13 replies to this topic

[MoonUnitBeta]

Fact:
PGI’s support for MWO won’t last forever, but it’ll continue on so long as there’s enough (financial) support for the game.

Sooooo, assuming the above statement is infinite and if an expansion pack or “DLC” was released at the end of next year…

…What exclusive major feature(s) would you like to see? (Fully-fledged out addition to the game)

…What minor improvements/features would you like to see for xpac and/or vanilla versions?

…Would you be willing to pay X dollars for an expansion/DLC that includes extra goodies, such as MC, Premium Time, flair items, and modules, etc? This would not be a limited time offer. Something within reason, like $40 - $60? Is $100 stretching it? (Come on, we’ve all spent more for JUST MECHS. This is cheap in comparison, and it’s REAL content.)

… Major DLC features I could see happening:

• Solaris arena with leader boards and weekly tournaments and monthly main events with MC or cash prizes. (xpac exclusive)
  
• Single Player Campaign/PvE Co-op missions. (xpac exclusive)

… Some minor features I can think of:

• “Less-Than-3-Variant” Mechs (xpac exclusive. Perhaps this is the opportunity to introduce special mechs that are pre-mastered, to introduce mechs that don’t have 3 variants.)
  
• Knockdowns (global update)
  
• Melee (global update)
  
• Destructible environments and/or props (global update)
  
• Graphical update/additional graphic options (water caustics, improved lighting dynamics, more explodey bits/effects??? Exclusive or not?)
  
• New game mode (I’d like to see this as an xpac exclusive, but then we are separating queue’s, which in turn increase matching times)
  
• Customizable UI (global)

I see benefits for DLC once the game is completed. It’s a great way to support the longevity of the game and introduce new features that would otherwise be dependant solely on Mech, MC, and microtransaction sales. It’s a reasonable and understandable way to bring in extra revenue for extra content.


Since the game is technically feature complete after CW phase 3, then that entire portion of the game can remain free to play. It gives a great foundation for PGI to build upon and expand on. If any expansion interests you, it’s a great way to modularize features, and you pay for only what you want to see; for example if you’re not interested in Single Player, then don’t buy it! ).

Obviously none of these features will exclude each other (meaning you must still be able to play with everyone equally if you do not have the xpac or DLC). Paying for what you want also alleviates the dependency on in-game sales, and ultimately expanding on MWO via a new revenue pipeline.

So what do you think? I’d love to hear your ideas about which features you would feel comfortable with paying for, the amount they should go for, or which ones you feel are big enough to be included as DLC.
I'm all for it, personally. I'd really love to see MWO expand into something that goes far and beyond their original version, and I'd be happy to pay if DLC is the key that will get us there.

Edit: Realized I was using an old title, changed it to fit with the rest of the topic.

Edited by MoonUnitBeta, 17 September 2014 - 10:44 AM.

[Redshift2k5]

Game modes and mech chassis behind a paywall? No thanks.

The only content that makes sense to me as DLC is a standalone campaign mode.

[Funky Bacon]

Aren't heroes technically DLC?

[Apnu]

Yes, yes I would be interested in expansion packs and DLCs

[Metus regem]

I remeber this time, back a few years, when there wasn't DLC, but you could buy these things called expansion packs, and software was way less buggy then it is now too....

That being said, I'd happly shell out for a single player story mode for MWO.

[Bilbo]

Funky Bacon, on 17 September 2014 - 10:48 AM, said:

Aren't heroes technically DLC?

I'd say so, as well as camo patterns and cockpit items.

[UrsusMorologus]

Metus regem, on 17 September 2014 - 10:52 AM, said:

I remeber this time, back a few years, when there wasn't DLC, but you could buy these things called expansion packs

Yeah but back then they would put ~6 new mechs in the expansion

Now they release a new "mini-expansion" every few weeks

[Bilbo]

Metus regem, on 17 September 2014 - 10:52 AM, said:

I remeber this time, back a few years, when there wasn't DLC, but you could buy these things called expansion packs, and software was way less buggy then it is now too....

That being said, I'd happly shell out for a single player story mode for MWO.

I remember those times too. I also remember that the bugs that were there were permanent.

[Malleus011]

I'm interested in certain kinds of DLC.

A single-player campaign; good content which could build character and be a fun 'trial run' for new 'mechs to be run through after purchase.

Combined-arms expansion; adding AI armor/infantry/battlearmor to the main game, while those with the expansion might be able to control such units. This would avoid que-splitting. Though I'm not sure how popular it would be.

Aerospace expansion; allow Aerospace + Dropship battles which could also affect the CW map. (I'm not interested in flying ground strikes, but that's just me)

A 'Strategic Warfare' expansion for CW; which would allow players who own it to help direct the action in Community Warfare.

A 'Mercenary life' expansion for CW; allowing players who own it to run the financial and logistical side of their mercenary guilds, and would include a contract/mission generation system for the Mercs which integrates in CW and gives them their own sub-objectives inside a match. (For example, bounty hunting a particular commander or 'mech type, or something).

A 'Mechwarrior life' expansion; which allows me to customize mechwarriors for every 'mech, including portrait, 3D model/uniform, voice, custom 'mech art, etc.

Finally, a 'Hangar bay' expansion; allowing me to walk around my 'mech bay, climb the scaffolding, and look over my machines.

Edited by Malleus011, 17 September 2014 - 11:03 AM.

[Dracol]

hmm.... anything that separates people into more queues should not have to be purchased.

Single player campaign as a pay to play feature? Ya, that I can see but after a decent tutorial mission or 5 are offered to new players for free

What I would love to see as a purchasable product are cockpit renovations. Offer me a totally different cockpit, maybe one held together with duct tape... or maybe one all decked out with neon lights.

I'd understand it would only be for one chassis, but damn it would be cool to drop in a mech just filled with junk, like I'd lived in the thing for years.

[MoonUnitBeta]

Malleus011, on 17 September 2014 - 11:02 AM, said:

I'm interested in certain kinds of DLC.

A single-player campaign; good content which could build character and be a fun 'trial run' for new 'mechs to be run through after purchase.

Combined-arms expansion; adding AI armor/infantry/battlearmor to the main game, while those with the expansion might be able to control such units. This would avoid que-splitting. Though I'm not sure how popular it would be.

Aerospace expansion; allow Aerospace + Dropship battles which could also affect the CW map. (I'm not interested in flying ground strikes, but that's just me)

A 'Strategic Warfare' expansion for CW; which would allow players who own it to help direct the action in Community Warfare.

A 'Mercenary life' expansion for CW; allowing players who own it to run the financial and logistical side of their mercenary guilds, and would include a contract/mission generation system for the Mercs which integrates in CW and gives them their own sub-objectives inside a match. (For example, bounty hunting a particular commander or 'mech type, or something).

A 'Mechwarrior life' expansion; which allows me to customize mechwarriors for every 'mech, including portrait, 3D model/uniform, voice, custom 'mech art, etc.

Finally, a 'Hangar bay' expansion; allowing me to walk around my 'mech bay, climb the scaffolding, and look over my machines.

Good ideas!
I definately had "Free roam Mechbay/hanger" in my list but removed it. I'm glad someone brought it up! I think it'd be pretty sweet! And have an elemental suit so we can jump around the hanger and run faster incase we have a lot of mechs. hahah that'd be fun,

[LauLiao]

Can't say I'm down with this. What happens when you try to match up one player who has the DLC along with one who doesn't, either as teammate or opponent. Would there just be a separate queue for the "Expansion" players? Have you ever tried to find a match in this game at off-peak times? Further dividing the player base certianly isn't going to help MM times. I can see maybe a single player campaign as DLC, but that's ALL I could see as working as an expansion of sorts, but it still smacks of the old subscription model which PGI has stated emphatically that they do not want to go back to.

[Kassatsu]

Being an F2P we've (almost) all already dropped hundreds into mechs for? No.

Just no.

Maybe a singleplayer campaign that unlocks the ability to host co-op lobbies. Maybe something like discounted mech/premium/cockpit/camo packs.

[MoonUnitBeta]

LauLiao, on 17 September 2014 - 12:56 PM, said:

Can't say I'm down with this. What happens when you try to match up one player who has the DLC along with one who doesn't, either as teammate or opponent. Would there just be a separate queue for the "Expansion" players? Have you ever tried to find a match in this game at off-peak times? Further dividing the player base certianly isn't going to help MM times. I can see maybe a single player campaign as DLC, but that's ALL I could see as working as an expansion of sorts, but it still smacks of the old subscription model which PGI has stated emphatically that they do not want to go back to.

No, you’re absolutely right, it definitely cannot separate the player base. I stated in my OP that this is not how it should work either. We definitely don’t need to separate the players any more than they already are (ganna be painful when Clan vs IS comes I think lol). Features proposed for DLC should not interrupt with normal interaction between expansion and vanilla players, and PGI would be smart to avoid additions that separate the player base - such as exclusive maps, modes, and other changes that would alter the match maker.

The core game should remain the focus, but you would be paying for extra content like single player or other modules that can take advantage of what’s in place right now. So Single Player campaign (the obvious one) could tie into the mechs that you own (the enemy is made up of a mix between preset and mechs found in your hangar), and then finishing the campaign awards you a free mech that you can use in multiplayer.

The way I see it working is that assets are passed down to from the parent core game to the child modules. UI2.0 would be considered the operating system for everything. But there can also be smaller featured content packs, like a free-roaming mech hangar for a much smaller fee than a fully-fledged single player campaign.

It’s a shame that we’ve deduced that DLC should only affect “offline” play. Unfortunately that seems like the only way without becoming too invasive on the core game experience.