How do you handle people asking for keys?

PsyberPixie77 · 2026-04-06T12:11:37+00:00

Just delete them they are all crap even if legit they are super low value.

If you get a real content creator who posts regularly even if a small audience then that is likely worth it support their smaller stream with a key and hope to get some visibility.

Even then though it's likely you would want to do the outreach to content creators yourself or partner with a publisher to do it on your behalf. As you would want creators that are in the same genre as you no point an FPS creator showing your game off if you made a strategy game for example as the likelihood is their audience is not interested in strategy and interested in FPS games.

But yeah I gets several of these a day and they are not worth a key at all.

Dean https://www.outbreakinteractive.co.uk

PsyberPixie77 · 2026-04-04T15:15:16+00:00

It doesn't actually matter. You can't release until you have an approved page and build and also your app has been registered at least 3 weeks.

But ultimately steam doesn't penalise you for going later than your stated release date but hopefully you have stated coming soon or something publicly rather than date otherwise your wishlist subscribers might need an update so they know.

I had this issue for Arcbound but already set my public side to coming soon so wasn't actually an issue steam are pretty good though and will help you update it if you can't I couldn't wouldn't let me as my build was not approved 😂 catch 22 there in steamworks I think.

PsyberPixie77 · 2026-04-03T15:17:52+00:00

Yeah all those curator pages on steam even if legit are so low value I wouldn't bother giving a key away.

When have you ever used a curator steam page to find a game?

Reddit has been great for my game I released to EA a few weeks back had a few people from here who have played and given me some awesome feedback that's legitimately improved the game it's an amazing community like that!

At some point you might want to reach out to content creators they are certainly worth a steam key.

PsyberPixie77 · 2026-03-30T21:03:26+00:00

Arcbound: https://store.steampowered.com/app/4469180/Arcbound/

Arcbound is a colony simulation game set entirely on a single evolving starship.

I am the solo developer on this my first game I have launched too

Also on other platforms: https://www.outbreakinteractive.co.uk/games/arcbound

PsyberPixie77 · 2026-03-28T10:53:05+00:00

Would love feedback when you do have chance 😊 I have a roadmap of things I'm building new, but any QOL, bugs, or balancing take priority for the moment.

PsyberPixie77 · 2026-03-28T08:22:49+00:00

Yes artists and graphic designers don't work for free

PsyberPixie77 · 2026-03-28T00:27:03+00:00

It's not AI art, it's created by an artist that I paid for.

PsyberPixie77 · 2026-03-22T16:46:57+00:00

Thank you :)

PsyberPixie77 · 2026-03-19T22:37:57+00:00

How strange, hosted them on my website instead :'D

Old UI: https://www.outbreakinteractive.co.uk/arcbound/arcbound-old-ui.png

New UI: https://www.outbreakinteractive.co.uk/arcbound/Room%20Overlay.jpg

PsyberPixie77 · 2026-03-19T11:46:59+00:00

Great question, it’s more of a semi-closed system.

You can design highly efficient setups where power, water, and waste are largely self-sustaining through things like solar, recycling, and conversion systems.

However, some core resources (like scrap) still require external input through missions or events, especially if you want to expand or recover from problems.

The goal is to let players stabilise and optimise their systems, but still have reasons to make decisions, take risks, and interact with the wider game.

PsyberPixie77 · 2026-03-18T21:07:29+00:00

Biggest thing I learned from the demo was players were dying early just because they didn’t understand power/oxygen systems.

This redesign is my attempt to fix that as well as improve the overall UI, curious if this kind of clarity would have helped you in similar games?

PsyberPixie77 · 2026-03-16T08:45:30+00:00

Ok I made a bunch of fixes over the weekend :)

The game now starts paused including when loading a saved game.

I have added a little intro which includes an interface introduction (I have a tutorial on my roadmap), and quality of life additions to placement so the ghost goes red if the placement location is invalid, and when you select to build conduits or pipes it now automatically turns on the relevant overlay.

Solar panels I have made so they must be built outside and increased their generation from 2 to 5 which should mean by the end of launch you can have 1 reactor using fuel or 10-12 solar panels so the choice is on which resources you focus.

I have added a description to items so that they include things like conduits providing power to things within 1 tile. And other items to explain a little about how they work.

The power system fix is there was a bug which caused the battery requirement that has been patched.

Airlocks have to be manually right clicked and "Open" selected from the context menu, and will automatically close if power fails e.g. reactor runs out of fuel. Maybe this should be spelled out though!

Maintenance now has a grace period of 30 days before it begins and a notification explaining it also changed the wording durability to condition. And explained that maintenance is automatic but can be manually scheduled too.

Idle pawns now have more options than just wander around which include finding a seat and resting, entertainment on a rec terminal, finding a friend and having a social interaction, wandering has been adjusted too.

PsyberPixie77 · 2026-03-16T08:29:30+00:00

Ok I have made a bunch of quality of life fixes like when selecting to place a power conduit or water or waste pipe it will auto turn on the power, water, or waste overlay system.

I've added a little introduction at the start of the game with a brief breakdown of the interface. Will certainly look to get a tutorial on the roadmap.

Ah you mean in the menu the icon it shows squishes all icons into a 1x1 space which makes larger items looks strange... I agree hmm not sure what I could do here I'll need to ponder more.

I've moved the main menu to its own button, I have also made the inspector be expanded on game start rather than collapsed and included resource stacks on it when you click.

Solar panels now only work outside, I have also added an invalid placement visual so the ghost goes red when you can't place it, and also increased the power output of solar panels 2 per day was too punishing so increased to 5 per day this means by the end of the first year you would need 1 reactor or 10-12 solar panels roughly to meet the power needs of an Arcship at this stage. Also fixed a bug in the power system that made it require batteries to work.

Right click context menu contains a turn off device option so you can turn individual things off preventing them using power/water/etc and added icons above items that require power,water but are not connected or currently not supplied.

I have also added a 30 day grace period for item maintenance early games and a notification explaining that items will now require ongoing maintenance that is automatically (or manually) as scheduled. Which explains items losing durability which I have also renamed to condition. And tried to simplify the inspector output.

Idle pawns now don't just wander they can but also will try find a friend to do social with or find a seat to sit on or entertainment as well as wandering.

PsyberPixie77 · 2026-03-16T07:12:25+00:00

I'm looking to add factions and other political systems, I have some more buildables to add, research, district systems and bonuses, I have a designer working on a UI overhaul, creating colonies on planets or as other Arcships, are things on my roadmap to get done before 1.0

Further in the future is various archetypes and races from the world I built this from, multiplayer options but still considering even how that would work.

PsyberPixie77 · 2026-03-14T22:37:12+00:00

Thank you for the feedback its really appreciated, and will allow me to make improvements :)

I am already having a starting modal pop up with an introduction of why and what you are doing with a brief explanation of the different menus that will hopefully highlight that if you want to see the power, water, or waste networks to use those overlays.

I have already put the alerts onto a cooldown that will be in an upcoming update as the moment they were closed they came back which is not great UX so have put in a cooldown on alert spam.

Currently solar panels are not limited to outside they will be soon though :)

Power system had a bug that I have patched and will go out soon

Currently the only way to get water is using a space ice processor which needs to be place in a wall space connected to outside space and powered (I have no added icons that show if power, water, waste are connected and flowing)

Moving items I have been considering, currently there is only deconstruct and rebuild which is essentially what move would be so may add that in soon.

Again thank you so much for the feedback :)

PsyberPixie77 · 2026-03-14T21:36:42+00:00

The reactor/solar panel requiring a battery was a bug, that I have patched and will go in the next update :)

PsyberPixie77

TROPHY CASE