Poll: Your method.

[Dark Harbinger]

If I got the final call, probably release the whole game, but make it difficult to pirate. A new anti-pirate system that would at least delay pirates for quite a while and allow the game to sell as many legitimate copies as possible. If by "episodic" you mean sequels, but really the same game, only if it can't be fit on one disc, or maybe if the different parts have radically different themes.

Basically, I don't want to rip people off, but I don't want them to rip me off either. And I don't want to exclude game content for a lot of the players.

With that kind of attitude, I am sure you could do a lot to bring back some of the pirates, got to bear in mind quite a lot of pirates are disillusioned PC gamers who got bent over by some really harsh measures and over priced games.

 

[Nouw]

Editions and Episodic so that the die-hard fans can get what they want and so I can stretch out the game to what it should be.

RTS games should always have expansions though.

 

[Elamdri]

Oh this is too easy.

Two editions, Premium and Regular edition. Pre-order DLC. Day-One DLC that is free if you buy the game new. Release expansions in DLC format. Box PC copy of the game with Xbox and PS3 releases.

 

[Biosophilogical]

I quite like the idea of pre-order and new game bonuses that don't actually affect the game in any way. So if someone bought my game new, I'd include something like fun costumes, game modes that alter physiology (think, big-head mode, but not necessarily 'big' or 'head' related) or visual-filters (like, 'Optimistic', where everything is either shades of yellow and white or are other colours, but brighter tones), you know just stuff that doesn't affect the gameplay at all, it is just a little optional thank you for people buying new. And for pre-orders, throw in a collectible of a well-known game figure (like a plushie companion cube with Portal 2, or a keyblade key-chain with KH3 ... you know, just little doo-hickeys).

So you know, give people a full game on disc, but have completely optional extras, that in no way affect gameplay for those who pre-order or buy new copies. Also, if the game warrants it, throw in an expansion pack a year down the line (about $30-40, but with about an extra 20-30% gameplay).

 

[zehydra]

Classic full package, unless the game was an mmo, in which case dlc(free) will be essential.

 

[Dark Harbinger]

Editions and Episodic so that the die-hard fans can get what they want and so I can stretch out the game to what it should be.

RTS games should always have expansions though.

Perhaps Total War?

 

[Nouw]

Editions and Episodic so that the die-hard fans can get what they want and so I can stretch out the game to what it should be.

RTS games should always have expansions though.

Perhaps Total War?

?

Isn't this an imaginary hypothetical game?

 

[Dark Harbinger]

Editions and Episodic so that the die-hard fans can get what they want and so I can stretch out the game to what it should be.

RTS games should always have expansions though.

Perhaps Total War?

?

Isn't this an imaginary hypothetical game?

Sorry, got a little excited there. :S

 

[loc978]

...I could never make a retail game. If I was developing a game, it would a labor of love, and distributed for free. So, uh... I wouldn't even think about developing one unless I was independently wealthy and retired.

 

[Nouw]

Editions and Episodic so that the die-hard fans can get what they want and so I can stretch out the game to what it should be.

RTS games should always have expansions though.

Perhaps Total War?

?

Isn't this an imaginary hypothetical game?

Sorry, got a little excited there. :S

No it's fine, nothing wrong

 

[Bobbity]

I miss the days of expansions.

We used to get a solid product; the developers would hold nothing back to be released in DLC. Once we'd played the shit out of that game, a developer would come along with a heap of genuinely new stuff, that improved gameplay, fixed the broken elements of the original game, and went out of its way to do things better.

 

[Dark Harbinger]

I miss the days of expansions.

We used to get a solid product; the developers would hold nothing back to be released in DLC. Once we'd played the shit out of that game, a developer would come along with a heap of genuinely new stuff, that improved gameplay, fixed the broken elements of the original game, and went out of its way to do things better.

I thought I got plenty of bang for my buck with Bad Company 2 Vietnam

 

[ChupathingyX]

Spoiler: I would release half the game and the rest as day 1 DLC that poeple would have to buy to get the full experience. I would also give the game pre-order bonuses that reward the people who pre-order the game with extra content that cannot otherwise be obtained. Then I would start releasing very minor DLC, things like clothing, extra skins, map packs and horse armour that would have a $20 minimum price. I would also make sure to have a strong DRM system so people won't pirate the game. And instead of releasing patches to fix things, you have to buy them.

 

[Dark Harbinger]

Spoiler: I would release half the game and the rest as day 1 DLC that poeple would have to buy to get the full experience. I would also give the game pre-order bonuses that reward the people who pre-order the game with extra content that cannot otherwise be obtained. Then I would start releasing very minor DLC, things like clothing, extra skins, map packs and horse armour that would have a $20 minimum price. I would also make sure to have a strong DRM system so people won't pirate the game. And instead of releasing patches to fix things, you have to buy them.

Good grief, I applause your evilness!