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Greenlight to accept concepts and software

TuismTuism
edited in General
In an interesting move, Valve opens greenlight to concepts, that doesn't result in getting onto steam if successful, nor require the $100 fee to get on.

http://www.destructoid.com/steam-greenlight-now-supports-software-and-concepts--236971.phtml

I think that it adds that easily accessible tier of exposure that (some) indies have been shouting at Valve for (I don't really agree with those sentiments), as well as add a ton of noise to greenlight which is already, to me, quite saturated. So hopefully they'll treat these free concept entries separately from the paid entries, or discoverability is going to be even worse than it is now.

Thoughts?

Comments

  • dislekciadislekcia
    Seems like an ok idea provided it doesn't make finding things even harder, like you said. It will probably turn into a forum sort of thing with people shouting for attention, I'm not really sure what people would get out of it, TBH. If you need a couple of thousand people to say "go for it" before you start acting on an idea, how likely are you to finish that idea anyway?

    I feel like it probably isn't going to address the major concerns of the people who seem upset with GreenLight though. It's not going to suddenly turn Steam into an open platform that allows oppressed and struggling indies to shine without having to worry about the realities of business. Personally, I don't buy the classism angle, I feel more like it's a motivational divide between different types of people: Some people look for solutions when faced with adversity, others seem to reinforce their situations by falling into negative patterns.

    It seems like calling someone that's offering you possible solutions to the problems that you've raised a classist doesn't help in dealing with those problems either. That's the pattern that I've seen over and over again in this "debate" and I don't really care for it much.

    (Soz for off topic, will stop blathering now)
  • NandrewNandrew
    I think this is relevant.

    Thanked by 2Tuism Elyaradine
  • KarujiKaruji
    @dislekcia to be honest Greenlight exists for the consumers and not the Indies. The intention was always to give Steam users the power to put things they want on Steam. What the split is allow users to focus on voting for games they want on Steam.

    All the refinements to Greenlight so far, and I believe all the ones that will occur, will be to make it a better place for the people who vote. This change does, IMO, help devs since before posting concept or early in progress games would generally yield negative comments. Also with the $100 buy-in people have been nicer to the projects since they see that there was a commitment on the part of the dev.
  • TuismTuism
    "some of them will have two jobs, and you'll have time to do your own job as well" sounds REALLY relevant. LOL
  • NandrewNandrew
    It's only tangentially related, but it's something that I'd like to show the next person who says "IDEAAAAAS I HAVE IDEAAAAS AND THEY'RE IMPROTENT!"

    Though I think that's just the alarm bell raised for me when I heard that "concepts" were Valve's new entry level. ;) On further consideration, that's not particularly the issue here (though it'll probably crop up in some form amidst the bigger stuff, eh).
  • EvanGreenwoodEvanGreenwood
    edited
    I'm not convinced that the average person is able to distinguish a good concept with a team behind it capable of executing it from compost powered cars.

    So I find the value of being able to vote for concepts questionable. There will be good concepts appearing on Greenlight, certainly, and there will also be traps that leach attention from serious developers (which given my position is something I care about even if the actual users are more ambivalent).
  • EvanGreenwoodEvanGreenwood
    edited
    Oooh!

    A serious idea for an art comp! : Produce a series of images for an idea of a game! (3 or more images, or an animation)

    The best one we could post on Greenlight (maybe, with sponsorship, or something, I'd spend R800 to pimp something awesome, I'm sure we can pitch in for that prize).

    [edit] I see now that this is a weak idea as concepts don't require a fee.
  • TuismTuism
    That sounds cool, but as a troll or as a not troll? :P

    The new "concepts entry" in Greenlight is free... Unless you mean to put it in as an actual game trying to get support to get "sold"... When in fact it's a troll...?

    Or are we going to try get the guy who subbed the winner to build the game anyway?
  • KarujiKaruji
    @BlackShipsFillT concepts don't require an entry fee ;)
  • EvanGreenwoodEvanGreenwood
    Really? Concepts don't require a fee? A really hope they're completely separate from the games part then.
  • KarujiKaruji
    They are. To the best of my knowledge you have to create a completely new entry for them when you want to move it over to Greenlight Game™

    I view concepts as a place to put alpha builds and start building a community with in steam before you think you are ready to push the game to Steam. I don't think the Steam users will really go for the whole I have an idea thing.
  • EvanGreenwoodEvanGreenwood
    edited
    That's what we're doing with Broforce and its not in the concepts section. Putting a game on Greenlight just requires that 1 playable exist. Greenlight is quite specifically not just for finished games.

    I guess free feedback is nice. Though you won't get deep feedback from Greenlight.
  • KarujiKaruji
    edited
    I wouldn't say you should be in the concept section.

    You have good gameplay footage. And best of all a demo/prototype people can play. Which is more than 80% of games on Greenlight. I think at the point you have a game that is fun, and people can play it, and it looks decent. You should be in the games section.

    The concept section is more "We have been working on this for a month or two, and we don't really have art or refined mechanics, but what do you guys think"

    And I totally agree that you won't get decent feedback, but you might build a following for the game.
  • EvanGreenwoodEvanGreenwood
    Well it can't hurt obviously, so why not.
  • TuismTuism
    yeah +1. Broforce is ahead of most of the other games on Greenlight. The only difference between this new "concept section" and the current Greenlight seem to be "pay $100". Half the entries there have no gameplay or vid demo.

    Or maybe I've just seen one too many and decided to stop browsing it.
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