Valve introduces Steamworks APIs for switching game versions
pcgamesinsider.bizValve has rolled out some new APIs for Steamworks that will make it easier for players to switch game version on Steam.
In a blog post, the PC giant wrote that developers will be able to have their users move into beta branches or switch back to older versions of the game. The new APIs are called GetCurrentBetaName, GetNumBetas, GetBetaInfo and SetActiveBeta. Players can switch branches from the game's page on Steam, in contrast to being buried away in the settings menu.
"For released games that make frequent updates, these tools can give players more clear choices in how they want to engage with the game," Valve wrote.
"Some players want to be part of your beta branch where you are testing out the latest updates, while others may want to play on an older stable build that they know works well with their save file."
The company continued: "Many games on Steam already have multiple build branches available to players; different builds of the game, either historical versions or forward-facing test builds with the latest pending updates. Previously, accessing these alternative build branches has been fairly obscure, done by players through the Steam 'settings' panel for a game."
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