4,99$ For Babylon

[logintime]

It wasn't an impulse buy to me - far from it. It was a new civ game, which was made by the only company in the gaming industry I still had trust in and so I deliberately preordered the game. Now that's all gone and smashed to smithereens, and civfanatics forum is actually a very nice place to find likeminded souls in that matter.

Indeed. I'd been here a few times for tips on Civ4 strategies, but never signed up for the forums. Then I started playing Civ5, put in around 25 hours and kept on saying to myself, "this can't be as bad as it seems. It just can't." Then I came over here to see if anyone else had been having the same sense of disappointment as me, and the entire forum seemed to back up everything I'd been feeling about that game.

 

[PieceOfMind]

I agree with Guardian_PL, obviously. If paying for Babylon makes you angry, use my Babylon mod, as it plays exactly the same way - the same UU, UA, UB, leader personality and strategies, city names, civ colour. The differences are that the leaderhead is missing, the unit graphics aren't used so you just get the archer 3d graphics and the vanilla graphics for the UB - a wall - and the civilopedia entries do not include the same historical information.

 

[GenericPlayer]

The DLC cost is fine, I usually enjoy them in other games since its added content between releases. I am aware many people believe that this is just a new way of squeezing money out of people for things that should have been in the game originally. I don't usually believe that is true in most cases, but it might be in this one.

Anyway, speaking for myself personally, I won't get the Babylon DLC. On all releases of Civ, all the time, I have played as Egypt. I don't really see myself playing as another civilization. While it would be neat to play against Nebuchadnezzar, its not something I would pay money for. The DLCs I would pay money for are:

1- New units or buildings, say a Navy bundle that included Marines, Drydocks and Sonar hubs
2- New concepts like loans/interest between players, and a 'Commerce' victory.
3- Expanded future era.

I am aware alot of that is provided through mods - still I would pay for official content of that nature.

 

[Palfouri]

It wasn't an impulse buy to me - far from it. It was a new civ game, which was made by the only company in the gaming industry I still had trust in and so I deliberately preordered the game. Now that's all gone and smashed to smithereens, and civfanatics forum is actually a very nice place to find likeminded souls in that matter.

SO it's entirely your fault, a decision made with full intent, and you have no right to get angry over it.

And you may as well change the last sentence to "a very nice place to throw pity parties and take baths in fanboy tears until we all finally grow up and act like the mature PC gamers we claim to be."

 

[Valkrionn]

Alright people, calm the hell down. Wish I had seen this thread earlier.

1. The Mongols are free, yes. No, they should not have been in the game when it shipped... Mostly because development on them had not even begun at that point. Hard to include what doesn't exist.
2. There will never be a day when essential patches for Civ5 come in the form of an expansion. Patches are being developed alongside DLC, with a heavy focus on AI, and will be free.

I could go on a rant about the assumption that there will be 20-30 single civ DLCs, each cost $5, but I am not at liberty to do so. Suffice to say, that assumption is extremely false.


Now, to address some other points.

1. Is DLC a good thing?
   • Personally, I am of mixed opinions here. As a consumer, I dislike it. I already purchased the game. However, it is a fact of life now; It makes too much money, as too many people will purchase it. Get used to DLC, not only is it here to stay it's going to get bigger.
   • As a designer... Honestly, DLC allows for more content than the traditional expansion method. Keep in mind, I am talking pure content here; New civs, wonders, whatever. Not new mechanics; That is still the realm of expansions, as it would fracture multiplayer even worse (And yes, they are working on that!).
2. Is $5 too much?
   • Possibly. To me, yes. I can simply mod it in myself. However, the DLC packs have other draws; Having played with it already, I would buy the Mongol DLC for that price. Babylon not so much. As you can see, this is a highly subjective subject.
   • It is up to the consumer base to decide if $5 is too much or not. Vote with your wallets.

 

[Padje Dog]

$5 per civ...

Ten new civs, $50...

Mod them in yourself... Priceless

 

[Valkrionn]

$5 per civ...

Ten new civs, $50...

Mod them in yourself... Priceless

Not the way it will work.

Why in the hell do people immediately assume that each DLC pack is no more than One civilization, no extra content?

It is incredibly pessimistic. Wait and see, people.

 

[VGT]

For me they can make many civs as DLC.
Because i don't have to buy all of them, i can choose, which are interesting for me.
For example i for sure will buy civ with my nation if it will be available.

It's not "must have" element of game, it works perfectly without it. As long as they separate DLC from expansion packs (only more choices from DLC, new features from expansion packs), it's ok for me

 

[Padje Dog]

Not the way it will work.

Why in the hell do people immediately assume that each DLC pack is no more than One civilization, no extra content?

It is incredibly pessimistic. Wait and see, people.

Because if enough people pay $5 for a civ, thats the price they will be.

 

[Valkrionn]

Because if enough people pay $5 for a civ, thats the price they will be.

That blindly assumes that the devs don't care at all about giving the players a value for their dollar.

As has been said (and as I have said to the devs, on multiple occasions), the only advantage a DLC civ has over a mod is art. Nothing more.

Don't expect simply a civilization. There is more to the DLC than that.

Note: I was, and am, in the Civ5 beta; I cannot say much on this subject. Just know that I know what the hell I am talking about here.

And as I said... I may get the Mongol DLC for free (well, all DLC for free. You know what I mean), but were that not the case... I'd gladly shell out $10 for it. Babylon? No. I don't care about the civilization. The Mongol DLC however is the most fun I've had with any civ game since I first discovered Fall from Heaven 2.

 

[Padje Dog]

Offer a civ for $5 to tease that money out of people, then offer more when it becomes apparent a civ for $5 is expensive.

I am cynical.

Who are the developers? The people who code or the people in sales?

I am doubly cynical.

Best of luck to them all!

 

[Valkrionn]

Offer a civ for $5 to tease that money out of people, then offer more when it becomes apparent a civ for $5 is expensive.

I am cynical.

Who are the developers? The people who code or the people in sales?

I am doubly cynical.

Best of luck to them all!

Babylon has less content than any other DLC pack. As I said, I would not personally purchase it; They cannot go down on the price, not without offending those who payed extra for the Deluxe Edition, however.

Mongolia was made free to get people excited about DLC... Pretty much the opposite from your first statement, in fact.

The developers would be those who code, yes; But the prices and design are fairly firm. You will not be ripped off, not if they are all like the Mongolian DLC.


Where exactly is it announced? Atm, I have no idea what I can and cannot say about what makes the dlc pack worthwhile.

Edit:

"The Mongols Civilization and Scenario Pack calls for the strongest leaders to ride with Genghis Khan and his Mongol horsemen to establish the largest continuous land empire ever seen. Rulers lead their civilization from humble beginnings on the steppes of Asia, until all under heaven tremble at the might of the nation," explains the PR.

That should have enough info.

 

[Padje Dog]

No, it fits in well with the cynicism behind my first comment.

Get 'em interested.

DLC is the new shareware.

 

[Valkrionn]

No, it fits in well with the cynicism behind my first comment.

Get 'em interested.

DLC is the new shareware.

It fits the cynicism. It does not fit the statement.

There was never any intent to charge high on the first DLC and then charge less; That price is forced on them, it cannot be made free. Too many devoted players payed extra to get it early.

On the whole, I agree with your cynicism in regards to DLC, as I said in my first post; I dislike it as a concept, and can mod in the civ myself. If it was a question of just purchasing a civ, I would never do it.

However, the extra that goes with it... Like I said, most fun I've had with civ in a long time. If that quality is preserved for the other DLC packs, they will be well worth the money.

 

[vincentz]

Has the world gone mad?

People are being scammed big time, and they even defend the people scamming them.

This is getting worse than milking innocent teens and pre-teens with EA's Sims.***

DLC. HA! The game is not even 1 month old, and to say the least : not functioning properly.
The fun (not really. TragiComic would be a better word) part is, that they might actually have had a really nice product without a lot of bugs, but in the dismantling process they f.... it up.

I do believe there is still a shred of hope. Why? Because Firaxis on their official homepage still declare Civ V to be Coming Soon.
This must indeed be great news for all the betatesters out there.

The saddest part IMO is that people are actually discussing whether 5 bucks is too much, when IT SHOULDNT EVEN BE THERE IN THE FIRST PLACE.

*** They ripped all off and are selling it back in small pieces to the consumers who are even more hungry because they left too little in the original to be full. Mmmm. same same as Sims you might say. Yes. same same. But I had really hoped the average intelligence level was a bit higher for Civ players than Sims players. It seems not.

 

[scratchthepitch]

My Civ3 Conquests game came with 31 different civilizations to use. What's Civ5 got? 18? And they want one to pay $5 per civilization for any additional ones?

 

[Guardian_PL]

It's scary how many people will make impulse buys and then blame other people for "forcing" them to preorder/buy the game before reviews. It's scary how many people will lap up $30 expansions that add features that could have been modded in (and by your logic should have been in the vanilla) and then complain about $5 DLC (also a friendly reminder that Steam DLC goes on sale.)

it's scary how many people aren't content with how angry they are about Civ V and keep trying to make themselves even angrier.

It wasn't an impulse buy to me - far from it. It was a new civ game, which was made by the only company in the gaming industry I still had trust in and so I deliberately preordered the game. Now that's all gone and smashed to smithereens, and civfanatics forum is actually a very nice place to find likeminded souls in that matter.

SO it's entirely your fault, a decision made with full intent, and you have no right to get angry over it.

And you may as well change the last sentence to "a very nice place to throw pity parties and take baths in fanboy tears until we all finally grow up and act like the mature PC gamers we claim to be."

You're just can't go wrong, can you? I'm buying on impulse, get disappointed&angry - bad.
I'm buying the product after checking the forums and based on my trust to the franchise, open package and get disappointed&angry - bad again!

I can't follow your logic - you're saying that I have no right to get angry? Why? So if I'm buying a new TV with full intent and it lacks advertised features while malfunctioning I have no right to get angry?

It seems to me that you don't want us to "grow up and act like the mature PC gamers" at all - you want us to be obedient cattle with wallets - perfect customers that businessmen sharks crave.

 

[JLoZeppeli]

It fits the cynicism. It does not fit the statement.

There was never any intent to charge high on the first DLC and then charge less; That price is forced on them, it cannot be made free. Too many devoted players payed extra to get it early.

On the whole, I agree with your cynicism in regards to DLC, as I said in my first post; I dislike it as a concept, and can mod in the civ myself. If it was a question of just purchasing a civ, I would never do it.

However, the extra that goes with it... Like I said, most fun I've had with civ in a long time. If that quality is preserved for the other DLC packs, they will be well worth the money.

we will see this extra... Then i will know who i have to bash (you), just in case

PS if you were in beta, are you feeling responsable for the crappy game they delivered? It's a serious question, about the role of testers....

 

[Camikaze]

I assume Valkrionn is referring to the scenario that is outlined in this pic:

Spoiler :

It certainly sounds interesting.

 

[JLoZeppeli]

I assume Valkrionn is referring to the scenario that is outlined in this pic:

Spoiler :

It certainly sounds interesting.

I hope that you are wrong, he's speaking as if the extra is some worth of, not a idiotic scenario....