Steam

[Minty]

I change my vote to 'not resetting', on account of Vectorus' very many good points.

The idea of an ever-evolving, but permanent universe is intriguing, and I do like the idea of all those worlds we've built sticking around.

Although Mortius also makes a great point - a huge empire, in the game right now, is unstoppable. Perhaps, rather than making a new discontinuity, there should be balancing to counter this? After all, what's a space game without organized rebels taking down an undefeatable empire? I'm no game designer, so I've got no good suggestions on how to accomplish that, but if that and boredom are the only reasons to reset, I definitely vote against it. If you're bored, you can throw away your empire and start anew in one of the many other galaxies, no?

This universe has so much history already. It would be a shame to get rid of it.

[Trusin]

character appearances are going to get bashed

This I know.  It's been on my mind recently.

I considered making a revamp of the characters a requirement before going onto Steam. This would delay at least six months, more likely a year. It's a very challenging topic.

I started working on it once but put it on hold to revamp spacecraft and building designs instead, with the associated new designer. That took about two years.

With funding and time, I could hire people (artists, modelers, programmers) to do a lot of amazing things with SoH. I am only one person. Look at the list of credits for most any other game out there, even the junky little kid stuff. They often have dozens of names on the list.

My gamble is that enough people on Steam will stick with SoH to provide that funding. Then SoH could mature at a faster rate.

You have my support, I will do what I can to push folks your way.

[Hannibal]

I though item designer such as for weapons and armor would be implemented before steam release?

[Haxus]

item designer

I still plan to do an item designer and a vehicle designer. However, they were not on my check list of features that must be done before a Steam release.

[martianant]

Wanted to post to share my thoughts since I know Haxus does not visit the discord often.

I share a lot of similar feeling as others so I won't repeat everything. I love the game yadda yadda worried the steam release yadda yadda.

I see a few important considerations for the release:

* Ensuring we can present the best possible game to brand new players.
Here we all love the game and are dedicated about it, but it's important to try and look at it from an outside perspective. Just as an example, I was talking to my friend about some my of exploits in the game and what not and he said it sounds cool. I share some pictures and his response went to "oh.. it looks like an old game." To some people graphics are very very important. It's a shame it's that way, but with so many AAA games people expect "amazing visuals." Mind you this doesn't mean photorealism. I know Astroneer was brought up as an example, the game looks great even though it's a very 'minimalist' style. Hazeron could use a face lift in a few places. Creatures, plants, and such. Picking a certain style and sticking with it might help. Now obviously, as stated, Haxus is not a god and able to do everything amazing! Art is a struggle. I'm not saying "delay until graphics are better" because that's unreasonable. But I think making it clear "non final graphics" or something might help quell those new players who can instead go "oh it looks bad right now, but they are going to improve it so I'll give it a shot!" It sounds stupid, but it could make a difference.

* Core Gameplay Loop
This one is a big and tough one. Personally I feel as though the loop isn't as fulfilling as it could be. Making that first city is amazing, you learn how things interconnect, it's neat and a fun time. Making that first hostile environment is the same way, you overcome and adapt and it's a fun challenge. Then you make some more. After your 10th city, done almost the same, it starts to get stale. Maybe you turn to exploration. It's a lot of fun! cruising around and finding that ringworld, or maybe you found a really neat double ringed planet! But as you go further, travel farther, it starts to also become stale. Wait [time] and then scan. Over and over and over. Perhaps combat could give you that change you are looking for? You give it a shot. Well, it just also feels unsatisfying.

I don't want it to sound like I am bashing the game completely, I just want to make a point that the progression feels a little.. off. The 100th city is the same as the first. The worst part is I have no real solutions. The technology system was sorta trying to fix this, giving that sense of progression. Resource quality sorta tries to fix it, but doesn't quite. I don't know what to say other than "more fleshed out stuff" There is a reason I am not a game designer I suppose.

All in all I love a lot about hazeron, I just hope that Joe Random Steam user might too.

On the topic of resets:

I think both sides have valid points. I think the reset should happen when all the new systems (vehicle, item, creature?) are done so that all the old stuff can be properly purged. It sounds like this will take a while, and the steam release is desired sooner. I suggest mentioning that there will be resets to progress in the future if the general intention is never resetting, as this reset would be pretty needed.

My point is I feel "Early Access" as a title might give Hazeron a little more leniency with the average Steam Gamer. They will look at it not as a "This is a final, unchanging product" but rather as a "This is neat and is being worked on, I bet it'll get even better in the future." It might not interest them immediately, perhaps due to graphics or disinterest in the lack of "gameplay rewards" but they will instead frame that absence as "it's being worked on, I should check on it often" instead of "The game was sold incomplete. What a scam."

[Minty]

--snip--

I agree wholeheartedly.

[Haxus]

non final graphics

There is nothing about the graphics in SoH that is not final. Perhaps it is not as beautiful as everyone would like but it is not honest to hide behind a statement like that.

There is no quickie facelift that would suddenly change everything in SoH to look like the most recent video games.

With enough development money, one of the first job positions I would fill would be a graphic artist. That would lead to an improvement in the appearance of things. It would not instantly cause a dramatic change in the overall appearance of the game.

Almost everything you see in the game is generated by code, including the plants. More elaborate plants could be created by that code, to make them look nicer. It will be a top-priority item some day.

Early Release, by Valve's own documentation, is explicitly not the right place for Shores of Hazeron. It does not belong there.

Core Gameplay

I agree with you here. This area is lacking. I will be making improvements there in the coming weeks, before the Steam release.

---

I have started to make the moves necessary to publish Shores of Hazeron on Steam. The paperwork is almost done. My side of the coding appears complete, pending testing with Steam. Soon the first beta will be up and running on steam.

That beta is private until it is released to the public. I am tentatively planning for three to six months for that release to happen. In that time, my priority will be to prepare the software for that event.

The gist of that is SoH isn't going up on Steam tomorrow; it's still not quite ready. But it's almost ready.

[AnrDaemon]

The gist is that it's actually moving there. The time for planning and wishes is past.
There's a whole new galaxy to conquer!

[Tor]

Well, this is an interesting development. I wish you all the luck with the eventual Steam release, Haxus.

On the universe reset, now is the time, no more indecisiveness. If there is no reset before a Steam release there will never be one.
Time to wipe the slate clean and begin a new era. Fix any and all problems that would require a reset and get rid of all the old broken things.
Anyways, whatever happens, I really hope it works out and that there will be enough new people to keep the game going for many more years.

[Jalaris]

Hi Haxus!

I have been following the game for many years, albeit quietly, and I have awaited the day the game goes on Steam.
I am also an avid Steam user, having used it literally since its inception many years ago up to today. 95% of all of the games I have ever owned are on Steam and I use it almost every day of my life. With this experience on Steam, and my using it so often and it being the main platform for my video game purchases, I think I am qualified to know how the market on Steam functions.

Having read your responses to some of the other posts on this topic, I would like to suggest a few things:

* I would not bother releasing on Steam unless you reset the galaxy - I know the market. IF you release on Steam without resetting the galaxy, there will be complaints that the game started with super empires and the noobs don't have a chance. I do not think the game will see success unless it starts with a wholly reset galaxy, it must happen.

* I am not sure on the business model you are going with once you are on Steam, but I would HEAVILY recommend using a buy to play business model with an optional model, if you wish, to support the game on a monthly basis. I WOULD NOT go with a strict subscription model pay style for Steam - it will not see success.

* I would not make the game cost more than $30 otherwise the game will likely not see many sales.

* Although you have stated on this topic a few times that you do not think it should go into Early Access, I am pleading with you that you do. Even if the game is feature complete at this point in time and you are working out the bugs, put it in Early Access on Steam saying something like, "While the game is feature complete at this point, I expect to be in Early Access for about a year to iron out the remaining bugs and polish the existing features." Just be honest - have an additional note on the Steam store page that says, "I am using Steam to hopefully fund more development of the game - if the game is successful on Steam, I would like to hire more people to improve the graphics of the game." I have seen MANY Early Access games on Steam do this. I think for SoH to have the greatest chance of success on Steam, it needs to start its life there in Early Access.

* Plus, if you start in Early Access you get TWO releases: one where people are less critical and can initially see what you are working on and be more open minded and a second one when the game is as bug free and as polished as possible where you can raise the price, if you so wish (pending how the game performs in Early Access). That is TWO marketing opportunities for the game, rather than just the initial one. Please Haxus, I plead with you - the game will perform better if it is put into Early Access initially on Steam.

* MAKE SURE you put a note on the Steam store page somewhere stating that you are hoping the Steam release of the game will allow you to hire more people to fund development of the game and to specifically improve the graphics of the game. Many people on Steam are not unreasonable, you just have to be vocal and state, honestly, EXACTLY what your goals are and why you are releasing to Steam. Basically, include a ROADMAP of your vision of the game if possible, with the note that the ROADMAP is dependent upon getting more funding from the Steam Release.

* Before you release on Steam, I do think it would be wise to polish the existing character art for the different species and plant life on the planet. If you release in Early Access, this will not be as big of a deal. But, if you don't, the game needs a species/character/plant-life pass or it will be met harshly.

* ONCE AGAIN, I PLEAD WITH YOU TO START SOH's LIFE ON STEAM IN EARLY ACCESS - IT WILL PERFORM BETTER IN THE LONG HAUL. See above statements for reasoning as to why.


Those are the main suggested points I have. Haxus, this message comes out of love for this game - I wish it nothing but success on Steam. But I want it to succeed and not flop, and for that to happen I believe my above points are necessary.

Thanks for your work over the years and for not giving up on SoH. SoH is still a wholly unique experience that I cannot get anywhere else, and I will buy a copy for myself and all of my friends once is released on Steam!