ARMA 2 (OA) : DLC discussion thread

[Asso 0]

I like Steam. However, forcing people who bought from a different download retailer or the boxed game to install Steam just to get some DLC is an idea that is simply not going to fly.

It would also cut down the amount of profit Bis can take from the content and would psychologically remove the advantage Asso speaks of - the feeling that Bis engages directly with their community.

Precisely, couldn't have used better words. Let's keep in mind that if they use their own servers for this, there will be extra cost for them, so the money they won't be getting from Steam will be used to keep their servers up, nullifying the advantage.

Yeah add 1-2 extra game play features to that and I say it's worth the 10 euros .

Maybe 5-7? I think it'll depend on how many sales they make. If they're well received they could progressively pull down the price. But as Richey79 was saying, there's a risk in making them dependant on Steam when the boxed game is not.

New features, especially for MP, should be free, as in "free updates".

I will gladly pay them for some good content-only DLCs. 10€ for a couple of vehicles, some new units/weapons and a well made mission pack and/or campaign would be ok, for me. Throw in some new landscapes, now and then. Kinda like getting some interactive war comic-book. Costs a little more than going to the movies and gets you more bang for your buck than that (count in the inclusion of the new stuff in the editor).

Having the possibility not to use Steam would be a good thing. I'd happily pay BIS directly and activate from their own servers.

I'm starting to really like the idea. Plus, we get to fund their new games. Win-win.

[gossamersolid 155]

I agree with the guy that said it shouldn't be called DLC. Let's start calling them expansion packs like in the good ole' days of PC gaming.

$19.99 expansion pack usually gave you a lot of new content to play around with.

[AnimalMother92 10]

Let's start calling them expansion packs

Except that OA is the expansion pack. :rolleyes:

[Wolfstriked 11]

Then a cheaper expansion pack.I agree DLC springs to mind being robbed.

[Mafia101 0]

Maybe Modules like VBS packs? ;)

[gossamersolid 155]

Except that OA is the expansion pack. :rolleyes:

hmmm

Maybe they can be called Modules (like somebody mentioned) or Premium Addons?

[AnimalMother92 10]

Premium seems like an apt description. It conveys both the paid nature and the higher quality.

[TillGrave 10]

I'm very new to the current PC gaming landscape, been forking over hundreds of dollars to Microsoft to play games on XboxLive. After my X360 died, I decided to get rid of all my console stuff and just focus on PC. Because of my past experience with DLC, I would love to see BI put out some Premium Addons. I dont mind paying extra to help fund the developers on some new content for a game I like. I did feel like Codemasters ripped me off when I purchased OF: DR and their DLC, but that was just me hoping that giving them a little bit more money would spur them to make something GOOD out of that game.

So, at least for me, I wouldnt mind putting a few more bucks into A2 after OA comes out. The developers really seem to give a crap about their community here, and I really appreciate it after spending a few months reading the forums at Codemasters...

[Flash Thunder 10]

I'm very new to the current PC gaming landscape, been forking over hundreds of dollars to Microsoft to play games on XboxLive. After my X360 died, I decided to get rid of all my console stuff and just focus on PC. Because of my past experience with DLC, I would love to see BI put out some Premium Addons. I dont mind paying extra to help fund the developers on some new content for a game I like. I did feel like Codemasters ripped me off when I purchased OF: DR and their DLC, but that was just me hoping that giving them a little bit more money would spur them to make something GOOD out of that game.

So, at least for me, I wouldnt mind putting a few more bucks into A2 after OA comes out. The developers really seem to give a crap about their community here, and I really appreciate it after spending a few months reading the forums at Codemasters...

welcome, yeah reading the codemasters forums is pathetic I made my last plea there awhile ago, anyways forum rules says we cant discuss that.

BIS is a good developer they show support and their not abunch of sleazy developers that buy up nice IPs and screw them up for a quick buck.

im sure you will like it here, dont drop the game if you get frusterated though because I would've already been long gone if that was the case.

[jpinard 10]

I'll buy no matter what the DLC... as long as it is not on Steam. Please do NOT force us to use Steam. I like how my game runs and is configured now. Using Steam would be horrible in this respect for many of us.

What I would like to see as DLC is more artillery and vehicles. My preference would be older tanks, cars, and artillery so engangement distances are closer = more fun. With this option we could make new scenarios where all units are in closer confines.

What I do not want to see is just an additional side (basically reskins) ie. British soldiers etc. If I want to play Allied, I'll just load up the United States.

[Imperator[TFD] 444]

I'd be more than happy paying say $5 (AUD) for something like a new chopper or air plane or vehicle. Perhaps even for a new squad of troops (8-10 varieties with new weapons/items).

Problem with that is you then need to make sure that those using DLC can still play with those who don't have access to it.

[AnimalMother92 10]

Please do NOT force us to use Steam. I like how my game runs and is configured now. Using Steam would be horrible in this respect for many of us

I don't think anyone was promoting forcing the DLC (premium addons w/e) through Steam, but it doesn't hurt as an option. I'm sure it will come thru multiple channels.

[Asso 0]

I keep thinking of "Dynamic Afghanistan" back in Flashpoint... Something like that (dynamic mission + UK units) would be cool.

[stk2008 14]

Hi all this may have been said but here goes.

I would love to see DLC for arma etc I love arma its the best game ever.

My only problem is I can see it getting out of hand fast eg servers running all types of mods and half the time its hard to know what mods till ya get kicked.

A little like Rfactor diff game type but still has more mods than ever and gets hard to know what ones are needed.

But yes lets get some good DLC but please make the MP lobby show every mod needed before I try and connect.

WE LOVE YA BIS

[SnR 1]

I'd be more than happy paying say $5 (AUD) for something like a new chopper or air plane or vehicle. Perhaps even for a new squad of troops (8-10 varieties with new weapons/items).

I wont need to pay for anything when i know our experienced community will create it anyway. Imagine on each DLC content announcement, a community member to then step up and present his usable version in lieu of ;) lol's

[Asso 0]

I wont need to pay for anything when i know our experienced community will create it anyway. Imagine on each DLC content announcement, a community member to then step up and present his usable version in lieu of ;) lol's

Dunno. As good as community missions and campaigns can be, they almost always go down in terms of voice acting and overall polish, even the best ones. That kills a bit the immersion, for me.

I'm not going down on modders, I really like a lot of the stuff they make, but for the most part they won't ever have the production values of BIS' stuff. We could surely milk out a lot of single player time with DLCs.

[santafee 10]

Yea, you say it Asso.

Real Quality SP Content is what i would buy. The usermade stuff mostly lacks of polishing. Make a new campaign, maybe with new island and i pay for it.

Same for quality scenarios.

[cannonouscrash 12]

Im not sure if its been said, But DLC could really work if it was done like Company of Heroes, So its backwards compatible, However in a MP game, Would a person without the DLC be 'locked' out of the 'content'?

^^ All theoretical and rhetorical.

Dividing the community because some people want one thing and others want something else, Might have a massive negative effect on this community

[DaveP 66]

I can't speak for every Steam detractor out there, but...

I don't really know about the changes Steam has gone through up until now. Always preferred Impulse to it (there were more games I liked on it and I always liked Stardock PR more than Valve's). What I care the most now is how long the games will "live". I like keeping a small library of games I play now and then, and don't want to have some internet service keeping me from playing what I want, even 10 years from now. I don't envision Steam going under and I realize it's a great place to sell your products, but I'd like an option more in line with my preferences.

Plus, I do not know how many "rights" has the developer when its game is published over it. I liked Impulse, but I almost exclusively bought games made by Stardock. There are many games distributed using technology licensed to the developers, so they are in full control of where the game is going, the support is only up to them, etc..

It's more to my liking, and I don't think I am the only one.

Interesting aside, not meant to elongate the debate on the matter: Steam's kit is set up such that if Valve ever do go out of business, at short notice they can convert All steam games to be 'broken free' of steam and work without it indefinitely

Im not sure if its been said, But DLC could really work if it was done like Company of Heroes, So its backwards compatible, However in a MP game, Would a person without the DLC be 'locked' out of the 'content'?

^^ All theoretical and rhetorical.

Dividing the community because some people want one thing and others want something else, Might have a massive negative effect on this community

I can imagine this will most likely be the outcome of expansion + DLC; it will just be listed in the server browser as having different addons/version mismatch, and so you won't be able to join.. if I remember right that's what Resistance was like when playing OFP, not too sure though

Edited June 22, 2010 by DaveP

[Wolfstriked 11]

Why all the talk about Steam not allowing play without its service.I have my Steam turned off and Arma2 starts right up.Maybe something is wrong on my end?

[Richey79 10]

Didn't the beta patches remove copy protection? Maybe even 1.05 vanilla did this.

Perhaps when you run the beta arma2.exe it runs independent of Steam at this stage of the product's life.

[hamm 10]

Didn't the beta patches remove copy protection? Maybe even 1.05 vanilla did this.

Perhaps when you run the beta arma2.exe it runs independent of Steam at this stage of the product's life.

You could always run the beta patch without needing to have Steam on. The beta patch has nothing to do with Steam and doesn't overwrite any ArmA2 Steam files.

[Asso 0]

Why all the talk about Steam not allowing play without its service.I have my Steam turned off and Arma2 starts right up.Maybe something is wrong on my end?

There shouldn't be any problem. Steam and other similar services have gone through a lot of changes, from downloading core files during the installation to a simple one-shot activation check (at least for SP).

[Wolfstriked 11]

Ahh ok so its not just me.:D

[wipman 1]

Hi, could the official definitive (and not beta) patches be taken as download content?; the DLC seems to be a good idea to me, when talking about patches and fixes... but if we're talking about re-skins, single addons, weapons packs and minor content like that... then it don't sounds that good to me.

A better option in my opinion will be to have a built in DLC list where you can choose what to download or not, with some preview screenshots and a brief description of what you'll get; and do the same on the official game's page for those who don't gonna use Steam or the brief built in system to get the DLC. Also will be good but i doubt that it's possible to make something to know wich official addons or "officialy approved mods" (i.e. ACE2) are required to join a MP server, it was very dissapointing to try to join a random public server back on the ArmA and discover that your choosen addons were not allowed on that server, so you had to restart the game plus make certain things. Let's C ya