Thought on the distribution of BMS
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Just recently, we have been reminded that BMS is distributed as a free add-on to the commercial sim Falcon 4.0, and that to use BMS, it is expected that we actually have Falcon 4.0. A number of different distribution channels for Falcon itself have recently opened up, included GOG.com and the Steam desktop platform.
Steam is a pretty widespread platform, and it supports third party mods through the Steam Workshop normally. Steam also has provisions for installing different versions of its products; this is often used to install beta versions of games, over the top of existing installs. This system would be quite simple to use with BMS, provided BMS devs had access to Steam. They could upload a version of BMS, which users could opt-in to, via a dropdown menu within their steam settings for their Falcon 4.0 install. Steam would then download BMS over the top of their Falcon 4.0 install, providing file integrity checks and download management. This would require discussion with Retrosim, who could arrange the access with Steam required.
It would benefit steam users, who would have a very simple BMS install method. It would benefit Retrosim, as it would lower the barrier to get to the reason people are buying Falcon 4.0. It would get BMS better exposure, although whether that would be a good thing for the devs or not is not clear to me. Maybe? It would generate bug reports, due to being an alternative install path - most of which would be dealt with by steam support. It would also require a team member to upload new versions to the steam servers when they get released, which is a little more work than releasing a torrent. On the whole, I think that would be a pretty cool idea.
Thoughts? Something obvious Ive missed?
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GOG also has provisions for installing beta versions of games and can distribute BMS (wich is official expansion now) as an extra add-on just like it’s been done with other games.
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Interesting thoughts, brother Blu3wolf, now that BMS is “out of the shadows”.
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While watching Youtube videos of FlightGear, I stumbled across BMS videos and have been enamored with BMS since. I was going to buy Falcon 4.0 via my Steam account because I saw it was recommended as an economical way to acquire it. Being aware that BMS requires the presence of Falcon 4.0 on my hard drive to install, and that (to my understanding) all steam games are stored in the cloud, I am apprehensive as to whether this would work. Your post only heightens my doubts. Or are you simply saying Steam could offer 4.0 as a Steam add-on?
Regards,
Vic -
Interesting thoughts, brother Blu3wolf, now that BMS is “out of the shadows”.
Don’t drag me into this discussion.
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BMS requires the presence of Falcon 4.0 on my hard drive to install, and that (to my understanding) all steam games are stored in the cloud, I am apprehensive as to whether this would work.
Your steam library is installed locally.
It’s a good idea, Blu. Not only do the BMS team and the owners benefit, Steam itself would, too.
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While watching Youtube videos of FlightGear, I stumbled across BMS videos and have been enamored with BMS since. I was going to buy Falcon 4.0 via my Steam account because I saw it was recommended as an economical way to acquire it. Being aware that BMS requires the presence of Falcon 4.0 on my hard drive to install, and that (to my understanding) all steam games are stored in the cloud, I am apprehensive as to whether this would work. Your post only heightens my doubts. Or are you simply saying Steam could offer 4.0 as a Steam add-on?
Regards,
VicSteam could offer BMS using the beta feature. This would not use the BMS installer currently being made for 4.33.1, but instead would use the steam servers to direct download a BMS install. Ideally, this install would utilise Steam account hooks, which is a form of DRM, to prevent that version being shared without the installer.
The BMS installer presently in production requires the presence of F4.0 on your hard drive to install. Steam games are saved on your computer, and installed from the cloud. Most of the world (including the US) lacks internet fast enough to actually run a game from the cloud, so Steam games are downloaded using the client and installed on the users computer. Steam has a feature mostly used with beta versions of games, which allows an updated version of a game to be downloaded over the top of an already present install. The thought was about how it would be possible for the BMS team to leverage that to allow another BMS distribution method. Im not really sure if that is something they would be interested in as developers, but its certainly something I would be interested in as a user. Of course, they would need permission and cooperation of Retrosim to do it, as Falcon is distributed on Steam by retrosim.
In a sense, Steam would be offering BMS as an optional install, that would first require Falcon 4.0 be purchased through Steam. This would require a small amount of extra maintenance work by the BMS team to push new releases, and discussion with Retrosim to set up.
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Yes! Please add it to Steam!
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This would be extra work. IMO current procedure is ok and personally, I think that it is better to keep BMS team members out of anything in relation with official Falcon4.0 distribution channels. Especially if it is favoring one channel over another.
My vote would be : Not a good idea.
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I think it is a good idea as long as Steamworks BMS development and maintance would not be very demanding from BMS team perspective. And standalone version MUST be developed as well.
One more thing: Steam has the limit of the max size of mod. IIRC it is about 1GB now.
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This would be extra work. IMO curent procedure is ok and personaly, I think that it is better to keep BMS team members out of anything in relation with official Falcon4.0 distribution channels. Especialy if it is favorising one channel over another.
My vote would be : not a good idea.Thats fair. I don’t presume to say it would be a good idea for the team to do. This was more about exploring some of the options available, not trying to force those options to become reality. Thanks for the feedback.
I think it is a good idea as long as Steamworks BMS development and maintance would not be very demanding from BMS team perspective. And standalone version MUST be developed as well.
One more thing: Steam has the limit of the max size of mod. IIRC it is about 1GB now.
Steam Workshop has a limit of the maximum mod size. The Steam Beta feature, which allows alternate versions of software to be installed, is a different system which does not have this 1GB limitation.
This is looking increasingly hypothetical anyway, but the only maintenance required would be a one time upload by a team member to Steam, of each new update. Of course, that update could be made more sophisticated (DRM checks such as suggested above, as an antipiracy measure), but that would mean more work by the dev team. Certainly it would not entail a replacement for the present incarnation of BMS - for starters, most BMS users I imagine have bought F4.0 not from Steam. So that would be a dealbreaker. You would have to keep the non steam BMS install such as the present one.
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You seem to be actually ASKING for DRM. If it’s not broken dont mess with it.
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yeah, i see no reason to put in additional hurdles to jump. the very simple torrent solution works, has worked, and will continue to work.
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Don’t drag me into this discussion.
+1 , the thought of you in drag would be too disturbing
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I’m a newbie with bms. Let me give you a different perspective. Before coming to this website I had no idea what a torrent is, and I’m still kind of hazy on it. It took me several tries to figure out how to install 4.32 and I almost gave up. The only reason I took time for all of this was because I have been out of commission for 6 weeks due to a broken ankle and leg, otherwise I wouldn’t bother. I have always had a love for the F-16, and I have had Falcon 4 since it came out. Yet BMS seemed too complicated to install, so I never gave it a shot.
Most people who buy games on Steam or Gog will not go through all of that stuff to get the torrent. If there is a one click solution on GoG and Steam to add bms, frankly it would add a whole lot more people to the game. You can say that the process is simple and so on, but when most people see the word torrent they will steer away like I did for many years.
The company that owns falcon should do the work to make bms work with steam and gog, since they will benefit financially. I think the easiest thing would be for bms to release 4.33.1 like normal on the torrent, but then for toomo/retro sim??? to do what is needed so it can easily be used on gog and steam. It would be good for the game and the company. I definitely don’t want bms to have to do any more work, you guys rock. This whole thing is incredible and I don’t know why all of you aren’t being hired by toomo/retro sim right now.:)
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Blu, I got into Steam a couple of months ago for my Supercross Encore game. Yeah, I’m a dirtbiker. My first impression of Steam was …cautious. I bought this game for my pc, and suddenly had to download Steam, pay for each add-on(albeit only 2.99 a pop), etc. However, they’ve kind of won me over. I’m not getting endlessly spammed, ripped off , the game is being supported, my pc didn’t freak out it’s all good.
Cobalt, Seek and others raise a good point-“if it ain’t broke don’t fix it”. So, let’s ask the question of what we would/could get out of it and what possible problems does it create
Let’s remember that until the Devs announced the agreement, there was concern if our BMS would continue.
So, questions- Would such an arrangement as yours prevent that, give BMS “life insurance”? I can just speak for myself when I say I didn’t blink an eye at the 6.99 I paid Steam when my cd’s wouldn’t install. And that was just to get the upcoming update(in 3-4 weeks<sorry dev’s,=“” couldn’t=“” resist=“”>).
-would having Steam behind them give our Devs more capability for enhancement?
On the other hand- The Devs have been very adamant (and very honorable,IMHO) about keeping money out of BMS. They do this because they love it , and it shows. So, how would that work?
I’d love to hear the Devs weigh in on this, especially the latter point.</sorry> -
Anyone that falls at the supposed hurdle of a torrent (even dcs updates come by torrent though of a rather automated nature) is not likely to stick with the steep learning curve that is bms. I do not see that bms stands to benefit from an avalanche of questions/complaints/demands resulting from the new points of access. Buying Falcon on steam or GOG gives no entitlement to the bms mod. Some of the threads started here lately by new arrivals clutching their 2 dollar game suggest they DO feel entitled.
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I vote ‘nay’ for steam. Torrent distribution (a-la DCS 1.5) is a way to go.
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Shadow says, ‘Don’t drag me into this discussion.’
+1 , the thought of you in drag would be too disturbing
I don’t know, Vyper… some might say that anything would be a definite improvement…
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Waiting for the thread close, me thinks.
Independens I believe will overcome this proposal.
Steam seeing the downloads might “wake” up and maybe we all don’t want this.
Why not gog u will say. Well gog will see falcon 4.0 downloads and not BMS.