If an NS2 expansion pack was made?
Jimyd
Join Date: 2003-02-08 Member: 13289Members
Join Date: 2003-02-08 Member: 13289Members
<div class="IPBDescription">(I hope so if NS2 sells well!)</div>1) Would you reconsider adding the TAZER back in?
2) Possible 6th Kharaa class? (If it is balanced of course.)
3) Grenade Launcher for the Marines?
4) A new portable "HMG" for the Marines, like a deployable version of the Heavy EXO Minigun?
5) Some type of outdoor map? (Like the Bio-Dome/Bio-Sphere from the T.V. series Eureka.)
<a href="http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/sciencenotfiction/files/2008/08/eureka_what_about_bob.jpg" target="_blank">http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/sciencen...t_about_bob.jpg</a>
<a href="http://i26.tinypic.com/2k1s0j.jpg" target="_blank">http://i26.tinypic.com/2k1s0j.jpg</a>
(It was basically a huge manmade underground forest to simulate conditions on mars... or so they say.) =)
(Eureka Season 3 Episode 2)
- <a href="http://0123456789xyz0123456789.blogspot.com/2008/08/eureka-season-3-episode-2-what-about.html" target="_blank">http://0123456789xyz0123456789.blogspot.co...what-about.html</a> (00:06:40)
More ideas: <a href="http://www.unknownworlds.com/ns2/forums/index.php?showtopic=107841&st=0#entry1736767" target="_blank">http://www.unknownworlds.com/ns2/forums/in...=0#entry1736767</a>
2) Possible 6th Kharaa class? (If it is balanced of course.)
3) Grenade Launcher for the Marines?
4) A new portable "HMG" for the Marines, like a deployable version of the Heavy EXO Minigun?
5) Some type of outdoor map? (Like the Bio-Dome/Bio-Sphere from the T.V. series Eureka.)
<a href="http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/sciencenotfiction/files/2008/08/eureka_what_about_bob.jpg" target="_blank">http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/sciencen...t_about_bob.jpg</a>
<a href="http://i26.tinypic.com/2k1s0j.jpg" target="_blank">http://i26.tinypic.com/2k1s0j.jpg</a>
(It was basically a huge manmade underground forest to simulate conditions on mars... or so they say.) =)
(Eureka Season 3 Episode 2)
- <a href="http://0123456789xyz0123456789.blogspot.com/2008/08/eureka-season-3-episode-2-what-about.html" target="_blank">http://0123456789xyz0123456789.blogspot.co...what-about.html</a> (00:06:40)
More ideas: <a href="http://www.unknownworlds.com/ns2/forums/index.php?showtopic=107841&st=0#entry1736767" target="_blank">http://www.unknownworlds.com/ns2/forums/in...=0#entry1736767</a>
Comments
If they wanted to add new content it would have to be available to everyone (unless it was a completely new game mode, but that would still be lame to charge extra for it, when modders can do that sort of thing for free)
If they wanted to add new content it would have to be available to everyone (unless it was a completely new game mode)<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Actually they could, for everything but the map.
Look how DICE/EA did it with BF2142. You just restrict the equipment per player, since you now buy your own equipment.
The Commander on either team could only research upgrades for the new equipment, if there is a player on that team that has the NS2 expansion pack "unlocked", or however you want to say it.
The map could be made available for everyone (the source files), but only someone who has bought the expansion pack can host a dedicated server with the new maps. This would only work though if the map files are restricted/locked/encrypted or whatever. Kind of like what was done in Battlefield 2142 with the weapons and items.
and it wouldn't be balanced in the competitive scene
I sure as hell wouldn't want this to show up in NS2
Yes and look how poorly that turned out.
It is only the maps that are not played, because it was not integrated for the whole community.
And servers were ranked and rented through DICE, so there wasn't any separately (legit) run dedicated servers.
It can be implemented that everyone can play on new maps, but only who by the expansion pack can host the new maps on the dedicated server.
Look at it this was, only the server owner or GSP would have to buy a $9.99 upgrade for that box 1-time, so everyone can benefit from the new maps.
Also maps don't have to be part of an expansion pack, that could always be free with the NS2 DEV Team's motto if they want... "1 year continued support".
Another thing (and this is from a business/marketing standpoint), DLC is the way and the future for indie developers. It allows the continued support for a game after a substantial amount of time, so they can continue to work on the game fully without going broke or dropping support.
DLC will happen most likely, it is just how good you integrate into your product to continue the life of it and whether on not people will buy it.
Uh, it's not even as bad as how they handled Battlefield 2. Yeah let me just give you £5 a week EA so I can play the game I paid for on a terrible game engine with players on the other team having far superior weapons to me because I'm not paying the BF2 rent. Oh look the map is changing, oh noes, kicked from the server because I didn't pay for the 'optional' map either.
Just stick to 1942 and Desert Combat and pretend that's the only BF.
and it wouldn't be balanced in the competitive scene
I sure as hell wouldn't want this to show up in NS2<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Competitive community is going to make their "PRO MOD" anyways, regardless if there was an expansion pack. Kind of a moot point.
The point is there would be enough features in the expansion pack for both the Aliens and the Marines, that it would be worth the $4.99/$9.99 to buy. But not cost as much as a second game, a la NS3.
Remember their budget is limited even as of now, so there is definitely going to be DLC or NS3 at some point. DLC is more likely because it can be more cost effective, and is a quicker turnaround.
As for 'DLC' you can't have weapons/alien abilities, because that inbalances the game when playing against players who do not have these also. People who pay will be at an advantage.
You can't have paid for maps either, even with the suggestion you made. Why should anyone buy a map if they can just join a server with someone who has it? Which would lead to few people buying it.
It's also very unfair to practically force server owners to purchase these things for the benefit of other players.
Although I agree DLC could generate some income, the only good DLC from an indie developer I've seen with a multiplayer FPS is Killing Floor.
The DLC they provide is optional skin packs for a few dollars each (A pack as 4 skins), so you can play as different characters but it has no impact on gameplay at all. These skin packs allowed Tripwire to release free DLC to everyone in the form of new weapons and maps.
But this only really works for Killing Floor because mods, inlcuding skins have to be whitelisted by Tripwire first, so you can't just download a skin off FPSBanana and see it show up in multiplayer.
With NS2, the game is very moddable so UWE couldn't exactly charge for optional skins, as there would be plenty of free alternatives. Plus it's debatable whether skins viewable by everyone on the server would impact gameplay at all, marines and aliens are supposed to be uniform after all.
So what paid DLC could you make for NS2 that doesn't add weapons, maps, upgrades, Aliens or Marines?
To be honest I think to warrant an expansion they'd have to bring out a new gameplay mode (Like how they wanted to add vehicles) with it's own maps, weapons, new models and all that jazz that wouldn't have anything to do with the NS2 gameplay they're releasing soon.
I think UWE are banking on their income with more purchases of NS2 and licensing their own engine (Which is a really good engine by the looks of it).
I wouldn't mind a OPTIONAL 5 dollar bi-yearly subscription fee for beta testing of new content and getting some sort of badge added beside your name. You essentially fund the creation of the content you are testing.
Constellation 2.0?