123 replies to this topic

[the bigg]

I'm pretty sure we all know how non-biased pre-release reviews are.

[Yovaneth]

I'm pretty sure we all know how non-biased pre-release reviews are.

You're as cynical as I am.

-Y-

[the bigg]

cough and cough.

[Archmage Silver]

According to this, the Blood Dragon Armor codes will also be included in the normal versions of DA: Origins. There's also a trailer of the armor behind that link.

[Discordia]

Preordered it already.
And holy shit, here it's much more expensive as in the US

[the bigg]

And holy shit, here it's much more expensive as in the US

Old news.

Also, DA will have paid DLC on day zero (and new-only DLC).

Congratulation guys, you just lost 50?.

[Discordia]

Well...one thing is more expensive, another is 50% more expensive. At least that includes that day zero DLC due to being deluxe edition, but still annoys the hell out of me. Damn them consoles...I'd be playing it by now.

Edited by Discordia, 08 October 2009 - 05:47 AM.

[Archmage Silver]

So basically it is...

Blood Dragon Armor (free with any new copy of DA)

Stone Prisoner (free with any new copy of DA)

Warden's Keep (7$ or free with the Deluxe Digital Edition of DA)

I don't know really... as much as I'm looking forward to DA, I can't help but to think that releasing paid DLC on day 0 is way too early, although I've never bought any kind of DLC for any game, so it's not likely that I'll start now. The game does come with a toolset after all.

As I haven't pre-ordered the game yet, this gives me something to think about. Maybe I should just buy the digital edition and get the first DLC for free with it? Hm.

But honestly, which year did game developers stop making old fashioned expansions? This DLC business is a pretty crappy way to handle extra content.

[Discordia]

well, its basically a way of subliminally increasing game prices

[Archmage Silver]

I think that's pretty obvious, because that's exactly why I don't buy any Downloadable Content - I already paid for the standard game. So if there isn't a real expansion available, the standard game is all I'm going to play aside from free mods.

Fallout 3 was a good example of how a large number of people still buy all the extra content though... I suppose many people think that the DLC business system works just fine.

[the bigg]

But honestly, which year did game developers stop making old fashioned expansions? This DLC business is a pretty crappy way to handle extra content.

The 360 I'd guess.

Fallout 3 was a good example of how a large number of people still buy all the extra content though... I suppose many people think that the DLC business system works just fine.

F3 was released in a crippled version to boost sales of Broken Steel.

Either way, GOTY (or ahem ahem) FTW.

[GeN1e]

Also, DA will have paid DLC on day zero (and new-only DLC).

Yeah, selling game in parts.

"Only here, only now, a special offer - pay 10$ on release day and get a new ending. Pay 20$ and get new path through."

[Archmage Silver]

Fallout 3 was a good example of how a large number of people still buy all the extra content though... I suppose many people think that the DLC business system works just fine.

F3 was released in a crippled version to boost sales of Broken Steel.

Either way, GOTY (or ahem ahem) FTW.

Yeah... the only way I'll get that Downloadable Content is if they release it all on a DVD in the end. All of it together would probably constitute some sort of an expansion.

Also, DA will have paid DLC on day zero (and new-only DLC).

Yeah, selling game in parts.

"Only here, only now, a special offer - pay 10$ on release day and get a new ending. Pay 20$ and get new path through."

Here's a couple of quotes from the RPGWatch forums on the same topic, which I think sum up all my thoughts pretty well:

To be fair, I understand that this is not the case here. According to BW employees posting here, they set up a separate team to work on DLC fairly early on. IOW, these are add-on developed the usual way, only they're ready on day zero. I would speculate that the reason they're ready may have something to do with the way the PC release was delayed because they were waiting for the XBox version.

When I first read the news I became somewhat frustrated, but I believe PJ is correct - the actual development of DA:O was probably done long ago, and the DLC team has been a seperate team all along, whose DLC content is supposed to fund the development of the DLC. They're probably on a completely different budget.

Yet another reason why they shouldn't have postponed it simply due to the XBox version - now people are getting confused regarding the DLC. It would've been much better if they had released DA:O in April, and then released the DLC as soon as it was ready. The XBox version could've contained the DLC, similar to the PC version of Mass Effect.

Well, I'm not sure if that would've been the best solution from an economic point of view, but it would've been significantly less confusing, and it would make them look a bit better. Now a lot of people will consider them greedy for trying to "milk" like crazy.

I think they did set up a separate DLC team to start working on content from early this year. And this was in response to the lack of Mass Effect DLC.

I am fairly sure this was not cut out of the main game. The main game has probably been content locked for a while so it can be polished, ported and optimised. Whilst the DLC team continues to create new content.

But I agree that it is a potentially bad PR issue. Bioware should have predicted there would be a backlash to this announcement. So either delay the announcement of paid DLC. Or explain that it was created by a separate team and that this is just the beginning of two years of DLC by that team.

It is a shame because in recent weeks there seems to have been more goodwill towards the game.

Edit: This just in: DA Addons Page Launched

Edit 2: This from BioWare's community coordinator Chris Priestly (thread):

I'll refute it here if it will make you feel better.

The Warden's Keep was created by members of the DAO team while the rest of the team worked on finishing the PC and console versions. It was never in the core game and has been added in once the core game is complete. This extra team is working on more DLC for the coming months. We have lots of plans in the works for coolness to come.

Shale (the Stone Prisoner) WAS originally going to be in the core game. However, Shale was cut as the team could not get things such as pathfinding, etc working correctly in time to meet our projected release date. Back when DAO was going to be released back in the spring of 2009, the decision was made to cut him. Since the team had extra time once the release date was moved to November, the Dev team worked to fix the outstanding issues and included this back into the game as Day 1 DLC.

Blood Dragon Armor. This was added in a few months ago as a cool way to tie both Dragon Age and Mass Effect together.

There. Refuted yet?

Edited by Archmage Silver, 09 October 2009 - 10:55 AM.

[KIrving]

I would definitely prefer an expansion over DLC but I accept that it seems to be the trend.
What I really dislike is the, in game, npcs' that will be "informing" me about the DLC while playing.

[Kaeloree]

KIrving, where does it say that? I've been following the forums closely for the past several years, and I've never read anything to that effect.

In Mass Effect 2 I know they're adding in some start-conversations for DLC, but you won't see these in the game until the DLC is installed anyway.

[GeN1e]

Here's a couple of quotes

They may go tell it their worn boots. Then their reflection in a mirror. Then the 7 digit followed by $. The truth won't change, no matter what or whom they keep telling lies.
But yes, that's their game, so it's up to them to decide whether to sell it apart or in one piece.

[KIrving]

KIrving, where does it say that? I've been following the forums closely for the past several years, and I've never read anything to that effect.

In Mass Effect 2 I know they're adding in some start-conversations for DLC, but you won't see these in the game until the DLC is installed anyway.

I only found out recently and it came as something of a surprise. Follow the DLC discussion thread that is on the first page of the forums.
Here's a link to one of the discussions, http://tinyurl.com/DownLoadContent
There is a lot of information about these, in game, npc quest givers that will inform about the available DLC. Apparently even more npc quest givers for the DLC will be added in down the road. Here's a quote from one of the BioWarians,

Quote: Posted 10/08/09 13:50 (GMT) by Ferret A Baudoin

Heya guys.

I've been on the DLC team since the beginning and it's exciting that we're trying genuine new ideas (to me, at least). New things usually come with questions and controversy, so I'll take a crack at answering things. I imagine often I'll just be paraphrasing Fernando, because he's answered a bunch already.

I wrote one of the DLC questgivers (Warden's Keep) and my intent when writing was to hit the same bar of quality as DAO and give players an idea of the adventure they're in for. Reading the thread I hear your concerns, but beyond reviews and metacritic I think it's kind of neat that you get at least the intro to the quest for free. And if you've already bought the DLC it's a seemless experience as you then go from the questgiver to the new section of the game. It's meant to be very immersive.

Yes, if you haven't purchased the DLC you eventually get to a point to where you buy it or walk away, but I think as a player you'd be in a better position to know if you're interested or not in that piece of DLC than reading a text blurb on a website. It's also super convenient.

It seems that the stone prisoner and Warden's Keep quest givers have already been added into the game before shipping.

Edit - Added link.

Edited by KIrving, 09 October 2009 - 06:51 PM.

[Solar's Harper]

Well in all respects, in-game references to DLC could be considered reasonable under certain contexts. After all, it would kinda make no sense to have one part of the world seem like it's on an entirely different level of existence to the NPCs, yet not so to the player.

Of course if they go showboarding in the most 4th wall breaking method possible, it'll just look plain silly, or insulting, depending on the player.
Still chances of that are pretty unlikely, not many developers ever go that low except on the comedic level, tasteless as sometimes is. The idea of it still being included in non-DLC games though is a bit concerning, unless they mean in the context of historical references like we have all no doubt beheld with the lore books found so common in all the RPGs Bioware has been involved with in the past.
Not many of us travelled to Rasheman in Baldur's Gate eh?

And on the off-note, chances are, we've all been high spoiled to the in-game content and lore already long before the initial release (not exactly something that would've been intentional way back when). Bad PR tactic with the whole Pay-for-download jazz, yes, but for knowledge seekers and excited fans? Eat your hearts out boys and girls - BioSantaware is coming to town as they say.

Edit: Ahh turns out *I* ended up being tasteless, least on my own eyes.

Edited by Solar's Harper, 10 October 2009 - 01:22 AM.

[Kaeloree]

Sounds sucky, I guess we'll see how it goes.

I'm not an immersion-is-everything kind of guy; I don't mind if immersion is broken, as that isn't terribly important to me in a game. I will be concerned if it ends up being "Hi! I have a quest, if you go to the EA store and pay $15", but I doubt that will be the case.

I can see why they'd do something like this, because as they said on the forum, the majority of people would never find out about it otherwise. Worst comes to worst, we mod it out.

I'm highly anticipating the DLC. It'll be very interesting to see what kinds of content they're coming up with, because this setup could potentially give them a lot more freedom than typical development.