steam and dlc

[ruby_sauce]

ok, I have a dislike of steam because it works like crap, but if it means I HAVE to use it to play civ 5, I guess I have little choice.

I understand if I want the full game (maps, and appearently something as big as a whole civ) I need to order it via steam or something, is this true?

also, if there is going to be downloadable content, do I need to BUY it off of steam or will it be free, and can I just pay for big expansions that will be on physical discs?

 

[PieceOfMind]

There are some exclusive features to the Steam Deluxe Edition, including a map pack and an extra civ - Babylon. For some reason, this deluxe edition appears to be only available to US customers at the moment. We have no word from 2K Games why this is.

To get the Steam Deluxe Edition you need to pre-order the game through Steam. Indications from 2K Games so far have been that it will not be available at retail stores at all, and neither will it be available on Steam after the game is released.

Downloadable content will almost certainly have to be purchased using your steam account (which you will have if you are playing civ5). The purchase can be done using a credit card or paypal.
It won't matter whether you bought the game from a retail store or from Steam. You will still have access to DLC.

 

[Svip]

There are some exclusive features to the Steam Deluxe Edition, including a map pack and an extra civ - Babylon. For some reason, this deluxe edition appears to be only available to US customers at the moment. We have no word from 2K Games why this is.

Sure? I pre-ordered it and I am fairly sure I'm Danish. I certainly do not hope they are going to take that away from me.

 

[PieceOfMind]

Sure? I pre-ordered it and I am fairly sure I'm Danish. I certainly do not hope they are going to take that away from me.

I am not sure what's happening with people who already made the preorder like yourself, but it appears to be the case at the moment that new pre-orders of the DE can only be made by US customers. If you can log onto the Steam Store using your browser to confirm whether this is true or not, it could help out.

 

[Svip]

I am not sure what's happening with people who already made the preorder like yourself, but it appears to be the case at the moment that new pre-orders of the DE can only be made by US customers. If you can log onto the Steam Store using your browser to confirm whether this is true or not, it could help out.

It's gone from the store page, indeed.

Though in the list of purchases, it is listed as 'Sid Meier's Civilization IV: The Complete Edition', so I dunno. It certainly is different than the default purchase, but not much 'deluxe' in it.

Maybe it is just a temporary hiccup.

 

[PieceOfMind]

Wait, it's being listed as Civ 4 Complete Edition? That's bizarre.

Make sure you keep your receipt.

 

[Svip]

Wait, it's being listed as Civ 4 Complete Edition? That's bizarre.

Wait a minute, that is bizarre, I must have overlooked something.

Oh, silly me, it's just that I purchased Civ4 after I purchased Civ5 to keep the wait down, which is listed as 'Civilization V - Deluxe Edition'.

 

[PieceOfMind]

Wait a minute, that is bizarre, I must have overlooked something.

Oh, silly me, it's just that I purchased Civ4 after I purchased Civ5 to keep the wait down, which is listed as 'Civilization V - Deluxe Edition'.

Ok. No need to worry then.

 

[mechaerik]

The map pack isn't unique to the deluxe edition, its just for preordering any version of Civ5, including the regular edition, over steam.

 

[Rebel44]

All DLCs will have to be obtained from Steam. Decision if DLC will be paid or for free is up to developer (for example Valve release all their updates/DLCs for free).

I am pretty sure that even items which are currently as "exclusive" preorder bonus will be purcheasable later as DLC.

 

[Tylerryan79]

This probably could have been asked in one of the many dlc and/or steam threads..... Just saying!

 

[Rebel44]

This probably could have been asked in on of the many dlc and/or steam threads..... Just saying!

We dont have enough Steam related threads on 1st page

 

[Ahriman]

Downloadable content will almost certainly have to be purchased using your steam account (which you will have if you are playing civ5).
...
You will still have access to DLC

Please note that, no matter what PoM says, we still do not have any confirmation that there will *be* DLC separate from regular patches and updates, or that any such DLC will have an extra charge.

It might be true, but we don't know yet.

 

[PieceOfMind]

For the benefit of readers, I base those guesses on this information:

2K Games press release

Sid Meier's Civilization V players will enjoy the benefits of the Steamworks' features included in all PC versions, such as auto-updating, Steam Achievements, downloadable content, ability to access from any computer*, multiplayer matchmatching and more.

http://store.steampowered.com/news/3792/

Brochure for steamworks, likely distributed to publishers/developers:

Microtransactions
Want to offer your customers a scabbard for their sword? New
tires? The latest in night vision goggles? Now you can through
microtransaction support in Steamworks. Your item server can now
be easily integrated with Steamworks so that Steam users can buy
and instantly use the items they want – all without leaving the game.
Steam handles all of the billing through the user’s Steam account.

In-game DLC
Steamworks provides true in-game DLC,
allowing customers to select, buy, and use
DLC — all without leaving the game.

http://www.steampowered.com/steamworks/SteamworksBrochure2010.pdf

From what I can gather, what you call free DLC is usually talked about not as DLC but rather patches. For example, is the DLC for Team Fortress 2 described by Valve as DLC? I haven't seen that.

Best indications at this point are that DLC will carry a price. It may be a very small price like $0.99, but it will be more than 0. Otherwise it would just be included in a patch, wouldn't it? To me it seems that by the definition that Valve/Steamworks attaches to DLC, it has to be purchased.

2K Games rep 2K Greg has chosen not to answer questions about this so far, so we don't have any official word on it, except for the press release I quoted.

 

[eireksten]

Please note that, no matter what PoM says, we still do not have any confirmation that there will *be* DLC separate from regular patches and updates, or that any such DLC will have an extra charge.

This is still a very strong indication, imo:

Gamers who pre-order any version of Sid Meier's Civilization V from Steam will receive the downloadable bonus content, Cradle of Civilization Map Pack: Mesopotamia for free when the game is available.

Why would they state that Steam buyers recieve the DLC "Cradle of Civilization Map Pack: Mesopotamia" for free if they weren't planning on selling it for money later on? If not, this is very poorly phrased, not to mention very misleading.

 

[Ahriman]

From what I can gather, what you call free DLC is usually talked about not as DLC but rather patches.

Patches are content that is downloadable. For that matter, if you get the main game through Steam then the game is downloadable content.
I think you're putting far too much of an assumption on what downloadable content means.

One of Steam's benefits is an easier system for patching.

There is no conflict between the press release and the possibility of Steam just being used as a mechanism to distribute free content.

I prefer to take a conservative approach, where we don't tell people that things are true unless we know them to actually be true.

Brochure for steamworks, likely distributed to publishers/developers:

By this logic, every single game on Steam would have for-pay DLC.

But they don't.

Yes, its advertised to developers as a potential benefit of Steam. That doesn't provide any evidence that they're going to do it.

Maybe it will happen. But we just don't know yet.

Why would they state that Steam buyers recieve the DLC "Cradle of Civilization Map Pack: Mesopotamia" for free if they weren't planning on selling it for money later on? If not, this is very poorly phrased, not to mention very misleading.

Eh? I don't see any implication that the Cradle of Civilization pack will be available in any form except the Deluxe Edition.
It might, but I don't see that being implied.
I agree its clumsy phrasing. But we've seen plenty of that.

Best indications

This is still a very strong indication

I strongly question your judgements here; you are over-parsing.

 

[PieceOfMind]

Patches are content that is downloadable. For that matter, if you get the main game through Steam then the game is downloadable content.
I think you're putting far too much of an assumption on what downloadable content means.

One of Steam's benefits is an easier system for patching.

There is no conflict between the press release and the possibility of Steam just being used as a mechanism to distribute free content.

I prefer to take a conservative approach, where we don't tell people that things are true unless we know them to actually be true.

I did not say it is true. I said it was almost certain. And given that the post is obviously my opinion, it's not really necessary to make the implication I'm lying.

By this logic, every single game on Steam would have for-pay DLC.

No. But it would be closer to say that by my logic every steamworks (not just steam!) game of 2010 would have for-pay DLC. Can you tell me steamworks games this year that have had free DLC, excluding patches?

But they don't.

Yes, its advertised to developers as a potential benefit of Steam. That doesn't provide any evidence that they're going to do it.

Maybe it will happen. But we just don't know yet.

Of course we don't know. That's why it's my opinion that it is highly likely to happen. If you want to believe it's not likely, that can be your opinion. We don't have to agree about it, do we?

There's also this point: Why would Firaxis pass up an opportunity to generate some more revenue by just offering free DLC (e.g. extra civs) as opposed to for-pay DLC? Look at BtS and the earlier versions of Civ4. How often were patches released? Most were of the opinion that patches were too slow and most of the time while fixing some bugs they introduced other bugs. Working on extra content or patches does not come free.

I strongly question your judgements here; you are over-parsing.

Can you please show me examples of steamworks games where significant DLC (as opposed to patch content) were available for free? Was it called DLC?

With some evidence of that sort, I might be more inclined to agree that steamworks (plus the DLC mention in the press release) isn't a strong indication the game will come with for-pay DLC.