Wait, don't they need to get the retail game out the door first?
Gearbox's loot-driven wasteland romp Borderlands ain't even on store shelves till next week--with a PC release following on Steam the week after that--but the developer is already spilling the beans about its post-release plans for downloadable content.
Described as "the first in a series" of add-ons, The Zombie Island of Dr. Ned will run you $10 on all three platforms. Here's a brief description of what's in there.
Tasked with keeping the workers of Jakobs Cove alive, Dr. Ned (who is not related to Dr. Zed from Fyrestone) does his job a little too well, creating zombies and other abominations that now run rampant in this region. Players will have to work alongside Dr. Ned as they embark on a quest to cure the inhabitants of Jakobs Cove in this full-fledged expansion filled with new enemies, new quests and rare loot drops.
More importantly, here's what it looks like.
The real question, of course, is exactly how much content and how big a landmass this pack entails. Jeff's closing in on the level cap in Borderlands right next to me, so we'll have a full review of the shipping game next week, and you can look for this DLC pack to hit "later this year."
Ya know, it probably would've been just for the best if Brad didn't post this story at all. Leave me in the dark giantbomb, i like this site for all your great videos, and podcast, i dont care about news. lol I'd rather be blissfully ignorant than even know this DLC was coming already.
To avoid all of this bitching. It's a really annoying thing developers have been doing lately, recent examples being Naughty Dog who did it too with Uncharted 2, so did Bioware with Dragon Age. Just announce the damn DLC after your game comes out.
Randy Pitchford is awesome so I have no problem with this. It also says later this year so it could be months after the game is out. I have no problem that they are talking about this because most people always complain about people not supporting their game *cough* Left 4 Dead *cough* so I think this is good stuff.
" Can you guys please stop BITCHING!?!? Holy hell if you knew anything about the development of this game you would know that Gearbox announced that they started to work on DLC after the game went into certification. Meaning AFTER the point where additional content could be added to the game. They announced this a while ago. This is not a DLC scam...maybe if you guys understand how the development process works you wouldn't all be acting like whiny little bitches... "
They honestly should have kept their mouths shut instead of announcing DLC before their game came out. "
Why keep their mouths shut? There is no reason to do it. People seeing that a developer is willing to continue to support a game after release is a selling point. With all the huge games coming out Borderlands needs all the publicity and marketing it can get. A bunch of DLC packs for Modern Warfare 2 has been announced whats up with that?? At least with the Gearbox devs they let you know when their game went to certification and when the DLC started to be made
" EDIT: also, the quick look that was posted on here yesterday...it looks cool, but it also worried me. The stuff they did co-op early in the game, and jeff's lv38 character stuff both looked too similar. Granted, I haven't seen a lot of the game, but the lack of variety in what I saw so far has me a little concerned, and seeing how much different this DLC looks, just really...disappoints me, because this kind of variety in the main game, would've been appreciated. But i'd have to wait and see whats in the main game first. "
The main game does have a lot of variety. The areas they showed in the QL were in the beginning sections of the game, even the level 38 character because it was New Game +. I wouldn't be too concerned with that. Someone was streaming the game for 5 hours last night, and I caught most of it. It gets pretty crazy not too far in.
I'm not big fan of DLCs being announced before games are released, but as long as it's released somewhat after the game and packs a good amount of content, I'm in. It looks pretty cool.
" @mesklinite: I dunno, you may be right, I haven't kept up to date on the development of this game completely, and most of my knowledge comes from giantbomb regarding this game, because I love this site. So I don't know exactly when they finished the main game, and when this DLC might've been started. But yeah, thanks for at least agreeing, and i still stand by it being too soon for this kind of announcement. It's also a little tough on the wallet, because recently lost my job, and $10 is getting harder to come by these days. . "
They announced a while back that DLC was going to be in the works and be available early. The Gearbox devs told us that when Borderlands went for certification THAt is when they started to work on new content. This new content could not be added to the game because it was already out for certification. The people who insist on claiming that Gearbox is screwing people are just whiny people who don't know how the process works.
" Can you guys please stop BITCHING!?!? Holy hell if you knew anything about the development of this game you would know that Gearbox announced that they started to work on DLC after the game went into certification. Meaning AFTER the point where additional content could be added to the game. They announced this a while ago. This is not a DLC scam...maybe if you guys understand how the development process works you wouldn't all be acting like whiny little bitches... "
They honestly should have kept their mouths shut instead of announcing DLC before their game came out.
@mesklinite: I dunno, you may be right, I haven't kept up to date on the development of this game completely, and most of my knowledge comes from giantbomb regarding this game, because I love this site. So I don't know exactly when they finished the main game, and when this DLC might've been started.
But yeah, thanks for at least agreeing, and i still stand by it being too soon for this kind of announcement. It's also a little tough on the wallet, because recently lost my job, and $10 is getting harder to come by these days.
EDIT: also, the quick look that was posted on here yesterday...it looks cool, but it also worried me. The stuff they did co-op early in the game, and jeff's lv38 character stuff both looked too similar. Granted, I haven't seen a lot of the game, but the lack of variety in what I saw so far has me a little concerned, and seeing how much different this DLC looks, just really...disappoints me, because this kind of variety in the main game, would've been appreciated. But i'd have to wait and see whats in the main game first.
Day 1 content in a co-op game is a little underhand. This is a stealth price hike basically... you have to buy this just to keep up to date with the rest of the community.
A shame they had to play the DLC card so soon... even if it wasn't their intention, it feels like a money grab. They should have waited at least a couple of weeks, so people had got to grips with what they had already bought before having to decide if they want to invest further and still be on par with their mates.
I'm still eager to play this game, but I have to admit... I'm not cool with this type of thing.
After reading the replies here, its no wonder you goobers are getting scammed. You look at excluded content as additional content. You deserve to lose your money, publishers are right to treat "core" gamers so cynically, they really are a joke.
Yeah, all the bitching about the dlc is pretty lame to me as well. Welcome to living in a capitalist society, where ya know, companies try to make as much money as possible? From the early press I've read the retail version contains a ton of gameplay. I keep hearing all the comparisons to Fallout 3 - Fallout 3 even without any of the dlc was worth every cent if you played all the sidequests and completely explored the Wasteland. So if Borderlands contains anywhere near the amount of content that Fallout 3 contained then I'll be one happy camper. If anything I like the initiative that Gearbox has shown with how quickly they've announced this. It shows how much their dedicated to post product release support. Everything about this game looks like pure quality to me.
Lets consider there's only programmers, artists and level designers. I ignor other departments on purpose for this example. Programmers start a project, slowly design and art in brought in at first to prototype. You go in full production with a bunch of artists and level design. When the project production comes towards an end for polish and debugging you start taking artists off as you don't need more art. Level design stays a big a longer. Programmers close the project.
So you would rather not have more content that those artists and level designers make while they wait for the project to close?
You'll say: Well jsut add it to the game. No, You want to close the project will the content you have. Don't add more stuff, more stuff breaks stuff so no.
Could it be stuff that got cut? sure, shit happens, you goto ship some day. That happens, would you rather not get more content? But it was suppose to be in the game? Well time costs money, if they need more time to finish content it's only fair they change. Though valve is awesome for this ehehe
I'll give you this, I can agree, announcing DLC ahead of time? maybe not cool, but I'd rather have DLC sooner rather then later. It's also smart for the company to make money, more people have played the game. It's still fresh in everyone's mind. If the game is good, and the company rocks, you want them to do well ;)
Day 1 content in a co-op game is a little underhand. This is a stealth price hike basically... you have to buy this just to keep up to date with the rest of the community.
A shame they had to play the DLC card so soon... even if it wasn't their intention, it feels like a money grab. They should have waited at least a couple of weeks, so people had got to grips with what they had already bought before having to decide if they want to invest further and still be on par with their mates.
I'm still eager to play this game, but I have to admit... I'm not cool with this type of thing.
*edit... In my haste I must have missed the last bit... if it comes later in the year.. this is totally fine.
Gamers lack of knowledge of how their games are made never ceases to amaze. I wonder when the foodnetwork revolution will come to this sphere and people will begin to actually understand and appreciate the process these things go through.
Gearbox reached the point where they were done and signing off on the game a while ago. And, the team that begins the work on a project like this DLC is very different from the team that polishes and ships a project like the main game. DIFFERENT PEOPLE PUTTING IN DIFFERENT MAN HOURS. Hell, some of those screens appear to be art department mockups and level designer demos anyways.
Further, the content of this seems very different from the plot and setting I've seen so far from the main game. This kind of off-shoot material is perfect for DLC so it doesn't distract from the main game.
The game went out for certification...so then they started working on DLC. No new content could then be added...They were not, at that point purposely withholding content. It could not be added. The design team wasn't just going to sit around doing nothing when the game went for cert...So they started working on new content. That is why DLC is announced so soon and could not be put on the release disc...But i know even though I say this people will continue to whine and moan about something that isn't true
@Ockman: I think they were comparing the gameplay to Diablo and that the way they were going to release content and whatnot for the game. I see what you mean though.
@MasturbatingBear: That's not the way i'm looking at it though. I mean, ugh, even if I just wanna accept the fact, and be ok with spending $10 on DLC like this...announcing it this soon is what's bad! Before I even have the game in my hands, I feel like I'm getting an incomplete product. This type of announcement should've been done a month from now when players have started to reach the level cap, and are craving new stuff.
@natetodamax: also, I didn't say it was diablo...but everytime i've heard them talk about this game, they've compared to diablo, and if they're going to use that game as their inspiration, then they could've followed the formula in which content was distributed perhaps. Instead, they're following the worst kind of crowds by doing this kind of DLC, by having content coming out so soon after release.
Ive been tired of the whole zombie thing for a while, but that totally looks awesome. The zombies in the Borderlands Style is really crazy looking. This game keeps looking better and better. This DLC support is gonna make this game hard to put down.
Edit: lol at people complaining, "DLC scams". Ignorance is amusing.
Not saying the content is bad or anything, and heck, it would be ok even if it was announced after the game came out by a few months, but the game isn't even in stores yet.
So you are saying that DLC that they start development on before development of the actual game is done is only ok if they tell you about it after the fact? Telling the people about this DLC only helps them in comforting the players that they are going to support the game after release, which is awesome.
Also: @Ockman said: It would sit well with me if they actually worked on it AFTER the game was released, not during the game's actual development. " The game is done. It had gone through certification, which means that the game has gone golden. It's not like some major gameplay component is not done, that the development of this DLC will delay.
Btw. This DLC looks amazing, and I can't wait to play the game, and to play this DLC
I like. For all those whiners out there, you dont have to buy the dlc. Noone is forcing you to buy it. I think I'll certainly get my moneys worth (45 dollars on steam kakow!) with the main game. The extra stuff looks awesome and I am sure it will be worth the ten dollars.
So the game isnt shipped, released or whatever and they've been working on DLC content? Couldnt they just have placed this in the game itself? Im confused about the way game companies do buisness nowadays. Wait no I'm not their all greedy even the "popular" ones... Ridiculous.
This looks fucking fantastic. They really weren't kidding around when they said the DLC would be coming fast. Something else to looks forward to is always nice.
Oh for fuck's sake. In an ideal world there would be a small card inside that reads "Hey, our deadline came around before we ran out of ideas, so assume this is just part of the game and download it for free! Love and kisses Gearbox xxx". But lets face it most developers would rather have a dedicated DLC team, than use all their people on the retail product, it's how you sell a $60 for $70.
I really want to play Borderlands, but this just makes me cringe.
" I realize I'm commenting on this story a lot, sorry, but after thinking about it even more...gearbox totally missed an opportunity here I think too. They kept comparing this game to stuff like diablo. Well then, they should have followed what Blizzard did with a game like Diablo. They should have focused on just getting the game out this year, and then focused on working on a big expansion for next year. This fallout 3 style $10 add ons, just doesn't sit well with me for a game like borderlands. Especially where co-op is such a key feature, all this is gonna do is split the userbase. "
Well, they said that it would play like Diablo. They didn't say it was going to be Diablo.
" Another one bites the dust. Chalk this up with Dragon Age as two games I was looking forward to but now am going to pass on because of ridiculous DLC scams to make the game more expensive. How about devs just put everything into the game until release, then start working on a large, PC-worthy expansion pack if you want to extend the game properly. "
@Ockman: I could not disagree with you more. In the case of putting out content on release date, like Dragon Age, yes, I would agree with you. But this is something they're working on NOW for release LATER. If they were to put this in the game ,that means the game would be delayed for a month or two. That's something nobody wants, I should think. I prefer a nice steady flow of content after release.
I realize I'm commenting on this story a lot, sorry, but after thinking about it even more...gearbox totally missed an opportunity here I think too. They kept comparing this game to stuff like diablo. Well then, they should have followed what Blizzard did with a game like Diablo. They should have focused on just getting the game out this year, and then focused on working on a big expansion for next year.
This fallout 3 style $10 add ons, just doesn't sit well with me for a game like borderlands. Especially where co-op is such a key feature, all this is gonna do is split the userbase.
Can you guys please stop BITCHING!?!? Holy hell if you knew anything about the development of this game you would know that Gearbox announced that they started to work on DLC after the game went into certification. Meaning AFTER the point where additional content could be added to the game. They announced this a while ago. This is not a DLC scam...maybe if you guys understand how the development process works you wouldn't all be acting like whiny little bitches...
Everyone excepts that this is ok, this is bullshit imo, it's like working on a new games and splitting it into 3 versions then selling it separate, oh wait.....
Well I'd rather know that they've put a lot of thought into their dlc and made sure it's up to par. So knowing their plans ahead of time dosen't bother me too much.
" Another one bites the dust. Chalk this up with Dragon Age as two games I was looking forward to but now am going to pass on because of ridiculous DLC scams to make the game more expensive. How about devs just put everything into the game until release, then start working on a large, PC-worthy expansion pack if you want to extend the game properly. "
amen to that. It used to be done right, but now those days just feel long gone. Getting full games, and then looking forward to another big expansion the following year or something was great. It would've been nice if they brought that mentality to consoles with DLC, but instead it really is just a way to rip off the consumer. There have been rare instances where DLC has been done right, but this isn't it. "
I agree this is completely ridiculous... but its like anything in business. If you allow them to, they will. Consumers have set the precedent of allowing these half-assed DLC "expansions" and now companies take full advantage...
" Another one bites the dust. Chalk this up with Dragon Age as two games I was looking forward to but now am going to pass on because of ridiculous DLC scams to make the game more expensive. How about devs just put everything into the game until release, then start working on a large, PC-worthy expansion pack if you want to extend the game properly. "
amen to that. It used to be done right, but now those days just feel long gone. Getting full games, and then looking forward to another big expansion the following year or something was great. It would've been nice if they brought that mentality to consoles with DLC, but instead it really is just a way to rip off the consumer. There have been rare instances where DLC has been done right, but this isn't it.
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