8 réponses à ce sujet

[Fast Jimmy]

Hello BSN.

There has been recently a lot of discussion about DLC and how that fits into the Bioware model and how players like or don't like it.

One portion of discussion that has been brought up many times is that DLC events/stories/characters don't ever get much recognition in future sequels. Looking at Zaeed or Katsumi's roles in ME3 could be some good examples - with ME3 giving not a ton of attention to any of the ME2 companions, the DLC companions got the worst of it. 

But, since a majority of the fanbase doesn't pay for premium DLCs, how could the Bioware team be expected to create content that most players never saw? Its a hard argument to make, saying to create content based on imported information from DLC stories, when there aren't usually enough resources to go around to give references to prevoius game's choices/characters/stories.

But, what if more people played the DLC content? In fact, what if a majority of people got to play the DLC content? That would be a much better case to assume players are familiar with the stories presented there. But how do you get more people to buy DLC?

Answer: You don't. 

How about DLC for the previous game is released free shortly before the sequel comes out?

This shouldn't hurt sales, since its usually a year or so from the last DLC coming out before the sequel is released (excluding With Hunt and DA2, but even then that was around 6-8 months before). Most DLC sales happen within the first month anyway, so any significant amount of time later won't be a dent to the DLC sales. 

This way, you spark interest in your series again. How many people say "Its getting close to release day! I'm going to replay the last game in the Bioware series to make sure my character is exactly the way I want them!"? A lot. Would it not be a huge fan morale booster to have all the DLC (which they may have not purchased prior) to play? Would it not be a better use of the story content Bioware has already created, instead of having that content more or less ignored (or watched on YouTube)?

I know there are obvious financial concerns to take into consideration, such as the fact that PSN and XBL charge for downloads. But if this could be incorporated in as part of a Marketing initiative, to spark interest in the series again and promote the upcoming sequel, I don't think it would burn a huge hole in Bioware's pocket.


What say you guys? Do you think Bioware giving 1 year+ old DLC would help sell sequels?

[naughty99]

It can be fun to replay the previous game just before a sequel is released, but I feel the concept of a save import feature is flawed on a basic level.

In my view it makes more sense and would be more transparent to simply include a short optional questionnaire about your character's background, or some broad strokes historical events based on choices you might have made if you played the previous game.

That would help to make it abundantly clear that all the data tracked in your old save is not going to be reflected in the sequel. Many players get the impression that importing allows you to directly continue your previous character's save game, and unfortunately this leads to a lot of people being upset that some dialogue option X doesn't reflect their choice in the previous game to save a particular NPC, or an NPC that was dead is now resurrected, etc.

I've never played a game with save importing that provided for reflecting anything more than a few basic broad strokes decisions from the previous game.

As for free DLC, I'd be happy if EA just made it a simpler process to even buy the DLC on Origin. I bought DA2 on Steam and was considering purchasing Legacy or Mark of the Assassin, but it never appeared in the Steam store. I checked with EA support was told I needed to install Origin and transfer my product key to download the game again. Still wasn't able to buy DLC and was then told it is not even sold on Origin, you must buy something called "Bioware points" from a different website in order to trade points for the DA2 DLC. At that point I gave up trying. 

I don't think EA will ever release the $9.99 DLC for free, but I hope they take a cue from Steam and start offering some deep discount DLC sales. I have purchased a number of DLC for AAA games on Steam for $1.99 or so during special sales promotions.

Modifié par naughty99, 06 décembre 2012 - 03:32 .

[Fast Jimmy]

Trust me, sir. You aren't just preaching to the choir on that one... you're preaching to the prophet.


That being said, save import implications aside... do you think that previous sequel DLC would be a good idea, just for the purpose of rekindling interested and gaining fan support?

Basically, it would be like putting out a Game of the Year edition, except you wouldn't be required to buy the copy new. You'd just get all of the DLC without paying more. Again, far after the DLC's selling prime time is over.

[naughty99]

Yes, free DLC would be great, but it seems to be completely contradictory to EA's pricing strategy for DLC (which seems to be "keep selling all DLC at full price forever").

Modifié par naughty99, 06 décembre 2012 - 03:15 .

[slimgrin]

naughty99 wrote...

It can be fun to replay the previous game just before a sequel is released, but I feel the concept of a save import feature is flawed on a basic level.

This should be on a plaque in every developer's studio.

[Maria Caliban]

naughty99 wrote...

Yes, free DLC would be great, but it seems to be completely contradictory to EA's pricing strategy for DLC (which seems to be "keep selling all DLC at full price forever").

ME 3 has five free DLC.

[naughty99]

Maria Caliban wrote...

naughty99 wrote...

Yes, free DLC would be great, but it seems to be completely contradictory to EA's pricing strategy for DLC (which seems to be "keep selling all DLC at full price forever").

ME 3 has five free DLC.

Sorry, I suppose I meant to say  "keep selling all $10 DLC at full price forever"

I buy about 2 or 3 games at full price per year and the rest I usually wait until the GOTY version is on sale with all the DLC for less than $10.

In the case of DA2 and ME3, I was happy to pay $60 for the base game, but I don't feel comfortable paying $10 for add-on content that consists of a short linear mission lasting only a couple hours. For example, I regretted buying the Zaeed and Kasumi DLC at full price. If the DA2 or ME3 DLC were on sale next year for around $1.99 - 2.49 each, however, I would be eager to buy. We are approaching 2 years since DA2's release date and to my knowledge, this DLC has not yet gone on sale even once.

To speak to what Fast Jimmy was talking about, any kind of sales promotion involving the previous game or DLC for another game in the franchise definitely helps to raise the profile at the time of the sequel's launch. Let's say the DA2 DLC goes on sale at the time of DA3's launch, I think it would help to generate some additional awareness. 

Modifié par naughty99, 06 décembre 2012 - 03:41 .

[Dominus]

Hello BSN.

"Greetings."

How about DLC for the previous game is released free shortly before the sequel comes out?

I've seen far more ludicrous giveaways from BioWare: If I recall, Mass Effect 2 was literally being handed out to those who'd bought Dragon Age 2 due to the Post-Launch backlash. I can't say exactly how/what Electronic Arts would think on it.

I would hypothesize within their eyes, that DLC scheme would be more reasonable compared to CDProjekt Red's DLC Philosophy. If they're releasing this far after Game-Of-The-Year editions and the like, the idea is plausible to succeed.

Modifié par DominusVita, 06 décembre 2012 - 03:44 .

[Fast Jimmy]

Maria Caliban wrote...

naughty99 wrote...

Yes, free DLC would be great, but it seems to be completely contradictory to EA's pricing strategy for DLC (which seems to be "keep selling all DLC at full price forever").

ME 3 has five free DLC.

To be fair to the argument, those WERE full price. They were never charged for in the first place. 

Bioware or EA (whichever part of the organization that seems to determine DLC pricing) has a habit of setting a DLC price and never changing it. 


And... not to sound cynical... but those five free DLCs were predominantly MP DLCs. Which work to foster the MP gameplay, which, in turn, results in higher rate of microtransactions at the ME3 MP store. Besides, these MP DLC's have almost zilch effect on the story of the games. Is anyone who played Retalliation worried that their actions done in killing Horde mode opponents for dozens of hours won't be properly reflect in ME4? I would doubt it.

The one free SP/Story DLC was the Extended Cut. And, as shallow as some might claim, it still has some elements that may have to be accounted for in a sequel to Mass Effect outside of what was shown in the Original Cut alone. But the DLC is already free, so the only barriers that prevent a player from seeing that content are their access to the internet and their own actions, neither of which Bioware can control.

A good example would be Leviathan. The creators of the Reapers - huge, mind controlling creatures that are immortal and once ruled the galaxy are discovered and conversed with. Would their presence not be something that may be hinted or discussed in a future ME sequel? Yet two years from now, when ME4 may come out, the only people who will have played the DLC will likely be those who either paid full price for the DLC, or purchased a Game of the Year edition (since GameInformer just labeled ME3 as GOTY for 2012). 

Another example could be Legacy. A powerful character, Corypheus, is introduced as one of the most important pieces of lore yet... a former Magister who was actually present when entering the Black/Golden City. While deranged and dangerous, he could later fill in all sorts of answers about the Blight and Darkspawn, not to mention the nature of the Old Gods and the Maker, that no other character that we know of could. But only a percentage of players actually got that DLC and know the story presented there, so will it be like Witch Hunt, where the information and decisions presented within do not play into the sequel at all? 

Both of this seems like wasted story-telling, enforced only be economics. If you have stories that can get people to open their wallets after their initial purchase, but then not use those stories to their full potential is a waste of both Bioware's resources and of the consumer goodwill that players will see elements of a truly good story outside of the DLC alone.

Modifié par Fast Jimmy, 06 décembre 2012 - 12:12 .