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I feel weird asking this...

by John Colgrove · in Game Design and Creative Issues · 10/21/2011 (9:07 pm) · 5 replies

How would I make an expansion? You know, the ones that require the main game in order to function. When the expansion is complete, do I just turn the expansion into a patch that said consumer pays for and there you go? Or is there a different way to go about this?

I ask because there is a 3D PC RPG I eventually want to develop that I want to do this for. Granted it will be a while before this happens, but I just want to ask and prepare now just incase it is impractical for me to go this route.
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Torque 3D Owner Dexter Chow
GarageGames
#1
10/25/2011 (9:02 am)
You can release a patch with the content so on PC it is quite easy to update. However, the bane of many RPG updates is the save game format. Gamers want to keep their characters with all their stats and stuff, so make sure the patch doesn't mess with the save game format.


Good luck!

Associate Michael Hall
Distracted...
#2
10/25/2011 (9:39 am)
Lots of different ways of handling this. An update patch is a common practice. You could also package an expansion as a "mod" that runs on top of the regular (base) game.

Whether you charge for the expansion/update or not is a whole other discussion and depends on the particulars of your game and market strategy.

Torque Owner Kyrah Abattoir
KDC
#3
10/25/2011 (9:46 am)
As Michael said, a mod would be a sound way to do it, so both DLC enabled and non DLC enabled game still share the same code, you can keep them both updated at once and publish your dlc as a mod.

Torque Owner John Colgrove
#4
10/25/2011 (10:49 pm)
I never thought about packaging the expansion as a mod. Thanks.

Torque Owner Robert Fritzen
Phantom Games Development
#5
10/26/2011 (7:56 am)
I Prefer Michael's route to this.

Regular patches can be done via multiple provided resources on this website, as for DLC or path expansions, you will probably want to pack it as a mod.

Then there's the data/stats issue which can be accomplished by either using a scriptObject container to store the data, or via XML. Your choice. :P