78 réponses à ce sujet

[qalan]

ZeRux wrote...

I don't have a problem paying for DLC if it's worth the money. But Feastday Gifts and Pranks is nothing more than a ripoff, as there are dozens of user-generated mods more worthy of my money than that.
Seriously, such a small plugin should be either released for free or not released at all. BioWare not a charity? We know, we payed for the game already.

I wholeheartedly agree, there's DLC worth paying for, and then there's crap designed to make a quick buck.  I bought the collector's edition and, frankly, can't ever imagine playing the game without Shale, who adds so much to the whole game and not just her particular modules of it.  Warden's Keep and Return to Ostagar were both fairly enjoyable and certainly worth the price to me.  Though it must be said they didn't really add much to the game as a whole beyond their own little adventure segments and a few items - and the latter didn't have the emotional impact they could have (i.e. listening to Alistair complain that he has nothing of Duncan's when he's been using Duncan's sword for the past couple of hours is just weird).  I didn't get Darkspawn Chronicles because running around Denerim killing everyone had no real appeal to me, but it has its dedicated fans who like that sort of thing, which means Bioware is smart enough to reach out to a diverse group of people.

But yeah, the Feastday thing was a real slap in the face in terms of content-for-money, but again I didn't have to buy it, so I didn't!

One thing though to remember when comparing Bioware-generated DLC for pay and user-generated modules (which are free) is that the vast majority of the latter would probably not have seen the light of day if Bioware hadn't released the toolset package.  Oh sure, probably someone out there would have done up an editor sooner or later, but I have to say that I really admire Bioware for releasing software that directly creates competition for their own DLC.  So special kudos to them for that!

[sandslayer76]

Bioware is a company, above all. Yes, they make games, but they do so to make money. It makes sense to charge for content, even if it is incredibly small like the Feastday Pranks/Gifts.

[sandslayer76]

Double post.

Modifié par sandslayer76, 10 juin 2010 - 04:11 .

[Oldenglishcdr]

TheMadCat wrote...

ny time anyone complains about the price that they are paying for games,
think of your nearest friendly Australian. You can pretty much be
guaranteed that they'll be paying more than you are. (Also, games do not drop in price here over time
like they do pretty much everywhere else.  We're still expected to pay
full price for a game several years after its release)

If I'm not mistaken you folks down under have a higher average income then us here in the States. So as they say, easy come easy go.

Of course the States only has 307 million population compared to Australias 21 million, so obviously one can't say the U.S. has more disposable income - right ok.

[simonsteele]

Problem is David, you sell terribly inferior products based on the good name of your game. I mean had I known I was paying crash for a single dungeon crawl in Return to Ostagar then I wouldn't have done it. But given the price of it, and given the rest of Dragon Age, I wrongly expected more. Now I should have known better because Warden's Keep and Shale were exactly the same thing. Added dungeon crawls with very little interaction.

And you say people who bought the game get Shale for free. That's not true. My friend bought the game and his code didn't work, because he bought it used.

I bought Mass Effect 2 used, and to gain the "privilege" of buying your tacked on downloadable content, I have to pay for that privilege first. It is sad how much advantage companies are trying to take. People vote with their wallets I guess, I and I will never buy a copy of a bioware game new again, and I will never purchase downloadable content again. Not until the company acts like it cares about its fans.

[AlanC9]

simonsteele wrote...
I mean had I known I was paying crash for a single dungeon crawl in Return to Ostagar then I wouldn't have done it. But given the price of it, and given the rest of Dragon Age, I wrongly expected more.

Do you often buy stuff without looking into exactly what you're buying?

I can understand thinking RtO is lousy value and not buying it; I didn't buy it myself. But if you actually care about value for money with something that cheap, why don't you pay attention to what you're buying?

I bought Mass Effect 2 used, and to gain the "privilege" of buying your tacked on downloadable content, I have to pay for that privilege first

Yeah... you bought a copy used, which means Bio gets nothing from that sale. And now you're complaining that you don't get stuff from Bio for free? Why should they give you anything ME2-related?

[simonsteele]

Because I could buy their "extra" content. But I have to pay for the right to buy extra stuff? Makes sense to me!



And I looked into Return to Ostagar. I read the description of it, and the description coupled with the actual game Dragon Age, led me to believe it would be much more than a dungeon crawl. I guess what I should've done is been cynical and assumed it was crap, because DLC is ALWAYS crap not worth buying, and gone and researched whether my assumptions were right or not.

[soteria]

Because I could buy their "extra" content. But I have to pay for the right to buy extra stuff? Makes sense to me!

It makes sense to me, too. It encourages players to buy games new--I paid thirty some dollars for ME2 and got Firewalker, Zaeed, and a few other pieces of content free. It's funny that you say you'll never buy a *new* copy of a Bioware game again, considering that two out of three bad experiences you mention come from buying used.

[Melca36]

I have no problem with the cost of the DLC.



Every little bit enhances the game. I'd rather spend money on that then waste it on something else that offers no re-playability.

[Rhys Cordelle]

I don't understand the complaints about DLC costs. $5 bucks for RtO? You're complaining about 5 bucks? There are not many ways you can spend $5 bucks and get 2 to 3 hours of good entertainment (and that's 2-3 hours PER CHARACTER)

I'm in NZ and our currency isn't worth as much as Australian dollars. Wardens Keep cost me $10, so must have been more like $9 australian, rather than the previously quoted $11.

For me to see a movie it's $18. I sat through Clash of the Titans and all I could think was, "I could have bought Return to Ostagar AND Wardens Keep for this price".

People need to realize that Bioware aren't gonna keep adding content if it's not financially viable. Either you buy it and enjoy it, or you choose not to. But I don't see reason to complain about it.

Modifié par Rhys Cordelle, 10 juin 2010 - 09:03 .

[AlanC9]

simonsteele wrote...

Because I could buy their "extra" content. But I have to pay for the right to buy extra stuff? Makes sense to me!

If you're willing to pay, then what's the problem?

And I looked into Return to Ostagar. I read the description of it, and the description coupled with the actual game Dragon Age, led me to believe it would be much more than a dungeon crawl.

I'm confused. What part of the RtO description led you to believe that there would be more? What kind of more were you expecting?

[Rhys Cordelle]

This, and only this, is what Return to Ostagar promises:



* Return to the battlefields of Ostagar, now thick with darkspawn encamped amidst the snow.

* Reclaim the lost arms and armor of a king

* Have a second chance to add Dog to your party



If you expected more, that's not a failing of Biowares.

[Gecon]

David Gaider wrote...

[...] As to the rest of the DLC, it is not free because we are not a charity. [...]

I vote for DLCs being sold because you found idiots who buy them, despite their many obvious flaws, such as needing a working internet connection to run them.

Any reasonable person will demand real addons, like Awakening.

[soteria]

Er, you don't need a working internet connection to use DLC--only to download it. I routinely play without logging in to my profile or even connected to the internet--sometimes I get a warning that claims I need to log in, but I just ignore it.

[Rhys Cordelle]

Gecon wrote...

David Gaider wrote...

[...] As to the rest of the DLC, it is not free because we are not a charity. [...]

I vote for DLCs being sold because you found idiots who buy them, despite their many obvious flaws, such as needing a working internet connection to run them.

Any reasonable person will demand real addons, like Awakening.

No you don't. I have all the DLC and half the time I'm playing offline.

Awakening isn't an addon, it's an almost entirely seperate campaign.

[Melca36]

Rhys Cordelle wrote...

I don't understand the complaints about DLC costs. $5 bucks for RtO? You're complaining about 5 bucks? There are not many ways you can spend $5 bucks and get 2 to 3 hours of good entertainment (and that's 2-3 hours PER CHARACTER)

I'm in NZ and our currency isn't worth as much as Australian dollars. Wardens Keep cost me $10, so must have been more like $9 australian, rather than the previously quoted $11.

For me to see a movie it's $18. I sat through Clash of the Titans and all I could think was, "I could have bought Return to Ostagar AND Wardens Keep for this price".

People need to realize that Bioware aren't gonna keep adding content if it's not financially viable. Either you buy it and enjoy it, or you choose not to. But I don't see reason to complain about it.

Exactly!

I would gladly pay for more than DLC then waste the same amount on a subpar movie. 

[WhyIsThisNecessary]

Return to Ostagar was never "2 to 3 hours".

[Bryy_Miller]

saxford wrote...

AmstradHero wrote...

Let's say you have: Origins ($22), Awakening ($18), Warden's Keep ($7), Return to Ostagar ($7), Darkspawn Chronicles ($7).
You paid $61 for your "complete" Dragon Age experience. (I'm not going to include the gift packs)

I have Origins CE ($120 and not even with a tin case and cloth map because I unknowingly bought my copy from the "wrong chain"), Awakening ($50), Warden's Keep ($11).
I paid $181 for less Dragon Age than you have.

Any time anyone complains about the price that they are paying for games, think of your nearest friendly Australian. You can pretty much be guaranteed that they'll be paying more than you are. Also, games do not drop in price here over time like they do pretty much everywhere else.  We're still expected to pay full price for a game several years after its release

All that said, sometimes, like with Dragon Age, I can still say "it was TOTALLY worth it")

My country is undevelop country.
Average income (including me) in my country pretty low to compare with USA or CANNADA.

My income is $3.5 per day. if i want to buy dlc that worth $7, I got to use 2 days money.

No offense, but maybe you should not be buying video games.

[aaniadyen]

AmstradHero wrote...

Let's say you have: Origins ($22), Awakening ($18), Warden's Keep ($7), Return to Ostagar ($7), Darkspawn Chronicles ($7).
You paid $61 for your "complete" Dragon Age experience. (I'm not going to include the gift packs)

I have Origins CE ($120 and not even with a tin case and cloth map because I unknowingly bought my copy from the "wrong chain"), Awakening ($50), Warden's Keep ($11).
I paid $181 for less Dragon Age than you have.

Any time anyone complains about the price that they are paying for games, think of your nearest friendly Australian. You can pretty much be guaranteed that they'll be paying more than you are. Also, games do not drop in price here over time like they do pretty much everywhere else.  We're still expected to pay full price for a game several years after its release

All that said, sometimes, like with Dragon Age, I can still say "it was TOTALLY worth it")

Tali referrence ftw!

[WilliamShatner]

The real answer is that some companies like to reward the fans who support them, while other companies like to milk every last dollar they can from them.



The last time I checked Valve is not a charity but a pretty successful game company and they have always provided free post release content, including complete redos of their game engines, to their fans.

[Rhys Cordelle]

Well that's very good of them to do that, but it's unrealistic to expect that from all game companies.



Considering that Bioware have released the toolset for games like Dragon Age and Neverwinter Nights, for free I might add, they have given us the opportunity to make their games what we want them to be, and to find as much content as our hearts desire from the community. Neverwinter Nights 1 has provided me with 9 years of entertainment, which is better value than I've gotten out of absolutely any product I have ever purchased in my life, so I take issue with anyone who would claim that Bioware don't reward their fans.

[simonsteele]

Bryy_Miller wrote...



No offense, but maybe you should not be buying video games.

Not your place to make a judgment about what that person does with their disposable income. Ever since my son got cancer I've found every single freakin' penny counts.

I've seen people ask "what else did you expect?" I don't know. Good writing? Character development? Something interesting to happen instead of killing the same enemies in a different battlefield for a suit of armor that looks like every other suit of armor.

Bioware seems to kind of suck. I never was into the whole Baldur's Gate thing when they were big, recently tried them and was pretty underwhelmed. All the promised humor and deep character interaction seemed pretty superficial to me. Planescape which I also recently played was much better. And though I love Mass Effect 2, I'm struggling to see much in the quality RPG department. How they gained a reputation as a great RPG company is baffling. Bethesda is far better just with Morrowind alone. Of course it does have Fallout 3 and Oblivion dragging it down now too. Everything is about how to suck extra money out of gamers. Games are 60 bucks now. That is a ridiculous amount to pay, and I love gaming so I do it. Then I find incomplete games with downloadable content offered the DAY OF RELEASE!

It's only going to get worse. People have bad reactions to this because we're looking ahead at how this is going to work. Is it unfair now? Not really, just greedy I guess. But it'll get completely out of control in the near future. Especially obvious by how these companies are getting pissed they can't gain profit off a copy of a game they already sold.

Edit: I just think of how the company that made the Witcher did it. They released their game and then found huge ways to improve it. So what did they do? They offered a gigantic downloadable patch, bigger than most of Dragon Ages little DLCs combined, and they offered it for free if you already bought the game. That is a company that has earned my loyalty. They want to make great games for us, not just cash.

It's too bad, I see so much good in games like Dragon Age and Mass Effect. It's too bad the people behind it seem to be a bunch of jerks.

Modifié par simonsteele, 11 juin 2010 - 04:35 .

[ObserverStatus]

Is Bioware not entitled to the sweat of it's brow?

No, says the cynical gamer, it belongs on the disk.

[Rhys Cordelle]

It's not viable for them to have the writers produce a detailed script for the dlc, and then get all the voice actors back to read a few lines (they can't just pay them for an hours work either), and then charge 5 bucks for the finished product. If that's the kind of thing the community expects then they'll either have to be prepared to pay significantly more for it, or give up on DLC altogether.



Calling them names just because the DLC doesn't cater to your particular preferences is hardly fair.



Keep in mind that Bioware may not be making all of the decisions that you aren't happy with either. They have to deal with EA too.

[Iliumdawson]

considering each piece of DLC is only about $5

I would say there really is not a lot to complain about.

if you feel the DLC is not worth the money then dont buy it. I consider myself to be a Bioware fanboy and personally bought every piece of Dragon Age: Origins DLC even the feastday gifts and pranks. ( which I feel is totally worth it for the Butterfly Sword lol)

anyways my point is all companies are created with the intention of making money Bioware is no different. I am incredibly pleased with Bioware personally. The games they have come out with are all fantastic titles I am proud to have in my collection. Bioware is one of the few companys that actually cares what the fans think and I am very grateful for that.

I personally will continue to buy DAO DLC.