Free maps confirmed coming in next patch for TLOUR!

[Shadow-Man_4]

When Naughty Dog first advertised The Last of Us Remastered, one of the main selling points for us TLOU PS3 players was that the player pool was unified.

However, they recently announced that the 2 new maps: Financial Plaza and an unnannounced map, are going to be paid DLC when they launch. This decision to release the maps as paid DLC affects everyone's experience in a very negative way. Here are the problems with paid DLC maps:

• Fragmentation of the TLOU community; this means there are more (unnecessary) sub-playlists which divides the community.

• Longer matchmaking times. Lol this one is already bad enough, I won't even bother here.

• More lag. Since the player pool is divided, that means the probability of you finding players from your region decreases and so creating a very laggy MP experience.

• Less map variety: So far, it seems that there are going to be 2 maps in the next DLC drop. To create a playlist consisiting of just 2 maps is just awful. It will get very repititive really quickly and later down the lifecycle of TLOU, there won't be many players in that pool.

• Party dominating: We all know how so many laggy parties ruin the experience of the paid DLC maps in TLOU PS3. New players are very unlikely to buy the new paid maps, which means lots of parties in matchmaking. Playing solo in that case is a lost case.

As you can see, I can't think of one benifit of making these maps paid DLC - other than the greediness of ND ofcourse. Naughty Dog released a lot of paid DLC hats and customization items; those can be used to recoup the financial resources used to create the maps. Killzone Shadow Fall released all their MP maps for free while Co-op is paid DLC along with customization items. I don't see a reason for ND not to follow that route.

We had to pay for TLOU PS3, the Season Pass, a PS4, PS Plus subscription and a copy of TLOUR. I even recommended this game on PS4 for a lot of my friends. I'm not a ND hater, I just hate the idea of lying to us. Naughty Dog said they will have one consolidated player pool; and the proof is attached to this thread.

Please show your support for this. I can't stress how deceived I feel being lied to about the unified pool in TLOUR. Don't even get me started about the false advertising. ND won't listen unless a lot of people ask for it.

Original thread on the PS forums got 44 likes and counting! http://community.us.playstation.com...t-for-free-maps/td-p/44222674/highlight/false

Thank you for your support.

 

[Phoenix8387]

QQ. I don't support this. It's people wanting, strike that, feeling entitled to free maps.

Do all you people bitch and whine and complain when COD, BF or any of the other games offer paid map packs? No?

In addition, you want them to make and give them away for free? That's a very solid business plan.

 

[Shadow-Man_4]

I'm not going to bother replying to you until you read my thread. It's not about paying, I can afford the maps.. it's about destroying the MP.

CoD has a way larger pool and it's ok for them to release paid DLC. TLOU has 9,000 players at peak hours and splitting the pool with paid DLC is the worst idea ever. I will gladly pay for cosmetics to give ND the cost of the maps.

 

[Phoenix8387]

I've read it and don't agree with it. You have a couple valid points, but most of them are circumstantial (matchmaking times, lag) or going to happen anyway (party domination).

 

[Shadow-Man_4]

Mind to explain why you don't agree? I don't see one good reason for the maps to be paid. And no, matchmaking and lag increases SIGNIFICANTLY in DLC playlists and that is proven in TLOU PS3.

If you're concerned about the "profit" of the company, they are selling overpriced hat bundles for a whopping $8 each. They have sold a few million TLOU copies along with TLOUR. Lots of people got their Season Pass. I don't get it, what is it you don't agree with?

 

[dragon82]

If you buy them it will allow you to be placed in either player pool and thus solving "your" issues. There is no reason for them to give away something that costs money to make. That's how companies go out of business.

 

[Shadow-Man_4]

dragon82, then please explain to me how Killzone Shadow Fall released about 6 maps all for FREE in order not to split the player pool, and are still in business?

I will explain how, in case you don't know. They sold a Co-op mode, a season pass, and a dozen customization items to recoup the financial resources spent in creating the maps. Same thing can be done by Naughty Dog. They have a TON of paid DLC customization items.

I'm not saying ND should release everything for free. I want the maps to be free simply because it improves the lag, the matchmaking and created an overall better experience!

I have explained this numerous times, I don't get why you guys don't get this. Paid maps for such a small community is a huge problem! I guess you haven't played TLOU PS3 so trying to explain this is useless to you.

 

[dragon82]

Actually I have played TLOU PS3. I just don't have a problem with it.

 

[Shadow-Man_4]

Why did you ignore all my comments? How did Killzone and other games have free maps and still made profit?

 

[Jacky]

They make you pay because it costs money to make those maps on the first place, it's a buisness thing. They spend money on you, you spend money on them. That's just how it is.
You have your games out there that'll give you free maps, but it's normally a timed exclusive thing and after awhile you have to pay.
Examp: deadpool and metal gear rising.

 

[Phoenix8387]

Why did you ignore all my comments? How did Killzone and other games have free maps and still made profit?

Dude, chill. People disagree with you. There's always going to be a how did x do y and still do z argument, and it doesn't always mean you're right.

But to answer your question, Killzone isn't a good game and offering free maps builds a rapport with the playerbase and makes them more willing to buy the cosmetics and more expensive DLC. In addition, it's a selling point for a mediocre game that might push someone to buy it. TLOU needs to build no rapport, it's a fucking fantastic game and can do whatever they want.

 

[dragon82]

This dude has been crying all over N4G about it also. Let's all grab our pitchforks and torches and head on over to ND!!!! It seems like you are most upset that people don't agree with your complaint. There is no case of false advertisement here. ND did offer what they promised. You got all of the DLC out for the PS3 version which does offer a unified player pool for the "original" content provided with the PS3 version (which is what they "remastered"). Time to get over it and chill out.

 

[wolfehound22]

I don't have an issue, companies need to make more money now a days, so go for it. As far as splitting the community, I don't think it's as big of a thing, slightly longer waits sure, but the loads weren't that fast to begin with. It's basically non issue at the end of the day.

Side note, being an ass won't make people agree with you. Your first post was well written, but don't get angry when people disagree, it only makes thir argument less compelling.

 

[Shadow-Man_4]

Who said everyone disagrees? The original thread on the PS forums has 120 likes and is growing with each passing day. I'm not being an ass, I just don't want to waste my time trying to explain what is already written in the original post.

I have repeated many times that ND is only harming their player base by releasing TWO paid maps. They have given us Dry Docks for free in UC3 and The Fort free in UC2. I don't get why can't they do the same for those two maps for TLOU?

They already have a ton of overpriced micro transactions for TLOU, those can be used to recoup the financial resources spent in creating the two maps, thus ending with a profit for the company. (lol they have millions in profit already, you seriously think ND is not profiting by releasing two maps for free?)

I know maps take money to be created, but this money can be given to them by purchases of the micro transactions they released for the game.

Also, it's not about us not wanting to pay for the maps. I have owned Uncharted 2 and all it's DLCs, Uncharted 3 and ALL of it's DLCs, TLOU PS3 and the Season Pass, and now TLOU PS4.

If you're asking why I didn't complain earlier, it's because ND promised a UNIFIED player pool in The Last of Us Remastered. I bought TLOUR mainly to experience those previous DLC maps all in one playlist with the vanilla maps. In TLOU PS3, you had to select whether to play DLC1 maps, DLC2 maps, or vanilla maps. You can't choose a playlist where all maps were present. Why would I play one playlist of 4 maps when I can play a playlist of 15 maps? In addition to that, why would ND advertise that they have a unified player pool (which is a good thing) and then break the player pool later? Wouldn't that leave their decision to unify the pool useless in the first place?

Now in TLOUR, I thought ND was finally releasing a MP where all the maps are present in a playlist for each of the 3 modes. This means

a) You have a much greater variety of maps in one playlist/game mode (15 maps vs 4..)

b) More players playing in each playlist since there are 6 LESS playlists for people to be scattered between

c) Much faster matchmaking time and much less lag due to MORE players across less playlists

These reasons are why we want free maps and we got them in TLOUR. Now ND wants to release TWO more maps. Would you pay to play TWO maps in one playlist? Even if you would, wouldn't you get bored of two maps repeating over and over again? Let's not forget the PS3, which will also get 3 additional playlists, so each game mode will have Default, DLC1 (4 maps), DLC2 (4 maps), DLC3 (2 maps).

I hope this is clearer to you now as to why I brought up this issue in the first place. Naughty Dog can recoup the financial resources used to create the two extra maps using the micro transactions (which aren't cheap btw) such as the $8 hat bundles and the $2 taunts they're selling right now. They have about 5 hat bundles on sale right now with more to come in the coming weeks. ND won't close their offices and go bankrupt if they release two maps for free.

I would love to discuss this further if you have any more concerns, but please don't tell me I'm being "self-entitled" for wanting two maps for free. It's not about me, it's about the whole community in general.

 

[Phoenix8387]

Oooo, 120 likes. Congradulations? You seem to have a vendetta, posting this just about every gaming related forum I visit. In this case you are the vocal minority.

When did they ever promise a 'unified player pool?' They said the Remastered edition would contain all DLC released for the PS3 version, these maps were not at the time of release.

I also want to point out, you said your weren't going to repeat what you already said... and you go and repeat it.

This'll be the last time I visit this thread, I'm done arguing over a QQ over stupid map pack.

 

[Shadow-Man_4]

Ok, I think you guys should now understand I fought the good fight. Naughty Dog ARE releasing the maps for free. Guess they understood what you guys never did.

http://www.naughtydog.com/site/post/free_maps_and_about_those_pesky_matchmaking_times/

I'm glad I was the one with the final smile on my face. If I keep defending companies blindly like you do, I would've had to pay for those maps and experience the consequences I talked about earlier.

 

[dragon82]

Ok, I think you guys should now understand I fought the good fight. Naughty Dog ARE releasing the maps for free. Guess they understood what you guys never did.

http://www.naughtydog.com/site/post/free_maps_and_about_those_pesky_matchmaking_times/

I'm glad I was the one with the final smile on my face. If I keep defending companies blindly like you do, I would've had to pay for those maps and experience the consequences I talked about earlier.

*facepalm*

 

[claass21]

Ok, I think you guys should now understand I fought the good fight. Naughty Dog ARE releasing the maps for free. Guess they understood what you guys never did.

http://www.naughtydog.com/site/post/free_maps_and_about_those_pesky_matchmaking_times/

I'm glad I was the one with the final smile on my face. If I keep defending companies blindly like you do, I would've had to pay for those maps and experience the consequences I talked about earlier.

No, we understood. We just didn't agree. There is a difference.
Seems like it is more in response to the persistent matchmaking issues we have had to deal with than the possible player pool split.

 

[Shadow-Man_4]

No, we understood. We just didn't agree. There is a difference.
Seems like it is more in response to the persistent matchmaking issues we have had to deal with than the possible player pool split.

I was just talking about people who labelled me as a "whiner" and "self-entitled" for asking something that has positive benefits for the whole community. I can't even comprehend how someone would disagree given the points I mentioned and the feasibility of releasing the maps for free. I still can't get my head around how paid maps are better for the community.

Also, they said they "listened to the community". They had plans to release them paid as mentioned in the OP, matchmaking issues were mostly fixed with LiveUpdates. They don't have to release free maps as a "thank you", and I appreciate that they did. Please understand that paid maps are a lose-lose situation for everyone.

Also, dragon82 mentioned they would go out of business for releasing two maps for free. Does that mean ND will go bankrupt following this announcement?

 

[Phoenix8387]

*facepalm*

x2 and then again.

I was just talking about people who labelled me as a "whiner" and "self-entitled" for asking something that has positive benefits for the whole community. I can't even comprehend how someone would disagree given the points I mentioned and the feasibility of releasing the maps for free. I still can't get my head around how paid maps are better for the community.

Also, they said they "listened to the community". They had plans to release them paid as mentioned in the OP, matchmaking issues were mostly fixed with LiveUpdates. They don't have to release free maps as a "thank you", and I appreciate that they did. Please understand that paid maps are a lose-lose situation for everyone.

Also, dragon82 mentioned they would go out of business for releasing two maps for free. Does that mean ND will go bankrupt following this announcement?

To your point though, good for you. I still don't believe ND needed to do this, but if they chose to do so then thats their decision. Nobody EVER made the argument that they were better for the community, we just think that ND are well within their rights to charge for them and there would be significantly less impact than you believe. Again, I do not agree that paid maps are a lose/lose for everyone, as from a buisiness perspective that is most definitely not the case. Dragon82 was clearly being a bit facetious there.