Bethesda patching Oblivion, lowers cost of future content download
by James Ransom-Wiley 
{ Apr 7th 2006 at 12:55PM }
Bethesda recently confirmed (via the official Elder Scrolls forums) that an Oblivion patch is in
the works for both the PC and Xbox 360. The plan is to first release a beta patch onto the PC, once it's cleared initial
testing. Bethesda warned players to backup saved games before installing the beta patch and to be prepared to reinstall
the game once the final patch is released.In addition, Bethesda offered more details about the upcoming downloadable content plugins. The Orrery download, which includes a new quest and character powers, should be available next week for the low-low cost of 150 Microsoft points (about $1.88) for the Xbox 360 and $1.89 for the PC. 'Big ups' to Bethesda for experimenting with different price points. Although we passed on the $2.50 horse armor this week, we'll definitely be messin' with that Orrery device when it hits the Marketplace.
[Thanks, SickNic]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
GrumblyStuff @ Apr 7th 2006 1:06PM
Microtransactions = Fucking stupid
I can't believe any one is putting up with this shit. But to be on topic, I suppose they'll give people who bought the $2.50 version a small refund, right? oh. OH! Fucking suckered, you dopes.
Jim N @ Apr 7th 2006 1:06PM
OK, am I the only one that sees this as kind of funny? Horse armor is $2.50, but a new mission with additional powers is $1.89. I will be happy to pay $1.89 for this. But paying $2.50 for horse armor seems kind of steep.
Ozyman666 @ Apr 7th 2006 1:13PM
Patching the unlimited gold glitches? If so, better hoard now.
Steve @ Apr 7th 2006 1:18PM
Well, to all those who said to stop complaining about the prices, a great big raspberry for you. Making our voices heard on a large scale drove our message home, and now we can all benefit from the result.
It's still overpriced, but at least we're making headway.
Valwascool @ Apr 7th 2006 1:20PM
Ahhh, The collective Power of the people!
gredom @ Apr 7th 2006 1:26PM
This could be great, if it's done right - I don't want to see "holes" in the game patched, I want to see new content made available. I paid $70 for this game, and I would gladly pay a couple of bucks for more content to be added to it. I don't want to see the 360 become my second PC, with patches galore. I play these games on consoles to not have to patch them. I think it's a big mistake for MS to allow the "patch" mentality to enter console gaming. A lot of people would skip buying the console if they consider it a second PC....
Zanch @ Apr 7th 2006 1:27PM
See, that's not so bad. I'd pay some pocket change for a new quest. It's good to see that Bethesda has been listening to feedback too.
Uy Tran @ Apr 7th 2006 1:28PM
You guys are still spelling "Orrery" incorrectly...
SickNic @ Apr 7th 2006 1:30PM
gredom:
The way I see it, before the xbox, a game was released and you were stuck with all the bugs anyways. At least now developers can go in and fix bugs after it is released, instead of never fixing them at all.
I don't believe for a minute that developers are releasing games early just because they can patch later. Bethesda delayed this game 4 months to work out the bugs and glitches, and there are still bugs and glitches to work on.
Fixing after release is better than never getting fixed at all...
Thomas Crymes @ Apr 7th 2006 1:35PM
Actually, they priced the horse armor in line with what other games like Kameo were charging for different skins. Let's face it, the horse armor was nothing but a skin to make your horse look different. Its effect on game play is neglgible.
And the horse armor is still priced the same. They can't back it down lest they give all three people who purchased it a refund.
Jeremy Wright @ Apr 7th 2006 1:37PM
What a difference 70 cents makes, eh? Personally, I think Bethesday should keep releasing products in the 1-2$ range, and then once they've got a bunch release a "pack" of like 20 of them for 10$.
It's an entirely different market. One where you can basically make your own expansion pack. Personally I'd rather pay 1-2$ each for the missions and upgrades I want, vs 40-50$ for an expansion pack.
Dan Diemer @ Apr 7th 2006 1:39PM
I think micro transactions like this are cool.
For one thing, they're not a nessecity to complete the game, and it's not like they're extorting something already in the code. You want the cool bonus than you have to pay for it. If they keep it cheap enough then you can expect something to always keep the game fresh for a long time.
Evil Inside @ Apr 7th 2006 1:40PM
See, now you can all calm down about the pricing of premium content. For anyone still whining about content not being free, don't buy it. If $1.88 is too much money, cut back on your cheeze doodles intake for an afternoon.
Also, the days of console games that didn't require patches ended once the industry stopped using printed circuit boards to distribute games, so blame MS. I personally would rather have a system that allows patches than have buggy games. As long as developers don't get lazy and release a bug-ridden game, the system works better than it did in the past. Games that are bug filled are usually not work playing anyway. Those titles end up in the bargain bin in a few months and never get a sequel(unless Activision publishes it).
Nick @ Apr 7th 2006 1:47PM
#4 Steve: Your voice meant nothing; your lack of purchase meant everything. Don't fool yourself into thinking that your complaining made them change their minds. The lack of sales changed their minds. Had enough people paid that much for the skin, new content would be priced the same or higher.
So I stand by the ideology that complaining is pointless. If you don't want to pay it then don't buy it; that action alone will hold a much heavier weight than the text you type in the comments section of a blog.
Nick
tuanster @ Apr 7th 2006 1:48PM
O RLY?!
Tony @ Apr 7th 2006 1:53PM
wow thats perfect! I'm geting oblivian this week so yay!
Pickypants @ Apr 7th 2006 1:57PM
I understand where you come from Evil Inside, but the caveat is "As long as developers don't get lazy and release a buggy game."
I have less faith than you.
If a game company is going to release a title, you don't think they would EVER bow under pressure to release early thereby granting them early revenue rather than delay to release a near flawless piece of software?
In a perfect world, no one ever would. Do we live in a perfect world?
Saxon @ Apr 7th 2006 1:59PM
"Personally I'd rather pay 1-2$ each for the missions and upgrades I want, vs 40-50$ for an expansion pack."
I wonder how long it takes before we get back into the video arcade system of gaming? Offer up the game for free but then charge the user a few bucks every time he wants to advance the story.
TiaMaster @ Apr 7th 2006 2:06PM
WHAT in the F$%K is WITH you #Q&*(T%#ing whiney-ass, cheapskate *&^%^s's???
HOLY CRAP I'm tired of seeing people whine about this crap when it was TOLD to them MONTHS ago. My god I'm actually screaming at my computer I'm so fed up with the 12 yr olds who are complaining because they have no way to pay TWO FREAKIN DOLLARS.
One of the first posters even said that its STILL too steep! Do you not have a JOB, dude??
The damn developer even told you snot nosed punks to just PASS THIS STUFF UP if you can't afford it (holy hell I hope thats not the case - I wouldnt wish THAT kind of poorness on anybody...).
WhetOne @ Apr 7th 2006 2:08PM
#13 Nick,
I may agree with you on your point that money does the talking otherwise, but in this case, Bethesda said they exceeded their sales forecast on the armor. Therefore, by your logic, they should RAISE the price. However, that's not the case, thus, Bethesda must have responded to our outcry more than their profits.
Uglypimp @ Apr 7th 2006 2:11PM
"Also, the days of console games that didn't require patches ended once the industry stopped using printed circuit boards to distribute games, so blame MS. I personally would rather have a system that allows patches than have buggy games. As long as developers don't get lazy and release a bug-ridden game, the system works better than it did in the past. Games that are bug filled are usually not work playing anyway. Those titles end up in the bargain bin in a few months and never get a sequel(unless Activision publishes it)."
I worked for EA and 3DO (back in the day) as a game tester and I can tell you many many console games ship with many many bugs. It's unavoidable. There's three classifications for bugs:
Class A - Crashes/Freezes the system, Gameplay interrupting bug (aka 'show stopper')
Class B - Causes gameplay issues/map problems/etc.
Class C - Graphical issue/minor gameplay issue/balance problem
*note, this classification system varies by publisher, but Class A is almost always the same.
When game companies are ready to get their game out for manufacturing, they submit to Nintendo/Microsoft/Sony's internal QA department. Their purpose is to look for any Class A bugs. If there are Class A bugs that they find (if they don't, the game is still approved even with developer knowledge of it existing) the game is rejected and must wait some period of time before being resubmitted.
Now, with that said, most games have plenty of Class B and C bugs and make it right to the console. Most of the games I worked on at 3DO had plenty of Class A's to boot. I'm absolutely sure if Microsoft internal QA finds a Class A the game is rejected, so I think it's not true that they've somehow 'allowed' patching to become the norm for consoles.
And before anyone goes bashing Microsoft's QA department, there were plenty of Sony titles shipping with Class A problems. Seems like all the publisher's were equal (with Nintendo having the strictest).
Matt @ Apr 7th 2006 2:13PM
#14: Oblivion has sold incredibly well. Perhaps you should quit making accusations when you know little to nothing about the game or it's sales.
Anyway...
Just wanted you to give you guys a head's-up on a special deal that EB Games/Gamestop has going on. We didn't have them when the game first launched (I work there) but if you purchased Oblivion at an EB or Gamestop, you can take your receipt in and receive a free horse armor coupon (scan: http://wifold.net/oblivion.jpg) that is enterable at www.obliviondownloads.com for a free horse armor upgrade. Better late than never!
Steve @ Apr 7th 2006 2:14PM
Nick,
You're absolutely right. My voice meant nothing. Everyone's voice together meant quite a bit in the form of bad PR for Bethesda and MS.
I'm not fooling myself at all. I know that the lack of purchases influenced this decision more, but don't be ignorant by saying that the backlash didn't help at all.
bounch @ Apr 7th 2006 2:16PM
The thing that pisses me off about people bitching about OPTIONAL CONTENT is that they act like its a necessity for them to buy it or complain about it if they don't want to play, but even moreso is the whole fact that the developers aren't going to work and add extra shit for free, wtf? do you like going and working and not getting paid?
They had a finished product, the game is there, it's good, hell, compare it to most games on the market and you are getting more than your moneys worth, so cut the shit, enjoy the game, and if you have a couple extra bucks to throw down on more stuff go for it, just don't complain because you don't want to give up your breakfast burrito one morning because people aren't making you stuff for free.
Steve @ Apr 7th 2006 2:28PM
bounch,
I work in sales as a contractor. There are plenty of times that I've essentially worked for free (given customers materials at cost). I've done this to establish goodwill.
Just recently I sold some product that I normally would've made a measly $100 on for cost, but more than made up for it when I closed a deal with the same customer for over $3000 profit. Its smart business.
And before you start telling me there wasn't cost associated with the horse armor, everyone knows it was developed well before the games release. Many of us saw the pictures months ago. Already modeled = virtually no additional cost.
bounch @ Apr 7th 2006 2:38PM
I can see the complaints about the horse armor, and I do agree about that, but some people argue that pretty much all the additional content should be free, which is in a dumbed down way kind of saying sequels to games should be free, since most sequels of games are just more content and maybe another feature or two.
kuroshi @ Apr 7th 2006 3:02PM
This is just testing for microtransactions. No one Knows what the market will hold. The contractor analogy doesn't hold. Someone has to make the content and that person is paid by the company. If companies cannot make money from the downloadable content then they will stop taking highley paid, talented people and assigning them to dead end task. Madden is mostly just an update each year and people line up to pay $50. Put things up as a download and we assume it should be free. I would like it all free. Including the game and the console. However, this is a business not a hobby and business is to make money. If you like it then buy it, if not then don't. Kudos to bethesda for leading the way on DC and taking the bruises along they way.
Steve @ Apr 7th 2006 3:18PM
Kuroshi,
I see your point, but my comparison still rings true. I didn't mean that because we buy the game (the big sale), we're entitled to all the free little stuff (the goodwill gesture).
I do think that by establishing goodwill with some free content (horse armor), they could very easily have more credibility with the buyers for other stuff (the two plugins coming soon).
My belief is that this will help establish more goodwill in both directions. Will everyone be happy? No, but I truly think it would silence the majority that complained.
dvdguy @ Apr 7th 2006 3:38PM
Why are we even debating this kind of stuff now. Premium content downloads on the original XBox were always at least $4.99 or more. I never heard any kind of "Screw you M$!!!!!!! OMGWTFROXORS!!!!!!!!" then.
Nick @ Apr 7th 2006 4:04PM
#21 Matt: Maybe you should read my comment again. I was referring to the purchase of the horse armor content, not the game itself. Take off your EB hat for a minute and don't assume people are talking about the disc that can be boughten at the store you work for. Also, how would you know how informed or misinformed I am about the game? You wouldn't.
#22 Steve: If community backlash helped so much, then why are next-gen console titles still sitting at $60? Because people pay for them. If they stopped buying the games that cost $60, they would eventually be lowered so the products would sell, not because people complained. I'm pretty sure more people complained on a larger scale about $60 games than they have about $2 Oblivion content.
It’s funny that you mention bad press for Microsoft, though. That's a byproduct of the "hate Microsoft" mentality that most people share because they need something to despise, be jealous of, or whatever their dysfunction may be. Microsoft left the cost of content up to the developers / publishers and they still get the flak for the decisions those third parties make.
The minute Microsoft starts telling developers / publishes what they can charge for content that they make / finance is the day new content dies. If that happened, people would blame it on Microsoft as well.
Nick
empt @ Apr 7th 2006 4:19PM
HORSE ARMOR SHOULD HAVE BEEN IN THE GAME TO BEGIN WITH!!!!!!!!!
and I should be able to paint it any color I want. and I should be able to decide how fluffy my horse's mane is. and whether or not he likes the taste of the grass I'm feeding him. And I should be able to decide if he likes to run in the morning, or sleep late. And if he's gay or not. and I should be able to choose between 3 different horse noises, all of which recorded by the top names in the Horse Voice Over field.......
Until I get all of this (and whatever else I can think up) I will consider Oblivion to be ridiculously incomplete, and I will not be giving them or M$ a single penny. In fact I'm gonna boycott all companies whose name begins with B.....fuck 'em all
crono141 @ Apr 7th 2006 4:54PM
It's freakin stupid to have to buy content this generation (of PC) that was absolutely free in the last. Whats even more stupid is the fact that there are tons of people DEFENDING the practice and essentially shafting themselves.
This is like the freakin tea tax of the revolutionary war days. Only in this case, instead of the citizens dumping the tea into the harbor, they're all like "OH, we have to pay more for what we got for less yesterday. OK! sign me up! Take all my money!"
If nobody bought this crap, it would stop happening. But now that there are plenty of morons willing to buy stuff that was free before, its only gonna get worse and start snowballing.
Soon, people will be defending companies for charging money for patches and bug-fixes. "Its only like a dollar! whats the big deal?"
Its the principle of the thing, thats the big deal.
H Jungle @ Apr 7th 2006 9:12PM
I have to agree with #32. Paying money, any ammount of money, for anything that's less the girth of an expansion seems, to me at least, really lame. Of course it's only a couple of bucks but consider that for a larger library of games and you'll soon be spending more on the upgrades and patches than you would be on a brand new piece of software.
Will the extra money inspire companies to produce exciting additional content or simply produce half of a game and offer the rest as downloadable (for a price) adventure packs or some such nonsense? Will we get previously free unlockable goodies or be asked to pay for new models and skin?
Free new content tells a customer that hey, the company is really glad you bought their game. Charging for content has a much different meaning.
Well, whatever. These are just my thoughts on a subject that doesn't even affect me (no 360 and no Oblivion). At least, doesn't affect me...yet *cue dramatic drum beat and/or thunder*
Brandon @ Apr 15th 2006 2:41PM
Agreed with #32 and #33, it's definitely not that expensive, and I can afford it any day of the week, but it's the principle of buying content that was obviously planned to put in the game. IE the Horse Armor was made before the release, and the Orrery was definitely planned into the game if you haven't noticed the big door you can't get in to until you buy.
I could care less if they charged 10$ more for the finished game originally, just so long as they didn't hold off some of their product until after the game was sold, then offer it at additional cost. Even if the content now would only cost about 6$, the 10$ originally would have been more preferable. Now they can simply keep coming with more content, until they reach a total price of 20, 30, 40, who knows if they keep adding and start charging for patches. You can't tell me it seems right to sell a car to someone without a blinker, then offer it later for a little more money.
GraZC @ Apr 18th 2006 5:16PM
Am i the only one who believe's the horse armor pack is the most useless modification available? Sure it'll make your steed look all nice if you want to prance about like a shining knight, but it doesn't do anything but look good (for you!). Oblivion has an amazing landscape and just riding around isn't going to get your stats up either.
I believe the quality and quantity of these purchasable modifications really need to be quite extensive, i do not want to find i'm paying a couple of quid for a measly quest to find the Holy Grail. Just to find it does a measly bit of enhancing that i dont need.
I would expect a huge task that'll take me hours to complete, enter new content and especially new voices! (how i got tiredsom of hearing the same ones). There is plenty of space on the Cyridil map to enter new content, but there we have another problem. Just what new content are we after?
New weapons are always good to find, but not when its just your typical Daedric claymore with fancy enhancements. How about adding in some weapons like throwing daggers (if i'm not mistaken, used by assasins) or have weapons that only existed in morrowind imported into Oblivion (could easily set up a quest to where you can find a traveller going between contenents buying/selling goods), I'm sure there is plenty of unique weapons still to be found but i'd like to have people know rumors about it, or books mentioning it for side quests.
I personally think potions are useless to me, i can hack'n'slash my way through anything or just steal using moonshadow, So how about a new class of potions that do radical new effects, such as transformation into animals such as a bird, imagine being able to fly for 240 seconds around the landscape seeing amazing views etc. (being a pigeon and annoying the NPC's by swooping past and do droppings on them would be funny too).
There is also the case of lack of armor types too. If the developers can create over a hundred types of flowers why not at least chuck in say twenty types of armor all from ancient to new technology such as daedric mixed with mage armor. Wouldn't think that'd be hard.
The last thing that really, really annoys me is naming classes i can imagine this will be sorted out by a freelancer mod maker, If your carrying quite alot of weapons and armor its a hell of a job having to equip the ones you want you typically have to re-read the list to find the item your after, insted i reckon a simple organisation of types for example, Sort items by what they are. Helmets, Curiass, Greeves, Rings, Amulets etc..
At present the Orrery and Wizard's Tower mods do look interesting and i will most likely purchase them, however i am rarther disconcerned as to how much they will provide, why pay $2 for a new room or a good view? (could just play with console and fly about).
ratnikh @ Apr 23rd 2006 8:59PM
Downloadable content for new titles requires more time and effort to create than for previous generation titles. Oblivion took far longer to produce than Morrowind did because it had larger textures, more voice work, higher polygon counts and more content overall. It makes sense that a company would try to make some extra money by SELLING things. Is that not what companies do?
I am of the opinion that the vocal majority of naysayers is comprised of individuals under the age of 21 who had their xbox purchased for them, have no credit/debit card, and probably no job. They are denied the simple joy of an expansion and must lash out to blame big business. Microsoft didn't set these prices, and Bethesda has every right to ask to be paid for their hard work. You are NOT ENTITLED TO ANYTHING FOR FREE. You don't DESERVE FREE CONTENT. If you so deperately want free content, grabt he TES4 Oblivion Construction Set and spend a few days to make your own. Then give it away to everyone on the internet. Then wait for everyone to ask for more. Then make more, and give that away too.
If it was free from Bethesda before, be thankful they were so generous. Don't take for granted that it is your right to be given free added-value content. You paid for a game, and you got one. If you want more, download free mods or see what it's like to make your own.
If you think it's too expensive then don't buy it.
If you think you can do better, then DO SO.
If you are about to say, "But I have an Xbox, I can't create things with the TES4 CS, etc," please don't. You still don't deserve free EXTRA content.
I wish people could grow up, enjoy what they've gotten, be happy for what they were given, and not take for granted that everything will be handed to them.