To Pay or Not to Pay? THAT is the question.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I was one of the people that bought the Modern Warfare  2 Stimulus Package.  Not having owned MW I had never played any of the original maps so to be it was the repackaged deal that everyone complained about.  I have heard people complaining about Rockstar’s map packs since they were announced.  How people weren’t going to buy something that was already on the disk.  And the $10 price tag was way to high ect.  Maybe those people are correct.  I’m not here to say one thing or another about the state of DLC.  I think it’s a shame some of the features Rockstar announced weren’t included in the game right from the start, but 10 bucks for hours of more game play doesn’t seem to shabby to this guy.  I look at sandbox games as the type of game that you can put as many hours into as you would like too.  If a company wants to give me more toys to play with in that environment I’m totally okay with that.  People are always going to believe that they should get something for free.  Or that the money that they spent should stretch farther then it does.  But, this is the direction that the video game industry is going.  If people don’t like it, there are different hobby’s out there!  It is an interesting business practice and one that would seem to be very profitable.  Heck, what started off as a free service from Playstation is now turning into a monthly or yearly fee.  But that’s a topic for another post.  Sure, Red Dead was plagued with glitches and a lack of working multiplayer for the first couple weeks.  But Rockstar delivered a patch for some of those problems pretty quickly.  Personally, I’m looking forward to the upcoming DLC for Red Dead.  I mean, new multiplayer maps, characters, weapons and free roam challenges.  Here’s my Hamilton.

 

Onward and Upward,
J. Swanson

 

Red Dead Redemption + New Modes = Zombies

 

         So it would seem that the online entity that has killed over 55 million Wolves in Rockstar Game’s hit Red Dead Redemption were correct in asking for Multiplayer Poker, more online characters, and more options in free roam.  Four new map pack are going to be released over the rest of the year.  The downloadable packs which are entitled “Legends of the Killers Pack”, “Liars and Cheats Pack”, “Free Roam Pack”, and “Undead Nightmare Pack”. 

According to Rockstar’s website here is the break down of what you can get with each pack:

Legends and Killers Pack

New active map locations, characters and more:
- Release date: beginning of August 2010;
- 9 new multiplayer map locations — more than doubling the amount of territories in the multiplayer competitive modes;
- 8 new multiplayer characters — play as characters from Red Dead Revolver;
- Introducing a new projectile weapon: the Tomahawk, with corresponding challenges for single-player and multiplayer gameplay;
- New achievements and trophies;
- Pricing: $9.99 (PlayStation Network), 800 Microsoft Points (Xbox LIVE).

Liars and Cheats Pack

New competitive modes, multiplayer mini-games in Free Roam, and more:
- Release date: TBC;
- Attack and Defend multiplayer competitive mode and challenges;
- New multiplayer horse races, complete with mounted combat;
- Play as the heroes and villains of Red Dead Redemption, as well as 8 additional multiplayer characters;
- Multiplayer versions of Liars Dice and Poker from the single-player game;
- Introducing a new weapon: the Explosive Rifle, with associated challenges available in single-player and multiplayer gameplay;
- New achievements and trophies;
- Pricing: $9.99 (PlayStation Network), 800 Microsoft Points (Xbox LIVE).

Free Roam Pack

Delve deeper into the world of Red Dead Redemption with new modes, challenges and gang hideouts to discover:
- Release date: TBC;
- Additional Free Roam challenges;
- New action areas and defensive placements;
- Posse scoring and leader boards;
- New anti-griefing measures in Free Roam;
- Pricing: TBC.

Undead Nightmare Pack

Ghost towns and cemeteries come alive in a West gone horribly wrong:
- Release date: TBC;
- Brand new single-player adventure, challenges and quests;
- 8 new multiplayer zombie characters;
- Additional animals unleashed in the world;
- New dynamic events and more;
- Pricing: $9.99 (PlayStation Network), 800 Microsoft Points (Xbox LIVE).

 

Onward and Upward,
J. Swanson

Introductions…

    Hello, Internet!  This is the first post of what I can say I hope is many.  Today I am going to stick with a basic introduction.  I grew up in the Mid-West with a family that encouraged running around outside and playing rather then sitting in front of the Television.  I didn't actually own my first video game console until I was 20 years old.  That doesn't mean that I didn't rent an NES and SNES from time to time and play them nonstop until they had to be returned.  But needless to say I had a lot of catching up to do!  Like a lot people that are into video games it’s a dream of mine to work in the industry.  The main difference between me and others that fit into this category is that I don’t want to make games.  I’m smart enough to look at my skills and strengths to know that I don’t have what it takes to be a designer or artist or even an engineer.  Props to those of you that do I’m jealous!!  I do have a knack for talking and meeting people and networking.  Therefore, my skills lie in the Marketing or PR side of the video game industry.  The million dollar question when it comes to this industry seems to be, “How to I get my foot in the door?”  I started by moving from the Mid-West out to Seattle Washington to be closer to the jobs that I’m looking at getting into. Then, my loyal blog readers I started this soon to be amazing blog. But now comes the hard part,  Networking.  I’m not going to even try and say that I’m going to bore you with the rants and raves of a guy that can’t get a job.  But rather use this as a platform to talk about what I’m learning about the industry through research and contacts, jobs opportunities that might come along, and of course gaming!  I am not the most guru of gaming nor do I know everything about Marketing and PR.  And I am going to try not to use this blog as a platform for preaching about what system or game is better then another.  But rather talk about what I find interesting and what is happening in the world of 360.  To answer the questions that I'm sure are forming in your mind, yes I do own a PlayStation 3. Getting that out of the way I will say that I’m going to miss story’s and I’m not going to talk about every single thing that is HUGE coming out in the years to come.  That would be spreading myself and the focus of this blog a little thin.  If by chance there is somebody that is following this that wants to write and article or put there two sense in let me know in a comment!  I’ll probably give you the go ahead!  After all, that is part of networking!  And maybe, just maybe this blog can speak to those of us that land right in the middle of the hardcore gamer and the casual gamer.



** I know that my spelling and grammar is probably going to stink at times. I won’t always have to to proof read.  So, go ahead and flame me but you have all been forewarned.

Onward and Upward,
     J. Swanson