I'm not saying "early access" is bad, but unchecked abuse is bad. My suggestion is strict constraints, not cancellation of early access.

[Nx Machina]

From the store page of Early Access Games

"Get instant access and start playing; get involved with this game as it DEVELOPS".

"This Early Access game is NOT COMPLETE and MAY OR MAY NOT CHANGE FURTHER. If YOU are not excited to play this game in its CURRENT STATE, then YOU should WAIT to see IF the game progresses further in DEVELOPMENT".

(It does not get any CLEARER than that).

[cSg|mc-Hotsauce]

Originally posted by sass00n1:

Note that non-EA games don't need these, because it is already a complete product, and they don't need these to distort other people's impression of it.

Have you seen the state of some non-EA games even months after release?

[sass00n1]

Originally posted by Nx Machina:

From the store page of Early Access Games

"Get instant access and start playing; get involved with this game as it DEVELOPS".

"This Early Access game is NOT COMPLETE and MAY OR MAY NOT CHANGE FURTHER. If YOU are not excited to play this game in its CURRENT STATE, then YOU should WAIT to see IF the game progresses further in DEVELOPMENT".

(It does not get any CLEARER than that).

It is very unfair to the customer that the structure of the store should be self-explanatory to the customer, not a statement in a corner. A product, if it decides to make it to a store, needs to be tested by users at some point, not some kind of legal statement and behind-the-scenes disclaimer.

[The End]

Originally posted by sass00n1:

Please strictly restrict the early access to prevent abuse. Nowadays, many games abuse the early experience.

Easy fix is to not buy into early access. Wait for the games to go gold before buying.

Originally posted by Nx Machina:

From the store page of Early Access Games

"Get instant access and start playing; get involved with this game as it DEVELOPS".

"This Early Access game is NOT COMPLETE and MAY OR MAY NOT CHANGE FURTHER. If YOU are not excited to play this game in its CURRENT STATE, then YOU should WAIT to see IF the game progresses further in DEVELOPMENT".

(It does not get any CLEARER than that).

Exactly.
And no one is forcing OP to buy said games.

Originally posted by sass00n1:

It is very unfair to the customer that the structure of the store should be self-explanatory to the customer, not a statement in a corner.

It's not hidden in any corners. It's a big blue box you see before you see anything else.

[Nx Machina]

Originally posted by sass00n1:

It is very unfair to the customer that the structure of the store should be self-explanatory to the customer, not a statement in a corner. A product, if it decides to make it to a store, needs to be tested by users at some point, not some kind of legal statement and behind-the-scenes disclaimer.

Nope because it CLEARLY states what the product is - IN DEVELOPMENT - and also clearly states YOU should WAIT.

A statement in a corner? Nope it is in a light blue box clearly visible.

Secondly, store preferences untick Early Access

And finally purchasing is VOLUNTARY not mandatory.

As for:

Originally posted by sass00n1:

Note that non-EA games don't need these, because it is already a complete product, and they don't need these to distort other people's impression of it.

Wrong since AAA game developers cut content, release broken products, take the money and run etc.

Mass Effect Andromeda and Anthem are two examples.


As a sidenote: Darkest Dungeon, Slay the Spire, Wartales, all EAG's, all released, all good games, all would not exist if not for Early Access.

One currently in Early Access, Last Epoch, again a good game, which is my choice over Diablo 4.

[sass00n1]

Originally posted by Nx Machina:

Originally posted by sass00n1:

It is very unfair to the customer that the structure of the store should be self-explanatory to the customer, not a statement in a corner. A product, if it decides to make it to a store, needs to be tested by users at some point, not some kind of legal statement and behind-the-scenes disclaimer.

Nope because it CLEARLY states what the product is - IN DEVELOPMENT - and also clearly states YOU should WAIT.

A statement in a corner? Nope it is in a light blue box clearly visible.

Secondly, store preferences untick Early Access

And finally purchasing is VOLUNTARY not mandatory.

As for:

Originally posted by sass00n1:

Note that non-EA games don't need these, because it is already a complete product, and they don't need these to distort other people's impression of it.

Wrong since AAA game developers cut content, release broken products, take the money and run etc.

Mass Effect Andromeda and Anthem are two examples.


As a sidenote: Darkest Dungeon, Slay the Spire, Wartales, all EAG's, all released, all good games, all would not exist if not for Early Access.

One currently in Early Access, Last Epoch, again a good game, which is my choice over Diablo 4.

Notice! ! ! I'm not saying "early access" is bad, but unchecked abuse is bad. My suggestion is strict constraints, not cancellation of early access.

[Zefar]

Originally posted by sass00n1:

Notice! ! ! I'm not saying "early access" is bad, but unchecked abuse is bad. My suggestion is strict constraints, not cancellation of early access.

It's not abused though. It's used as intended.

[Crazy Tiger]

Your suggestion is actually that Valve should act as a publisher, they won't do that. And due to Valve being a developer themselves, they certainly won't enforce things as they're pro-developer freedom.

Road maps aren't set in stone, update logs aren't something Valve could check (no, they don't know details of the games code) and both of those can easily be circumvented. The store page already lists when the last update was.

The thing with Early Access is that it makes visible what pitfalls there are to game development. Something the public doesn't always seem ready for. Most projects that fail are not due to intentional abuse, no matter how many people scream "abandoned".
And sure, there are some bad actors. But in todays time many EA games actually are better than "finished" games. And at least an EA game is marketed as unfinished and thusly more honest than the unfinished AAA games that get sold.

[Nx Machina]

Originally posted by sass00n1:

Notice! ! ! I'm not saying "early access" is bad, but unchecked abuse is bad. My suggestion is strict constraints, not cancellation of early access.

It is not abused because as already stated purchasing is VOLUNTARY not mandatory. The constraints is you not adding to the cart, after all there are a number of EAG's i have not added to the cart because they are not a genre i would play.

Secondly the difference between EAG's and AAA's is one clearly states what the status is, in development (EAG), and the other (AAA) are literally firmly fixed in hype train mode. Mass Effect Andromeda and Anthem rode that hype train to the disappointment of gamers.

Did i buy into the Diablo 4 hype, a AAA release? Nope because I watched gameplay, decided no, booted up Lost Ark. More importantly Blizzard's refund policy - The game is newly purchased within the last 3 days. You haven't started the game; if the game has been played at all it won't qualify for a refund.

You and only you make the choice, to add a EAG or AAA to the cart, confirm, no one else and i can state you will have purchased the licence for AAA games and being disappointed because it was not what it was promised to be, was shallow, repetitive which the trailers did not show.

And finally others CHOOSE of their own freewill to get an EAG which can outdo AAA releases.

[Tito Shivan]

Do you buy a 'normal' game because it promises certain content for a future update?
Assuming you don't, why you buy an EA game because of a promised future feature.

Buy features, not promises.
If you want a finished game, buy it when it's finished.
If you want a certain feature in-game, buy the game when it's in.

And so on.

Originally posted by sass00n1:

Note that non-EA games don't need these, because it is already a complete product, and they don't need these to distort other people's impression of it.

Go say that on some non-EA game hubs out there for a wild ride.

Originally posted by sass00n1:

Notice! ! ! I'm not saying "early access" is bad, but unchecked abuse is bad. My suggestion is strict constraints, not cancellation of early access.

What you call 'unchecked abuse' is simply how game development works. Most of the games never make it to release, of the few that do many suffer delays, changes in features, dropped features or mechanics and even complete changes.

EA only shows you how the sausage is made. It's not a trip for everyone.

[Supafly]

Research a product before you buy it. If you buy an EA game, big warning, you are buying an unfinished product. The only thing that needs changing is for users to READ the warning and comprehend what that means BEFORE they buy an EA title. If you don't like the fact its an unfinished product and 0 guarantee it will finish in a state you expect do not buy it.

Plenty of other products that are complete.

I recommend editing your preferences and unticking Early Access products so you don't even see them when searching.

https://store.steampowered.com/account/preferences/

PRODUCT TYPES
Include the following types of products in my store:

Show Early Access titles <------ UNTICK THIS
Show Prepurchase offers
Show Software
Show Videos & Movies
Show only titles supporting my languages
Show Virtual Reality content

[The End]

Originally posted by sass00n1:

Notice! ! ! I'm not saying "early access" is bad, but unchecked abuse is bad. My suggestion is strict constraints, not cancellation of early access.

How is it abuse? No on force you to buy early access games.
Don't like the odds, don't buy the games.

[AROCK!!!]

EA is a good idea...on paper.....but in practice is a system that is easily abused, and the "EA disclaimer" argument is completely beside the point when talking about abuse.

Unfortunately there is no way to control it, except maybe restrict how many EA games a developer can make and tie that to their completion, and possibly the quality of the finished product.

Road maps are pretty useless as they constantly change, and this is true of non EA games as well.

The only thing we as consumers can do is to exercise caution when considering EA titles.

[Nx Machina]

Originally posted by ÁROCK!!!:

EA is a good idea...on paper.....but in practice is a system that is easily abused, and the "EA disclaimer" argument is completely beside the point when talking about abuse.

You cannot be abused by a voluntary action. Add to cart, click confirm.

[[N]ebsun]

Originally posted by sass00n1:

The original intention of EA is to collect player feedback

No. EA exists because people can't wait to get their hands on a new game even if it's completely unfinished / Alpha / Beta / etc.
Research what you are putting your money into, and if you are not committed to buy the game as it is in the current EA state or the possible future of it then don't buy it.