DLC segregation and multiplayer

[trezno]

Forgive me if this question has been asked and answered, I searched and couldn't find anything about this already.

How can multiplayer work well, when say player A has every civ available while player B and C only have the standard 18. Then player A starts a new multiplayer game and selects a civ only available as DLC. Thus we will end up having different versions, and that is not good for MP.

The question is essentially, if it is possible to play against civs you have not bought in a DLC. If that is possible, then there are no problems I guess. But then you would have to have the graphics and all, which means that every civ is already in the game, it's just locked content (as opposed to downloadable content).

So have there been any news regarding this from 2K? I have not read everything there is to read about civ5, but I feel that there has not been that much information disclosed about MP options...

 

[Tylerryan79]

If everyone has to download dlc it will work. So everytime there's a new dlc everyones games will be patched with it, that way everyone has the graphics etc.

Edit: this hasn't been confirmed, just my best guess.

 

[ZimbuTheMonkey]

If everyone has to download dlc it will work. So everytime there's a new dlc everyones games will be patched with it.

I'm sure this is the way it will happen.

You'll be able to play with people that have purchased the DLC because those assets will be downloaded via Steam updates. You'll be able to see the DLC content and interact with it with no problems, but you won't be able to use it yourself.

It doesn't make sense any other way.

 

[Commander Bello]

I'm sure this is the way it will happen.

You'll be able to play with people that have purchased the DLC because those assets will be downloaded via Steam updates. You'll be able to see the DLC content and interact with it with no problems, but you won't be able to use it yourself.

It doesn't make sense any other way.

Congratulations to anybody with limited bandwidth and/or limited transfer rates.

"You are going to play our game? Fine, we are going to tell you what kind of internet connection you have to have..."

 

[trezno]

Then they should stop calling downloadable content, as it's just regular patches - that you have to pay for in order to unlock it, i.e. locked content.

In a game like civ, I'm not that sure that DLC is that good an idea. But I guess it seems kind of logical, the MP community of civ4 wasn't every paid any attention, why should civ5 be any different.

 

[12agnar0k]

It depends if we have developers that know what they are doing, a DLC that one play gets shouldnt depreciate the game play of another player who doesn't get it and wants to play with the first player.

It can be made just as such by balancing the civs correctly and making sure all DLC is patched into the games core files so thier is no incompatibility.

 

[ZimbuTheMonkey]

Then they should stop calling downloadable content, as it's just regular patches - that you have to pay for in order to unlock it, i.e. locked content.

In a game like civ, I'm not that sure that DLC is that good an idea. But I guess it seems kind of logical, the MP community of civ4 wasn't every paid any attention, why should civ5 be any different.

They aren't regular "patches". They just make sure you are able to play with those that have purchased DLC. Are you actually arguing in favor of splitting up the community?

They'll update your game to make it compatible, but you didn't pay for it (in this scenario) so why would you be able to use it?

I'm okay with people arguing against DLC in general, I can see merit in those arguments, but this doesn't make much sense.

 

[trezno]

They aren't regular "patches". They just make sure you are able to play with those that have purchased DLC. Are you actually arguing in favor of splitting up the community?

That is exactly what I want to avoid, as I think the DLC-method of distributing civs will split the community more up, than the regular 3-4 expansions that everyone would get anyway.

I am not sure that I will spend the money required just to get a couple of more civs...

 

[ZimbuTheMonkey]

That is exactly what I want to avoid, as I think the DLC-method of distributing civs will split the community more up, than the regular 3-4 expansions that everyone would get anyway.

I am not sure that I will spend the money required just to get a couple of more civs...

How will it split the community if everyone can play together?

You can play with those people, you just can't use the DLC they've purchased. Or actually, you probably will be able to if you sack their cities or trade from them.

 

[bjbrains]

Then they should stop calling downloadable content, as it's just regular patches - that you have to pay for in order to unlock it, i.e. locked content.

In a game like civ, I'm not that sure that DLC is that good an idea. But I guess it seems kind of logical, the MP community of civ4 wasn't every paid any attention, why should civ5 be any different.

I'm pretty sure it'll be implemented the same way DLC has been implemented in every other game. That is, you can't 'use' the content if you haven't bought it, but you'll still be able to play against those who do/they will be able to use it in the same game.

 

[trezno]

Right now, we're still only assuming that we can play together.

Do DLC only introduces civs and maps, or do they introduce anything else? If you can get an advantage from buying a DLC, then tell me how's that good for the MP community?

 

[sdlufkin]

Congratulations to anybody with limited bandwidth and/or limited transfer rates.

"You are going to play our game? Fine, we are going to tell you what kind of internet connection you have to have..."

Uh, why would such folks be playing multi-player...?

 

[bjbrains]

Right now, we're still only assuming that we can play together.

Do DLC only introduces civs and maps, or do they introduce anything else? If you can get an advantage from buying a DLC, then tell me how's that good for the MP community?

It's about as safe of an assumption as you can get that they will let people with DLC play with those who don't and not block people from playing DLC in games where not everyone owns it. As to whether people will be able to 'get an advantage', it'd be extremely unlikely for one of the DLC civs to be so good that it eclipses/beats all 18 of the other civs. It *could* happen, but it would have to be incredibly unbalanced for it to do so.

 

[Commander Bello]

Uh, why would such folks be playing multi-player...?

The assumption was that DLC would be enforced on anybody, no?
This seems to include sp gamers, too.

Eventually, there will be a patch. You go online, and then you have the weekend off, since all kind of DLC will be pressed through your lelephone line or your mobile....

In the middle of the process, unfortunately your ISP cuts the connection because you have reached the cap.
Quite good then that the patch was the last item in the queue.

 

[ZimbuTheMonkey]

The assumption was that DLC would be enforced on anybody, no?
This seems to include sp gamers, too.

Eventually, there will be a patch. You go online, and then you have the weekend off, since all kind of DLC will be pressed through your lelephone line or your mobile....

In the middle of the process, unfortunately your ISP cuts the connection because you have reached the cap.
Quite good then that the patch was the last item in the queue.

Right click game in the library > Properties > Updates > Do not automatically update this game

 

[ShaqFu]

If you're that concerned about bandwidth, why are you letting Steam auto-patch anyway?

 

[Commander Bello]

Right click game in the library > Properties > Updates > Do not automatically update this game

Quite a decent advice for somebody who is going to load a patch.

 

[bjbrains]

Quite a decent advice for somebody who is going to load a patch.

Well if you're going to load a patch, then why are you complaining about bandwith? If you're really so limited that ~50mb of data for DLC compatibility is going to shut of your connection, then you've got bigger problems.

 

[ZimbuTheMonkey]

Quite a decent advice for somebody who is going to load a patch.

I don't know what to tell you dude.

If you're at the point where you need to measure the size of DLC civs and maps to avoiding busting your monthly cap, I think it's a problem with your current internet plan or connection availability instead of the actual game itself.

Yeah, it would suck in your particular circumstance, but I think digital distribution is a convenience for most people. I'm glad games are being distributed and patched this way, but then again I don't have a problem with limited bandwidth.

 

[ShaqFu]

If you have limited bandwidth, you really should know if you'll go over your cap before downloading big patches. If you start downloading, and go over, it's your own fault. It's silly to come on CFC and post "I can't believe Firaxis/2k released a DLC patch that ate up all my bandwidth for the month!" because it wasn't Firaxis/2k that made the decision to download it.

It doesn't matter if it's a DLC-enabling patch or not; you might as well be arguing against patches in general.

And I'm curious to know what regions Civ5 is being released in that has such limited bandwidth that even a major patch (~1GB) would kill your monthly limit.