Wherein My Principles Get Me Burned, As Usual

This was originally posted elsewhere a few weeks ago, but I thought it should be copied here where it’s easier for people to find.

One of the most common questions I get about Another Star (now that it’s getting noticed) is whether or not I’m going to put it up on Steam Greenlight. The easy answer is: I don’t know.

On one hand, it’s all the more publicity for the game even if it doesn’t get through.

On the other, Steam Greenlight sucks for all the reasons I’ve previously pointed out, and I hate it.

Actually, hate is a weak work.

I despise it.

I don’t feel like coughing up $100 for “publicity” when I could put that money to better things like hosting and tools and computer parts, especially now that the bigger dogs are buying their Steam lottery tickets and grabbing that much more attention from the smaller guys.

I hate what Steam has done with the service, I hate how they treat indies while patting themselves on the back and thinking they’ve done a good job, I hate how opaque the service is after they played up how “transparent” it would be, and I hate how arbitrary their ideas are of who can and cannot use the service.

I also hate the fact that Valve—the supposed champion of indies—requires you to sign an NDA (non discolsure agreement) once you’ve been greenlit. The very idea of it irks me, in part because I hate the whole concept of an NDA for something as simple as an online storefront. Yes, I know they required an NDA prior to Greenlight, but it’s not the transparency and openness they promised when they pitched this thing.

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”.

Life would be a heck of a lot easier if I wasn’t such a stupid idealist.

On closer inspection, I may actually be making the right choice.

On that same note, can you believe it’s come to the point where it’s easier to get on to a Sony console than it is on to Steam? Wow. Way to go Valve.

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