DLC Business Ethics - Making a Stock Unit Premium

The next patch will move the Strumtiger, an OKW unit that featured heavily in marketing material and originally came stock to anyone who owned the faction, to a premium commander. I personally support the change that moved the Sturmtiger to this commander, but even though I personally own the doc that will have it, and I'm certain that Relic was only worried about balance when they made the move, I'm a little uncomfortable with previously stock content getting moved behind a pay gate.

It's not ethically that bad compared to other things company do sometimes (to keep it in perspective it's not like using slave labor or shit like that) but it just doesn't feel like a very customer-centric thing to do without some kind of adjustment. I oversee customer support for a small business and if we ship someone a product that does not meet the specifications and it was advertised as having, we immediately reconcile that at our expense, one way or another.

I think Relic should do something along the lines of:

1. Give everyone the elite armor commander
2. Compensate anyone who already bought it with a store credit

how can you know that Relic doesnt use slave labour?

I would say, a item trading system or creating new items would be nice

I got it from warspoils... also want another commander then

The doctrine is part of war spoils, therefore its not exclusively paid content therefore its fine.

Its not paywall locked content.

You're exaggerating.

OK, previously Panzer IV is premium unit for OKW....... I think most ppl prefer to have a generalist tank as non-doctrinal for OKW.

The doctrine is part of war spoils, therefore its not exclusively paid content therefore its fine.

Its not paywall locked content.

You're exaggerating.

Well I got that commander like 4 times from warspoils but you know very well that if you are unlucky you may never get it from warspoils.

You bought a faction, not a unit. You might've bought a commander, but not a unit. Players expecting recompense for one arbitrary issue with the continual growth and management of the game are displaying a sense of entitlement which is out of touch with reality.

You bought a faction, not a unit. You might've bought a commander, but not a unit. Players expecting recompense for one arbitrary issue with the continual growth and management of the game are displaying a sense of entitlement which is out of touch with reality.

Perhaps you're using "you" in the general sense, but if this is directed at me, I own most of the DLC content in the game, including this commander, so it's not an issue for me personally. And content getting sliced from the stock game is not an arbitrary issue, like, say, the Tiger Ace being changed from absurdly OP to just a strong unit.

The doctrine is part of war spoils, therefore its not exclusively paid content therefore its fine.

Its not paywall locked content.

You're exaggerating.

Warspoils does make it a bit of a grey area. I'm unsure how warspoils factors into this, as you'd have to play for several hundred hours to have a reasonably good chance of getting any particular doc. Regardless, even if it is unlockable that way, the unit was not advertised as being an unlockable originally, so I feel like my point stands.

I don't think this is any great injustice, but I do think it's just a less than stellar move from Relic to change a unit's availability that way without some manner of adjustment.

I like the idea of premium DLC content for games and I personally believe it can be handled in a way that is both profitable for Relic and friendly to consumers. This would be a great moment for Relic to demonstrate that they can meet both of these goals with their DLC policy.

I meant "you" in the general sense, OP. Nothing personal intended.

Relic is already compensating you by giving you a free P4

Relic is already compensating you by giving you a free P4

exactly...I dont get this thread

Eh I guess I'm alone on this one :/

Eh I guess I'm alone on this one :/

you are, sorry

the PIV was also part of the marketing material (screenshots while NDA was still active) and it has now replaced the sturmtiger. it wasnt like the ST was removed and you got something like artillery flares. they basically switched a stock vehicle with a doctrinal vehicle (which is arguably a better unit to have overall)

They should only move a core faction unit to a doctrine if that doctrine is going to be free. I remember the marketing campaign for OKW made a big deal out of the Sturmtiger (because Quinn Duffy has a boner for big explosions or something) so if they are going to take it out now, thats pretty bullshit. "I know we promised you unit X with faction A, but because we didn't do a great job balancing we decided to move it to another commander you have to pay for again" literally shelling out more cash to get the same unit again because of bad balance is complete horseshit.

You bought a faction, not a unit. You might've bought a commander, but not a unit. Players expecting recompense for one arbitrary issue with the continual growth and management of the game are displaying a sense of entitlement which is out of touch with reality.

I hope you aren't serious. If someone bought a commander because it was extremely overpowered (ex. Tiger Ace) and got all pissy because they later nerfed the Tiger Ace, that is entitlement. Expecting to retain access to something you paid for is not entitlement. Richard Nixon won president by promising to quickly end the Vietnam war but he did the exact opposite, but by your logic this would be perfectly acceptable because you didn't vote for policy, you voted for a person.

you are, sorry

the PIV was also part of the marketing material (screenshots while NDA was still active) and it has now replaced the sturmtiger. it wasnt like the ST was removed and you got something like artillery flares. they basically switched a stock vehicle with a doctrinal vehicle (which is arguably a better unit to have overall)

That's true, but when people bought OKW, it had the Sturmtiger. I think losing access to content you previously owned is weird, even if you gain new stuff to replace it.

Mind you I'd take a P4 over a Sturmtiger any day but I'm just uncomfortable with existing content disappearing or getting shifted around through game updates.

I had this concern in the Alpha, my suggestion would be to swap the Command Panther with the Sturmtiger while the Panzer IV remains in the Schwerer Panzer Headquarters.

After seeing this thread, I made one about it here: http://www.coh2.org/topic/36899/swap-sturmtiger-and-command-panther.

That's true, but when people bought OKW, it had the Sturmtiger. I think losing access to content you previously owned is weird, even if you gain new stuff to replace it.

Mind you I'd take a P4 over a Sturmtiger any day but I'm just uncomfortable with existing content disappearing or getting shifted around through game updates.

When people bought soviets and USF they could call-in med tanks without tech.
I think losing access to a feature you previously owned is weird, even if it makes thing for the better.

This is how your argument sounds like.
Expecting games not to be balanced over time is delusional. If balance requires such change, then so be it.
Also the content doesn't disappear, its still there in the doctrine, you can pick it if you want any time.

They should only move a core faction unit to a doctrine if that doctrine is going to be free. I remember the marketing campaign for OKW made a big deal out of the Sturmtiger (because Quinn Duffy has a boner for big explosions or something) so if they are going to take it out now, thats pretty bullshit. "I know we promised you unit X with faction A, but because we didn't do a great job balancing we decided to move it to another commander you have to pay for again" literally shelling out more cash to get the same unit again because of bad balance is complete horseshit.


I hope you aren't serious. If someone bought a commander because it was extremely overpowered (ex. Tiger Ace) and got all pissy because they later nerfed the Tiger Ace, that is entitlement. Expecting to retain access to something you paid for is not entitlement. Richard Nixon won president by promising to quickly end the Vietnam war but he did the exact opposite, but by your logic this would be perfectly acceptable because you didn't vote for policy, you voted for a person.

• You weren't promised that. You were promised a faction.
  
• Even with your conjured wording the unit is still in the faction.
  
• I am completely serious
  
• Again, you still have access to the faction that you paid for. That one particular aspect has changed doesn't mean anything.
  
• That strawman is really stretching things, isn't it? I don't deserve any part of a refund if I bought the base game for the Soviet's ability to precision strike with mortars or sprint with scout snipers. There is literally no effective difference.
  

What's the big deal? There's no reason to be so self-righteous over such a non-issue.

They moved a standard unit into a doctrine and gave everyone a doctrinal Panzer 4 J with free skirts. What is not to like?