3981

Ugh, that isn’t what I wanted to hear about the DLC. I think EU would really benefit from Warlock’s model of DLC. With $2 DLC packs that add more units, items and what not to the game. That way for someone interested they can get them all with enough coming out to keep the game fresh. Or someone can just buy them a la carte and not have something they don’t want included.

3982

Out of curiosity, what would you deem a good DLC for this game?

Dreams of 40 levels for $5 are just delusional, considering the entire game only shipped with 80 maps and they’re pricing this four maps and a little fluff at $7.
New aliens wouldn’t really fit in.
New weapons would either be almost identical to existing weaons or would require massive changes unless they are to be allowed to throw the entire game off balance.
New mission types might be a possibility, but where put them? The game is so tightened up around the stuff that’s in that squeezing in any amount of additional content (except stuff like Slingshot) seems to be hardly possible.

For $7, it would have been really cool if they brought in another character class with Slinghsot - this is one thing I can see actually working. With some new neat skills to use, it wouldn’t neccessarily upset the game balance. The price would sound a lot more reasonable to me then.

Map packs are also still on the table, I guess, though it’d possibly be more like 10 new maps for $5 or something like that.
If the maps are different enough from what’s already there (some new 3D models, interesting challenges), I could see this working and being halfway reasonable.

Since they claimed they had this actually working (which I don’t believe for a second - at best they had some parts useable), I’d buy a “Classic Mode” DLC for $10 or even $15 in a hearbeat - in other words, play the original X-Com like it was, but with the new engine and graphics.
If somebody just thinks: Not gonna happen - I sadly agree.

So anything that I’d be interested in otherwise is more in full expansion or even sequel territory.

Which brings me back to my original question, now that you’ve witnessed their idea of pricing these things, what would you consider possible DLCs for $5ish (or $7ish, if they must)?

rezaf

3983

I think something akin to Paradox’s strategy with CK 2 or Warlock: where the DLC content is minor in the grand scheme of things, but adds more variety to the randomization or just general gameplay. Like an aesthetic pack that adds more armor varieties, face and body types for the squaddies. Or an alien pack that may change how the aliens look.

More options with weapons and items to help fill out the research tracks. Anything to add more randomness to the game. The important part is that the DLC has to be cheap to the point of an impulse buy for it to work, as opposed to mini expansions aimed at $10-$20 a pop.

3984

I would strongly prefer full Civilization style expansions for a bit more money. Or Binding of Isaac style DLC that adds in more variation and things in general. Warlock style DLC like Armageddon that basically adds in new modes that throw out the old rules.

Second Wave DLC, fully featured with options galore. I want to be able to randomize everything including weapon and aliens stats so the same builds and orders don’t work every freaking game. Extra end game? Final Alien Base on Mars that requires building a ship to get there, and if you don’t hit the base by a certain time they nuke the planet.

Generally more tools in the box of things that can happen. Not more scripted missions that will be tired out the second time you hit them. The game is already dangerously close to being a set of linear missions rather than a strategy game or roguelike, so anything that tips it away from that and more towards the other two would be awesome.

3985

Basically they need to give a reason to play through the game again. Something that will make another playthrough feel fresh and worthwhile. A council mission definitely isn’t enough.

A new class or new skill would be cool. I’d love to see a skill similar to the aliens, where a guy who gets flanked gets a free move. (with a cooldown) Would certainly help against sectopods just shooting the cover out from under them and then killing them.

A new alien type might be interesting, even if just a variation of an old one (they ole palette swap, but with new skills/stats)

New weapons, oh yeah.

3986

I could see some DLC related to making multiplayer mode appealing, or maybe even new single-player “challenge” modes similar to the second wind idea. As mentioned, it would need to give me a reason to play the game again, and it would have to affect the entire playthrough instead of just 2-3 missions.

Sure, more council missions would be nice, but that isn’t compelling enough by itself. Now if it was extended to include more map types and tilesets, that might be appealing. They could even make an “XCOM base” tileset and stage base defense missions that way. (Just make it the top level of the base, so hangars and barracks and mission control.)

I might also be interested in more cosmetic options for soldiers e.g armor styles), or the ability to specify flags, or more faces, or more ethnic-sounding voices. It would have to be basically double the content of the “elite soldier” DLC pack though to make it worthwhile, because colors and two armor styles and one haircut were kind of skimpy.

3987

Review of the new DLC. Review almost exactly lines up with the worries posted above: http://pc.gamespy.com/pc/xcom-enemy-unknown/1226784p1.html

Firaxis, I’m not angry with you… but I am disappointed. When I concluded my glowing review of XCOM: Enemy Unknown, I mentioned that this is one of the few times I’ve actually looked forward to DLC – and I meant it. I envisioned downloadable expansions that’d add in new weapons and technology to research, new aliens to encounter, new maps to fight on, and new objective types to achieve. Maybe even something completely new. Things that would make each playthrough feel different from the last, and would keep the very best parts of XCOM – the dangerous unpredictability the unknown – coming. This Tuesday’s $7 Slingshot Pack, the first of just two planned DLC add-ons, adds virtually none of this, and counterproductively makes XCOM a more predictable and repetitive game.

…

Honestly, I think the most valuable part of Slingshot in the long term will be the handful of entirely cosmetic helmets and alternate armor looks that give us more opportunities to make each playthrough feel unique.

…

The worst part about Slingshot, I think, is that even though they’re optional, Zhang and his three missions will appear each and every time I fire up XCOM henceforth. I wanted XCOM to become more randomized and replayable, in the same way that Firaxis added more ways to replay Civilization 5 with extra civs that each have unique traits and bonuses.

Rather have seen 3 or maps or types just thrown into the map pool.

Another way to do very similar DLC might have been to have to have 3 special maps that involve rescuing a special trooper, but only one map of this set pops up per playthrough. And the soldier you get is a random class.

3988

Hmm, looks like my decision to wait until this hits $10 with all DLC included was the right one. I put hundreds of hours into replaying the original XCOM and it looks like this is worth one play through at best. Damn shame.

3989

Or not. Still one of my best games of the year. Did I want more out of the dlc? Of course! Does that somehow negate the awesome stories I participated in? Not at all.

3990

Where’s the problem, though, Wolff?

Even if he ends up liking the game as much as you did - which is entirely possible - the worst that can happen that it’ll be one of his best games of 2013 or something.
To boot, there’s a chance that by that time there are updates, DLCs (looks unlikely just now) and/or mods (also unlikely, unfortunately) that make the game even more fun for him.
And if the unlikely event should come to be that he isn’t blown away by XCOM, he’ll only have spent a tenner.
Not a bad course of action if you’re a patient guy.

rezaf

3991

I would be very happy with dlc that added more customizing options for armor, things like scarring or warpaint and most importantly: accents. Because that’s still the biggest problem I have with the game: my japanese/dutch/russian/french/aussie/whatever soldier having a perfect American accent…

Other then that, I still ike the game as it is. But then I never played the original X-com, so I don’t know what I’m supposed to miss…

3992

My flag waving is in regards to the idea that xcom (speaking for me of course!) is a bargain bin title. Of course there is no reason to pay full price for a title except if you want to send a message to publishers/developers.

3993

Ah…the wonders of the modern publisher model for game dev. I blame 2k, although there might be too many wide-eyed (and deep pockets) devs at Fireaxis these days (we have CivV as a metric also)?

But mostly my money/hunch is on 2K being the main influence on these things. I’m waiting for the ‘Ultimate Gold Bundle’, probably out in 2015, and i’ll carry on playing original X-com until then (and Xenonauts off course).

3994

I really don’t understand what I am seeing from this DLC model. There’s really a lot that could be done with this game, and I think 2k/Firaxis is leaving a lot of money on the table by not exploring/exploiting it. Heck, I’d probably pay $2 if they just got 2nd wave running and officially activated.

3995

There’s a good idea for DLC - the International Pack!

Since they’ve already got French, Italian, German, Spanish, Polish and Russian voices recorded for the different versions of the game, give us the ability to assign a voice to a squaddie, or just give us a voice that matches their randomized nationality. Probably too much to expect a Scots or Argentine accent, so the range of nationalities would be restricted to the above. No subtitles! I’d certainly pay $10 for that.

3996

So … you love and replay the original X-com and Xenonauts, but somehow Jake Solomon’s lovely remade version isn’t worth $50? It certainly isn’t a perfect game, but boy howdy it is a great one. Is this the equivalent of being a gaming hipster?

3997

There isn’t a lot of replay value in the game. The impact that has on what someone is willing to pay will vary from person to person, but I’m sympathetic with anyone who played the original and wishes this sequel has the same kind of replay value. I get that.

I’d pay $20 for another 30 maps and a few other new things. I am not going to pay $7 for three new maps, though.

Hope Firaxis releases editing tools. It would be cool to see the mod community do for XCOM what they’ve done for Civ.

3998

For me the original had replay value back in the day when I had more time and less money. Today it has less replay value for me because each map takes forever and my meaningful choices are so few and far between.

3999

The risk is charging money for something gamers expected (rightly or wrongly) or hoped would be in the original game.

4000

Not really. I should make it clear i don’t play Xenonauts ‘yet’(waiting for completion), so i just play the original X-com (and TFTD). My comments were more that i had a hunch, partially after CivV, that i might not personally enjoy the new XCOM, and having watched a whole heap of ‘let’s plays’ my hunch was justified, just way too streamlined, yes ‘consolified’ even, for my personal tastes is all. And i have a hunch that issue is a 2K issue more than a Fireaxis issue (but i can’t be sure).

Hmm yes building a mod community would potentially add a lot to the game, but you know, in the same way Bethesda is kind of making modding harder for their games, i have a feeling 2K might have the same ‘game plan’. Paid for DLC etc. Modern publisher led game dev. Just not my thing.

@Wolff, heck yep some of those maps can take an hour or so! Luckily you can save your game during them, i’m very happy for that option, it keeps you sane!

I don’t think i’ll touch your ‘meaningful choices’ thing, as well all i can say is ALL my in-game choices (not UI donkey work/pre-stage 90’s ‘bad-gui’ issues) in the original game are meaningful, every single one. One mistake and i can lose a team (hint: pay attention where you throw your primed ‘0’ turn grenades/proximity grenades!).

I’ve not seen much of that in the new game…which was a little disappointing. You can blast through it pretty quick, pretty much picking whatever char upgrade you want, and well, you’ll make it through the game. I’ve only seen complete let’s play’s on Iron-man Classic(completed), Iron-man Impossible(not completed), and Normal non-iron-man(completed), so this is just based on the various versions of those i have watched, and some of the comments generated by those.

I guess, as Mark Asher hints at, and a number of decent in depth post-playing analysis that i have read (i think gamasutra has a couple) do also, many of us X-com fans had just hoped for more. But modern publishing does what it does? For those of us not satisfied with that, at least we have the original, and can see what Xenonauts will be like in comparison.