Steam, buy the game, alpha, full version, receiving updates

[Nova]

Demo
Try the demo before you buy the game. A lot of stuff is already working. If the game doesn't work on your system, please take a look at the system requirements. If you meet them, than please have a look into the bug board if your error is already known, or if it is a known issue. Create an error report, if not!

Alpha and full version
Most/all of this is already answered in the FAQ. You pay one time and will receive all further updates to the game, including the final version 1.0. It doesn't matter if you buy the game on the Factorio page or (possibly) on Steam. This does not include any possible expansion packs or something like a "Factorio 2".
The price of the game can rise as the time goes on. You won't have to pay the difference. As this, you can save some money if you buy the game early.
The game will maybe be released in summer 2015. That's not set in stone, but something the developers try to achive. There can be further updates after that, but that is not guaranteed.

Higher Tiers
If you buy a lower tier of Factorio, you can upgrade at any time to a higher tier. This will only cost the difference between the two tiers, no extra charge.

Steam
The developers will try to make it that you get a steam key and can still use the key on the Factorio page as soon as the game goes to Steam. There's no obligation to change your Factorio page key into a Steam key.

Update to current (unstable) alpha version
You can turn on experimental updates. These contain newer features, but also more bugs than the stable version.


Last change: 2014/12/16

[n9103]

Don't really see a point to this thread, particularly making a sticky of it.
Everything mentioned is already detailed on Factorio.com, almost all of it in the FAQ.
I doubt anyone that wouldn't bother to read a FAQ before posting, would bother reading a sticky.

[ssilk]

We can try it.
@ Nova: Thanks. I've edited your post a bit...

[Nova]

@n9103: Many people still create threads about this problem. This will maybe reduce the amount, but even if not: We can link to this thread in every new thread with this kind of question and reduce the needed work to answer the people's questions.

@ssilk: Thank you. We should update the first post every time there's a new question which fits into this thread.

[indjev99]

I think you should change it to here.

[Nova]

It's still a multiplayer for the brave. Doesn't break every 5 minutes, but it's still not really finished.

[ssilk]

The question is already answered, see the Roadmap: https://forums.factorio.com/forum/vie ... ?f=3&t=678

I think sometimes, all that pages are a bit uncoordinated. One place to post news is enough.

[slpwnd]

Great topic! Very informative. Thank you

[charisma]

Yes are right the topic is great and very informative. We can get more additional input from here, right?

____________________
nunchaku

[Peter34]

It's still a multiplayer for the brave. Doesn't break every 5 minutes, but it's still not really finished.

Not with 11.22. I played a MP game over Internet (not Lan, but genuine Internet although we were all within a few km of each other) for maybe 15-20 hours total, spread over several days, and it was very stable. I'd say that with 11.22 released, MP works fine.

Likewise I did play a LAN game for a few hours, back in 11.10'ish and that worked even better.

[slpwnd]

It's still a multiplayer for the brave. Doesn't break every 5 minutes, but it's still not really finished.

Not with 11.22. I played a MP game over Internet (not Lan, but genuine Internet although we were all within a few km of each other) for maybe 15-20 hours total, spread over several days, and it was very stable. I'd say that with 11.22 released, MP works fine.

Likewise I did play a LAN game for a few hours, back in 11.10'ish and that worked even better.

I will update the FAQ. But still we have plans of improving the MP user experience quite a bit. Namely in how the games are started. Talking about a dedicated matching server. Games are reported to the server and players can filter and choose from there. No need to know the IP addresses anymore. Recently we have played Dont Starve here and there in the office and they have the UI quite well done IMHO.

[slpwnd]

I have unsticked the post since pretty much all of it is now covered in the FAQ.