2018/04/16, 04:55 by checker

Okay, I’ve got spyparty.com to Steam account linking working, so if you bought SpyParty on spyparty.com or plan to buy it here you can now get it in your Steam library! Sorry this wasn’t ready for launch, but the truth is you won’t notice much of a difference at all, since everybody is in the same lobby and it’ll hopefully pick up all your settings and your login info and replays and stuff.

Oh, I should probably mention here on the blog that we shipped on Steam and you can now buy the game there, since I just realized I have been so snowed under with support that I haven’t actually posted about this. More on that later when I’ve actually processed this momentous occasion.

Anyway, Steam account linking…here’s how you do it:

Log into your SpyParty beta homepage and look in the top left corner for this fancy new internet website link:

Click that link, and follow the instructions on the forms. You’ll need to make sure your email is up-to-date because I’ll need to send you a confirmation code, and then you’ll be sent to log into your Steam account, and poof! SpyParty will show up in your Steam library. There are no codes involved, just pure magic.

If you have alts, you’ll only be able to link one of them to your Steam account, but don’t worry, you’ll be able to log into all of your alts from your Steam version.

In fact, the Steam version will just use your existing spyparty.com account credentials, so you should be able to install it with Steam and run it and not see any difference at all.

Are there differences? Very few…

Advantages of running the Steam version:

everybody loves having their games in one place, so now it’s in your Steam library

the updates will download less data for most updates right now, so if you’re on a very slow internet connection or using metered data when you update, Steam might be better

you’ll accumulate Steam stats for playtime and stuff, but you’ll also accumulate the more accurate and granular SpyParty stats like usual too

stats like usual too you’ll show up in Steam’s list of who’s playing SpyParty

Steam overlay, which is nice but also a mixed bag because the default shift-tab overrides its usage in the game for replay camera cycling and UI tabbing

Advantages of running the spyparty.com version:

you’ll get updates faster, when they hit, because Steam won’t let apps start downloads in the background, whereas I do, so when an update hits the server, you’ll get it immediately while for Steam you’ll have to exit SpyParty and wait for Steam to figure out there’s an update, and during that time you won’t be able to log into the lobby

and wait for Steam to figure out there’s an update, and during that time you won’t be able to log into the lobby you can install the spyparty.com version anywhere you want, it’s just a directory of files

But really, you can just install them both and they’ll interoperate. Oh, and once you link the accounts you’ll be able to post in the Steam SpyParty Discussions groups, regardless of which version you actually run. Plus you’ll be able to write a review and all that good stuff.

Report any bugs you find in the beta forums, and happy downloading!

Oh, and yes, I will try to get Steam to spyparty.com account linking soon so Steam players can participate in the private beta forums. But first I will fix the problem with Steam persona names not being used in the library, that’s my next priority!

Eventually friends list support, and who knows what else, but for now I’m just trying to get the big things fixed and then get back to matchmaking. I have a lot of support mail and posts to go through still, sorry for the delay on that!