BioWare Defends Mass Effect 3 Launch-Day DLC

[Kroxile]

Ok, since I don't give a shit enough to do all the research on what date what happened and when, you probably have me there, but my point still remains: The DLC was developed AFTER the original game was completed therefore you don't deserve the DLC for "free" because you didn't buy the CE. Pony up, or shut up.

Its really that simple, now go be butthurt and quote someone else now, kthxbai.

You are just the worst type of person. You are the guy going around being condescending to people you don't agree with and dragging down the tone of the whole thread. I don't know why certain people are so obsessed with whether or not someone has a sore butt.

I'm being condescending because its a language idiots with their heads up their asses can understand. The tone of the thread was more or less low to begin with... as were the 300 thousand other incarnations of this thread before it. As for the last part.... lol guy, u so crazee.

 

[baconbaby299]

While I wasn't considering getting this anyway, I just want to point out that THIS is why piracy exists.

 

[Cobbs]

At the risk of similar logic already being posted, either way things wouldn't have full gone in biowares favor. Option a) Bioware delays and allows for DLC to be packaged with release = consumer rage. Option b) Bioware releases game early, packages DLC for people who brought special ed, allows first day sale so everyone has the chance to play the same thing as everyone else = consumer rage. Would it be better if they delayed the DLC release for a few weeks/months? Probably not because people would get pissy having to wait so long.
From Bioware's perspective they may well have taken the best option because they're giving people the option to pay for extra content that bioware put alot of effort into making. In all honesty if you can afford to pay for the game ($100ish for us Aussies, $60ish for you silly 'Mericans) I'm sure another $10 wont put you out to far.
As for the bundleing of DLC with collectors edition, they did pay the extra $10-20 for the game, so it's only fair that they get the content with it.

 

[jollybarracuda]

It still doesn't make sense. If they began making ALL THAT after the game went into certification (which i find it hard to believe they had all that free time. I mean, a whole new character with their own story, world, and everything? Yah...not quite buying that) then fine, but unless the CE is coming out at a different time than the regular edition, it still makes no difference. So they finish the game, send it into certification, start working on a ridiculous amount of DLC content, and it finished just in time to get it into the CE edition? It just doesnt add up. Costumes, im fine without, but really? Taking out this character is like 343 Studios only letting you have Cortona in your game if you bought the Ultra Delux $100 Edition...actually, that'd be nice. Sign me up for the standard edition.

But truthfully it's sad, because I don't blame Bioware for this, it never seems to be the developers that do such crap, it's publishers, in this case, EA. EA knows that as the final game in the trilogy, everybody who has played the first two will be getting this one, so it's just good business to make as much money as possible with that leverage. Which is fine from a business standpoint, but from a consumer standpoint, im not a fan. And I loved the last two games and was hoping to see the games become one of those legendary game series, but, I think it will most notably be remembered for it's awful shenanigans it pulled on its final game. I mean Jessica Chobot? Really?

 

[Frylock72]

While I wasn't considering getting this anyway, I just want to point out that THIS is why piracy exists.

For every one person who has some righteous indignation about paying for extra content, there's nine who do it just to say 'fuck you' to the system. It's childish of you to defend piracy like it's some kind of noble venture instead of stealing.

Do you know why companies keep getting away with stuff like this? It's because people spend their money. They don't vote with their wallets, they vote with their mouths, which is about the dumbest damn thing you can do. Complain all you like but if you still hand over your money while being 'outraged', congratulations: you're an idiot.

I was talking to a friend of mine the other day, talking about how Notch wants to fund Psychonauts 2 and be a part of the design process. I think that's a terrible idea, considering his track record with meeting deadlines and in general just keeping up with work. He said that he would take what he could get.

Settling for shit you don't like, even PAYING FOR IT while not liking it, is stupid. Vote with your wallets and really tell the companies (any company, not just gaming) what you think of them. They don't give a shit and a half if they already have your money.

 

[scotth266]

Gotta love how the Mona Lisa picture has been posted like three times already despite it being complete bull crap.

I mean seriously fellas, we've been over this before. How many times am I going to have to repost this before people realize that DLC IS NOT STUFF FROM YOUR "FULL GAME" BEING SOLD TO YOU PIECEMEAL. [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/7.154083-Dragon-Age-Designer-Says-DLC-Not-Meant-to-Rip-Off-Players#3719305]

Also amusing is how people are totally flipping out over something that hasn't even been explained yet. I will laugh furiously if the current rumors (that the Prothean is still in the main game, you just can't have him as a squadie without the DLC) are true.

While I wasn't considering getting this anyway, I just want to point out that THIS is why piracy exists.

No, piracy exists because people are cheap.

If people really cared about the games industry, they wouldn't pirate as a measure of protest. After all, there's no way for a developer to tell the difference between "protest pirates" and the average d-bag that pirates because he enjoys freebies.

 

[OniaPL]

If you are not bothered by this day-one DLC, YOU ARE A HORRIBLE BIODRONE, BRAINWASHED, MINDLESS SHEEP!!!11!!1

If you feel completely indifferent, YOU ARE AN APATHETIC SLOB WHO IS THE REASON WHY WE CAN'T GET ANY CHANGE DONE IN OUR SOCIETY NOWADAYS!!!1!!!!!!1

If you oppose this, YOU ARE A SELF-ENTITLED TWAT WHO JUST WANTS MORE FREE STUFF FOR FREE!!1!!!1!1

Seems like you really can't win when it comes to this subject.
I personally oppose DLC. Whatever the reasoning behind the decision may be, it still gives me the feeling that it's a trick to squeeze a few extra euros out of me. Also, more often than not they make the DLC feel like it is something you MUST have to get the full experience, in this case, a prothean.

 

[INF1NIT3 D00M]

Wait a minute, what's all this nonsense about not being able to buy the Collector's Edition? It's still at least ten days before launch, are you people telling me that EA Doesn't Want my money anymore? I could give a damn about the Prothean, he's just blatant fan wank that EA figured they could sell you for ten dollars. What I care about is this news that I may not be able to buy whatever edition I want.

I have a preorder on the standard edition at gamestop, I'm willing to pay the extra money for a Collector's Edition, why am I being told now that people don't have enough copies of the Collector's Edition for everyone to preorder?

Screw it, I'm going down to Gamestop tomorrow, and if I can't switch my preorder to a preorder of the Collector's Edition right then, I'm canceling my preorder. EA can suck my balls. I've taken the shaft from EA thus far solely on the merit of Bioware's world building proficiency. If EA says I'm not a loyal enough fan to get the "privelege" of the Collector's Edition solely because I wasn't frothing at the mouth to give them 70-something dollars a few weeks ago, I won't give them a damn penny.

I'm not surprised by EA's policies or practices anymore. It's complete bullshit that they'd nickel and dime players like this. I don't have a problem with DLC in theory, but EA asks for so much money for so little content in so many installments that I find it ridiculous. I'll buy the Collector's Edition, if I can, because I care about Mass Effect. However, make no mistake: I'm done. Mass Effect 3 is the end. End of Mass Effect, End of my business with EA. I have no interest in any of their projects past this game; if I can't get my Collector's Edition because I'm too late or whatever, I'll go back and kill everyone off in Mass Effect 2 and pronounce the series dead.

 

[Setch Dreskar]

Firstly it seems I need to bring up that I already pre-bought the N7 CE since people apparently mistake me for someone who wasn't going to get the character.

The sad part is Bioware is trying to defend its creation when most of the CE people, or well the ones on the forums mind you including myself, are not upset that its Day 1 DLC, we are upset that its a Prothean. Argueably the most important race in the entire Mass Effect universe, and the only reason that the game even exists in the first place, will have no impact on the storyline or so the devs have told us. If it had been any other race it wouldn't have gone down near as bad as it is, but eh whatever.

The argument goes into alot more detail but if there is an option to make sure the Prothean isn't activated in my playthrough then I will take it, but you know I like my lore when it doesn't combust on itself and toss out random pieces for fan service only.

Oh and yes that was their only reason they gave for why its a prothean, so it will make fans happy, guess who are the ones hating it the most?

 

[beniki]

It just feels kind of crappy. You get all excited about buying a game on release day, and then when you pick it up at the shop, you find out there's more you have to buy. You don't have to buy it, of course, but still, it's not exactly a nice feeling. And leaving the customer with a bad feeling on purchase just isn't good business sense.

I don't think DLC packs work as they do now. At least they don't work for me. Okay, you can pay for extra missions, or extra items, but unless they come out on release day, you've probably finished the game. It works for MMOs, because you never really finish those things, just stop playing. But story focused RPGs in particular aren't really suited to going back just for that one inconsequential mission. If you've written the story right, all plot lines should be tied up, maybe a week or two after you get it home, depending on how fast you play.

But I'm from the old expansion pack generation. My values are different when it comes to RPG games. And I'm a little sad to think we'll never have something like Hordes of the Underdark again, where the expansion was bigger than the original.

 

[Mediteral]

*eats popcorn while reading the comments*

OT: I can't afford a new game either way, so I'm just gonna wait and see what everyone else says when it's out. Then I'll decide whether or not to get it.

 

[scotth266]

Oh this is terribly delicious. You wanna know how many times I've seen that plasted post? Too many times. That post doesnt work in this sitatuion.

That part was in response to the Mona Lisa picture (which has also been "plasted" many times), not the ME3 situation.

The ME3 situation I addressed with the other part of my post:

I will laugh furiously if the current rumors (that the Prothean is still in the main game, you just can't have him as a squadie without the DLC) are true.

Which would mean that this "extremely important" Prothean DLC people are whining about is basically going to be a cooler, better Zaeed. After all, if the Prothean's involvement in the story is in the main game, and the only thing you get with the DLC is the ability to recruit him/his respect mission, then the DLC is not that important, period.

Also i'm put off by this 'its not free' It's also not costing the budget a dime, is it? you've already been paid.

Why do you say that,

if an 'additional team' is hired to do the dlc's for 2 months while you guys just goof of, the problem is still the same.

and then this?

If an additional team was hired to do the DLCs, then your argument that the Prothean's squadmate DLC cost nothing to make holds no weight. After all, those guys have a separate budget. So no, the problem is not the same.

Even if the Prothean's presence as a squad member was planned from the start, I think that Bioware limiting the Prothean (as a squad member) to collector's edition buyers is legitimate, and a nice way for them to say "thanks for all the support" to people who ponied up the extra cash.

If they were simply trying to gouge people into buying the collector's edition after all, they probably would have made a few more copies of it (it was sold out on Amazon prior to this whole announcement).

 

[ablac]

Anyone who is at least familiar with the plot of the series and the universe will know that a Prothean let alone a team mate Prothean is a huge deal to the plot considering they are what the entire plot has hinged on in some way. They are equally as important as the reapers and Shepard so to not have it in the game without charge is a real spit in the face of their fans and the series itself. Considering howimportant it is it will not be an after thought and that it was made when the game was 'finished' is a total lie. If it is to be included in the game then the game is not finished considering how important this is.

 

[The Human Torch]

Wasn't planning on buying Mass Effect 3 at launch (let alone the collector's edition), but I just might do it anyway, simply to piss off all these frothing haters.

Dude you need to think about whats at stake, your individuality, the eco- Wait, I don't care. If you want the game, get it. Its kind of silly to think anyone here cares how you spend your money. we encourage you to use it wisely but if you just want to do your own business, no one is going to give a shit.

Considering how much you are trying to get people from buying Mass Effect 3, yes, I think you DO care about how people spend their money. At least in this particular case, you would think that one of the Bioware developers kicked your puppy through a window, the way you are going at them.

Look, I don't want to get into an argument with you. So please imagine the friendliest voice ever, whispering the following lines into your ears in a Barry White, velvety smooth way:

The point is that we don't know what impact this character has on the story. As far as I can tell is that the game is complete without the DLC. However, IF you do get the DLC, you have a Prothean on your party, which has no real impact, besides a cosmetical one.

Bioware says that it was developed AFTER the game went gold, so no development time was taken away by this. Plus, these kind of things are usually handled by the art department (seeing as how it's nothing more than a new skin), and they have next to nothing to do at the end of a development cycle.

If this DLC bothers you as much as it appearantly does, than you are well within your right to not buy the game and continue to boycott everything that Bioware releases afterwards. But please show a bit more respect towards those that disagree with you.

 

[Sean Deli]

10 dollars is the cost of a cup of fancy coffee and and a muffin. I can finish both those in less then ten minutes. I am less concerned with the cost verse play time and more concerned with the quality of my experience. If I can get at least as much enjoyment from 10 dollars worth of DLC as I can a cup of coffee and a muffin then I count it as a win.

But that is just me.

That's quite the point I was trying to make. If spending 60 bucks on ME3 gives one more enjoyment than 6 cups of coffee plus 6 enjoyable donuts - than the said person shouldn't care if Bioware included the pink elephant as a squadmate or didn't. And something tells me, that ME3 would be worth 60 bucks, Protheans or no Protheans.

So I honestly don't see what's the fuss is about "not getting the complete experience". You are getting the start, the middle and the end of the story + gameplay, that's as complete as it gets for me. If you want to know everything there is to know about ME - than you should be demanding all games, all novels and all comics - most of which is crap abyway.
And anyway if ME3 will suck - it will suck on its own. I will not accept the notion that a game's story can turn from "crap" to "best thing since peanut butter" if you add an optional quest or two to it.

Lair of the Shadowbroker didn't make ME2 story better - it was an interesting experience on its own, both story and gameplay wise. Zaeed was total pants, Katsumi and Overlord were ok.