Isn't it about about time for expansion pack?

[SHaW1986]

well, it is about time for something new, dlc or expansion.

 

[Luckystrike77]

There will be an expansion before christmas. They just needed to patch the vanilla game to the standard they wanted first. That's the reason an expansion has taken longer, pluss the amount of time used for dlc's.

 

[CoolLizy]

Defending DLCs and then asking for expansions is a contradiction; these are two completely different sales philosophies and they don't go well together.

As someone else has already pointed out, DLC is the distribution method. An expansion pack can be downloadable content just the same as it can be on the shelf. The two are not exclusive. Likewise, the "fairness" of DLC in general has nothing to do with the high price 2K has felt they needed to charge for the DLC packs. DLC can be $1 just as easily as it can be $5.

 

[Selous]

As someone else has already pointed out, DLC is the distribution method. An expansion pack can be downloadable content just the same as it can be on the shelf. The two are not exclusive. Likewise, the "fairness" of DLC in general has nothing to do with the high price 2K has felt they needed to charge for the DLC packs. DLC can be $1 just as easily as it can be $5.

while Down Loadable Content is a distribution method, it has, in effect, come to mean very small "expansion" packs and does not have the same meaning as what is usually refered to as an expansion pack

Firaxis could announce that the next DLC is going to be $20 and include upgrades to combat, diplomacy and an espionage system(content for another discussion), but i would be willing to bet that it would be called an expansion pack and not DLC

i would also put money on the fact that an Xpac will be released before xmas, its a nice way to get more money out of people and also a way to rerelease the original game as a "complete" version

 

[Civsassin]

My guess is that Firaxis planned an expansion, but because they felt they needed to make so many changes to the game mechanics, they also had to delay the expansion. The game is now solid, and I think they are comfortable with it. I expect as Selous stated that we will see an expansion around or shortly after the holidays. I am hopeful because I really like the game in its current form. All it needs is expanded features.

 

[Dregor]

They probably won't announce an expansion (if there is one, probably will be) until after the GOTY has been out for a bit. Wouldn't be sound marketing to offer a "complete" game experience while also showing their hand with the expansion on the horizon. Maybe that's just me.

 

[Trias]

They probably won't announce an expansion (if there is one, probably will be) until after the GOTY has been out for a bit. Wouldn't be sound marketing to offer a "complete" game experience while also showing their hand with the expansion on the horizon. Maybe that's just me.

Actually, it is quite standard practice to introduce both at about the same time.

 

[apocalypse105]

My guess is that Firaxis planned an expansion, but because they felt they needed to make so many changes to the game mechanics, they also had to delay the expansion. The game is now solid, and I think they are comfortable with it. I expect as Selous stated that we will see an expansion around or shortly after the holidays. I am hopeful because I really like the game in its current form. All it needs is expanded features.

Diplomacy still needs a lot of work

 

[Drawmeus]

Forget expansion packs. Where's the C++ code for modding? They've already completely failed to deliver 'unprecedented mod support' simply because they let it go an entire year.

Getting the mod tools in our hands is about the only thing left for them to do.

 

[King Patrick]

Most of the arguments against an expansion pack seem to be the sneering 'Civ5 doesn't deserve one nyah nyah' sort. Not exactly convincing. I expect there will be at least one sizable expansion, though it'll probably be released via DLC thru Steam rather than as a separate CD, just because that's the distribution model for this game.

 

[Snoopaloop]

Remember how BtS made a great game, an incredible game...

...I expect an expansion (on store shelfs and as a steam download) to be released. It would be nice if it was out for the holiday season.

 

[Civsassin]

Diplomacy still needs a lot of work

Diplomacy needs tweeks; not a complete revamp. Any tweeks couild be included in an expansion. My point was that there weren't going to be any major changes to the game as several earlier patches did.

 

[TImithius]

If an expansion pack came out what would it include, it would be unfair to us who bought the DLC if the expansion had the same DLC civs but better features. I have no idea how it would work out, but I would be happpy with new DLC or an expansion. I am just waiting for the the Dutch and Zulu

 

[Scrooge]

If an expansion pack came out what would it include, it would be unfair to us who bought the DLC if the expansion had the same DLC civs but better features. ...

Well I do apologise for bursting your bubble but the rationale will be as usual:
1. you had the DLC early and
2. you had a choice to buy or not to buy
so fairness will not as it does not factor into marketing and business models.

I'd rather support modders than unbalanced DLCs .

 

[Civsassin]

Well I do apologise for bursting your bubble but the rationale will be as usual:
1. you had the DLC early and
2. you had a choice to buy or not to buy
so fairness will not as it does not factor into marketing and business models.

I'd rather support modders than unbalanced DLCs .

This whole thread is speculation, so just because you write something doesn't mean it will come true. An expansion will be what it is, and Firaxis will have to make a decision as to what they want to include in it. I don't suspect that an expansion will include DLC. It doesn't make sense to. You have the opportunity to get the DLC individually through Steam or included in the GOTY edition. But that is merely my speculation with no inside knowledge.

 

[Uberfrog]

This whole thread is speculation, so just because you write something doesn't mean it will come true. An expansion will be what it is, and Firaxis will have to make a decision as to what they want to include in it. I don't suspect that an expansion will include DLC. It doesn't make sense to. You have the opportunity to get the DLC individually through Steam or included in the GOTY edition. But that is merely my speculation with no inside knowledge.

Well, one could argue that it didn't make sense to include practically all of Warlords in Beyond the Sword. It'd be pretty much the same thing. Annoying, sure, but early-purchasers will have been playing the the DLC stuff for a good while before any expansion pack appears.

 

[The Tollan]

I think it is more likely than not that there will be an expansion pack (whether purely a digital download or also available inside a box). The game has been greatly improved since the launch through patches, but it would easily benefit from several major gameplay additions that seem fairly unlikely to come through patches.

It seems unlikely that certain types of gameplay DLC packages will be released except in the form of an expansion package with several new features. For example, a $10 DLC to add vassal states seems unlikely (though it could happen).

Adding more complexity to the diplomatic and political situation would be useful.

Examples (the following could be added through patches, but are much more likely if an expansion comes out):

Vassal and/or client states

Some form of civics or more complex governing options (maybe certain civic
combinations result in certain government descriptions being applied to the civilization)

The possibility of cities seeking, and sometimes gaining, independence and maybe various forms of rebellion (in extreme cases this could cause states to fracture and new civs to appear)

While on the topic of new content: Hopefully Firaxis is going to add the Civ 4 Modern Era (maybe the Industrial Era too) music into Civ 5 at some point.