Pirates of the Sword Coast Released

[Evil Avatar]

Bioware sends along word that they have released a new Premium ($$$) Neverwinter Nights module, Pirates of the Sword Coast (http://store.bioware.com/products/pirates.html).

We are proud to announce that the newest Premium Neverwinter Nights Module, Pirates of the Sword Coast, is now available from the BioWare Online Store! A swashbuckling tale of pirates, parrots, and peril! As a sailor aboard the Midnight Rose merchant ship, you've stopped in Neverwinter to gather supplies before a long trip south. A most peculiar course of events follows, slowly unraveling a plot of whale-sized proportions. Embark on a stormy journey on the high seas. Polly want adventure?Remember when developers released new content like this for free? Oh, wait... Blizzard and Epic still do. Whew!

[Hellstorm]

Heh. MS is going to take this to the nth degree with the 360. Micropayments out the wazoo. Oh you want the vorpal Blade? That'll be $1.50.

[Phades]

An extra multiplayer map isn't really the same thing as an extra adventure expansion of a game. When was the last time Blizzard released additional campaign content for free? As long as it's cheap ($4.99 would be better than $9.99)

[Mithridates]

Blizzard released chapter 2 for that 'bonus campaign' for Warcraft: Frozen Throne. It was a bit more than just a bonus map.

[Heretic Machine]

I really wanted to bash Bioware's premium modules... But I don't see it as a bad thing really. They are mini-expansions (new art, story, maps, sounds, voices), for a game that is free-to-play over the internet. They're fairly cheap too. If you're still playing NWN after all this time (not a bad thing) then I'd say they'd be pretty welcomed. Plus there is user made content which is completly free.

[AspectVoid]

Personally, I think Bioware's doing a smart thing with this. I look at it this way: $10 for an 8 hour game or $10 for a 2 hour movie. Frankly, that game sounds like a hell of a lot better deal then going to a movie. Would I rather the price be the $8 that Kingmaker was or $5 that Shadowguard was, yeah. But $10 is still a good deal, I think.

[bryan]

Don't forget that a lot of this content is from modders, who have put a lot of effort into their modules. They get a cut of the content as well.

[Mr_Snuffle]

Heaven forbid paying someone to provide you with a service. It's not like when we bought the game we were also buying a lifetime subscription to free content. These things take time and money, and it's not like they are asking a lot for it.

By charging a little for this content it encourages more to be produced at a higher quality.

[Evil Avatar]

An extra multiplayer map isn't really the same thing as an extra adventure expansion of a game. When was the last time Blizzard released additional campaign content for free? As long as it's cheap ($4.99 would be better than $9.99)

It was called Battlegrounds and it was released about a week ago.

[Evil Avatar]

Blizzard released chapter 2 for that 'bonus campaign' for Warcraft: Frozen Throne. It was a bit more than just a bonus map.

Where can you find that one? I haven't finished Frozen Throne yet. I just put in a 120 GB hard disk so I have space for my MMORPG's and Warcraft III again.

[Mr_Snuffle]

It was called Battlegrounds and it was released about a week ago.

As free as can be with game with a monthly subscription... :rolleyes:

[Heretic Machine]

Ya, it's not like I'm paying Blizzard $15 a month.... Oh wait.

[Evil Avatar]

Ya, it's not like I'm paying Blizzard $15 a month.... Oh wait.

Yes, but your $15.00 a month doesn't automatically entitle you to new types of gameplay like Capture the Flag and Kill the General. Look at SOE, they charge a premium for every single piece of new content they provide for EverQuest, EverQuest II and Star Wars Galaxies.

Blizzard has released a significant amount of new content for WoW for free and they release new maps for Warcraft III every single week.

[The Continental]

Yes, but your $15.00 a month doesn't automatically entitle you to new types of gameplay

Considering this "new type of gameplay" is described in depth in the instruction manual which shipped with my copy of the game from late last year, I'd say I'm very much entitled to Battlegrounds.

[TrackZero]

Heaven forbid paying someone to provide you with a service. It's not like when we bought the game we were also buying a lifetime subscription to free content. These things take time and money, and it's not like they are asking a lot for it.

By charging a little for this content it encourages more to be produced at a higher quality.

Exactly. Remember when you bought that car, and then the gas station told you to pay for your fuel? I paid $25,000 for that car! Where's my free gas for life?

[Liquidize105]

Where can you find that one? I haven't finished Frozen Throne yet. I just put in a 120 GB hard disk so I have space for my MMORPG's and Warcraft III again.
Patch your game. It comes with the update.

[Phades]

Yes, but your $15.00 a month doesn't automatically entitle you to new types of gameplay like Capture the Flag and Kill the General. Look at SOE, they charge a premium for every single piece of new content they provide for EverQuest, EverQuest II and Star Wars Galaxies.

Blizzard has released a significant amount of new content for WoW for free and they release new maps for Warcraft III every single week.

While I agree that was a cool addon to their $15/month game, I call that content. That's something that all MMO's add. Otherwise, you stop playing and they stop getting your $15/month. And yes, SOE does provide content in their updates, it's just not as exciting.

I don't mean my comments to diminish how cool I think Blizzard is, I'm simply saying that I think Bioware is giving a valuable increase of content to a game that you're not paying a monthly fee for. They have a right to charge a fee for their efforts.

[Liquidize105]

I think 10 dollars is asking a little too much though.

Make 9 dollars the roof or make them all 6.99 a pop.

[DigiWiz]

Lol, Evil, what a knee jerk reaction, research before posting next time, will ya.

I haven't seen a 10 hour full blown RPG with VO, new monsters, and all the quirks released by blizzard or epic. Sorry, but the bi weekly wc3 map recycling the existing monsters and art of the game isn't even close to this and WoW content (a game just released a few month ago and that you have to pay to play) isn't comparable to a premium module released for a 3 year old game.

Also, check the last patch for NWN released a couple of weeks ago for lots of new feature additions. When was the last Blizzard patch for WC3 that added really new features?

In addition, if you watch the BioWare forums, they have granted permission to use the sizeable amount of content that comes with the modules (whole new tropical tileset, monsters, etc) to be distributed freely and have pledged support to patch the content into the core game in an upcoming patch.

I think the premium modules are a great idea, they are reopening the door to indy developers that are shut out of the brave new high definition market by the sheer cost and time for developing content.

According to their webpage lots of the art for those modules has been provided by the DragonLance Adventure Team (http://www.dladventures.com) and they have been paid for it.

[DigiWiz]

It was called Battlegrounds and it was released about a week ago.

Yea right, because your 15$ monthly fee isn't used to pay for that content. Gotta love 'free' content like this. Wheew

[Varsity]

Yes, but your $15.00 a month doesn't automatically entitle you to new types of gameplay like Capture the Flag and Kill the General.
It does fund it's creation, however.

[bryan]

Ack I worded my post badly - has anyone taken note that part of the money goes back to the independent modders?

[7ofswords]

Yes, but your $15.00 a month doesn't automatically entitle you to new types of gameplay like Capture the Flag and Kill the General. Look at SOE, they charge a premium for every single piece of new content they provide for EverQuest, EverQuest II and Star Wars Galaxies.

Blizzard has released a significant amount of new content for WoW for free and they release new maps for Warcraft III every single week.

Be that the case I still can't get into Alterac valley.

2 hour wait, eh? rofl is my answer to that.

[Kefkataran]

Be that the case I still can't get into Alterac valley.

2 hour wait, eh? rofl is my answer to that.

I suggesting waiting around a bit. My first time I went it said forty minutes, but five minutes later I got invited in.

Besides, you can just sign up in the queue and go quest around, you know?

[7ofswords]

No, I waited 2 hours to get in, to no avail.

[Kefkataran]

holy crap. That's pretty ridiculous. Well, I hear in the next patch (due out surprisingly soon for Bliz), they're planning to add officers who can put you into queue in the capitol cities, so that will hopefully help.

[EvilBob46]

Yes, but your $15.00 a month doesn't automatically entitle you to new types of gameplay

Considering this "new type of gameplay" is described in depth in the instruction manual which shipped with my copy of the game from late last year, I'd say I'm very much entitled to Battlegrounds.

I'm sorry, but what else can I say to this except: owned.

[Kelegacy]

Bioware has tasted the sweet nectar of the consoles/Microsoft. Dont hold your breath seeing any "free" shit from them other than patches in the near future.

Still, an 8 hour game for 10 bucks is better than buying Fable (another 8 hourish game) for 50. I'm not too keen on buying extra content, but then again, i'm a cheap ass, rational fucktard.

[funtownarcade]

Ever since I stopped playing real D&D when Baulder's Gate came out I wished they sold extra adventures for 10 or 20 bucks.
I wish every game did this.

[bryan]

I guess no one appreciates that modders are getting some money out of this. Then again everyone's complacent about getting free stuff.