Sadly, we’re pasted the days where a game will work right out of the box. The ability to patch things has made game devs lazy.
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FTFY
Yeah, its a double edged sword.
Patchs on Ps3/360 used to cost publishers a ton of money, something like $10,000 iirc, this incentivised them to require as little patchs as possible, but hurt games which had regular content updates.
Now its much cheaper and easier since Microsoft and Sony have delibratly made the new systems easier to patch, so devs can add content without going bankrupt. Although this also means theres no real punishment for releasing a broken game and fixing it later.
Aside from negative publicity and potential lack of sales.
I don’t think it’s laziness on the developers’ part, I think it’s a combination of games becoming more complex and publishers not adhering to a realistic release schedule. Games have to be out now; and when they’re rushed, we get a less than perfect product. I like Blizzard’s motto: it’ll be out when it’s ready.
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They have 25 characters, but are all of those unlockable or are some going to be dlc?
In an interview with Battleborn Producer Chris Thomas was mentioned that all 25 characters are available from the start. They are not part of a DLC pack or free-2-play model. Battleborn is a full-price game just like Borderlands.
Thing is, all big modern games (Even some indie games) now need DLCs to survive. It’s not a “Publishers greed syndrome”… Well… part of it is, but a Publisher is about money anyway, it’s their jobs. And as long as they don’t go the Evil Associates way (Forgetting they are founding “Games”, not “Products”), i’m okay with it.
But with DLCs for Battleborn, they’ll have to carefully think about them. Because making characters DLCs, or PvP maps DLCs may be a bad idea, as i pointed out before.
Personally, the only thing they can do for DLCs are things that peoples want, but isn’t gameplay changing. Like…
-New campaign (PvE) pretty much like Borderlands extensions.
-New PvE modes (Survival mode, and stuff like that)
-SWAG stuff, like characters skins, weapons skins, voice packs or something and if there is an in-game profile maybe titles, and icons, this sort of things.
Any additional content for PvP (Maps, characters, skills, weapons, modes, whatever) have to be free updates.
Even if they are not thinking about making DLCs yet, i hope they already thought about how to. Because Battleborn’s DLCs might be a bit more tricky to do than Borderlands DLCs… well, if they don’t want peoples to complain, that is, hah.
And a quick note: They can also make Digital soundtracks, and Digital artbook DLCs on day one. Which i think they have never done before with their other games…? Can’t remember.
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It can work if done correctly. Evolve introduced DLC characters, some they didn’t like, others that were seen as a favorable improvement. I think if they do a lot of testing to make sure introducing the new character doesn’t upset the balance it can be done. Probably shouldn’t but it is doable. And let’s face it, if there is even a chance of there being more, players will want more.
These would be much better for any initial DLC, something to keep players invested, and speed runners occupied with.
Fact is there will always be complaints. Trick is to keep the moaning to frivolous details.
I think more characters would be great for the game as dlc. Borderlands was about loot and the best part of many of the dlcs was the loot it added. This game is about characters so bring them on.
More campaign map and missions as well.
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The pricing of characters really depends on how many they add. I didn’t $10 was a lot for a character in borderlands but that’s bc there were only a couple released. This game will probably have alot a characters added so $10 a piece is alot. But odds are they will have some sort of season pass that will get you most, if not all, of them for a cheaper price then buying them separate.
I also hope they focus on getting the game out and working properly before they start on dlc
I’m also with you on this maybe a 4 character pack for $10 or something like that.
You don’t have to worry about that, they have already said multiple times they don’t have any dlc plans yet.
Things with DLCs characters, is that Evolve didn’t had the same scope as Battleborn.
(Also, Evolve isn’t really what i’d call a good example to follow at all. Even more in terms of longevity and competitive play.)
In Battleborn there will be 25 characters that can all play against each others and counter each others in competitive games. Just adding one character have to be carefully thought to not completely unbalance the game, plus Meta change often, you may not see something coming and in the end, make a DLC character completely broken (In a way or another)
And this can completely blow in your face, because peoples paid to have it.
If it’s a free character, instead, it’s still unbalanced, but at least everyone have it. So… you still have to fix it, but at least you won’t get pointed at as a “greedy company exploiting peoples will to be better than another player”, or a “lazy one making a quick buck with a loosy, badly made character”. And bad publicity is not really good when you have competitors next door.
And actually, Evolve had the same problem, when peoples started to say Wraith was overpowered until you paid for the additional hunters, which were (supposed to be) better to take her out.
No matter many tests they run, there will be a problem with balancing. Games like this will need constantly balancing patches.
And for Evolve what hunters did you have to pay for to beat wraith? Bc the only ones you had to pay for were tier 4 (and now tier 5) and they were not targeted to make wraith easier to beat.
None actually, i didn’t said it was legit complain from peoples.
The game had just been released, but the Deluxe edition (Or the Monster Race… Or season pass, Don’t remember) had Wraith and four other hunters unlocked already (Bucket and co) and the “trend” was: Wraith is OP, and the only way to counter her was to use the Hunters you had to unlocks.
Deluxe edition (Or whatever) had them unlocked already, therefor, “Pay-to-win” ensued. Even if it’s not technically a DLC. That’s just how easy it is to fall into non-sense about pay-to-win.
Was kinda stupid, to be honest, as the game was new so most peoples didn’t even knew how to play the game and just pointed fingers in every directions for what was just lack of knowledge from players, or just bland sheep behaviour “He say it’s OP! I lost to it! It must be OP then!”.
And yeah, you can have as many testers as you want, it’s still nothing compared to the Hive mind that are the competitive players. Hell, even non-competitive players, i was there when peoples found the Roller-coaster exploit in Left 4 Dead 2… in Coop mode. Was fun.
Sadly, i know, yeah. But as you said, it’s just the difference between “a few” and an ongoing trend (Be it false or true).
Well I still feel there should be some DLC to increase replay-ability. I’m just hoping for more variety. Yeah I know, 25 is plenty variety but they make a universe where literally everything is crammed into one game world, it just has a lot of potential I would like to see.
Of course it should, i only meant it shouldn’t be paid DLCs when it comes to things who might change the Competitive aspect of the game, like new characters (In my opinion). Those should be free updates.
As much as that would be great, I HIGHLY doubt thats going to happen.
Creating a character takes a ton of time and resources, not only all the modeling/animation for the body, theres also all the abilities and the 20 skills from the Helix tree. Which ALL have to be bug tested and balanced.
We might get free maps, but I’ll be very surprised if we get free characters.
Hm, it’s not completely true. (Incoming big post)
I mean, yes it cost a bunch to make a new character (At least for a game like Battleborn)
But it’s not how making money work. Else Free-to-play titles would not exist at all, and so does patches and fixes.
Let’s say you make a game, peoples pay to play it, it’s well received. You make more money than you spent after all tax and servers and things (Including coffee bills)
You use this money to make more stuff, like fixes, of course, then… paid DLCs where you release 4 skins for 6 bucks once in a while. Some peoples buy it, some don’t, but you gain a steady amount of money, and since it’s just cosmetics, no one is bothered.
So come Christmas, you make a big update, new maps, new enemies, new weapons, new sounds, new voices, etc… and release it with a discount on your game (Steam, Amazon, whatever).
Cost a lot to make, but actually more peoples will buy the game. Thanks to both an update who please peoples who already own the game and talk well of it (Also, a bit of advertisement here and there) and make them keep playing, and the discount who may help peoples who were waiting for one (Steam Sale syndrome).
So even if the update is free, you will get money from peoples buying the game because your game is healthy, which in turn make more peoples who can buy paid DLCs.
And i’m not talking randomly here, i was talking about Killing Floor (By Tripwire, who now made a sequel, and also make Red Orchestra and now Rising Storm)
You use the money you gain from one thing to invest in another that will make you money again, directly (DLC) or not (Free update). You have to be smart to balance it, but i guess Gearbox and 2K know their stuff.
Note: This is why Free-to-play game have this tendencies to make a big updates once in a while instead of making small update every days: It’s more impressive, and it bring peoples in the game (And eventually pay for premium and stuff…) and keep peoples playing.
Of course this is if the game is well received and how you approach DLC and Free Update as a company (It’s taking risks, after all)
I’m not saying this is what they should do, or that it’s the best for both us and them, i’m just saying i hope they don’t take paid Characters DLCs in a competitive game lightly, and that Free Updates are possible.
But they are not into DLCs or Updates right now anyway, so i’ll just wait till the game is released and they start talking about it.
Well, BattlebornI keep typing BattleCry ;-; isn’t F2P (unfortunately) and is a 2k published GBX game so I wouldn’t get my hopes up for any good dlc practices.