Game Plugs

(Computer games) What is the difference between a stand-alone expansion set and an entirely separate game?

For example, games like Homeworld: Cataclysm and Half-Life: Opposing Force are considered to be stand-alone expansions when they not only add new content, but completely replace content from the original games, whereas games like Doom II and Descent II do the same thing, but are always considered true sequels rather than expansions.

Public Comments

1. Sequels are brand new games. The storyline may be different. The setting may be different. The game play may be different. There could be brand new characters. Stand alone expansion is like a different side of the story or a different point of view.
2. Well it really depends on how the developers make it out to be, for example Doom 2 could have been an expansion but since the developers decided for it to be a entire game that is what it was, then there is a game like Killxone which the second one definetly should have been a new one (Killzone 2) so to simplify it the developers decide if it will be an expansion or not.
3. An expansion is a game that adds just a few more things onto the game but doesn't change anything drastic, the engine will stay the same and the setting usually stays the same. A sequel can have a completely different setting, a total new engine, however it must in some way carry on or prequel the current storyline has is a sequel expansions dont follow this rule as much