Preorder and DLC items

[Hurlshort]

What staples are you talking about?

The inventory.

 

I've seen some games offer extra inventory space or options as DLC (namely MMO's) but not offering any inventory system? Has that happened? Developers aren't going to do anything that would significantly impact their initial sales, so lets drop the hyperbole.

[213374U]

What hyperbole are you talking about? ME2 shipped without an inventory system, and BIO has been selling DLC to compensate this, somewhat.

Edited February 5, 2011 by 213374U

[GreasyDogMeat]

Eh, only fools preorder or get the DLC outside of some gold edition type pack

After the trouble I went through with the ME2 preorder bonus I'd almost be inclined to agree with you.

[Thorton_AP]

What hyperbole are you talking about? ME2 shipped without an inventory system, and BIO has been selling DLC to compensate this, somewhat.

 

I haven't picked up any of the DLC for ME2. Is it actually an inventory, or just additional guns you can swap out (which did exist in ME2).

[Hurlshort]

What hyperbole are you talking about? ME2 shipped without an inventory system, and BIO has been selling DLC to compensate this, somewhat.

 

What are you talking about? ME2 didn't need an inventory system. They simplified the entire system. Thank goodness they did, the inventory system in ME1 was an utter wreck.

 

Do you understand that this is a personal preference, rather than cut content? Also, Bio has not released any DLC that changes the way the inventory system works, at least not to my knowledge. Are you referring to the release of DLC weapons packs? Who the heck cares that the game didn't ship with 20 different types of shotguns?

[Majek]

I care, that it didn't have 5 types of all weapons at least. Just like i hated it that Bioware didn't include more sword, dagger and other weapon models in DA:O and at the same time made if impossible to add them yourself.

[Rosbjerg]

I care, that it didn't have 5 types of all weapons at least. Just like i hated it that Bioware didn't include more sword, dagger and other weapon models in DA:O and at the same time made if impossible to add them yourself.

 

Yes, this was very disappointing - there are mods however, I just wish that they could've been as numerous as for Fallout. I couldn't imagine playing FO:NV without 20+ mods. Imagine that Bio had released the tools for the modders for ME and DA:O - yum! it would've been a feast..

[213374U]

What are you talking about? ME2 didn't need an inventory system. They simplified the entire system. Thank goodness they did, the inventory system in ME1 was an utter wreck.

 

Do you understand that this is a personal preference, rather than cut content? Also, Bio has not released any DLC that changes the way the inventory system works, at least not to my knowledge. Are you referring to the release of DLC weapons packs? Who the heck cares that the game didn't ship with 20 different types of shotguns?

Ah, of course. So they didn't cut stuff from the game, they "simplified" and "streamlined" it. Haha, whatever.

 

The inventory system worked just fine in ME1. You could change weapons and armor for Shep and the squad on the fly, without needing to find a stupid "weapons locker" that may or may not be available in the vicinity. Now you have a system with a much more limited amount of options because "the game didn't need 20 different shotguns", that results in stupid **** like getting a new weapon in a mission that is automagically equipped to all squadmates that can use it, regardless of whether you want to or not, squadmates getting into firefights in nothing but tattoos and a nipple suspender, and "ammo powers" in place of, you know, actual special abilities. Of course, an actual inventory system completely destroys the viability of micro DLC shenanigans that make give the player a bunch of ridiculously overpowered gear, and "alternate appearances" for squadmates, at the start of the game.

 

ME2 did a lot of things right and I like it much better than 1, but either the people shouting that EAWare killed the old Bio are right, or somebody somewhere thought that they weren't making as much money with NWN as they could with, say, Halo 3.

 

@Thorton_AP: Nope. Not an actual DLC that brings back the old inventory system. Just stuff that somewhat addresses the consequences of designing the game without one.

[Volourn]

ME2 is fine without an inventory. i'd prefer one but they didn't cut it nor did they bring an inventory abck through DLC. It still doens't have an inventory so your theory they used DLC to bring inventory back is bogus. It's a simple design decision. You dislike it. Big deal. There was no evil scheme here.

 

Also, ME2 did have an inventory system. It just wasn't your typical one. You don't like it. Too bad.

[Nepenthe]

I think the idea was to make a gear system that actually made sense, instead of having an invisible truckload of gear with you at all moments. I'm sure there is some logical money-grubbing problem with that concept, but it evades me.

[Malcador]

After the trouble I went through with the ME2 preorder bonus I'd almost be inclined to agree with you.

 

 

What trouble did you get ? I never bothered with any of the DLC, although I guess I should as I think all the ones worth getting are out now (maybe next Steam sale )

[213374U]

I think the idea was to make a gear system that actually made sense, instead of having an invisible truckload of gear with you at all moments. I'm sure there is some logical money-grubbing problem with that concept, but it evades me.

You think so? So, to do away with the silly traditional inventory, they ended up with a system where newly found weapons magically reproduce and equip themselves to your squad, where "weapons lockers" found around the game are in fact "weapons factories", and in which a rebreather (and nipple suspenders!) protects you from hard vacuum.

 

I think it's pretty inconsistent that "gameplay reasons and balance" are used to justify, for instance, the thermal clip fiasco, but that same excuse is no good to explain why characters can carry ridiculous loads. And I agree, ME1 could have done with about 50% of the variety it had, perhaps less. The differences between models IX and X of a weapon were negligible. That doesn't mean there's anything wrong with the system.

 

@Volo: cool story bro.

Edited February 5, 2011 by 213374U

[Hurlshort]

The point is the inventory change was a design decision, not something held back to sell later as dlc.

[213374U]

Yes... that much is obvious, and I actually acknowledge that if you read my post. What influenced that design decision, however? I don't know, and neither do you.

 

They are however capitalising on the shortcomings of that decision to sell cheap micro DLC.

Edited February 5, 2011 by 213374U

[Volourn]

What influenced it? Probably all the people - including me - who whined about how crappy the ME1 inventory was.

 

 

"They are however capitalising on the shortcomings of that decision to sell cheap micro DLC."

 

Nope. DA has an old fashion style invfentory yet it is selling weapons, and other items as DLC or part of DLCs and pre orders.

 

DLC is the new thing. They're gonan release DLC no matter the inventory system their games use.

[Orogun01]

What influenced it? Probably all the people - including me - who whined about how crappy the ME1 inventory was.

 

 

"They are however capitalising on the shortcomings of that decision to sell cheap micro DLC."

 

Nope. DA has an old fashion style invfentory yet it is selling weapons, and other items as DLC or part of DLCs and pre orders.

 

DLC is the new thing. They're gonan release DLC no matter the inventory system their games use.

Warden's Keep

Stone prisoner

Return to Ostagar

Not to mention all the campaigns.

Only the promotional Items and exclusive items.

Now compare that to ME2, which has 5 story related DLC and the rest is just weapons/armor packs.

[Volourn]

Read my post. read it again. Then one more time just to make sure. then come back, and maybe we'll chat. Until then, your lack of reading skill makes me .

[Nepenthe]

I think the idea was to make a gear system that actually made sense, instead of having an invisible truckload of gear with you at all moments. I'm sure there is some logical money-grubbing problem with that concept, but it evades me.

You think so? So, to do away with the silly traditional inventory, they ended up with a system where newly found weapons magically reproduce and equip themselves to your squad, where "weapons lockers" found around the game are in fact "weapons factories", and in which a rebreather (and nipple suspenders!) protects you from hard vacuum.

I didn't realise you could hear your guns in hard vacuum (and I probably think they wouldn't work, either). Curiously, the only time you're in a hard vacuum is at the beginning of the game, when neither of these things happens.

 

Yeah, they caught the silliness of the autocreating guns themselves, it's nice to see that it's explained in Kasumi.

[213374U]

I didn't realise you could hear your guns in hard vacuum (and I probably think they wouldn't work, either). Curiously, the only time you're in a hard vacuum is at the beginning of the game, when neither of these things happens.

You're exposed to a vacuum in both the derelict Reaper and the Collector cruiser. And there's at least one assignment that takes place on board a ship that has been venting atmosphere for who knows how long.

 

 

Yeah, they caught the silliness of the autocreating guns themselves, it's nice to see that it's explained in Kasumi.

What's this?

 

@Volo: proof please

[Hassat Hunter]

Another example (the same, since apparently it got overlooked).

 

No cache in DA. So they sell it in a DLC. On demand of players you say? How can they if it's a day 0 DLC.

Suspicious... not at ALL.

[GreasyDogMeat]

After the trouble I went through with the ME2 preorder bonus I'd almost be inclined to agree with you.

 

 

What trouble did you get ? I never bothered with any of the DLC, although I guess I should as I think all the ones worth getting are out now (maybe next Steam sale )

Most preorder dlc you get a code card that you enter on the 360, enter the code and you are good to go. This one required you go to EA's website, sign into an old account and link the 360 to your computer. Things went wrong and access was prevented for me and hundreds of others. Someone eventually found a work-around but it was a huge pain and I felt like an idiot for preordering the game. I wanted to just sit down and play my game but the first 3-4 hours were spent trying to get the damn bonuses to work.

[Hurlshort]

Another example (the same, since apparently it got overlooked).

 

No cache in DA. So they sell it in a DLC. On demand of players you say? How can they if it's a day 0 DLC.

Suspicious... not at ALL.

 

What cache are you talking about?

 

I'm not really a fanboy of DLC, I just find some of the complaints about it completely nonsensical. I thought it was badly implemented in DA, particularly that freeloader in my camp who asked for my credit card number. That deserved complaint, and I'm guessing Bioware will find a better way to handle it in the future. Whether we like it or not, DLC is going to be a part of the future for the gaming industry. As consumers we can help guide it in the right direction, but seeing conspiracies and boogie men in every development choice is a good way to not be taken seriously.

Edited February 6, 2011 by Hurlshot

[CoM_Solaufein]

The last time I preordered was Fallout 3 collectors edition. The only other time I did it was Baldur's Gate 2 collectors edition. The only DLCs I have are those that came in Fallout 3 GOTY edition. I'm not going to pay to download content when I can download a mod that is free and generally better than a DLC.

[Hurlshort]

I could never imagine spending money on the cosmetic outfits and weapons DLC. I don't really consider that content. I might put a few bucks down for some extra quests, I did enjoy the Shadow Broker one I bought for ME2, but weapons, particularly in a single player game, seem like silly DLC.

[mr insomniac]

It doesn't help that the weapons in the weapons pack aren't any real improvement over the existing weapons... well, except for the arc projector, but that's free.