Expansion Packs

[Starfyre72]

In Rands letter it says there will be expansion packs. And the first one is to be free to those of us who were in Live uptill yesterday. I'm wondering what the estimated release date for the first one is. Also I was wondering how it will be delivered. In the form of a download or will Cyan mail us a CD. And if a download (or the CD) will they post here when its ready or on the Uru site or where?

[Starfyre72]

In Rands letter it says there will be expansion packs. And the first one is to be free to those of us who were in Live uptill yesterday. I'm wondering what the estimated release date for the first one is. Also I was wondering how it will be delivered. In the form of a download or will Cyan mail us a CD. And if a download (or the CD) will they post here when its ready or on the Uru site or where?

[LordTulla]

Ok, I guess I'm a bit confused... Here is a direct quote from Rand's Letter, <BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>...We have it, large amounts of it, ready to expand the world of Uru. In the past weeks we've been hard at work packaging that content in a different, more inclusive form - expansion packs - the first of which will be available in a month or two. Even better, the first expansion pack, To D'ni, is free...<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Where does it say that the first (free) expansion pack will only be provided to those who were able to get to the online portion of the game? Also, note he says that the first pack will be 1-2 months away... http://ubbxforums.ubi.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

[Starfyre72]

I read over in the UO forums that the first expansion pack was to be free to the "testers". And I was lead to believe the testers were everyone that was in Live now. I'll try and find out where they got their information from.

Also their saying the first expansion pack will be ready in March.

[LordTulla]

Yes, March would be within the 1-2 month time frame. But I'm pretty sure Rand did not make that limitation concerning the free expansion pack. I just read on Jim's "Unoffical" Riven website [he gets extremely accurate info directly from Cyan & Ubi] about the free pack and there's no limitation stated.

I would think it would be available (free) to all who bought URU before the announced end of URU Live - not everyone has broadband, or was granted access to Live. So I think Cyan & Ubi would not want to discriminate between who got "in" and who did not before the end date... http://ubbxforums.ubi.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif

[LordTulla]

Just off The Lyst...
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>So far the news is that the first expansion pack (x1 they're calling it in shorthand) will be a free download online to anyone who bought Uru. The following expansion packs will be sold on disk like any game. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

[Starfyre72]

Well I just read in the Anouncement thread (In the Uru Live Prologue General Discussion (Warning, Content Spoilers) forum) that it would be released in March. I think it was CyanBill who said it. I would look again and make sure but I gotta be at work in 15. I will look tonight or in the morning for sure on that.

[Hazhar2]

The first expansion may just 'activate' in Prime the Uru Live areas that are actually included on the Uru Prime disk, maybe, at most, modifying it slightly to fit in with the revised story line. This means it could be a not too large download.

[LordTulla]

When you say "the URU Prime disk" are you referring to the CD that everyone has? If not, then I'm not sure what you mean.

[Zowi]

Yes LordTulla....prime refers to the game on the the cd http://ubbxforums.ubi.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif

[maztec]

LordTulla, yes that i what Uru Prime is

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Have you had your D'LA today? (http://www.dniactivities.org/)
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[Patchallel]

It makes perfect sense that "To D'ni" will "link" Uru Prime with the City.

Uru Prime offers tantalizing glimpses into Ae'gura and I would assume that this first expansion pack would simply allow access.

There is a great deal to explore in the city, from Nexus books to Relto pages that should keep folks busy for awhile.

That brings up another question: How will the Nexus work? One of its uses was to allow the player to move around Uru Live, but it also allowed access to your own Personal Ages. Will the Nexus still be used/needed?

Patchallel (Tom O'Leary)

[xICEBURNx]

what about those doors in Gahreesen (the prison age?) that you couldn't access? i've been dying to get into them...8-)

[Ted_Koppel]

If you look at some of the files that are included in the Prime version of the game you see that many of the city areas are included.
Those areas aren't available in Prime unless you "hack" your game.

I don't think it would take to much effort to get an update from Cyan that would activate those areas and also possibly include some of the new city content that they'd planned on issuing in Live.

I'd also like to say that I am in awe of the support for the Live version that has come out in the last two days. All you guys are great, and together, where there's a will, there's always a way.

B'il
KI# Don't know it, but you can always find me on Katran, unless of course the server is down, then in that case you can find me at home drawing pictures of mountain tops, lemon yellow sun...

[Alpha2010]

If this is like other free expansion packs (Enemy Territory for Wolfenstein and the XMP expansion for Unreal 2) then you must own the game in order to download the expansion.

[D aniel]

If I wanted expanison packs - I'd buy THE SIMS.

Nuff said.

[Pepsi1953]

I personally will take Uru any way I can get it!

At this time it looks like that way is going to be expansion packs. I will buy any and all available. And will hope, dream and look forward to the time when Uru Live might again be possible.

~Pepsi~

In Cavern: Pehpsee
Member of the Guild of Greeters (http://www.greetersguild.com/home.html)
Member of the D'LA (http://www.dniactivities.org/)
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-When you are imagining, you might as well imagine something worthwhile.-

[mystmum]

Any idea of cost of expansion packs yet?


As to downloads, I don't have the bandwidth to download the Uru demo in under 16 hours. Downloading expansion packs will not really be an option for me (or I suspect the many other Myst fans who don't have broadband available).

__________________________________________________ _________
Stop laughing, this is serious.

[Starfyre72]

Mystmum, I'm gonna assume its to be a reasonable size as the first expansion pack is to be for those really without broadband who couldn't get into Live. Though in truth they are for all of us as kinda in my opinion as an apology for having to call an end to Live. The rest if I'm not mistaken are to be sold on CD.

In fact here is a quote of what CyanBill said we can expect to see in the first expansion pack.

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>
The first expansion is not empty in any sense of the word.

From the point of view of the people who bought Uru but didn't play beta or prologue (the overwhelming majority), here's my rough count:

8 new Ages or significant areas
10 new puzzles
5 new Relto customizations (including 2 new technical features)
17 new pieces of clothing
43 new journals or monologues

For people who played beta or prologue:
4 new (small) Ages or significant areas you've never seen even if you hacked prime
10 new puzzles you haven't solved though 2 involve the marker system in a way that will be somewhat familiar
2 new Relto customizations you've never seen (including two new technical features)
4 new pieces of clothing
34 new journals or monolgue

plus a continuation of the storyline
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

[Doomsday_Danny]

I am glad to hear that the expansion will be large enough to contend with. Sorry if this sounds sour, but I am still bitter. Have had Uru about a week, used walkthroughs whenever I got stuck in Prime so I could have a finished game coming into Live. Spent the weekend working through terrible lag times, and at least three reinstalls of the game. I barely got as far as having my nexus book and kept hanging up when I tried to link from there. So, for all intends I never made it past the neighborhood and only saw one person standing around.
One idea I had today. Let them put out the expansion packs, lord knows I will eat them all up. But, why not do a neighborhood, like an avatar driven chat area. That way we could all wonder into the neighborhood, share images and talk of what we have found, the DRC could post new news of new area upcoming, etc..
Or at least let us have the resource coding so someone can put up their own server neighborhoods!!

[Srikandi]

Mystmum, the expansion packs (after the first) will be priced similarly to expansion packs for other games. Those are usually $20-30.

I'm looking forward to them. I've always liked expansion packs.

Sri's Relto (http://members.cox.net/srikandi/Uru/)

[JohnLynch6]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Srikandi:
Those are usually $20-30.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>American dollars in case mystmum got a bit confused there http://ubbxforums.ubi.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif (I had to do a double take)

[mystmum]

I'm used to converting $US http://ubbxforums.ubi.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif particularly when seeing prices for computer games!
Uru is still around $90 here, so I figure the expansion packs will work out around $50-$60 http://ubbxforums.ubi.com/images/smiley/16x16_smiley-indifferent.gif

__________________________________________________ _________
Stop laughing, this is serious.

[Raewin]

The first expansion pack is available just in time for my birthday in March. What a great birthday present.

I'm going to miss the interaction though. And I like my Santa hat and the pith helmet. I hope future expansions give us all the swag we picked up in the live game.

*************
Raewyn - in Cavern

My Web Log - Uru Category (http://trishwilson.typepad.com/blog/uru_ages_beyond_myst/index.html)

[Truth-Soldier]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by LordTulla:
Ok, I guess I'm a bit confused... Here is a direct quote from Rand's Letter, <BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>...We have it, large amounts of it, ready to expand the world of Uru. In the past weeks we've been hard at work packaging that content in a different, more inclusive form - expansion packs - the first of which will be available in a month or two. Even better, the first expansion pack, To D'ni, is free...<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Where does it say that the first (free) expansion pack will only be provided to those who were able to get to the online portion of the game? Also, note he says that the first pack will be 1-2 months away... http://ubbxforums.ubi.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>


What this says, is that they knew they were going to be closing this down weeks and weeks ago, they can't get the on-line technology to work so now they're going to try to sell it in expansion pack, how much are they going to cost? $20 $30 how much are the greedy liars going to try to make from their failure.

This post was edited for content.

[This message was edited by Pa'lua on Fri February 06 2004 at 08:59 AM.]

[georgep007]

Hello,
After thinking about it for a while, I think the expantion packs are probably a good idea.-Geo

[maztec]

Truth-Soldier,

Greedy? Doubt it, they still haven't profitted off of this. Liars? Doubt that also, not intentionally lying. Now, greedy lying laywers, those exist. Grrr...

---
Have you had your D'LA today? (http://www.dniactivities.org/)
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Atrus KI#: 4941719

[Pelke]

I will miss the online aspect of the game but, quite frankly, I'm looking forward to the expansion packs. I'm really not sure I'd be still interested in playing "kick the cone" a year from now. With the expansion packs, I get what I really wanted -- evolving content (meaning puzzles and exploring, not pumpkins in my hood). Hopefully, the expansion packs will be less expensive than the online subscription would have been. If that's the case, many of us will actually be happier.

Of course, I wouldn't mind down the road if they added back in some interactivity functions like chat or maybe limited full avatar interaction.

In the mean time, I think the expansion pack plan is a darn good move and will leave most people pretty happy. Uru could have very easily been cancelled completely. Better to get the cake without the icing than no cake at all!

[ALNAPZOK]

Funny. Just last week I was going to suggest that they would offer expansions packs for those who did not want to play on line. Since they were having so much trouble with Uru live that was probably the only way I was going to play. I never was able get in except for one time, then locked up after 10 minutes.

[Neo_Age]

i read on the letter that the first expantion pack was going to be free? is that correct? how are they doing this.

btw, was there someother reason why they decided to pull uru online off?

[Srikandi]

The first expansion pack will be free; it will be a download.

They decided to pull Uru online off because of all the people that bought Uru, only a small minority showed interest in online play.

Sri's Relto (http://members.cox.net/srikandi/Uru/)

[ilfordboy]

I think it had a bit to do with redundancy, lots of people (but not enough) bought the game, logged on for live and then insisted on going online!
That is a too large percentage went online too long and too often.
does that make any sense at all?


<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Srikandi:
The first expansion pack will be free; it will be a download.

They decided to pull Uru online off because of all the people that bought Uru, only a small minority showed interest in online play.

http://members.cox.net/srikandi/Uru/<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

ilfordboy in; -Atrus (Mad Mushroom): 02657986, Katran (Time Lords): 00275237 -
parlauNOSPAM@web.de

Workers, shirkers all the same.
This whole life is just a game.

[Rhoswen]

I say "Hurray!" for the expansion packs http://ubbxforums.ubi.com/images/smiley/16x16_smiley-happy.gif

I never was able to get in to play the online prologue (though I tried over and over and over again), so continuing the adventure offline sounds pretty great to me.

Because I had so many problems with even logging on to the prologue, I most probably would have given up and gone away by the time Uru live was fully operational. However, I had no technical problems with Uru prime, so I'll happily pay for the expansion packs.