Mass Effect - Bring Down the Sky Now Available

The new downloadable content for Bioware's Mass Effect is now available on the XboxLive Marketplace. Full details are here at Major Nelson, along with a short plot summary:

Batarian extremists have hijacked a mobile asteroid station in the Asgard system, setting it on a collision course with the nearby colony world of Terra Nova. Only you can save the human hostages on the asteroid and reroute it before it crashes into the world, killing millions of innocent civilians.

Bring Down the Sky is available for 400 Microsoft points and is 253.40 MB.
More information.

Hmmm…. initial forum response seems to be mixed and veering towards the "not worth it" side. Essentially just a big UNC generic world, drive around in the buggy and clear out the generic bunkers quest with some nice cutscenes here and there.

Kinda glad I wasn't bothered about getting this now. Especially when I would be constantly thinking how much better it would be to play again on the PC and the 360.

This stuff is included in the PC version.

Originally Posted by Gorath
This stuff is included in the PC version.

Has it been confirmed the DLC is included in the PC version then? I must have missed that announcement.

Originally Posted by Holly Avenger
Hmmm…. initial forum response seems to be mixed and veering towards the "not worth it" side. Essentially just a big UNC generic world, drive around in the buggy and clear out the generic bunkers quest with some nice cutscenes here and there.

Kinda glad I wasn't bothered about getting this now. Especially when I would be constantly thinking how much better it would be to play again on the PC and the 360.

Which forum? I don't read many, but the BioWare forum and the Penny Arcade forums both seem positive so far, and are saying things that disagree with your assessment with regards to the content.

I can't speak to it directly myself — I haven't played it.

Was mainly basing this on initial feedback at the Bioware forums - such as this thread:

http://masseffect.bioware.com/forums…1422&forum=104

If you have access to the spoiler-rich forum, the threads in there seem more positive.

I don't disagree with what's being said — as I understand it, it's the size of several uncharted worlds in terms of content, with conversations and choices. If you go in expecting Noveria, it'll be disappointing, but it's more than an uncharted world in terms of dialog, options, and play-time.

Also, take what Bruno says with a grain of salt. He's begun insulting people and swearing with asterices, which usually happens just before a good solid banning for trollish behavior.

Nobody is required to like it, mind you. Nobody is required to buy it. But the thread looks more mixed-to-positive to me than it appeared to look to you.

Originally Posted by Holly Avenger
Has it been confirmed the DLC is included in the PC version then? I must have missed that announcement.

GameStar, current issue. I donīt know if itīs officially confirmed, but somebody must have told them. Probably a marketing manager.

To be honest, it does seem that there are a couple of trolls in that thread. I never understood the need to repeat how much you hate a certain thing every few posts in increasingly colourful language. The thread deteriorates in an "us" against "them" flamewar, really.

Originally Posted by PatrickWeekes
If you have access to the spoiler-rich forum, the threads in there seem more positive.

That seems to be the trend on the Bioware forums … lots more 'ZOMG BIOWAREZ R TEH CRUKZ' posts on the non-owner forums …

Well, after the first few pages on that non-owner (?) thread, most people think it was good and worth the 400 points. I see a lot of "this is how all the UNC side-missions should have been like." Maybe in ME2?

I'll definitely get it, but I haven't even finished the main quest yet.

Originally Posted by Gorath
GameStar, current issue. I donīt know if itīs officially confirmed, but somebody must have told them. Probably a marketing manager.

Good to know. Might consider picking up the PC version after all…. see, the evil marketing scheme is already having the desired effect on my susceptible little mind!

Originally Posted by Thaurin
Well, after the first few pages on that non-owner (?) thread, most people think it was good and worth the 400 points. I see a lot of "this is how all the UNC side-missions should have been like." Maybe in ME2?

If it shows a general trend of improvement that can be carried forward to the next full game, then I'm all for that

Originally Posted by PatrickWeekes
Also, take what Bruno says with a grain of salt. He's begun insulting people and swearing with asterices, which usually happens just before a good solid banning for trollish behavior.

Hahaha, this Bruno is a piece of work. Hey, it's a slow day at work and I'm reading through his posts.

I don't think he's even serious, because in my mind I can't really except that people like that really exist. I think he's just trolling.

All the signs are there: repeating his "opinion" every few posts (with forum-censored comparisons to various animal faeces), defending his right to an opinion to the death (even though it's inflammatory), basing this opinion on weak if not false arguments, calling everyone else who has a different opinion fan boys and being so sure of himself that he seems to actually believe that (non-fan-boy) people will come around and recognize the DLC for the piece of shit it so obviously is.

All this for a $5 purchase ("but it's the principle that counts!").

It's really quite interesting to see if he were for real. And if not, it's interesting to ponder why people have a need to make this stuff up.

Originally Posted by Holly Avenger
If it shows a general trend of improvement that can be carried forward to the next full game, then I'm all for that

That's the plan, as I understand it.

Originally Posted by Thaurin
All this for a $5 purchase ("but it's the principle that counts!").

It's not $5. You can only buy XBox points in increments of $12.50. So, if you only wanted this, you've wasted $7.50 - either by not purchasing anything else or purchasing junk just because you bought funny money.

Originally Posted by mactbone
It's not $5. You can only buy XBox points in increments of $12.50.

That's not true. I don't know about you, but around here I can buy 500 points with no problem. That's 6 euro right there. I don't need to get 1000 points just to get the 400 needed for BDtS. I'm in Europe, but I read on the internet that in the US you can even buy 400 point increments (US$5)— exactly the price of this DLC.

I agree that the system isn't exactly perfect and maybe even a little dishonest on Microsoft's part, but you're just overreacting.

Originally Posted by Thaurin
I agree that the system isn't exactly perfect and maybe even a little dishonest on Microsoft's part, but you're just overreacting.

These systems are about making money, and the beauty (for the seller) of microtransactions is that they hide the cost. The problem for PC gamers is that they are charging for stuff we got for free previously. But this isn't Horse Armor anymore, it is closer to paying $5 (400 Wii Points) for Sega Genesis games on the Wii or something like that.

You know, it's just hard to put an accurate value on some things sometimes. I mean, what, is going to the movies worth $5? Or is a PC game that's ten years old worth $5? What about a reasonably recent PC game that flopped and ends up in the bargain bin?

I mean, there already is a huge gap between console games and PC games. I find it weird to see the game game $10 cheaper in stores for PC, and then it drops its price in half several months later while the console game stays the same.

It's the same game, though!

I bought Doom from Xbox Live Arcade for 800 points just so I could play a few deathmatches again. Was totally worth it, even though I probably only spend a couple of hours actually playing it. But it was 15 years ago since I had last played a deathmatch!

So I guess it's up to the buyer to decide if it's worth it.

Originally Posted by Thaurin
So I guess it's up to the buyer to decide if it's worth it.

Very much so. In example old pc games can be worth a lot depending on the buyer up to 200€. I have one 10year old game that people are asking 150euros in ebay.