Would you buy expansion packs for KSP? How much?

[1of6Billion]

Since KSP has a very moddable nature, I doubt paid DLC's are an option.

Then again:

Pyama textures for space suit ($0,99) -- No No No

Galaxy Pack - Add 100's of stars and planets ($14,99) -- Hell yeah!

[FlamedSteak]

This is an impossible question to answer without knowing what the DLC would entail. If it was a few new parts $5, if they added 4 new planets, 5 moons and a slew of new parts, i'd pay $30-$50

[Jacob01]

It depends what is in it. If it contained lots of new content to the game, I'd happily pay over $30 for it, as $30 isn't that much really when you use GBP as your currency. Obviously, I wouldn't pay that much if it was just a few parts.

I think I am in the category which gets it for free anyway.

[trbinsc]

I think I remember reading that expansions would be things that are significant gameplay changes, and not just content packs. Examples could be interstellar travel, extremely detailed science, like cellular astrobiology, or something that adds space elevators, mass drivers, and other semi-near future tech. Things that let the game be played in ways it wasn't able to before. I would certainly pay 30 dollars or more for something that adds a whole new dimension of gameplay, even if I'm getting the expansions free already. I don't think enough people realize that Squad is a really good company, who cares about the community and won't jump at any new opportunity to make a buck or two. They wouldn't do anything that benefits them more than it benefits the community.

[KSK]

It would be even worse if it was multiplayer.

Still, they would be supporting the DLC/Expansion pack culture I talked about before.

Expansion pack culture is nothing new though. I don't have a problem with it myself, although my idea of an expansion pack is e.g. the Lord of Destruction expansion for Diablo 2. The original game was complete and fun to play in itself but the expansion added a huge amount of new content, game mechanics and better resolution graphics. I don't have any issues paying extra for that and I think it's a bit harsh to lump it in with DLC as a 'cancer on the video game industry'

For KSP - you bet I'd pay for expansions (although I won't need to) I've had a ridiculous amount of fun with this game already, I still have tons left that I want to do and that to do list is only going to get longer. In terms of 'hours of fun to money spent' KSP is one of the best things I've ever bought, so I'd have no problems at all shelling out for expansions whether I technically needed them or not.

Heck, if Squad did a nice box set special edition version of the current game (once it's finished of course ), I'd probably buy that too.

[SRV Ron]

I would, but I bought KSP before May 1st of 2013. (I believe anyone who bought it before then are entitled to get any expansions for free)

Expansions are not the same as updates. Expansions can either be provided by the original publisher, or by a third party.

The success of such payware VS the mods currently available for no charge, will depend on its quality, copyrights, licensing agreements, and fee charged.

We should all give thanks to the hard work currently being done by the modding community in providing quality work to the KSP community at no charge.

[Kimberly]

A monk asked: "Does a dog have Buddha-nature?" The master replied: "Mu!"

That is, the question is meaningless. We need more context. What's in the expansion pack? How big is it? When is it being released? Rational consumers use this information to make their choices. I wouldn't buy an expansion pack now, because Kerbal Space Program is clearly unfinished and such content would no doubt fit in the core game. But I might buy one in the future, after KSP is well-developed. But not if it added only cosmetic changes, it would have to add either a significant extra peripheral value, or make important changes to the core game.

[skyace65]

It's hard to imagine what an expansion for KSP would even have at this point, since we don't even have a definite lock on what the game will feature in the near future. You should probably ask this again once Career mode is fleshed out enough that we have actual missions we can run...

the devs have said one thing that they might eventually do in an expansion pack is colonization. which i would pay 15 or 20 dollars for.

Edited August 14, 2013 by skyace65

[Kimberly]

which i would defiantly pay 15 or 20 dollars for.

You rebel, you.

[Xorth Tanovar]

In terms of 'hours of fun to money spent' KSP is one of the best things I've ever bought

Agreed, given the amount of time I've already spent; I had absolutely no problem with handing over my $23 to get the full game once I tried the demo.

Heck, if Squad did a nice box set special edition version of the current game (once it's finished of course ), I'd probably buy that too.

Tempting idea....

[NeoMorph]

Not paying more than $5 for something they decided to leave outside the main game. DLC (even if cosmetic) culture is part of the cancer killing videogames.

They finish the game... FINISH... They then sell it. Then they do more work and add to the game and off it as DLC. How is that deciding to leave it out of the game.

I'm sorry but the whole "The companies are just money grabbing whoosits" is all due the journalists out to cause a sensation. Not every company is like Activision after all. Too many gamers want lots more stuff and expect it to be free because it is supposed to be part of the game. DLC (the way it was meant to be) is not a cancer but giving added stuff to games you love. If you don't want to pay for it then there is nothing forcing you.

Now what I DO think should be free are things like skins. Also microsoft charging for things like Avatar skins and gamer pictures is just ripoff city because they don't let you do it yourself. Now look at KSP and the sheer amount of mod stuff already out there is amazing. If Squad charge for something it's going to have to be something that makes the mods look like kindergarden toys.

Oh yeah, and I should get the expansions for free too... but I'm not going to. I'm going to pay for them because supporting small development companies like Squad is what will help make the games market that much more diverse. We need new stuff like KSP... There are too many like FishyShootemup 14 or AssASSinator 27. If a game is good they should make it for about 3 times and then do something a bit different to keep the customers interested.... not just make the same game with new skins.

So yeah... who else is going to back me in paying for the expansions even though they don't need to?

[Diche Bach]

I think some studios/publishers use expansion packs and DLC as a way to maximize profits, and little else. For example, I suspect that the multiple expansions for Civ 3 and Civ 4 could've probably been combined into fewer packages than were sold. I was mildly irrirated by this. This irritation, combined with not liking what I heard about the game led me to never bother with Civ 5.

But I don't get the impression Squad (at this stage) are prone to operate that way. They are incredibly open with their users/customers and it seems like in addition to being gifted game designers and business men, they are true-blue gamers, who wouldn't want to rip off their fellow gamers.

I think you've got to judge these things on a case by case basis. Some DLC/expansions are suspect of profiteering, some aren't. In the case of Squad I'd probably buy any expansion or DLC they sell. In the case of some other studios/publishers, I'd be skeptical if not rejecting of such a prospect.

[NeoMorph]

I think you've got to judge these things on a case by case basis. Some DLC/expansions are suspect of profiteering, some aren't. In the case of Squad I'd probably buy any expansion or DLC they sell. In the case of some other studios/publishers, I'd be skeptical if not rejecting of such a prospect.

Squad = Yup... Would buy anything from these guys

Activision = Pretty Gun Skins for COD? ARE YOU KIDDING ME? http://www.callofduty.com/blackops2/dlc/micro-items <- These look like a 3 year old did them and they expect people to BUY them? And morons actually do buy them.

[Dispatcher]

I bought KSP in June. So, no, I'm not fond of the idea of buying expansion packs while others get them free; simply because I missed the "cut off" time by less than a month.

That said, I expect KSP 1.0 to be such a great game (it already is) with so much to do, that I'll not feel the need for expansion packs.

I don't buy expansion packs for other games either.

Edited August 14, 2013 by Dispatcher
To show that I think KSP is cool anyway.

[annallia]

I more than likely wouldn't buy it. Not because of some hatred of expansion packs or DLC mind you, I just don't really stick with games that have expansions long enough, though I do tend to return to them for a bit here and there.

Sims are the perfect example of this. I have the sims 3, as well as a half dozen expansions to it, the expansions were a complete waste of money on my part because they really just added new versions of the same old stuff with a few new things to do. Even now when I decide I want to play it again I don't go through and install World Adventures or Night Life or Ambitions again, I just play off the base game for a few weeks and drop it again.

With that said, the only way to get me to actually buy an expansion for KSP was if it incorporated a good number of the mods that I like into the game, and if I were no longer able to use those mods. As it is now I say why buy the expansion when I could just download NovaPunch?

I am also with Dispatcher who would not be fond of the idea of buying an expansion pack because I started playing a month after the cutoff..

That said I would buy an expansion if it were cheap ($5-$10) and added one thing, another solar system that I could reach that had some form of non-kerbal life on it. That to me would possibly be worth it.

Edited August 14, 2013 by annallia

[damny]

Of course I would buy expansions. I bought the game so there's a precedent for me buying KSP content.

I don't know how useful it is to base this decision on the price tag alone. I don't really care about the price tag, I care about the kind of content in the expansion.

[Stratoroc]

I would pay anything around $30 or somewhat more for an expansion pack on the condition that is implements core mechanics that mods cannot provide. Really, I consider paying for an expansion funding a project to implement some of the favored "don't bother asking, we're not doing it" features, terraforming, alien species and the like.

[Feldynn]

For me cost is usually a secondary factor when deciding on expansion packs / DLC, first and foremost I'm interested in what an expansion is bringing to the game. Be it just a content pack, new core features and gameplay elements or something else, if it brings something I'm interested in then I'll look at the price and determine if it's worth me buying.

[skyace65]

You rebel, you.

spelling fail xD, I'll show myself the door....

[AfailingHORSE]

If I had too pay (barely got in, bought the full version in late April), it would have to be no more the $10 for me too pay without thinking for KSP, they would really have to sell it at $15, anything more, I might as well buy a new game.

[Rainbow-Dashie]

If the DLC included something actually fun and useful, like new planets/moons, a ton of new parts, or resources or something, I would be willing to spend about 10 to 15 bucks (not spending more $ on a DLC then i did the actual game).

If it were something like, edit kerbal's spacesuits! I wouldn't buy it... (unless if it was dirt cheap, at like 3 dollars)

[Vedexent]

I'm also in the same category... But if it ever happened, I would pay money to support the devs.

This. I bought the game off the website way back when. I also bought it again on Steam rather than transferring it - mostly because I want to support the game, and hey - it's ~$20, it's not like buying a $70 AAA title multiple times.

So, yes - I'd pony up $$ for expansions.

EDIT: I also wonder how many of the "not over $10" and "No" crowd still want Squad to implement "new feature X" for free, on the next release. TANSTAAFL, people.

Edited August 14, 2013 by Vedexent

[Dravin]

How much I'm willing to pay for DLC or an expansion is dependent on the content. I went ahead and voted $30, simply because I would be willing to pay $30 if the content was right. Don't ask me what content is worth paying $30 as I don't have anything in mind.

[roosterr]

I voted no, BUT, if you had to pay for Mechjeb or a similar computer guidance system (like real-life rockets use), I would do that. I hope that Mechjeb or somthing like it becomes a stock part on full release. Otherwise do I want the challenge of what the developers have to offer us OTB.

[karolus10]

This is a bit delicate topic, because (from obvious reasons) Dev's won't even start to consider releasing any expansion for KSP before having an complete game... it's just too early for speculation like that .

It's like asking for movie sequel before first movie will be projected in cinemas...

Hypothetically, if in some far and undetermined future KSP II or big expansion would be announced I don't see any other choice than buy it, but it's just me .

Edited August 14, 2013 by karolus10