Note:
This isn't a forum post saying "OMG PUT PICO-8 ON STEM NAOW!!!!", but rather a post on whether or not to do so.
This question was going to get asked eventually, so I thought I might do it.
Other engines, such as Game Maker have made it on Steam, so why not PICO-8?
PROS
- Would get more attention
- Steam Workshop could make it easy to get games
- Steam Discussion is pretty useful
- Paid games
CONS
- CoD Children might show up and say "THE GREEFICS LUK STOOPID"
- Valve gets a 10% cut of the profit (They're not bad people)
- The BBS would be useless as a result
- Again, Valve gets a cut
Think it over, but I could go either way...
I think Pico-8 is in too early phase to do it. Voxatron on the other hand...
For me it would be pretty much a no brainer to buy it for that price on steam.
I've a easy way to install it on several computers and I'm automatically getting
updates.
Don't underestimate the laziness of people ;).
I would LOVE to have PICO-8 on Steam! Even if it is in alpha, it would be really great because of the Steam Workshop integration.
srry idiot here, how would steam workshop benefit pico? Isn't it just like 3d models and stuff. Are you saying carts could be shared through workshop?
@orangecode Yes, you could easily share Carts through Steam :D Anything can be downloaded through the workshop (for the most part)
We can do that here in the forum, you know? And through Splore.
This is the same platform that sells stuff like That Dam Game, Downwell, VVVVVV, and 200 early 3D games from 1995.
I think the graphics will do just fine. I'm doing some word of mouth stuff, yeah; but I like it being an undergroundy thing. It's a thing I can introduce to people that are... up to speed.
>- Steam Workshop could make it easy to get games
That is if zep decides to integrate the steam dependencies. This will bloat the binary by a few MB - although I will admit it may further make the linux builds more stable.
>- Steam Discussion is pretty useful
Moreso than what, the "bbs"? Honestly, fragmenting the community is the problem and I would consider it a con.
>- Paid games
Zep has encouraged CC4-BY-NC-SA from the get go, so I don't think that is really the goal of this project.
>- CoD Children might show up and say "THE GREEFICS LUK STOOPID"
Not going to lie, it already feels like that sometimes.
>- Valve gets a 10% cut of the profit (They're not bad people)
The percentage cut is determined from customer to customer. Most developers report ~30 to 40%, when compared to other companies is actually rather high. (which broke the confidentiality agreement that valve requires, by the by)
>- The BBS would be useless as a result
Again, depends on how or if zep integrates it. Look at the Guns of Icarus community - most of the real players use the forums.
Honestly the biggest issues I see is steam integration. SHIFT-TAB would easily break the aesthetic of pico8.
actually shift-tab can be turned off when needed (for example you can't do shift-tab while joining a cs:go match). and it would enable you to use the code libraries while using pico from the ingame browser
I'd definitely like to migrate PICO-8 and Voxatron on my Steam account.
Workshop integration does not implicitly require Steamworks integration; it depends whether in-game features are desired, which I don't think is necessary for these titles.
Even if no steam's bells and whistles are integrated (steam workshop, steam cloud, steam achievements...) I would still think having it on steam would be a good thing.
It could bring more users, which is never a bad thing. No COD fanboy is going to try this anyway so their opinion does not really count.
I would even be happy for a -splore only version to play the amazing games available already, and also help share creations among friends and family.
To have Pico-8 on STEAM would indeed help the community, that is provided someone buys it there and joins us here.
There are hundreds if not thousands of games available on STEAM, a good portion of which let you edit maps and/or create your own games and code.
Don't underestimate RPG Maker as well, in it's MV release. Very strong contender in the gaming community, they would not be interested in Pico-8.
Now it's a sore subject I know but if all the stops were removed, the system ran speed up to maximum of your PC like a quad processor, you get to pick your own resolution like 1980x1080 true 32-bit graphics, unlimited memory and coding space essentially (8gb ought to be enough), import .WAV, Mp3, Ogg, ability to make your own MUDs, then yes, I think some of those features would turn the head of a good portion of the STEAM community to be interested in this fantasy console.
Failing that, 128x128 pixels, 4-bits per pixel with a fixed palette, 4khz audio, and 64k coding space.
It's just us, guys. :)
Now it's a sore subject I know but if all the stops were removed, the system ran speed up to maximum of your PC like a quad processor, you get to pick your own resolution like 1980x1080 true 32-bit graphics, unlimited memory and coding space essentially (8gb out to be enough), import .WAV, Mp3, Ogg, ability to make your own MUDs....
You just described LÖVE2D 😜
Ah, @MBoffin, but nothing comes close to the simplicity, user-friendliness, and versatility of Pico-8 that to date is neither matched nor rivaled nor surpassed by any of its would-be competitors, and that includes LÖVE2D.
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I think it will be a good decision so steam players can install it and create their own games that look like the game is from 1995 or whatever.
If this happens (pico-8 comes to steam) are we going to get a free key?
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