You should have only one person need DLC to play maps with friends

[Rojo]

You would probably sell more that way instead of forcing an entire group of people to buy a single map that lasts 30 min at most

[Elkondo]

In ES1, the paid DLCs all have 4 rooms each, and you're paying like $1.50 per room at most. If that's not a reasonable price of admission, I don't know what is.

[DJDiceZ]

Originally posted by Elkondo:

In ES1, the paid DLCs all have 4 rooms each, and you're paying like $1.50 per room at most. If that's not a reasonable price of admission, I don't know what is.

Perhaps they should increase the base price of DLCs and make it so that only one person is required to have it, but that would shoot the price up by a lot for one person, pooling money together can be a bit of a pain in the ass online afterall. Plus it would create a disparity between 2 people groups and 4 people groups, and 8.

Regardless it's worth noting that while you are correct, basic human psychology still means that buying the DLC twice (or up to eight times) feels redundant for a game centered around multiplayer play. It may sound silly but human brains are wired in peculiar ways. It also complicates access for larger groups of players.

In any case i can't imagine anyone in the devs' place willingly throwing away up to 75%~90% of their profits just for good PR... not how businesses work lol. People don't work for free and no ammount of extra sales will make up for it. Adding this feature at the current DLC price is not happening.

[Thoroniul]

I don't think anyone is "forced" to buy anything. People have their own opinions on what they think is a reasonable price and what they are willing to pay. It's their own choice whether they want to purchase it or not. Basic economics says that price affects demand. Some people just wont accept a certain price and that is perfectly fine, that's how free markets work.

Pine is a small studio with their own expenses and fixed costs. The time, tools, and labor they use is not free to them. It is their risk to work on a game that may ultimately fail with poor reception. Choosing a fair price that draws enough people and making a sufficient income is the calculus they have to deal with.

If they make it so that one person dlc works for up to 8 people at the same time, the price goes up. This changes the demand so that less people end up buying it overall. It disadvantages solo players since they may not be able to find a friend to buddy up with and are imposed with a higher price. The least complicated strategy is to have an equitable price (effects everyone evenly). The overall effect is lower price, more demand, more people.

I don't think Pine's pricings are unfair. Compared to *SOME* companies. *Cough paradox cough*. I have spent more on games I spend little time playing and don't bat an eye. Also dumb tf2 hats and cosmetics.

[Rojo]

Originally posted by Thoroniul:

I don't think anyone is "forced" to buy anything. People have their own opinions on what they think is a reasonable price and what they are willing to pay. It's their own choice whether they want to purchase it or not. Basic economics says that price affects demand. Some people just wont accept a certain price and that is perfectly fine, that's how free markets work.

Pine is a small studio with their own expenses and fixed costs. The time, tools, and labor they use is not free to them. It is their risk to work on a game that may ultimately fail with poor reception. Choosing a fair price that draws enough people and making a sufficient income is the calculus they have to deal with.

If they make it so that one person dlc works for up to 8 people at the same time, the price goes up. This changes the demand so that less people end up buying it overall. It disadvantages solo players since they may not be able to find a friend to buddy up with and are imposed with a higher price. The least complicated strategy is to have an equitable price (effects everyone evenly). The overall effect is lower price, more demand, more people.

I don't think Pine's pricings are unfair. Compared to *SOME* companies. *Cough paradox cough*. I have spent more on games I spend little time playing and don't bat an eye. Also dumb tf2 hats and cosmetics.

The difference between Paradox and Pine is that with Paradox only one Person needs the DLC to play multiplayer, someone in your party can have none while another can have every single one and it doesn't matter.

Another game like party animals have friend passes which allow players to let a friend play with them without purchasing the game but also locking cosmetics, a large amount of other games use this type of model as well, party animals surpasses escape sim sales by a lot and it isn't even that large of a studio.

This opinion that the devs will lose money if they go through with this other pricing model doesn't even hold much weight when they barely surpass 100 sales for all their DLCs, I agree that raising the overall price and letting a party member with money buy it so everyone in their friends list can play would be a better option.

I play this game with a group of 6-7 people and we have skipped on all the DLCs, where as in Stellaris, Crusader KIngs, etc. I was fine buying the DLC if it meant all my friends could hop on. I won't even begin to start that a lot of mod maps surpass the quality of DLC maps so there's even less of a desire to purchase them as a group but yeah.

[Elkondo]

No one's stopping you from buying the DLCs for your entire group. That way you can already pay more and let everyone play it with you. Plus you're making everyone happier by gifting them something.

Do keep in mind that a lot of people play these games solo. If DLC sharing was added with a price increase, those players would complain that they have to pay more for something they're never gonna use.

[DJDiceZ]

Originally posted by Patriot Chris Dorner:

The difference between Paradox and Pine is that with Paradox only one Person needs the DLC to play multiplayer, someone in your party can have none while another can have every single one and it doesn't matter.

I never thought i'd see someone try to make a case for Paradox's monetization but here we are.

Well, the difference is that paradox is still ripping the ♥♥♥♥ out of you. If Paradox was in charge of monetizing this game you'd get a single half baked room for $10 every month. Sure only one player needs to throw cash at them, they are still milking your wallet dry faster than most publishers do.

Paradox allows sharing because they understand that there is a certain threshold that people allow companies to reach before they are ripped off way too much. If they could get away with making everyone buy the DLCs they 100% would, but no one would buy them. They already struggle enough with PR as is.

[BlackChipMonk]

I am happy with the pricing.
The WORST would be a monthly payment.
If it was a monthly payment, I'd be gone asap.

But once in a while 5€/$ for a DLC, that's totally fine. I'm also fine with everyone having to pay for it. If you wanna play it, you have to pay for it.

[[BNB] KiiTa]

Originally posted by Obama:

when they barely surpass 100 sales for all their DLCs, I

Because you have insiders' figures on how much each DLC sold of course.

Dude, it's 5€ per person, it's not that much for 4 rooms. Don't be cheap.

[OJ191]

Originally posted by BlackChipMonk:

I am happy with the pricing.
The WORST would be a monthly payment.
If it was a monthly payment, I'd be gone asap.

But once in a while 5€/$ for a DLC, that's totally fine. I'm also fine with everyone having to pay for it. If you wanna play it, you have to pay for it.

I mean, if they were to commit to a quantity and quality of content on a good release schedule, I would be down for a subscription fee...

[Thoroniul]

I would rather not have a live service type or subscription type of game. I don't like feeling like i'm forced or obligated to continue playing a game when i don't feel like it.

[Kboss]

Originally posted by El Presidente:

You would probably sell more that way instead of forcing an entire group of people to buy a single map that lasts 30 min at most

no lol
go work, the dlcs cost 5 dollar so what ?

[Frungi]

Would it be feasible to have the DLC come as 4-packs with three gift copies? That way, one person buys it, and their group of up to 4 (or 8 if bought twice) can play it—but randos still wouldn’t be able to join unless they buy it too.

[G0rilla]

Originally posted by Frungi:

Would it be feasible to have the DLC come as 4-packs with three gift copies? That way, one person buys it, and their group of up to 4 (or 8 if bought twice) can play it—but randos still wouldn’t be able to join unless they buy it too.

That would be awesome but Steam is not letting us do that :(