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Releasing on Steam (and similar platforms)

Posted: Thu Jun 03, 2021 1:31 am
by diegzumillo
I am interested in commercializing my game when/if it's done. But I often wonder how to do that. I don't even care about widescreen or trophies and that kind of stuff, but just having a portable emulator where the user can just run and play would be great!

There are tons of emulators out there but they usually have copyleft licenses, which I think would be a problem selling a game with it.

Any ideas? would I have to code my own emulator?

Re: Releasing on Steam (and similar platforms)

Posted: Thu Jun 03, 2021 7:15 am
by cero
Read the license. GPL allows selling, you just have to distribute the source to the emulator including any modifications you did to it.

edit: GPLv3 would prevent some of the more evil DRM, but I think you can choose the DRM level when sending something to steam.

Re: Releasing on Steam (and similar platforms)

Posted: Thu Jun 03, 2021 12:31 pm
by ob1
It's a great question.
Steam may be a solution.
Moreover, there have been a bunch a new - great - games that have been published quite recently. I would suggest you to get in touch with their editors. I bet they would happily ship another good game.

But, if you ask me, it's a great question that should come ONCE your game is done. For now, it's just some precious energy you're wasting on a problem that hasn't sprung yet.

Good luck to you,
Olivier

Re: Releasing on Steam (and similar platforms)

Posted: Thu Jun 03, 2021 12:40 pm
by diegzumillo
cero wrote:
Thu Jun 03, 2021 7:15 am
Read the license. GPL allows selling, you just have to distribute the source to the emulator including any modifications you did to it.

edit: GPLv3 would prevent some of the more evil DRM, but I think you can choose the DRM level when sending something to steam.
That would work! Does that include the source of my own game though?
ob1 wrote:
Thu Jun 03, 2021 12:31 pm
Moreover, there have been a bunch a new - great - games that have been published quite recently. I would suggest you to get in touch with the editors. I bet they would happily ship another good game.
Good idea.
But, if you ask me, it's a great question that should come ONCE your game is done. For now, it's just some precious energy you're wasting on a problem that hasn't sprung yet.
That one hurt because it's true and it applies so much to me :lol:

Re: Releasing on Steam (and similar platforms)

Posted: Thu Jun 03, 2021 1:15 pm
by ob1
diegzumillo wrote:
Thu Jun 03, 2021 12:40 pm
That one hurt because it's true and it applies so much to me :lol:
Didn't mean to hurt you.
We're hobbyist. It's very easy to start a game, a bit less to get a proof-of-concept (that's usually my stop), very hard to get a game almost finished, and insanely hard to have an actual game.
Hence the "good luck" ;)

Re: Releasing on Steam (and similar platforms)

Posted: Thu Jun 03, 2021 1:30 pm
by diegzumillo
Of course, I wasn't really hurt, just being playful :D

I've been a hobbyist for ten years, I estimate. And having an intense case of ADHD means finishing any project is a herculean project, and games are notoriously difficult projects.

My projects usually stop at the level design and story development stage. I get the engine up and running, all important features in place, I make a lot of art, sprites and tilesets. Then comes the time to design levels and write a story to glue it all together and I freeze.

Re: Releasing on Steam (and similar platforms)

Posted: Thu Jun 03, 2021 5:24 pm
by cero
diegzumillo wrote:
Thu Jun 03, 2021 12:40 pm
That would work! Does that include the source of my own game though?
Only if your game is a derivative of the emulator.

This would happen e.g. if you create some super-genesis mode with a higher resolution, more colors etc, and communicate this between the rom and the emulator. Then it's obviously not enough to release the emulator changes, because that's only half the product.

Changing the emulator independently, like changing default buttons, setting your rom as the default filename, would not cause this.

Re: Releasing on Steam (and similar platforms)

Posted: Thu Jun 03, 2021 8:03 pm
by diegzumillo
And how about using my own CRT filter? I would have no problem releasing the filter with the same license as the emulator, but I think it would not affect the game either, right?

Re: Releasing on Steam (and similar platforms)

Posted: Fri Jun 04, 2021 6:32 am
by cero
That's an emulator-side change, so you'd have to include your CRT filter in the emulator sources.

Re: Releasing on Steam (and similar platforms)

Posted: Fri Jun 04, 2021 11:45 am
by ob1
By the way, regarding editors, you definitely should get in touch with segatim
The guy just issued two brand-new games in cartridges. See the demo subforum here viewforum.php?f=8

Re: Releasing on Steam (and similar platforms)

Posted: Sun Jun 27, 2021 5:52 pm
by diegzumillo
For sure I will contact anyone with experience in the topic. But I'm holding my horses for now :D