4818 réponses à ce sujet

[TheFade]

Can't wait for this to come out Only 3 more days. It's a pity its so short but its only 400 ms points for the 360 so its worth it for more D.A.O goodness

[SleelofWpg]

[quote]xka wrote...

[quote]Maviarab wrote...

xka,

Enough with the crap about the poriginal cost and gave whatever ....its old news and cannot be compared in the same way.[/quote]

Crap?...we are discussing about if its cheap or not, and you say that economic and production arguments are crap?..go to see a doctor.

[quote]
It is cheap because over here in the UK, its half the price of watching a film, cheaper than a pizza, the price of a good coffee in a nice shop, 4 times less than some DVD's....[/quote]

And that is sometype of argument?. Hoy you can compare a DLC whith a produc like a pizza or movie or,... if you want to compare with something, my good, do it with THE ORIGINAL GAME. Tell me, if you say than a DLC like this is cheap comparing with pizzas, movie, ..or whatever you want, tell me, how much should cost the original game that gives you lets say 200  hours of fun?...300 €?, 400?

[/quote]

[quote]
get real, buy it, don't, but dont moan about cost (are you in America? Americans moan a lot about cost, when its one of the cheapest countries to live in, try living over in the UK; THEN moan about what things cost).
[/quote]

Don make me lauhg. I live in spain, going to cinema can cost you 5€, there is no diference because in spain, salaries ar lower..but this is irrelevant:

- Has DLC distribution costs like pyshical support?..the final vendor profit?, transport?..NO. Manuals?..NO
- Has DLC heavy programation changes is software?..NO
- Has DLC the necessary cost of the initial promotional campaing, when launching a new game?..NO.
- Has DLC the cost of desingn, graphics... of the original game?..NO.

BUT, we have a product that with so less cost than original game, cost in proportion is a lot a lot more

If you think that a DLC should be compared with other services (pizza, movies...) i think you are absolutely missed and mistaken. And i repeat, i respect anyone who want to buy it, but i say, dont joke me, dont sell me saying that is cheap..

[/quote]


Ya that's right. No hardware or physical support costs. Cause everyone knows that servers are free, and I bet they use a server farm that, of course, was free. And uses no electricity, and they don't have to pay for the bandwidth they have to have available worldwide to support downloads without choking. Go look up what an OC3 hookup costs, more then some cars. But ya, no costs involved with DLC. And the programmers did it out of the goodness of their hearts. Never mind rent on the bricks and mortar the peeps work in, or taxes, or payroll, or making the profits needed to fund development of the next game ignant podunks will **** about next.

  And if you need a new manual for DLC that uses the same interface described in the MANUAL when you bought the game........... pathetic comes to mind. Or Alzheimers if you need a new one to deal with a DLC.


 Or make a mod doing the exact same thing and find out how much fun programming actually is. 5 bucks is nothing.

  And yup, DLC CAN be compared to pizza, movies, DVD, whatever. A game is just another form of entertainment, another consumable bought by someone with ONE paycheque, not a fund for games or a fund for pizza.


  And just who was it holding a gun to your head forcing you to buy any DLC?


Sleel

[RinpocheSchnozberry]

Wolfwing0100 wrote...

Wow I can't believe he actually made this topic. I told him it would be a bad idea but, now

186 pages???

Seriously?

When this thread dies, the mods are going to have a party.

[Zoe Dedweth]

With Beer and Chicks.

[xka]

SleelofWpg wrote...


Ya that's right. No hardware or physical support costs. Cause everyone knows that servers are free, and I bet they use a server farm that, of course, was free. And uses no electricity, and they don't have to pay for the bandwidth they have to have available worldwide to support downloads without choking. Go look up what an OC3 hookup costs, more then some cars. But ya, no costs involved with DLC. And the programmers did it out of the goodness of their hearts. Never mind rent on the bricks and mortar the peeps work in, or taxes, or payroll, or making the profits needed to fund development of the next game ignant podunks will **** about next.

  And if you need a new manual for DLC that uses the same interface described in the MANUAL when you bought the game........... pathetic comes to mind. Or Alzheimers if you need a new one to deal with a DLC.


 Or make a mod doing the exact same thing and find out how much fun programming actually is. 5 bucks is nothing.

  And yup, DLC CAN be compared to pizza, movies, DVD, whatever. A game is just another form of entertainment, another consumable bought by someone with ONE paycheque, not a fund for games or a fund for pizza.


  And just who was it holding a gun to your head forcing you to buy any DLC?


Sleel

LOL and more LOL.
server cost?..instalattion cost?....how much money do you think this questions can cost to a company like bioware or EA?.. electricity?...man, you make me smile , you mean that this type of distribution need sometype of special infraestructure?...my god. Of course it has cost, ridicoulous cost for any bussiness, more for a "monster" like bioware-ea. Do you seriously think that these cost are comparable with distribution cost of phisical support (cd, dvd), final vendor....?.. I can only smile again man,.

You insist comparing this with a pizza or whaetever, you insist saying that its an enterteinment. A game, a DLC its a product.. We can be speaking about angel's sex all you want, but from a manufacturating point of view, analizing the product with the original game, counts fails..and that is BECAUSE ITS NOT CHEAP.

Want to buy?..ok, no problem. but dont lie. I repeat the same question, if you think dlc is cheap, how much should cost the original game, when you know easy a player can get 100-200 hours of gameplaying?

Of course, if a company sell a refresh for  20€, and people want to buy it, what can i say, i can only aplausse the company for that great bussines. I also would do and if can, sell at 50 €. The only thing im asking for, is not liying when saying.."ey man, that is cheap cheap".

Lets see.. 10 DLC, at 6€ for example (a media), would be 60 €. If each one gives you 1 hour of gameplay, you will have 10 hours of fun, more expensive that all the original game, with its physical DVD, box.....ey man, its sooooooooo cheap.

Im going to call pizzahut, i think they are selling too "cheap" its products.

Modifié par xka, 03 janvier 2010 - 12:23 .

[Torias]

Since you're so concerned about costs of production:
1) How many hours of programmer time do you think this took to create.
2) How many hours of voice over actor time to do you think this took to create.
3) How many hours of artist time do you think this took to create.
4) How many hours of writer time do think this took to create.
5) How many hours of programmer and artist time do you think the whole DLC mechanism took to create, and what proportion of that investment needs to be recouped by this particular DLC (that investment has to be recouped over multiple DLCs, since it's so large).
6) How much do you think (on average) a programmer, writer, artist and voice actor gets paid per hour?
7) What percentage Return On Investment is required to make this a profitable and appropriate use of their talented staff.

That gives you the amount of revenue they need to earn in order to justify doing this.

The vast majority of the cost base is "Fixed", the creative costs. That's the same for both full games and DLC.
That fixed cost must be recouped by estimating the number of sales and
setting a price point that will bring in enough revenue to cover the
cost and provide acceptable levels of return on invement.

The final question is how many copies of Return to Ostagar do you guess they will sell at each price point (ie, how elastic is the demand curve). Keep in mind that DLC only sells a fraction of the volume of the main game. That's the reason for the $ per hour discrepency between DLC and full games, full games have a much larger audience and sell a much larger volume of copies.

If every person who bought DAO was absolutely definitely going to buy the DLC, then they could afford to release it at a cheaper price, at a similar dollar per hour ratio. But, that isn't going to happen. What proportion of the DAO customer base do you think will buy this DLC? If 20% of the customer base buy it, that means that the dollar per hour ratio might need to be five times higher than the ratio of the full game.

Modifié par Torias, 03 janvier 2010 - 12:42 .

[dark momba]

ok every one this dlc comes out on tuesday so stop your ****ing this forum is 187 pages of complaining im tired of all of you ****ing the price is to much its an hour read what i said in earler post and think of what torias said so if you all are not gona spend 5 dollars on it dont write anything and dont write what your gona do we dont care dont say im not buying it, dont say its an hour long we no so shut the **** up god the Moderators are probably like why did we start this forum but until this forum started i never realized how much people **** at nothing

[Sidney]

xka wrote...

Want to buy?..ok, no problem. but dont lie. I repeat the same question, if you think dlc is cheap, how much should cost the original game, when you know easy a player can get 100-200 hours of gameplaying?

You don't compare the total hours and if you do why not look at it like you got a crazy good bargain on the real game as opposed to getting ripped on the dlc. People, plenty of them, will buy games that are 8-10 hours worth of game for $50-$60. Really a 20 hour game is doing well so 60-100 hours is a great value - and that is why I love these games. Still, compared to a L4D or MW2 the cost of an hour there is roughtly the same if 1 DLC cost around $5-$7. Maybe you don't play "short games" but the pricing model certainly is not out of line with normal pricing in the industry,

The real problem with your argument is if you assume the game = 100 hours of gameplay and the game costs 60USD that means that the game costs 60 cents per hour. Does it even make sense to the "I'm entitled" crowd that you could do anything for $0.60 because by your logic anything over that price is taking us for a ride.

[GregorLightbringer]

dark momba wrote...

ok every one this dlc comes out on tuesday so stop your ****ing this forum is 187 pages of complaining im tired of all of you ****ing the price is to much its an hour read what i said in earler post and think of what torias said so if you all are not gona spend 5 dollars on it dont write anything and dont write what your gona do we dont care dont say im not buying it, dont say its an hour long we no so shut the **** up god the Moderators are probably like why did we start this forum but until this forum started i never realized how much people **** at nothing

Hmmm.......think on this: How long does it take the Bioware to make the DLC?  It probably takes longer than one would think since it has to be debuged and new textures and such.

[sirchet]

No matter what you sell, at what price ... there will always be folks who will expect you to justify the price.



Even if it IS truly the best, most appropriate and fair price ever to be revealed for that specific product type.



Face it, some of us just like to complain.

[ozenglish]

Torias wrote...

Since you're so concerned about costs of production:
1) How many hours of programmer time do you think this took to create.
2) How many hours of voice over actor time to do you think this took to create.
3) How many hours of artist time do you think this took to create.
4) How many hours of writer time do think this took to create.
5) How many hours of programmer and artist time do you think the whole DLC mechanism took to create, and what proportion of that investment needs to be recouped by this particular DLC (that investment has to be recouped over multiple DLCs, since it's so large).
6) How much do you think (on average) a programmer, writer, artist and voice actor gets paid per hour?
7) What percentage Return On Investment is required to make this a profitable and appropriate use of their talented staff.

That gives you the amount of revenue they need to earn in order to justify doing this.

The vast majority of the cost base is "Fixed", the creative costs. That's the same for both full games and DLC.
That fixed cost must be recouped by estimating the number of sales and
setting a price point that will bring in enough revenue to cover the
cost and provide acceptable levels of return on invement.

The final question is how many copies of Return to Ostagar do you guess they will sell at each price point (ie, how elastic is the demand curve). Keep in mind that DLC only sells a fraction of the volume of the main game. That's the reason for the $ per hour discrepency between DLC and full games, full games have a much larger audience and sell a much larger volume of copies.

If every person who bought DAO was absolutely definitely going to buy the DLC, then they could afford to release it at a cheaper price, at a similar dollar per hour ratio. But, that isn't going to happen. What proportion of the DAO customer base do you think will buy this DLC? If 20% of the customer base buy it, that means that the dollar per hour ratio might need to be five times higher than the ratio of the full game.

So Torias hands the slap down, now the thing is, how many people are going to read this logic, and then cut the argument to shreds, because they are going to use their own perceived logic, and not the logic of actualy M-A-R-K-E-T-I-N-G. Whic, even in communist countries, still try and be above the cost of production.

Thanks Torias for an explaination, I just feel that it is in vain for the majority of people on here. I get the feeling that I will be like Momba soon, and writing a rant, and telling people off. Tuesday is not close enough for me, but you can certainly count me in as a fraction of that 20% that will be downloading it. Mind you, I will be getting the CE copy on PC next year as well lol, so do I get a gold star for owning it on more than one platform? LOL.

[ozenglish]

dark momba wrote...

ok every one this dlc comes out on tuesday so stop your ****ing this forum is 187 pages of complaining im tired of all of you ****ing the price is to much its an hour read what i said in earler post and think of what torias said so if you all are not gona spend 5 dollars on it dont write anything and dont write what your gona do we dont care dont say im not buying it, dont say its an hour long we no so shut the **** up god the Moderators are probably like why did we start this forum but until this forum started i never realized how much people **** at nothing

Do you need a soothing cup of Earl Grey Tea? I totally understand how much the griping on this thread is irritating. But it is like watching some of the morons that come into my store, you watch, and think wow, people are like that? I had to appologize to my girlfriend because of this thread. I would give her a hard time about reading Fanfiction, then I started reading this thread, and then the forum itself.

Ok people, now don't make anyone else snap, there are only T-H-R-E-E (3) Trois, drei, , trzy, tres, san, sam, days. Now if I have left out your language here, please fill in a request form located somewhere in the universe.

[What a Twist]

Torias wrote...

Since you're so concerned about costs of production:
1) How many hours of programmer time do you think this took to create.
2) How many hours of voice over actor time to do you think this took to create.
3) How many hours of artist time do you think this took to create.
4) How many hours of writer time do think this took to create.
5) How many hours of programmer and artist time do you think the whole DLC mechanism took to create, and what proportion of that investment needs to be recouped by this particular DLC (that investment has to be recouped over multiple DLCs, since it's so large).
6) How much do you think (on average) a programmer, writer, artist and voice actor gets paid per hour?
7) What percentage Return On Investment is required to make this a profitable and appropriate use of their talented staff.

That gives you the amount of revenue they need to earn in order to justify doing this.

The vast majority of the cost base is "Fixed", the creative costs. That's the same for both full games and DLC.
That fixed cost must be recouped by estimating the number of sales and
setting a price point that will bring in enough revenue to cover the
cost and provide acceptable levels of return on invement.

The final question is how many copies of Return to Ostagar do you guess they will sell at each price point (ie, how elastic is the demand curve). Keep in mind that DLC only sells a fraction of the volume of the main game. That's the reason for the $ per hour discrepency between DLC and full games, full games have a much larger audience and sell a much larger volume of copies.

If every person who bought DAO was absolutely definitely going to buy the DLC, then they could afford to release it at a cheaper price, at a similar dollar per hour ratio. But, that isn't going to happen. What proportion of the DAO customer base do you think will buy this DLC? If 20% of the customer base buy it, that means that the dollar per hour ratio might need to be five times higher than the ratio of the full game.

I'd pay 10$ for it. I pay 2-3 for a cup of coffee that lasts me 10 minutes, this lasts an hour and I can use this as many times as I want. Same rule goes for a 2 hour movie for 12$ ... you only watch it 1 time. <_<

[Dahelia]

What a Twist wrote...

Torias wrote...

Since you're so concerned about costs of production:
1) How many hours of programmer time do you think this took to create.
2) How many hours of voice over actor time to do you think this took to create.
3) How many hours of artist time do you think this took to create.
4) How many hours of writer time do think this took to create.
5) How many hours of programmer and artist time do you think the whole DLC mechanism took to create, and what proportion of that investment needs to be recouped by this particular DLC (that investment has to be recouped over multiple DLCs, since it's so large).
6) How much do you think (on average) a programmer, writer, artist and voice actor gets paid per hour?
7) What percentage Return On Investment is required to make this a profitable and appropriate use of their talented staff.

That gives you the amount of revenue they need to earn in order to justify doing this.

The vast majority of the cost base is "Fixed", the creative costs. That's the same for both full games and DLC.
That fixed cost must be recouped by estimating the number of sales and
setting a price point that will bring in enough revenue to cover the
cost and provide acceptable levels of return on invement.

The final question is how many copies of Return to Ostagar do you guess they will sell at each price point (ie, how elastic is the demand curve). Keep in mind that DLC only sells a fraction of the volume of the main game. That's the reason for the $ per hour discrepency between DLC and full games, full games have a much larger audience and sell a much larger volume of copies.

If every person who bought DAO was absolutely definitely going to buy the DLC, then they could afford to release it at a cheaper price, at a similar dollar per hour ratio. But, that isn't going to happen. What proportion of the DAO customer base do you think will buy this DLC? If 20% of the customer base buy it, that means that the dollar per hour ratio might need to be five times higher than the ratio of the full game.

I'd pay 10$ for it. I pay 2-3 for a cup of coffee that lasts me 10 minutes, this lasts an hour and I can use this as many times as I want. Same rule goes for a 2 hour movie for 12$ ... you only watch it 1 time. <_<

Most people would spend 8-12 dollars on a cup of coffee that lasts them 10 minutes...and they complain about a DLC...wow....as for the movies...lol people don't think about that either. It will never stop the petty fighting though.

[darkshadow136]

Torias wrote...

Since you're so concerned about costs of production:
1) How many hours of programmer time do you think this took to create.
2) How many hours of voice over actor time to do you think this took to create.
3) How many hours of artist time do you think this took to create.
4) How many hours of writer time do think this took to create.
5) How many hours of programmer and artist time do you think the whole DLC mechanism took to create, and what proportion of that investment needs to be recouped by this particular DLC (that investment has to be recouped over multiple DLCs, since it's so large).
6) How much do you think (on average) a programmer, writer, artist and voice actor gets paid per hour?
7) What percentage Return On Investment is required to make this a profitable and appropriate use of their talented staff.

That gives you the amount of revenue they need to earn in order to justify doing this.

The vast majority of the cost base is "Fixed", the creative costs. That's the same for both full games and DLC.
That fixed cost must be recouped by estimating the number of sales and
setting a price point that will bring in enough revenue to cover the
cost and provide acceptable levels of return on invement.

The final question is how many copies of Return to Ostagar do you guess they will sell at each price point (ie, how elastic is the demand curve). Keep in mind that DLC only sells a fraction of the volume of the main game. That's the reason for the $ per hour discrepency between DLC and full games, full games have a much larger audience and sell a much larger volume of copies.

If every person who bought DAO was absolutely definitely going to buy the DLC, then they could afford to release it at a cheaper price, at a similar dollar per hour ratio. But, that isn't going to happen. What proportion of the DAO customer base do you think will buy this DLC? If 20% of the customer base buy it, that means that the dollar per hour ratio might need to be five times higher than the ratio of the full game.

I may not have always agreed with you Torias but I do respect Logic
I hope everyone else that is complaining about the lack of the $1 discount reads this, and I'm sure there will be full expansions for this game when the time comes. We have a release date for PC and X-box 360 now of January 5th which is only 2 days away now. Let's just be happy and start the new year out right.

I was just happy to get the new release date and info for this DLC the $5 cost was never really an issue for me. Happy new year everyone.

[xka]

Torias wrote...

Since you're so concerned about costs of production:
1) How many hours of programmer time do you think this took to create.
2) How many hours of voice over actor time to do you think this took to create.
3) How many hours of artist time do you think this took to create.
4) How many hours of writer time do think this took to create.
5) How many hours of programmer and artist time do you think the whole DLC mechanism took to create, and what proportion of that investment needs to be recouped by this particular DLC (that investment has to be recouped over multiple DLCs, since it's so large).
6) How much do you think (on average) a programmer, writer, artist and voice actor gets paid per hour?
7) What percentage Return On Investment is required to make this a profitable and appropriate use of their talented staff.

That gives you the amount of revenue they need to earn in order to justify doing this.

The vast majority of the cost base is "Fixed", the creative costs. That's the same for both full games and DLC.
That fixed cost must be recouped by estimating the number of sales and
setting a price point that will bring in enough revenue to cover the
cost and provide acceptable levels of return on invement.

The final question is how many copies of Return to Ostagar do you guess they will sell at each price point (ie, how elastic is the demand curve). Keep in mind that DLC only sells a fraction of the volume of the main game. That's the reason for the $ per hour discrepency between DLC and full games, full games have a much larger audience and sell a much larger volume of copies.

If every person who bought DAO was absolutely definitely going to buy the DLC, then they could afford to release it at a cheaper price, at a similar dollar per hour ratio. But, that isn't going to happen. What proportion of the DAO customer base do you think will buy this DLC? If 20% of the customer base buy it, that means that the dollar per hour ratio might need to be five times higher than the ratio of the full game.

Torias, i can agree with the final  paragraph. Its clear that not everyone who has bought DAO, is going to buy he DLC, and obviously, EA-Bioware is a bussines and have to make cash, i also work for money. Bu t i have to repeat, i think comparations with a pizza, or with a coffe or a movie are, witlh all respects, irrational..

You cant compare a service, with a product., or a product of somekind, with another product of a very diferent somekind. If someone wants to fly in a little plane about 30 minutes, it could cost how much?..250-500€?..why not to compare with this service?.

Yo have done a good list of people involved but again i have to refer to the original game. When EA-Bioware maked DAO, i think they wanted to make money, not  charity, and i think they get it, and give all players a lot of diversion, a lot of hours, with a good price. Bur DLC?..i can be agree with you final disertion, but i have to ask that anyone sell me that is cheap, i cant be agree.  Im SURE, that in the DAO develoment, fixed cost, that DLC hasnt, were the mayor costs.

A DLC need programmer?, no doubt can be needed, but please, dont compare with the programmers, analysit, project managers....needed to make the core of the game, the motorgame and the huge history involved.

A DLC need writers, artist..?..no doubt, but why not to compare with the original game. We know almost all you will see come from DAO. And i have not doubt, that after ending DAO, developers had tons of material discarded, thinking to use in DLCs.

I mean, a dlc has cost, i have no doubt, but all we know that these cost, compared with DAO cost, are RIDICULOUS. I can undestand EA. Bioware works to make money, and i also can understand people who think and want  buy it , but, DONT tell me is cheap, no, no no, and i will say more; no.

Sidney wrote...

The real problem with your argument is
if you assume the game = 100 hours of gameplay and the game costs 60USD
that means that the game costs 60 cents per hour. Does it even make
sense to the "I'm entitled" crowd that you could do anything for $0.60
because by your logic anything over that price is taking us for a ride.

That you say is true, but im saying more things, because its very clear that DAO had a fixed costs, than any dlc hasnt, and i think that fixed cost were the mayor cost.

I would get dlc, but honestly, i cant pay 6 € for 1 hour game, because if i buy 10 dlc like this, i will have to look at me in  the mirror, and blush and think why the hell i have pay 60 € form 10 hours game..when i paid less for DAO.

Dlc its supposed is to get expansions to a game, at cheaper price. But if dont, shoulnt be better to make a lot of dlc,, gettin into a DVD and selling in a store?..im sure it would be cheaper.

Modifié par xka, 03 janvier 2010 - 09:31 .

[ICek81]

Well theres a lot people that bought DAO and didnt like it...

[wrathfuldeejamn]

is the download only for people that have beat the main story cause i havent yet and so i dont want to get it till i finish if that the case so let me know fast cause it comes out TUESDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Torias]

wrathfuldeejamn wrote...

is the download only for people that have beat the main story cause i havent yet and so i dont want to get it till i finish if that the case so let me know fast cause it comes out TUESDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!

No, you don't have to beat the main story before playing this DLC.

Once you get into the "main bit" of the game, you can access this DLC.

The "main bit" is where you suddenly have a choice of like 4 or 5 different places to visit.

[xka]

Dahelia wrote...

Most people would spend 8-12 dollars on a cup of coffee that lasts them 10 minutes...and they complain about a DLC...wow....as for the movies...lol people don't think about that either. It will never stop the petty fighting though.

Well, perhaps this is another problem. I never spent 8 $ for a coffe.
But, anyway, apart of the diferences between countries and salaries, my arguments are based in a simple comparation with the original product, with the DAO price.

Pd: in spain a cofee can cost you 1,5-3 €..normally.
pd 2: there is also people who spends 20€ in a 15 year old whisky and drinks it in  20 minutes..i dont know why to compare with a coffe and not with a old good whisky. Lets put the dlc to 20 € with this reason.

Modifié par xka, 03 janvier 2010 - 10:03 .

[Valcutio]

I'm really excited about the new DLC. Thanks for helping to keep PC gaming worth-while, Bioware. :-)

[Smoof Smoofy]

Fangirl17 wrote...

dark momba wrote...

ok one thing Rob Bartel started this forum to answer the owners of this game questions about this dlc and ask what we wanted to see in future dlc but in this forum the only thing you people half to say is that 5 dollars is to much its only an hour or shorter god you people are complete and total ass holes does the forum say state your mind about the price and be the biggest ass possible Rob Bartel was being honest and answering are questions but then you people gata complain about ****ing every thing its you buy it or you dont you dont wright nasty or annoying comments you dont half to say its to much money damn and if you have xbox why are you complaining every dlc even ones with less content cost 5 bucks you people are saying its unjust and your being robed you pay more for things that are worth less than this dlc and you finnish it quicker a sandwich at mc Donald's cost more than this dlc and what you finnish it in 5 minutes so stop complaining about 5 ****ing dollars its 5 ****ing dollars you pay it or you dont you get the dlc or you dont because of your ****ing they barley got to answer questions so next time dont fill a forum with your complaints god the people complaining about the price being unfair and bioware is corrupt for making you spend 5 dollars so i guess every place you ever gone to every store you ever been in every hotel you ever stayed at is corrupted because they charge you more for thing well thats life people make you pay more for thing all the time that how they make a living every one screws some one else to make money so stop complaining and deal with it

*claps* Thank you. Im so tired of people complaining about the price.

This is where you run into problems. 

Everyone is different financially, but everyone is the same when it comes to needs and wants.  You aren't paying 5 dollars for content, you are paying a lump sum for an investment into something enjoybale.  The game you got interested in, in the first place is roughly, a 60 dollar game.  If you made the intinital investment it is because it piqued your interest.  Human behavior shows that if something is enjoyable, then you will want more, and this is when developers take advantage of the consumer. 

 

[Smoof Smoofy]

ozenglish wrote...

Torias wrote...

Since you're so concerned about costs of production:
1) How many hours of programmer time do you think this took to create.
2) How many hours of voice over actor time to do you think this took to create.
3) How many hours of artist time do you think this took to create.
4) How many hours of writer time do think this took to create.
5) How many hours of programmer and artist time do you think the whole DLC mechanism took to create, and what proportion of that investment needs to be recouped by this particular DLC (that investment has to be recouped over multiple DLCs, since it's so large).
6) How much do you think (on average) a programmer, writer, artist and voice actor gets paid per hour?
7) What percentage Return On Investment is required to make this a profitable and appropriate use of their talented staff.

That gives you the amount of revenue they need to earn in order to justify doing this.

The vast majority of the cost base is "Fixed", the creative costs. That's the same for both full games and DLC.
That fixed cost must be recouped by estimating the number of sales and
setting a price point that will bring in enough revenue to cover the
cost and provide acceptable levels of return on invement.

The final question is how many copies of Return to Ostagar do you guess they will sell at each price point (ie, how elastic is the demand curve). Keep in mind that DLC only sells a fraction of the volume of the main game. That's the reason for the $ per hour discrepency between DLC and full games, full games have a much larger audience and sell a much larger volume of copies.

If every person who bought DAO was absolutely definitely going to buy the DLC, then they could afford to release it at a cheaper price, at a similar dollar per hour ratio. But, that isn't going to happen. What proportion of the DAO customer base do you think will buy this DLC? If 20% of the customer base buy it, that means that the dollar per hour ratio might need to be five times higher than the ratio of the full game.

So Torias hands the slap down, now the thing is, how many people are going to read this logic, and then cut the argument to shreds, because they are going to use their own perceived logic, and not the logic of actualy M-A-R-K-E-T-I-N-G. Whic, even in communist countries, still try and be above the cost of production.

Thanks Torias for an explaination, I just feel that it is in vain for the majority of people on here. I get the feeling that I will be like Momba soon, and writing a rant, and telling people off. Tuesday is not close enough for me, but you can certainly count me in as a fraction of that 20% that will be downloading it. Mind you, I will be getting the CE copy on PC next year as well lol, so do I get a gold star for owning it on more than one platform? LOL.

Have you ever modded anything before?  You know that shiny little toolset most developers release with a game, the one that allows the community to mod levels?  It is the same one they are using for DLC.  They create an accessble toolset which they use all the above mentioned people for and they build a game engine.  Now, since the engine is completed, all they have to do is hire new voice work, maybe new artists, and a new writer.  Like I said in a previous post, this so called effort can be done in a week. 

[Shotty The Shotgun]

Lots of pages...lots of stupid...time to simplify.



If you can't afford the DLC get a job, if your job isn't paying enough to spare $5 how in hell did you get the original game anyway?



The fact mods are still replying to this thread shows they at least care about their player base compared to other EA games.



Looking forward to bigger expansions myself however.