On DLCs / your feedback

[unmerged(71032)]

Reason for high number of people interested in expansions is that modding scene of Paradox titles is pretty much covering all the smaller needs (well, maybe apart from music - but somehow I feel such pack will be just a novelty, most of the people claim to just use own music collections as background).

There is a concern that if you focus on small stuff, like BGs, campaigns and sprites, there will be limited number of BIG changes, like adding new mechanics or redesigning game to make it work in other then initial time period (like, in case of HoI3, WWI and potential WWIII).

I don't mind if you become distributor platform for the best, acclaimed mods, allowing those guys to get some cash for their hard work (that will cover their basic expanses like software licences). On the other hand, every big expansion that add more options to the game is multiple times better then Paradox trying to basically do the same as modders (not neccessary better, mind you ).

So - expansion that opens BG option or adds significant, non-WWII related content (WWI, Cold War, WWIII) - hell yeah!
Expansion that adds WWII BG, sprites and adjusts couple of things in existing campaigns, while not adding all that many new mechanics - meh.

 

[Dominik]

Rockstone, the tech teams although great for immersion were bad solution. Nations good in rocketry were destined to be good in rocketry, nations good in building carriers were forced to build carriers etc. with HOI3 system, although lacking names and pictures allow you to decide which way you want your research and production to be focused gaining expertise in that field. Each game can be different, no nation is forced to develop things in order and scale it did historically.

As for the spritepacks - it all depends if you play with them or not. Anyway, I'm happy the DLC matter is solved by Paradox with such great care for what their fans said. We can see how Paradox learns from mistakes and this is a good prospect for future.

 

[VampiRos]

i was just wondering about the sprites... on my opinion them should be given for flavour, with no extra cost at all... Expansions packs are the better idea then small DLC for new sprites...

But in the end i believe you made a good job and i know you will make it better with Hoi4 or the HoI3: the cold war Expansion pack

Just keep your line you are on a good way...

PS: I dont play HoI because the music... but if they are good songs/speeches i would buy it

 

[Brownbeard]

Here's an idea for DLC that might be worth developing and be interesting for the general public.

Regional maps with scenarios.

Instead of a round map of planet Earth, how bout a 2d map of a specific theatre, even with close-up ueber zoom. IE. East Germany-Poland map or Benelux map, or Norway. This is something beyond what the average modder can make and would provide unique content.

 

[unmerged(139259)]

From the poll result, I understand that most people are interested in expansions with more content and rather pay $9.99 - $19.99 for a fully fledged expansion than $1.50 for smaller packs of content.

Well, better $/€9.99 then $/€19.99.


About the additional music pack, I don't know if it's a really good idea, especially when you can replace the music from other games and/or albums.

However, it could make sense, if you would encrypt the music files into a special format like e.g. EA does...

 

[Oddb@ll]

Sounds perfect to me!

 

[Will Lucky]

Unlike Sprites, more music would be a welcome addition.

 

[blue emu]

Speaking of extra downloadable audio content... are the audio recordings of famous speeches (eg: Roosevelt's "Day of infamy", Churchill's "Fight them on the beaches") in the public domain? Would it be legal for you to re-master them and include them in an audio DLC?

 

[TheLand]

Agree that, at least for us hard-core fans, scenarios etc is the way to go.

But if you do go down that road PLEASE don't do anything that means that mods, etc, have to be rewritten every time a $3 bit of gameplay-related download-content is released.

Obviously for modding, people need a fairly stable product so they can spend more time improving than they do rewriting what they've already done.

This should be easy if you're saying, say, download a scenario - but I thought I'd mention it.

 

[Wulf145]

Speaking of extra downloadable audio content... are the audio recordings of famous speeches (eg: Roosevelt's "Day of infamy", Churchill's "Fight them on the beaches") in the public domain? Would it be legal for you to re-master them and include them in an audio DLC?

Seconded, I'm sure it would be a great seller, esp. if they were triggered by 'events' i.e. fall of France, implementation of mobilisation, DOWs on specific countries.
The mind boggles at the possibilities

 

[albso437]

Agree that, at least for us hard-core fans, scenarios etc is the way to go.

But if you do go down that road PLEASE don't do anything that means that mods, etc, have to be rewritten every time a $3 bit of gameplay-related download-content is released.

Obviously for modding, people need a fairly stable product so they can spend more time improving than they do rewriting what they've already done.

This should be easy if you're saying, say, download a scenario - but I thought I'd mention it.

Johan has already stated that he (they) will not make DLC that effects the checksum. So it can only be audio and design content, and that does not have any input on code mods.

 

[unmerged(139259)]

Agree that, at least for us hard-core fans, scenarios etc is the way to go.

But if you do go down that road PLEASE don't do anything that means that mods, etc, have to be rewritten every time a $3 bit of gameplay-related download-content is released.

Obviously for modding, people need a fairly stable product so they can spend more time improving than they do rewriting what they've already done.

That was also probably a reason, why HOI1 was released here in Czech language (professionally and excellently translated), but after that company had to change their translation everytime after a patch was released (I remember that long row up to 1.6c), they explicitly decided NOT to translate HOI2.

So I also vote for a stable game with at least patches and additions as possible.

 

[Thomas Kenobi]

Speaking of expansions, I really have nothing to recommend because we can't really know what is missing without playing the game first. New scenarios would be welcome certainly, but also improvements on the gameply based on the experience of all the gamers who will buy the game.

Now as for the music, I absolutely loved it in HoI2 and I consider it to be a very important part of the game. However, while it never got boring, even after months of playing, a pack of new music files would be more than welcome to freshen things up.



One last thing: Kudos to Paradox for this initiative. Asking the forum user base for such detailed input is rather remarkable and unprecedented as far as know. This kind of customer respect breeds customer loyalty and that is something big "mainstream" (in all the bad sense of the word) studios will never have.

 

[unmerged(143159)]

From what has been posted in this thread, here's what I like:
- small scale scenarios ( yeah, I know, you hate new maps and the attached milion map threads ) - I think they would be very interesting
- general career - you start as a general of a country and only control one front, if you win you are sent in another place and so on...
- extra music, but with one additional request. I'd buy extra music if you can get at least one song from each country which would play only when you play that country. Fro example I'd like something like this for my country. I don't know about copyrights though...
I don't like extra sprites and generally things that only add to the grahics - this is not Crysis and PI is not EA.
I'd personally like having the things above in a single pack, sort of an mini-expansion to which you can add extra sprites and ( pleeease ) interface improvements. I'd pay 19.99$ for it.

Oh, and if you really want more money, just sell us the demo - you'd be surprised at how people want it very badly.

 

[XHR]

(...)

Thanks for being so customer friendly, its a rare occurence in the Games industry.

This. A very open communication policy is one of the reasons I stick with your products

 

[Baneslave]

This. A very open communication policy is one of the reasons I stick with your products

I play Paradox's games because they are great games, and they are great games because of open communication.

 

[Cpack]

I play Paradox's games because they are great games, and they are great games because of open communication.

Hmmm, one question:
Is it that you're just bored? You're writing in every thread and give comments to everything....just wondering

 

[e_quality]

From the poll result, I understand that most people are interested in expansions with more content and rather pay $9.99 - $19.99 for a fully fledged expansion than $1.50 for smaller packs of content.

Yes, indeed, spot on. I'll gladly pay up for any sizeable expansion.

So what we'll do is ask you when we come up with ideas. For example, Andreas (who is making the music for HoI3 and previously for EU3 etc) has discussed doing a "Music Addition" for HoI3, and we'll ask you in beforehand if you think this is a good idea. We will present it as our "sales pitch" and then you'll be free to give us feedback.

Sounds ok?

Fred

Very much OK. However, as much as I admire Andreas Waldetoft's work, don't hold your breath waiting for me to buy it.

 

[Baneslave]

Hmmm, one question:
Is it that you're just bored? You're writing in every thread and give comments to everything....just wondering

Yes, I am bored as my main computer is on maintenance. I cannot play anything and I am pretty much restricted to web.

 

[Skarion]

So what we'll do is ask you when we come up with ideas. For example, Andreas (who is making the music for HoI3 and previously for EU3 etc) has discussed doing a "Music Addition" for HoI3, and we'll ask you in beforehand if you think this is a good idea. We will present it as our "sales pitch" and then you'll be free to give us feedback.

Sounds ok?

Fred

Sounds awesome!

A music addon (which is properly made and hopefully prepared for local areas, like for example China, USSR, Japan etc) is probably one of few things I could consider buying that's not an whole expansion.