Why would ANYONE pay for map packs?

Somebody explain to me why in the heck would you waste $10 to $15 dollars on map packs. Unless of course it's a terrible game that locks you out of playlists until you buy the DLC(Halo 3).

Playerbases can fluctuate rapidly as well. How many people are playing Brink. Or Kane & Lynch 2. Or Duke Nukem Forever. Or other multiplayer games with map packs that aren't popular at all?

Finding games when a game becomes less popular is even more troublesome when you own a specific map pack and are only allowed to play with people with that map pack. What if the map pack wasn't popular and you're stuck playing with 80 players that are in tune with your configuration? Sure you could delete it. Then you'd be admitting you wasted money on a map pack and are admitting I'm right.

Not to mention. What if EA, Microsoft or SONY shut down the servers for XBL or PSN or EA's game to game culling? Money down the drain again. Especially if the game doesn't have LAN or split screen(Battlefield 3).

I don't get why you'd waste that money when you could spend that same money towards a GREAT game like say Journey or Shadow Complex or Dishwasher the Dead Samurai. You know. Games without DLC.

Why get in a fit about map packs? Quite frankly, I think they're the least annoying DLC. All they do is add onto multiplayer, and if people play a game a lot (like Call of Duty) then spending another 10-15 for a few new maps isn't going to be a big deal to them. Besides, no one is forcing you to buy map packs, and you can still enjoy multiplayer without getting them.

Personally I find story related DLC (like the "corrupted" missions from Assassin's Creed 2) to be much more annoying. Map packs don't really bother me.

Besides, no one is forcing you to buy map packs, and you can still enjoy multiplayer without getting them.

Vari3ty

[QUOTE="Vari3ty"]

Besides, no one is forcing you to buy map packs, and you can still enjoy multiplayer without getting them.

EllieStranger

Hmm well I never played Halo so I can see how that would be a major issue. My only experience with map packs comes from COD (MW2, Blops, and MW3), so I really haven't had any problems. What you said about Halo would be frustrating though, I agree.

wtf i dont remember being locked or kicked in halo 3

Why did you post this here as well as SW? Craving the attention?

I don't get why you'd waste that money when you could spend that same money towards a GREAT game like say Journey or Shadow Complex or Dishwasher the Dead Samurai. You know. Games without DLC.

EllieStranger

Somebody explain to me why in the heck would you waste $10 to $15 dollars on map packs. Unless of course it's a terrible game that locks you out of playlists until you buy the DLC(Halo 3).

Playerbases can fluctuate rapidly as well. How many people are playing Brink. Or Kane & Lynch 2. Or Duke Nukem Forever. Or other multiplayer games with map packs that aren't popular at all?

Finding games when a game becomes less popular is even more troublesome when you own a specific map pack and are only allowed to play with people with that map pack. What if the map pack wasn't popular and you're stuck playing with 80 players that are in tune with your configuration? Sure you could delete it. Then you'd be admitting you wasted money on a map pack and are admitting I'm right.

Not to mention. What if EA, Microsoft or SONY shut down the servers for XBL or PSN or EA's game to game culling? Money down the drain again. Especially if the game doesn't have LAN or split screen(Battlefield 3).

I don't get why you'd waste that money when you could spend that same money towards a GREAT game like say Journey or Shadow Complex or Dishwasher the Dead Samurai. You know. Games without DLC.

EllieStranger

Map packs are awesome and for the record, Halo 3 did have this issue initially. However, this was fixed by Bungie in a very quick method.

I agree with TC. Waste of money. For one which ever maps come on the disc is more than enough. The price of maps packs are ridiculous & at the end of the day they will eventually be made useless one day when the servers go down. Why pay $90 for a game with some extra maps when i can just pay $60?

I would rather put that money to better use, or better, full games rather than couple of deathmatch arenas.

Halo did pull some bullsh** on us. As far as i remember you were locked out of all the playlists besides the regular team deathmatch if you didnt have the maps. I had to go out & buy ODST just to play the multiplayer. People love to praise Bungie but man . . . that was a slimey move on Bungies part.

Gears Of War 2 actually did the same thing. The multiplayer was pretty much rendered useless if you didnt have the map packs.

[QUOTE="EllieStranger"]

[QUOTE="Vari3ty"]

Besides, no one is forcing you to buy map packs, and you can still enjoy multiplayer without getting them.

Vari3ty

Hmm well I never played Halo so I can see how that would be a major issue. My only experience with map packs comes from COD (MW2, Blops, and MW3), so I really haven't had any problems. What you said about Halo would be frustrating though, I agree.

Doesn't COD boot you from a room if you don't have their map pack? I think that happened to me on MW2. And I think Socom4 does this as well.
It's crap I tells ya!

Something tells me some of you wouldn't buy any add-on for any game. It's fine to take this stance, but don't pretend to have an open mind about the subject. I would much rather enhance a game I like and know I'm going to play, rather then blow cash on some other lackluster title.

Map packs rule. Quit ragging on the map packs.

Imagine you're plotting a graph, where X=common sense and Y=money. Where Y>X, you buy a map pack.savebattery

[QUOTE="savebattery"]Imagine you're plotting a graph, where X=common sense and Y=money. Where Y>X, you buy a map pack.Archangel3371

Consoles barely had online at all, let alone map packs. We get it, PC's have free maps and mods. I'm not a PC gamer though so I have to do what I can.

[QUOTE="Archangel3371"][QUOTE="savebattery"]Imagine you're plotting a graph, where X=common sense and Y=money. Where Y>X, you buy a map pack.savebattery

[QUOTE="savebattery"][QUOTE="Archangel3371"]Well logic would dictate that if I buy something that I'll truly enjoy and feel I'm getting my money's worth out of that I'm using common sense in my purchasing habits.Archangel3371

Why? How is it any different then an expansion of Skyrim or new characters for Mortal Kombat?

Why? How is it any different then an expansion of Skyrim or new characters for Mortal Kombat?

Yusuke420

Whatever you have to tell yourself. All I know is that if people weren't dumb enough to pay for map packs, they'd be free like they were before Xbox Live came around.savebattery

[QUOTE="savebattery"] Whatever you have to tell yourself. All I know is that if people weren't dumb enough to pay for map packs, they'd be free like they were before Xbox Live came around.Teufelhuhn

Why? How is it any different then an expansion of Skyrim or new characters for Mortal Kombat?

Yusuke420

[QUOTE="Yusuke420"]

Why? How is it any different then an expansion of Skyrim or new characters for Mortal Kombat?

syztem

Forge is still alive and well in Halo Reach. I wish more games had map editors, but sadly that's just not the case.

Most of the DLC I buy is story-related, or new missions or content. I don't do much with new map packs.

Say what you want. People have supported DLC, Online Pass, subscription fees, intrusive DRM, and many similar business practices and in doing so have made gaming worse for me. If looking down on those people makes me an elitist then so be it. Next generation when Capcom is charging people ten bucks to play local versus mode in Street Fighter V and EA is selling the content they left hidden on the Mass Effect 4 disc for 25 dollars I'll be laughing.famicommander

I dunno, I'm pretty glad that most people aren't as bitter and jaded as you, and are willing to take a chance by spending some money on things they think are worth their while. It's what makes the world go 'round. But hey if you need to feel better than someone just because they bought a map pack, then go for it man. ;)

I don't have problems with idea of map packs in and of themselves. This is the equivalent of adding new song lists to rhythm games like DDR, Rock Band, and Guitar Hero. It's something that adds variety and keeps the game fresh. My problem is with implementation. Essentially, I take issue with two parts of producers' approach: 1. Map packs divide the playerbase. You are unable to play in matches hosted on a map you don't own. I feel this is bad design and is intentionally done to squeeze more money out of the consumers. There's no technical limitations that should keep players from joining a map they don't own, as long as the person hosting the map owns it. 2. Map packs are obscenely expensive. They usually cost 1/6-1/4 of a full game. $10-$15 isn't a lot of money in and of itself, but considering not a decade ago we were living in a time of expansion packs that were often double that price for nearly a full game of extra content, I can't help but feel that ~$2 per map is a complete rip-off.Greyfeld

If it's a game that you put ALOT of time into, it gets boring playing on the same maps, and you want variety.

Playerbases can fluctuate rapidly as well. How many people are playing Brink. Or Kane & Lynch 2. Or Duke Nukem Forever. Or other multiplayer games with map packs that aren't popular at all?

EllieStranger

Brink isn't that good of example, the map pack was the first couple weeks for free.

And also I payed for all dlc's for Duke Nukem Forever. Its has still a decent fanbase, and I tought it was after all worth it.

Most peopel buy it because they love to play the game but are sick of the same maps, simple.

And if the game has a low community but they still pay for it its probably because they still play it private with their friends.

Because some people are idiots, and most console-gamers have no idea about map-packs being free back in the day.

Oh well, PC-gamers still have free map-packs and mods.