The Stone Prisoner is included in all new versions (regular and CE) of the game. It's 10+ hours of more gameplay plus a new character to add to your party. If you end up buying a used version of the game then you can buy it later on for $15.
Wardens Keep is a $7 DLC and again adds several hours of gameplay to the game and a keep for you to have as a homebase (and other items). It is only included in the Digital Deluxe version for free since you don't get the tin and cloth map.
I'm talking US versions only since the international versions are pretty messed up across the board.
Special pre-order items and characters really annoys me. I feel like they're taking the game to pieces selling half a product... and the fact the game is basically Neverwinter Nights 3 it's sort of rediculous because you can just mod those items back into the game.
Anyways... it still look awesome and I'll buy once it is cheaper.
WHAT?! That's a whole chunk of gameplay they don't include in the game! If they wanted to sell more content they should make a full expansion pack a few months afterward rather than making people pay upwards of $70 for the full game.
Well, this pretty much guarantees I'll only buy the game when it is $20. I find it really disturbing that they'd cut 10 hours out of a game.
They didn't cut, they added. Big difference.
Exactly. It's like the Fallout 3 DLCs/expansions only available on launch day.
Dragon Age was originally supposed to come out in March and the Stone Prisoner content wasn't ready in time for that launch and was then planned to be a DLC ala the Fallout 3 ones. BUT then the game got delayed until November and thus the Stone Prisoner DLC was included *for free* with all new copies of the game.
Warden's Keep was always planned as a DLC like the Fallout 3 ones but is available on launch day instead of months later. Probably again due to the delay in the game release. BUT it's included *free* with the Digital Deluxe edition.
I don't see the issue. More content available on release day instead of waiting a few months like most games. And one is free no matter what version you buy, the other is free if you get the Digital CE verion. Sounds like a win-win all around frankly.
Stone Prisoner is included with every copy of the game, so its hard to call it "cut". That one is there to make the paid version stack up better against the pirated and used versions, since you won't get it free in a pirated or used version. You'll have to buy it.
Wardens Keep was always intended as DLC, its in the deluxe version because as mentioned, you don't get the physical goodies that are in the retail collectors edition (there being no physical box).
On another note - it seems that signing up for a Bioware social account also gives you an "EA master account". At least, it did for me.
Anyone feel like sharing a direct link, for those of us that doesn't want to sign up for yet another "social site"?
Edit: Actually found a direct link on an independant site. Thought I'd take the time to share since I took the time to ask for it to begin with:
http://files.bioware.com/dragonage_cc_dl/DragonAgeOriginsCharacterCreator_en.exe
Don't be ridiculous... pirates are obviously gonna have it.
It is the "used game" market they are after. By making significant portions of the game "downloadable extras" and then giving them out "for free" to anyone who buys a NON used copy, they are attacking directly the used game market. Want to sell the game or not register? legally you are allowed to, too bad that means you are not getting half of it.
The warden's keep though, that is a mini patch that just takes more money, since that one ISN'T included.
Yes, they are attacking the used game sales. They want to prevent Gamestop from selling the used games for $57 while the new game is $60. The publishers/developers see NO money for used game sales, while the retail store is making ALL of it. Now they (theoretically) force the retailers to sell the used for a reasonable price (20 dollars off) or have the buyer grab a new copy.
I can't really fault them for this, and think that it is a smart business choice.
Edit: fixed typo
Edit2: Also, I hope that a 10 hour DLC is not half the game. I'm hoping for an epic length game.
The PC Gamer (UK version) review mentioned it was 80+ hours long on a single play-through. So not that short, especially considering the three completely different openings which will add a certain amount of replayability.
Allowing used game sales is one of the rare cases where the law abuses the creators (usually it abuses users). Which respond by abusing their customers with things like DRM and limited activations or lobbying for things like the DMCA. The customers then respond by becoming pirates rather then be abused... and the cycle continues.
Rather then more insane laws to mitigate the abuse of the author with the abuse of the customer, we should just have a sane system in place... that is in this context:
1. No second hand copy of software / games
2. No repurchasing if your disk is scratched, free replacement of any legal copy or online distribution.
There are certainly more aspects. But those two are the ones that are diametrically opposed. Companies are pretending that what they are selling you is both a product and a license, and that the customer is saddled with the responsibilities of both and the benefits of neither. While the authors are given the benefits of both and the responsibility of neither. They should choose one or the other, and license (the one that shouldn't be transferable) should be the only sane approach as the media is worthless. So, no, a scratched disk should not mean a repurchase; because if it does then it is a product, not a license, and you are free to resell a product. (and guess what, EA is of the camp that thinks it does mean a repurchase)
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