Steam is a digital distribution platform. Its purpose is to distribute both indie and large studio games to consumers. In 2012, Valve expanded its catalog to include software beyond games, including music software. WaveDNA’s Liquid Rhythm was added to the Steam catalog in early 2014.
Purchasing Liquid Rhythm on Steam is different than purchasing it directly from the WaveDNA Shop or any other retailer or distributor worldwide. Steam uses its own unique distribution system with built-in licensing APIs. As a result, there are slight differences between the purchasing, installation, and launching of Liquid Rhythm across the platforms. We want to be clear what these differences are.
STEAM
With Steam, you need to first create a Steam account. When you purchase Liquid Rhythm through the Steam store, the software license is associated with your Steam account.
Steam requires you to be logged into Steam to use software licensed by them. Therefore, Steam needs to be running every time you use Liquid Rhythm.
You can install Liquid Rhythm to any number of machines you own as long as you have Steam installed. Only one instance of Liquid Rhythm can be running at a time as you are required to be logged-in to your Steam account.
The licensing system provided with Steam allows more customizability. You can purchase only the elements you need as a DLC. The base purchase of Liquid Rhythm provides all features available in Liquid Rhythm Intro. The DLC’s are features that are regularly found in the full version of Liquid Rhythm. The full version of Liquid Rhythm can also be purchased directly from Steam as well, as the Liquid Rhythm Collection.
Steam provides automatic update capability. It will always keep your copy of Liquid Rhythm up to date. WaveDNA usually deploys Liquid Rhythm updates to their webstore first, and then to Steam a few days later (due to specific testing).
WEBSTORE OR RETAILERS
If you purchase Liquid Rhythm from a licensed retailer or the WaveDNA webstore, you will eventually receive an activation code for launching your copy of Liquid Rhythm. This code allows activation of Liquid Rhythm on any two computers, macOS or Windows, and allows Liquid Rhythm to be used concurrently on those two computers. The activation code is tied to the computer.
During the license activation process, Liquid Rhythm needs to have Internet connectivity. After the activation is complete, Internet access is not required to use Liquid Rhythm.
When new versions of Liquid Rhythm are released, a newsletter is sent out with a link to download the latest version. At that point the previous version should be uninstalled, and the newest version installed. At this time there is not an automatic update feature.