Expansion Packs or DLC

ajwz

If bg:ee is going to get extra content after release, would you prefer it in expansion pack sized pieces, or smaller DLC sized pieces?

BG_Zero

My full answer would be yes to both but I kinda like the smaller DLC cause you can normally fit more of those in any given time frame.

Shin

Depends on how they're defined, but I'd generally like to see the "pieces" providing at least a couple of hours of playing time.

I guess an upside with BG-type DLC is that we won't see a bunch of pointless item packs.

Mechalibur

If done well, then DLC. It lets me pick and choose what kind of content I want added, rather than having to take an expansion pack for one or two things that I'd like added.

Bercon

Does Expansion Pack means same size as BG2:ToB?

mch202

Expansion Pack IS a DLC, just big a one...

Kenyon

Although I will enjoy playing with the new NPCs, Baldur's Gate has enough. What I really want is new areas to explore and new quests to play through. Those are more likely in an expansion pack.

mch202

Bercon said:

Does Expansion Pack means same size as BG2:ToB?

Hardly, TOB is very big - content wise. From an expansion pack I would expect something in the scale of 'Werewolf Island' or 'Durlag's Tower' ( Each one of them adds hours of gameplay separately )

Kristie83

I don't care for the idea of all these small DLC that costs extra. Back in my day, when I bought a computer game, you bought the whole thing, and that was that. A little later, expansion packs started coming out. Fine, I'll buy an expansion pack as long as it really adds something to the game. The problem I have, is with all these little things. For instance, when Facebook first became a thing, and all those silly farming/city/pet/mafia/etc. simulations came out and 75% of everyone was totally hooked on having the bestest farm/city/pet/gang/whatever, then came the paid DLC content for this stupid crap! For the most part, you would get to a point where you just couldn't progress or expand any further without buying it which really pissed me off, and on top of that, all the people who were wasting their hard-earned money on this crap had an unfair advantage in my opinion. Its like paying the guy who officiates a race to let you start 10ft ahead of everyone else. But, by then my farming/pet-sitting days were coming to an end anyway... My long-winded point is, is that this Facebook game crap is what I think of when I hear paid DLC. It rubs me the wrong way. I will not be buying new outfits or hair styles for my NPCs, nor do I particularly want to break out the old credit card every time there is a new character or weapon available.

Soooo....to sum it all up, expansion packs yes, DLC, not so much.

Am I alone in how I feel about DLC?

Mechalibur

Kristie83 said:

I don't care for the idea of all these small DLC that costs extra. Back in my day, when I bought a computer game, you bought the whole thing, and that was that. A little later, expansion packs started coming out. Fine, I'll buy an expansion pack as long as it really adds something to the game. The problem I have, is with all these little things. For instance, when Facebook first became a thing, and all those silly farming/city/pet/mafia/etc. simulations came out and 75% of everyone was totally hooked on having the bestest farm/city/pet/gang/whatever, then came the paid DLC content for this stupid crap! For the most part, you would get to a point where you just couldn't progress or expand any further without buying it which really pissed me off, and on top of that, all the people who were wasting their hard-earned money on this crap had an unfair advantage in my opinion. Its like paying the guy who officiates a race to let you start 10ft ahead of everyone else. But, by then my farming/pet-sitting days were coming to an end anyway... My long-winded point is, is that this Facebook game crap is what I think of when I hear paid DLC. It rubs me the wrong way. I will not be buying new outfits or hair styles for my NPCs, nor do I particularly want to break out the old credit card every time there is a new character or weapon available.

Soooo....to sum it all up, expansion packs yes, DLC, not so much.

Am I alone in how I feel about DLC?

DLC can be abused that way, sure, but I'm willing to give Beamdog the benefit of the doubt that they would add meaningful DLC that adds content to the game, rather than simply increasing your personal power. While unethical DLC has given the word a bad taste in many people's mouths, there are games where downloadable content has been implemented quite well.

Pantalion

How I would like it:

DLC - individual small packages that introduce minor things, NPCs, graphics, an expanded range of items, kits, single quests et cetera. Expected addition size being small, optional, and generally things to tweak and customise your game.

Expansions - A largescale addition, a quest-line with supporting expansions, graphics, items and kits, presumably taking many of those things from the DLCs.
And DLC collections which are simply a bulk purchase of

In effect, I would see DLCs to be primarily cheap, small additions (adding some AD&D kits to the game for example), an Expansion would be a major addition, and potentially include many DLCs at a discounted price (with a discount of that discounted price if you already owned the DLC).

So looking at ToB, we see extra kits, UI overhaul, monsters, a new storyline, a bonus dungeon, and high level abilities (a now iconic addition to the game). This would be what I would expect from an expansion, whilst any of those (except potentially the new storyline, which tends to be more involved anyway) would be something I might expect as DLC.

darrenkuo

I can pay more money for BG-EE if it's really good enough , therefore both of expansion and DLC are good to me , especially i hope better game feature to improve gaming experience.

Xaenor

Can't stand DLCs, it's like teasing gamers instead of giving them a big package of brand new content in the form of expansions. Expansion packs are sometimes so good that they become as memorable as the original game itself, but I have yet to see a DLC that would be as qualitative. ("Hey, dude, have you played that one DLC that adds another underground floor to the Durlag's Tower?" - "Eh, not really, I must've missed it... Stuck with the one decking you out with the best gear on the start instead!")

reedmilfam

There is no difference between expansion packs and DLC. I think the OP means 'mini vignette or huge add-on'. My answer will be 'whatever is better'. In other words, if there is a good add-on story with lots of different paths, then I'm all for it. If the idea is a good mini-adventure, add it. Mo' is bettah (bad English intentional).

Edgedy

DLC is best left for items, and personal shiny things. Expansion is the preferred flavor of content updates.

bigdogchris

This poll is not descriptive enough, we need more details than "DLC" and "Expansion Pack". Since BG:EE is not boxed, there will be no "Expansion Pack" in the traditional sense, any new content will be downloaded, which is DLC.

@Xaenor

When you say you don't like DLC, do you not like downloading content, or do you not like very small, nickle and dime add-ons? A 50 hour expansion pack, that cost $19.99 and is downloaded, qualifies as DLC.

I think this poll would be better worded as:

Do you like smaller DLC chunks more often, or larger DLC chunks less often?

DJKajuru

Third Option : Mods

Kamigoroshi

Personally I prefer one big expansion pack rather than countless small-ish DLC's. Though I wouldn't call the launch DLC's small either, giving the fact that each have a couple of hours of gameplay.

What I'd love to see are expansions that let us visit regions of Forgotten Realms, which have yet to appear in an D&D computer game. For example the Hordelands would be really sweet to visit at some point in Baldur's Gate:EE. The Sea of Moving Ice is another superb expansion pack location, though I reckon it would be more fitting for Icewind Dale:EE I + II.

MedullaOblongata

Both. An expansion pack every once in a while, with DLC treats in between

Cactus

DLCs are good for money-making, nothing else ... Games with DLCs tend to have endless amount of them for a very smalle price, which ads up, because they can make a new DLC for any little idea... A game where DLCs keep coming seems incomplete. Better to make a full, well rounded, expansion pack, especially for a game like Baldur's Gate.

mlnevese

The problem is many companies abused what they call DLC to the point it is now seem in a very negative light. Trent Oster is very clear in saying in his interview to Spellhold there is at least one more adventure coming (Adventure Y?) as well as minor downloads and assets.

Now Overhaul does not seem like the kind of company that would try to charge its clients for colored versions of an armor, for instance.

So there's DLC coming, both big and small, let's try to break the concept that DLC=moneygrabbing useless stuff.

Let's wait and see what they'll bring us before judging.

PS. Serves me right posting from a phone. Humongous amount of typos to correct

DJKajuru

mlnevese said:

The problem is manh companies abused what they call DLC to the point it now seem in a very negative light. Trent Oster is very clear in saying in his interview to Spellhold there is at least one more adventure coming (Adventure Y?) as well as minor downloads and assets.

Now Overhaul does not seem lime the company that woul try to charge its clients for colored versions of an armor, for instance.

So there's DLC coming, both big and small, let's try to break the concept that DLC=moneygrabbing usess stuff.

Let's wait and see what they'll bring us before judging.

When I was amish I used to change the color of my armor via Infinity Engine, as the Lord intended it to be.

Kristie83

Xaenor said:

Can't stand DLCs, it's like teasing gamers instead of giving them a big package of brand new content in the form of expansions. Expansion packs are sometimes so good that they become as memorable as the original game itself, but I have yet to see a DLC that would be as qualitative. ("Hey, dude, have you played that one DLC that adds another underground floor to the Durlag's Tower?" - "Eh, not really, I must've missed it... Stuck with the one decking you out with the best gear on the start instead!")

Totally agree!

Kamigoroshi said:

Personally I prefer one big expansion pack rather than countless small-ish DLC's. Though I wouldn't call the launch DLC's small either, giving the fact that each have a couple of hours of gameplay.

What I'd love to see are expansions that let us visit regions of Forgotten Realms, which have yet to appear in an D&D computer game. For example the Hordelands would be really sweet to visit at some point in Baldur's Gate:EE. The Sea of Moving Ice is another superb expansion pack location, though I reckon it would be more fitting for Icewind Dale:EE I + II.

Yes, I'd also prefer one big expansion. All the new the content in BGEE put together is probably the least amount of extras I would want grouped together for purchase. I definitely wouldn't be buying say just Neera and whatever quest comes with her, but all the new content together would be just enough for me to break out the credit card. But, if it were just the characters with no quests attached at all, then I wouldn't bother. The content has to add something to the game, not just be new and shiny.

Cactus said:

DLCs are good for money-making, nothing else ... Games with DLCs tend to have endless amount of them for a very smalle price, which ads up, because they can make a new DLC for any little idea... A game where DLCs keep coming seems incomplete. Better to make a full, well rounded, expansion pack, especially for a game like Baldur's Gate.

I feel the same way about the game not feeling complete. Even if I chose not to buy the little DLCs it would bother me that I bought the game but I'm still missing things from it. Just knowing that there are little pieces of a game that I paid for, but don't get, makes me feel cheated.

A full expansion pack that adds say a quest, feature, and a couple new characters wouldn't bother me to buy. I don't want to be nickle and dimed though. Take The Sims 3 for example. I'll buy the expansion packs that add game content such as new careers or locations, but not the Stuff Packs that I assume just have new clothes/furniture, etc. in them, but it still bothers me that I don't have this stuff, but because its a different type of game altogether than BGEE I can handle not having everything.

@bigdogchris Just because you are downloading it doesn't mean it isn't an expansion pack. Its the size/content that matters, not how you obtain it.

@Mechalibur You are right about DLC leaving a bad taste in my mouth. I hope you are right about them not abusing this.

Oxford_Guy

I think DLC is okay for things like cosmetic and gameplay enhancements, but for content enhancements would prefer a larger expansion pack, as you'd likely want to start a new adventure for these

Lady_Cora

Definatly DLC. DLC allows you to ignore anything you don't want like the vanity stuff while still being able to pick up new content. Trouble with Expansions it's all or nothing. You end up paying for stuff u wouldn't have bought otherwise

LadyEibhilinRhett

Why isn't there a "both" option? I want to have my cake and eat it too, dammit.

Quartz

LadyEibhilinRhett said:

Why isn't there a "both" option? I want to have my cake and eat it too, dammit.

This. I don't nitpick. Should've voted DLC as a "rebel" vote.

Schneidend

Picked DLC. Would rather get content I want then pay for all of it.

ankheg

Oh joy... I hope I don't have to wait years for the final patch and all dlcs in one pack... I really hate the idea of playing with an incomplete game.

Eudaemonium

I picked DLC, but honestly I'm open to any kind of additional content. DLC is simply better for introducing smaller content packages: races, classes, new NPCs, etc. Apparently they are already planning an expansion pack of sorts, which is fantastic; I wonder if it will be a bridge between BG1 and BG2, or a series of awesome side-quests like TotSC was.

Xaenor

bigdogchris said:

This poll is not descriptive enough, we need more details than "DLC" and "Expansion Pack". Since BG:EE is not boxed, there will be no "Expansion Pack" in the traditional sense, any new content will be downloaded, which is DLC.

@Xaenor

When you say you don't like DLC, do you not like downloading content, or do you not like very small, nickle and dime add-ons? A 50 hour expansion pack, that cost $19.99 and is downloaded, qualifies as DLC.

I think this poll would be better worded as:

Do you like smaller DLC chunks more often, or larger DLC chunks less often?

I meant I don't like small add-ons, yes. If developers give us content, I'd love to see the "less often but bulkier" scheme. And among DLCs there are so many of those that just add a single set of armour or an optional area filled with nothing but a pack of mobs to kill. And I'm not saying that we shouldn't trust Beamdog on the matter quality, but still, the DLCs I have in mind come from big and respectable companies like Bioware and Obsidian, so if they do that, there's obviously a temptation to throw more of the less qualitative content on the market. In my opinion, let's just stick with good old full-scale expansions (or "big DLCs", whichever you prefer) and be done with it.