@meshedvr and @vamX First, congratulations on getting an app together for the Steam store. You've both made an amazing product and I'm glad you'll be able to get another place to display it. While I'm excited that a user friendly version of VAM will be accessible to a broader audience, I have a number of questions about this public release.
First, how will this Steam version interface with the Hub? Based on what I saw at the official link (https://sxvr.com/), this version of VAM will be supported by the Hub. This means users around the world who found VAM too difficult to access or interact with will be trying VAM for the first time. With that inflation in users will come increased scrutiny to whatever is going on here. Will this mean the end of branded character interpretations and lookalikes? It's pretty hard to imagine Steam tolerating either, much less the people whose attention it draws. If hundreds of thousands (or millions) of noobs are coming to this hub and able to see what VAM is and does, then it may come with more journalistic or regulatory attention. I know VAM has already dealt with some of this and the Hub is of course a public website, but still, it seems like it will prompt a significant increase of scrutiny. It also could potentially increase the likelihood of people adding malicious code to plugins. Will they have a separate hub that only contains VAMX looks and assets or be using the same Hub? Based on the release info, it looks like they'll be headed here.
Second, there's mention in the announcement of creators receiving compensation for their works being incorporated into this new release. How will that work?
Third, what does this mean for VAM 2.0? Will this be like GTA 5 where the developer makes a truckload and just never does a sequel or will revenues help fast track VAM 2.0? Will there also be a Steam release of 2.0 when it drops?
Fourth, VAM's architecture also has potential for other types of creative activities and so the spread of base VAM means we could see a massive influx of more scenes, assets, clothing and appearances, especially from people who now know there's a larger audience for their stuff. In light of that, how will you prevent the Hub from becoming a Patreon farm? It already kind of is, but there's enough pre-existing free content to offset all the paid content.
Fifth, with VAMX frontloaded, people will be able to easily use VAM. This is definitely the smartest way to do it, but will the Steam release also include extensive documentation on how to use underlying VAM so people can continue to be inspired to try making things? Or will people just be directed the Wiki here, the various Reddit threads and some of the old YouTube videos?
Sixth, Steam has historically been very strict about there needing to be game-like elements in an app in order to keep it in the store. VAMX kind of helps with this because of its interactivity, but has Steam indicated that will be sufficient? Will there be additional gamelike elements to satisfy this requirement?
Finally, the new MetaChat plugin means there will likely be a flood of people who can easily access this app for sex work. As it stands right now, it has more of a sex club vibe, but with that many users, it's highly likely we'll see a change in who is using it for what. Honestly, as I've said elsewhere, it's definitely less degrading and overall safer to be getting paid to moan on a voice chat while someone e-bangs a lookalike avatar of you than it is to meet up IRL in a squalid hotel room, so in many ways this is a net positive, but I'm not sure reactionary policymakers will see it that way.
Of course, all of this could be much ado about nothing and there may not be an appreciable bump in users or attention since people still need a good PC, time to learn and a VR Headset if they want the full experience, but I'm assuming the strategy behind this is to scale the app. With scale comes other problems, of course, so I'm hopeful that it's not too much of a pain and that it doesn't irrevocably alter the community. I wish your teams luck and would appreciate any clarity you can give.
First, how will this Steam version interface with the Hub? Based on what I saw at the official link (https://sxvr.com/), this version of VAM will be supported by the Hub. This means users around the world who found VAM too difficult to access or interact with will be trying VAM for the first time. With that inflation in users will come increased scrutiny to whatever is going on here. Will this mean the end of branded character interpretations and lookalikes? It's pretty hard to imagine Steam tolerating either, much less the people whose attention it draws. If hundreds of thousands (or millions) of noobs are coming to this hub and able to see what VAM is and does, then it may come with more journalistic or regulatory attention. I know VAM has already dealt with some of this and the Hub is of course a public website, but still, it seems like it will prompt a significant increase of scrutiny. It also could potentially increase the likelihood of people adding malicious code to plugins. Will they have a separate hub that only contains VAMX looks and assets or be using the same Hub? Based on the release info, it looks like they'll be headed here.
Second, there's mention in the announcement of creators receiving compensation for their works being incorporated into this new release. How will that work?
Third, what does this mean for VAM 2.0? Will this be like GTA 5 where the developer makes a truckload and just never does a sequel or will revenues help fast track VAM 2.0? Will there also be a Steam release of 2.0 when it drops?
Fourth, VAM's architecture also has potential for other types of creative activities and so the spread of base VAM means we could see a massive influx of more scenes, assets, clothing and appearances, especially from people who now know there's a larger audience for their stuff. In light of that, how will you prevent the Hub from becoming a Patreon farm? It already kind of is, but there's enough pre-existing free content to offset all the paid content.
Fifth, with VAMX frontloaded, people will be able to easily use VAM. This is definitely the smartest way to do it, but will the Steam release also include extensive documentation on how to use underlying VAM so people can continue to be inspired to try making things? Or will people just be directed the Wiki here, the various Reddit threads and some of the old YouTube videos?
Sixth, Steam has historically been very strict about there needing to be game-like elements in an app in order to keep it in the store. VAMX kind of helps with this because of its interactivity, but has Steam indicated that will be sufficient? Will there be additional gamelike elements to satisfy this requirement?
Finally, the new MetaChat plugin means there will likely be a flood of people who can easily access this app for sex work. As it stands right now, it has more of a sex club vibe, but with that many users, it's highly likely we'll see a change in who is using it for what. Honestly, as I've said elsewhere, it's definitely less degrading and overall safer to be getting paid to moan on a voice chat while someone e-bangs a lookalike avatar of you than it is to meet up IRL in a squalid hotel room, so in many ways this is a net positive, but I'm not sure reactionary policymakers will see it that way.
Of course, all of this could be much ado about nothing and there may not be an appreciable bump in users or attention since people still need a good PC, time to learn and a VR Headset if they want the full experience, but I'm assuming the strategy behind this is to scale the app. With scale comes other problems, of course, so I'm hopeful that it's not too much of a pain and that it doesn't irrevocably alter the community. I wish your teams luck and would appreciate any clarity you can give.
