Future of the Reinforcement Program - Natural Selection 2
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Join Date: 2013-01-29 Member: 182599Members, Super Administrators, Reinforced - Diamond
Join Date: 2013-01-29 Member: 182599Members, Super Administrators, Reinforced - Diamond
Future of the Reinforcement Program - Natural Selection 2
In August 2013, Unknown Worlds (UWE) launched the ‘Reinforcement Program’ (the ‘NS2: RP’). This program offered a bunch of cool stuff, like Shadow Skulks and Elite Assault Marines, to anyone...
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A big hello !!!!
People will always buy these things. Why not generate more income?
DLC, especially the fluff kind, is the death of this industry. Profit over pleasure is the new mantra, and I know I'm not the only one completely done with it. Even something minor like this creates the feeling for a new player that one can't buy a game and get the entire experience, one must shell out even more money. And for those there since the beginning, it seems like begging more nickels and dimes at best.
If you stop the program, just end it.
Once again, if it has to happen for the continued success of NS2, by all means take away my shadow stuff. NS2's development is more important. I'll miss my shadow gorge though
Also, I'd suggest making the reinforcement pack worth $6, but with the option to donate more. I'm sure some people would be willing to give more than $6, if they had the option to do so. So you shouldn't limit their ability to donate as much as they want.
There is no point in trashing the Elite/gorge/lerk (and upcoming onos&fade shadow skinz). You can sell them separatly or via different packs on Steam. Or rework the whole donation system, make it cheaper or more flexible. Why trashing? It is not a TF2 where you can make 1000$$$ on the exclusive things.
Some of us support by giving money for this because we feel it was needed for a great game.
But the stuff value of what i paid one year ago for reinf program or recently for kodiak DLC... the value is "shit" (sorry to say it like that). For me it is just small skins or badges that have no value at all, they bring nothing. I didn't bought them because i was astonished by the content, just because you needed it to bring on more patches and "real" content for free, like you've done before reinf program.
There is no real answer of what to do to keep the game alive with patches, because you've made a game that only matters for a small range of players. It is hard, it is very tactical, it is an UFO in the game FPS industry.
I think it would be wise to spread that content out across multiple DLCs, although I'm against breaking up the aliens. I'd rather see some consistency with the reaper pack that was just released.
Then the problem is that the marine skins don't stand well by themselves and would require some matching customization of the weapons to go with them to justify the cost. With that there could then be marine assault, and marine deluxe assault DLCs.
Whatever you decide to do with DLC packs, the game its self needs work to properly support this also. New main menu hype. And not needing to be in a server to select skins.
Most importantly, don't pour all of the funds into the development of a new map. :~)
So who's working on ns2lounge.com?
I read it as "people who already have it keep it, but we want to make another 'mini-pack' to sell on steam which will have some of the same assets". Ie, you keep your full set of toys but other people on steam can buy parts of it in a 'shadow pack' dlc.
Personally, Im fine with anything that keeps ns2 development going. I dont need anything else.... just keep my beloved game supported.
I can see the argument for the people who do care (you said it would be unique to donors) but remember if the game dies, you lose the ingame swag anyway.
It seems to me the main issue will be the assault marine armor. That was only available at $40+ level and will now be at $6.
Maybe you could mollify original RP donors somewhat with a new badge or shoulder decal? (If the art effort required was not too much, after all part of the work for the pack was adding the ability to do badges and decal, so that part is done, right?). Hell, im sure someone with art talent could knock up a great 'shadow' decal for you. Run a competition for it
In a side note, does anyone know how to change the badge shown in this forum? Im actually more proud of the constellation badge than the shadow and Id like to show that one instead but you cant seem to edit the badge set on the forum. :-)
just my two cents.
As most have said, I didn't buy shadow for the content, I mean, I only use the basic assault marine skin anyway (since REAL marines don't need a gas mask. THEY LIVE ON SPORES)
What I (and I think most ns1 vets as well) would really want is a classic pack. With the classic lmg*, pistol, knife and fade skins.
*This thing is already in Combat, so any issues the creator had with it being paid for must be gone.
Now, back then i gave the money because i believed the game could grow and it's worth paying for more content that will make it (some did). i don't believe another fluff DLC will fund anything substantial as it offers no content anyone can hang on to, skins are a nice little incentive for bigger things, but you can't hang on to it.
If you're looking for any of us (both reinf program and the rest) to give anymore money for the game you have to offer worthwhile content equal to the sum we're paying, introduce some features that give the game depth, skins will get you nowhere, i'm not sure a new map will do the trick either, maybe a new game mod that can be applied to the existing maps without creating too many things in order to accoplish it, sort of like a new way to play the same round switching some things up (the same way you spice up things in sex, which usually require more thinking, and less doing while still creating substantial results.) let me throw some ideas "the gorge hunt" "tower defense with bubblers" and couple it with some animation/game mechanic related things like a lerk ability to pick up a gorge and fly it to another place as an upgrade and a gorge ability to hide its face and soak damage with adrenaline (animation already existing, i saw it in the gorge presentation video when you were developing NS2) and something equal for the marines and you have content worth paying for. as for how to apply it so everyone could get it i would suggest to make a smaller and SPECIFIC reinforcement program that says if you reach (lets say 20-40K for 5-8$ per user) to create that content, and if it doesn't do that in 2-3 months time
the backers get refunded, or something along these lines.
to summerise - create something innovative that adds depth without using too many resources and is able to continue support for the game for a while.
otherwise i'm sorry, i won't pay for something that doesn't add depth to the game, and i suggest that unless you're able to do that you'd better just leave the game entirely to the community and let it go legacy and keep our respect for future games, rather than lose your respect in the eyes of all the players that will start thinking you're just milking them for money.
I hope you guys keep going and create more things, either in NS2, or in the form of another game.
good luck
Agreed.
I donated when I had ~800 hours in game. At that time ns2 had become a really cheap game because it provided me so many hours of enjoyment. $75 was a thank you and continued support for ns2. The skins are nice, but not worth $75.
I like the proposed plan. I would only change it by having a separate dlc for each alien with all other included items. The shadow skins have different models and should be the PREMIUM skins of ns2. So if you could purchase all 5 aliens for $6 each I think that would be quite great. Assuming the fade and onos were eventually made.
I also really like them becoming steam dlc just for added visibility.
Perhaps also have an explicitly labeled "Development Supporter" DLC that is $75+ and have that contain the in-game & forum badges. That way the option will still remain for relatively significant financial supporters who could still be enticed by a few exclusive perks.
But on the other hand...if developing new skins/decals is an option at all, I say retire all of RP and offer different ones. That avoids any upset from the previous supporters, while still offering a more affordable DLC to everyone. The community could probably be organized to create an exclusive pack and donate it for free to avoid any overhead from content creation.
I don't care if you chose to sell it, it's your own product whatever.
The problem comes when you want to let CDT break the game, the game is broken already. People are leaving daily. Let them try new things sure, but if you dont fix the game before you try and make more money or break it again you wont have a playerbase left to even buy this stuff anyway.
Fix the game before you do anything else. thx.
@Blarney_Stone UWE isn't proposing to take anything away from previous supports, only to strip certain aspects of the Reinforcement Pack into a smaller, cheaper DLC for future buyers.