AI War:Expansions Vs Free DLC
Expansions Vs Free DLC -- What's The Difference?
A: The biggest difference is that expansions are paid content whereas our DLC is always free. The next biggest difference is that DLC is something that continuously trickles out in beta form throughout they year, with official releases every month or two, while the expansions only arrive every 8-14 months or so. The free DLC and expansions are both developed in the same way, with public prerelease beta versions and tons of community suggestions and feedback being incorporated.
The biggest difference between the two is their focus, really:
- Free DLC is all about slowly growing and continuously refining the core game experience.
- Expansions are a huge chunk of new content all in one go, with a focus specifically on doing new things with the game engine and really pushing the boundaries of the game in some fashion.
The following things will ONLY ever be found in free DLC, never as part of a paid expansion (these are the things we don't feel it is ethical to charge customers for if they have already bought the base game):
- Updates to the core AI logic, the interface, the controls, or the general usability of the game.
- Updates to the art, sound, or music from the base game.
- Balance tweaks and bug fixes.
The following things will ONLY ever be found in the paid expansions, never as free DLC (these are the things that are simply too huge and/or time-intensive to give away for free):
- New "bonus ship classes."
- New AI Types.
- Large amounts of new music (a track or two might occasionally come out as free DLC).
- New map styles.
- Huge new game mechanics such as a scenario editor or PVP play, etc.
Everything else might be found in either free DLC or as part of an expansion. So that would mean:
- New ships for the humans or AI (including capturables and AI weapons, as well as stuff built directly from command stations).
- Midsize new game-extending mechanics like Minor Factions, AI Plots, etc.
Hopefully that clears up any questions. Thanks for supporting our games!
