Steam vs Website purchase

[etropic]

Is there any benefit to purchasing on Steam vs. directly through the FG website?

I'm most curious if updates are handled on different timelines, or if they are about equal?

Thanks!

[Trenloe]

The Steam purchase/setup is just a wrapper to launch Fantasy Grounds normally - so you're running the same application, just launching it differently from Steam. For Macs the setup/config of the Window emulator is provided via Steam, so Mac users might want to setup through Steam. About every month, Smiteworks send a list of new licence keys to Steam, so you can get the same benefit of loading/configuring from Steam even if you purchased on the FG website (after a little wait for the keys to move across). However, for Mac users the Steam purchased DLC doesn't currently download/update (issues with the Mac Steam client).

On to your question about updates - all FG updates come from the FG servers. FG uses the Steam client on a PC (not Mac) to tell which DLC products you have purchased and then downloads any updates from the FG servers. So, there shouldn't be any difference in when updates are available.

So, there really isn't any difference. The main reasons for buying on Steam might be the "buy 3 get one free" bundle offer for GM licenses, or if there are products on a flash sale, or if the currency conversion on Steam favours you, or if you want to gift a purchase, or if you want to add a product to your wishlist.

[Griogre]

With Steam also easily gift a friend who is already on Steam or receive a gift from your steam friends as well. Trading extra licenses would be easier as well.

Edit: However, if you are just buying for yourself it doesn't really matter, as Trenloe said.

[Nickademus]

Does Steam not control your access to FG like it does other purchases? I didn't think you could play a Steam game without logging into Steam.

[etropic]

Thanks for the input!
You can put steam into "offline" mode and run the apps anyway.

I was more concerned about missing out on updates distributed through the site, but having to wait on the steam "version" to be updated later. But it sounds like that's a non-issue!

Thanks !

[Trenloe]

Does Steam not control your access to FG like it does other purchases?
FG gets installed as normal - you can launch it outside of Steam.

[Nickademus]

That's awesome. My main reason for never using Steam is the horror stories I've heard from friends of Steam cutting off their access to a game for one reason or another.

[Dr0W]

Being a user of Steam for over 6 years and having lots and lots of friends who use it: I've never heard of a close friend of mine who got their access cut off. The only one I heard about (a friend of a friend) got VAC banned for... cheating. So he deserves it and I might be wrong but if someone got their access cut off they probably did something they weren't supposed to do.

Another advantage of buying on steam is if you live in a country different than US you might pay a little less in your currency. For example, since I'm brazilian the DnD core that costs $50 costs me $30, since our coin devalued a lot. If I had to pay in dollars it would cost me A LOT.

[Pikup]

Is there any benefit to purchasing on Steam vs. directly through the FG website?

I'm most curious if updates are handled on different timelines, or if they are about equal?

Thanks!

I try to make my purchases through the Web Store. Just in case Steam takes a cut, I want as much to go to the developer as possible.

Pikup

[JohnD]

I try to make my purchases through the Web Store. Just in case Steam takes a cut, I want as much to go to the developer as possible.

Pikup

My rationale as well.

[HunterCo]

I try to make my purchases through the Web Store. Just in case Steam takes a cut, I want as much to go to the developer as possible.

Pikup

I use this logic on many things in life... KUDOS!

[Karnas]

For me main benefit is regional pricing on Steam. There's a certain difference between paying 500 vs 2600 in local currency.

[similarly]

I use STEAM because of the convenient payment options. Believe me, if Smiteworks allows Japanese convenience store payments, I'll start shopping at smiteworks.