Poll Question 102 – If Valve were to start selling add-on weapons would you buy them?

1st November 2008

Single Player First Person Shooter Maps and Mods for Half-Life 1, 2 and Episodes 1, 2 and 3
Why?

I feel that there is an opportunity for the community to sell the best creations to other players via Steam. There are many issues that would need to be organized but let’s keep this discussion to the concept itself.

Imagine you are a talented modeller and animator. You have created a cool new weapon, with sounds etc and want to distibute it. There are plenty of websites that already do this but they often get ripped off and/or lost in the crowd. Now imagine that Steam started selling the best ones and gave the author 50% of the income. The price would be very small because nobody would buy them otherwise.

I would buy some, depending on the price etc and this week’s poll question is would you?

Perhaps the cash could be sent to a charity and the whole concept used to drive a Valve gaming fund. That way we could support people who need help, support modellers who create great models and allow easy customization of your Half-Life gaming experience.

Before readers start commenting that weapons are part of a balanced game, I realize that and the best weapons would retain that balance. Remember, Valve would have ultimate control over which weapons are made available.

So, what do you think?

The Poll

9 Comments

  1. I would never ever pay for a single weapon, no matter what the price, but maybe if it is a pack of say 20 high quality guns, I might consider paying 50 cents for it.

  2. I can’t vote because a number of factors are not taken into account.Are we talking about buying a rocket launcher/sniper rifle and using it before you are supposed to get these objects?I don’t mind just having new sounds/models etc but the game can’t lose it’s balance as you said but when would you get these weapons?

  3. using it before you are supposed to get these objects?

    No. Each weapon would have a “base” weapon. This weapon would be the one it replaces in the game. Makers would therefore have to ensure that it’s power and use would be similar to that of the base weapon otherwise it would become silly.

    Good point though.

    I would never ever pay for a single weapon, no matter what the price, but maybe if it is a pack of say 20 high quality guns, I might consider paying 50 cents for it.

    That sound a bit mean 50 cents for 20 weapons! I’d buy a couple of bucks for 5 really good weapons.

  4. Sortie

    I’m against this kind of paid add-ons. And why would the author even need the extra buck or two he earns? I think these talented people should make their own mod or game, and get into the industry instead.

  5. Ade

    True. It’s just too much of a hassle for too little gain.

  6. Berrie

    Such an insubstantial add-on would not get my money.

    However if a mod was given this kind of possibility I would be willing to pay if the price stayed was in accordance with the size, quality of the mod.
    I especially like the idea of giving a part to charity and those who worked on it.

  7. Dr. Doomy

    Hell, I refuse to buy games that require me to pay monthly. I’m not going to start for something as insignificant as weapon thingys.

    As for changing the weapons themselves… I don’t care. The default half life weapons (especially HL2) are so butchered they can’t possibly make them worse :p

  8. No. There are only 3 ways that a addon weapon can happen

    1) The add-on weapon is utterly useless and adds nothing to the game = not worth paying for

    2) the add-on weapon is utterly overpowered and breaks game balance = not worth paying for

    3) the add-on weapon is completely useful, without being overpowered, which means that the developers sold me a game that was incomplete, either unintentionally or intentionally = not worth paying for (both the weapon AND the game)

    About the best case scenario for the game is if the weapon is power equivalent to a weapon already in game, but it adds a humorous effect when you use it. That might be worth getting, but only if it’s really cheep (less than $1)

  9. An artist should be paid so it’s a maybe, depending on the price thing for me.

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