I appreciate the info Zero...
But i think everyone in the community agrees: Why would I pay ANY money for maps I will never get to play?
The map packs are a bit ridiculous. They aren't being used actively because they are too expensive. Reducing the cost would start to help.
To put it simply with a model, the game costs 59.99 in most locations. A reasonable discount that you can get from some places cuts the cost by 10% roughly bringing it down to 53.99 roughly. (Prices before tax)
The Rathalos armor was free, and the map packs costs 4.99. Two maps used only for multiplayer that cost close to 10% of the game. They do not come anywhere close to being a value of 10% of the game.
Roughly the game plus map packs costs 69.97. Would any of us pay 69.97 for the 14 map version. Or since we know that the maps have reduced accessibility would we pay 59.99 for the 10 map version.
Ideas that might truly improve the effectiveness of the dlc:
Highest effectiveness, reduced price, multiple promotions giving away redeem codes for map packs. Make sure a lot more people are getting the maps. There is just no great reason for anyone to get the maps.
Next feature, make them part of everyones game, but only people that have payed can select them as playable. Also go ahead and use them for faction matches. Lock some people out of some of the faction matches because they don't have the maps yet. As long as only one of the matches each week is on a locked map then everyone can still be part of faction matches, they just can't be part of all of the faction matches.
Followup feature, make the 4.99 dlc's include some extra. It is way too high a cost for just 2 maps. Perhaps if you had 2 additional sets of character parts included. One set of character parts that would belong on the map. And I like unlocking. Don't add them for people to just start using because they bought the map pack, make them earn it. Either be number 1 during 5 matches on the map or get it out of the slot machine.
The map packs are dissapointing, and they aren't enough. I will be really happy to hear that the map packs don't get purchased much. It's unfortunate but they aren't being done right and it's making them very unusable. Luckily it doesn't split the community downloadable maps for previous games have, but considering that no one gets to use them much it means they aren't even part of enough of the games and so aren't part of the Lost Planet community.
