Wolfenstein Content: Download or Unlock?

With the first of the additional multiplayer maps now available for Xbox Live subscribers, rumour has it that those without broadband are getting a raw deal.

Wolfenstein: Download or Unlock?

On the fifth of June, Microsoft announced that Xbox live subscribers would be able to download the first batch of downloadable content for Activision's FPS "Return to Castle Wolfenstein". The two new maps, Barn and Chateau, were eagerly downloaded by level-starved online gamers as soon as they were released.

The speed at which they downloaded, however, confused some people. Weighing in at a mere eight blocks (smaller than most game saves), the downloaded file seemed far too small to contain two whole maps. To further thicken the plot, page 26 of the US manual has pictures of the Barn and Chateau maps on it - fuelling rumours that the maps are already on the CD and the downloadable content was actually a downloadable key.

Providing these levels as a sweetener for Live Subscribers would be all very well, if extra development - over and above that of the game itself - is involved. But if the levels are already developed and present on the disk then the publishers are inviting flak from the many Xbox gamers who don't have broadband. Games are expensive as it is, but limiting the functionality for those without live is pushing things a little too far.

Neither Microsoft nor Activision have not, as yet, made any comment to these rumours, but they have announced the forthcoming availability of another two multiplayer maps. Are these also already present on the CD but restricted to Live subscribers only?

Source: Xbox.com forums; USENET

References to other articles

Castle Wolfenstein: ToW map released
Already a bit tired of the maps in Tides of War? Then download the new Barn-map.

Comments

#1 - 09/06-2003 @ 20:48 : Herold

Dang. Advertising that as downloadable content would be false. Unlockable content - indeed, but not downloadable.

Jacob Herold
Writer @ Boomtown.DK

#2 - 10/06-2003 @ 10:46 : jodo

As someone who has written a fair number of games, I'm more than aware of what can be done in 128K. Given, however, that the "downloadable" levels were in existence at the time when the US manual (which contains screenshots of the new levels) went to print, then it's safe to say these were never planned as "value added" features. The Quake III argument doesn't stand up, I'm afraid, because Quake III was primarily a multiplayer game. Surely, if the levels are on the CD then anyone who has shelled out forty quid for the game should be entitled to play *everything*. It's absolutely fine for new content to be made available to live subscribers, but that doesn't give publishers the right to rip off non subscribers.

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Jodo &amp;lt;jodo@writer.boomtown.net&amp;gt;
Boomtown Staff Writer

#3 - 11/06-2003 @ 17:45 : jodo

[deleted]

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Jodo &amp;lt;jodo@writer.boomtown.net&amp;gt;
Boomtown Staff Writer

#4 - 11/06-2003 @ 17:55 : jodo

[deleted]

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Jodo &amp;lt;jodo@writer.boomtown.net&amp;gt;
Boomtown Staff Writer

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