The Day One DLC Trap
- Thread starter Shamus Young
- Start date
Personally I wouldn't really lump the Saboteur DLC in with stuff like Dragon Age or Mass Effect 2, since "naked breasts" aren't cut content per se - the DLC itself cuts out content (the pasties), and okay fine it added a few other insignificant bonuses but one could hardly claim that they are selling you back missing parts of the game like you could with the Shale example.
Also it's a clever way to exploit your target audience's predilections and also avoid having to advertise the product features nudity out of the box, since that's the optional extra.
Also it's a clever way to exploit your target audience's predilections and also avoid having to advertise the product features nudity out of the box, since that's the optional extra.
In Mass Effect 2, the "free with a new game" feature is the Cerberus Network, which includes free content but also happens to be how you download any DLC. So, for example, a used copy of the game wouldn't be able to download the free Dr. Pepper helmets, and possibly paid expansions in the future (depending on how they get implemented).Shamus Young said:
On the other hand, color me apathetic. I rarely buy used games, as I know the developers get nothing for them, so this doesn't really impact me in any way other than academically.
Day 1 DLC isn't the worst thing ever if it is free. Of course developers would charge for the DLC if you don't buy the game new. If you buy it used form gamestop, THE DEVELOPERS GET NOTHING. This way, they will get a small proportion of the sales of the game from a percentage of the population that get it used. And some money is always better than no money.
Now, stuff being cut from the game, and forcing everyone to pay for it? It can get very muddy. Rock Band did it, but the argument is that you can pick and choose what songs you want, and you don't have to have anything forced on you. Plus, none of the songs were "essential" for the game, it was only for your own enjoyment. Plus, it wasn't a case of a 1-time DLC, we still get Rock Band DLC each week. Assassins Creed 2 does this where
*SPOILERS*
Two whole chapters are literally cut out of the main story as a plot event. Paid, yet still somewhat cheap, DLC will fill those two chapters in.
*END SPOILERS*
Mass Effect 2 did it as well. You got a new mission and a new character, that while interesting and really cool, did not overall affect the story. This is a good way to do it.
Now, stuff being cut from the game, and forcing everyone to pay for it? It can get very muddy. Rock Band did it, but the argument is that you can pick and choose what songs you want, and you don't have to have anything forced on you. Plus, none of the songs were "essential" for the game, it was only for your own enjoyment. Plus, it wasn't a case of a 1-time DLC, we still get Rock Band DLC each week. Assassins Creed 2 does this where
*SPOILERS*
Two whole chapters are literally cut out of the main story as a plot event. Paid, yet still somewhat cheap, DLC will fill those two chapters in.
*END SPOILERS*
Mass Effect 2 did it as well. You got a new mission and a new character, that while interesting and really cool, did not overall affect the story. This is a good way to do it.
I was going to disagree with you until I remembered to make the distinction between day one DLC and pre-order DLC. In most cases, pre-order DLC is nothing but a buying incentive, like the extra in-game items they give to players of Dragon Age and Mass Effect 2. The game isn't really any worse for it without having Bergen's Honor or Terminus Assault armor, it's just a lure for people to buy the game in advance and give it a good head start.
Original purchase DLC, however, is a different story. I'm gonna take Bioware's games as an example again, because they seem very keen on it. In Dragon Age, as you mentioned, you get Shale as a party member, and in Mass Effect 2, you get the Cerberus Network. Both are substantially bigger additions than just another in-game item. So yes, you're right to ask where the line between goodie and game feature lies. I suspect this distinction between pre-order and original purchase is indeed to counteract piracy, but that is for another time.
Original purchase DLC, however, is a different story. I'm gonna take Bioware's games as an example again, because they seem very keen on it. In Dragon Age, as you mentioned, you get Shale as a party member, and in Mass Effect 2, you get the Cerberus Network. Both are substantially bigger additions than just another in-game item. So yes, you're right to ask where the line between goodie and game feature lies. I suspect this distinction between pre-order and original purchase is indeed to counteract piracy, but that is for another time.
It was within the last decade that DLC used to be FREE as incentive for people to by the game. When LIVE first came out on the XBOX, it was awesome.. I bought games and months later I got free content to add onto the games. For PC games it was free long before that if it wasn't part of a full expansion pack.
Then just as people predicted, once they got their customer base, MS started sayin "OK, Time to pay up suckers!".
I thought "Wait a minute, I paid for the system, the game, the 50 bucks a year for the online service, and NOW I have to start paying for little fiddly bits?" That was when I canceled my account and I switched mostly to PC where I don't have to put up with that nonsense if I don't want to.
Then just as people predicted, once they got their customer base, MS started sayin "OK, Time to pay up suckers!".
I thought "Wait a minute, I paid for the system, the game, the 50 bucks a year for the online service, and NOW I have to start paying for little fiddly bits?" That was when I canceled my account and I switched mostly to PC where I don't have to put up with that nonsense if I don't want to.
Shale is definatly a part of the core game.
He was featured in the first trailers of the game and if you insert him in your party via console commands you will see that every party member has a number.
For example to ad Zevran you will gave to type in something along the lines of
Ad partymember 7
Shale has the number 5.
So if you dont have the dlc, the party designed before they had the dlc in mind
was numbered:
1 - Alistair
2 - Dog
3 - Morrigan
4 - Wynne
5 - none without dlc
6 - Sten
7 - Zevran
8 - Oghren
9 - Leliana
10 - Spoiler, wont tell you who he is
They wouldnt have numbered the 5th character in the dlc free game Nr 6 unless they were planning to include Shale from the very beginning.
Source: http://dragonage.wikia.com/wiki/Console
So yeah Shale was at one point part of the original game and was later removed to make him dlc content.
He was featured in the first trailers of the game and if you insert him in your party via console commands you will see that every party member has a number.
For example to ad Zevran you will gave to type in something along the lines of
Ad partymember 7
Shale has the number 5.
So if you dont have the dlc, the party designed before they had the dlc in mind
was numbered:
1 - Alistair
2 - Dog
3 - Morrigan
4 - Wynne
5 - none without dlc
6 - Sten
7 - Zevran
8 - Oghren
9 - Leliana
10 - Spoiler, wont tell you who he is
They wouldnt have numbered the 5th character in the dlc free game Nr 6 unless they were planning to include Shale from the very beginning.
Source: http://dragonage.wikia.com/wiki/Console
So yeah Shale was at one point part of the original game and was later removed to make him dlc content.
Only kinda-sorta. Ubisoft wanted to make their announced release date, so they abandoned the material that wasn't essential to the game's narrative. After they were done with the game, they revisited this material and polished it up for later.Metalteeth9 said:
Unlike w/ Dragon Age and Mass Effect, where I am thoroughly convinced that BioWare started planning DLC at the same time they started the game proper, and really did *cut* material that was already in the game proper to re-market as DLC.
With that being said, I don't mind DLC as an incentive, but I think Shamus does a fine job of explaining why gamers can't just accept it as such; there is indeed a fine line between being shown appreciation and being taken advantage of, and I BioWare has been doing the latter for their past couple of releases. You don't release 3 expansions within a month of the game's release date without some kind of prior planning.
Furthermore, I don't mind paying for any DLC that actually improves or expands the core game play experience--not COMPLETES it.
i have always been bothered with DLC that adds to the main quest, it just seems like they left out a chunk of the story, which is especially clear in asscreeds dlc, but while i of cause prefer the valve or stardock method, its just not going to happen, i would also prefer if they would drop GFWL, the new 60 euro price-tag, supported dedicated servers and LAN, but its never going to happen.
great article as usual though.
edit: i had a ton of problems with my ea dragon age account so i got shale about 1-2 hours before i finished the game, but wasn't "it" a he?.
great article as usual though.
edit: i had a ton of problems with my ea dragon age account so i got shale about 1-2 hours before i finished the game, but wasn't "it" a he?.
DLC should be available after a game is released and consumers have had a chance to enjoy it. That way a dev team can use the in-between time to fix problems and put out fun new add-ins. Day One DLC pretty much says "out initial game stinks so try this right away"
Reminds me of the XBox 360 TF2 debacle - Valve has always released updates to the PC version that refine the gameplay and add extra items for the player base's enjoyment, but Microsoft refuses to allow distribution of these updates without charging x-amount of MS Points for them. So console players have a worse position: either accept DLC as the way things work, or be stuck with the Day One version of the game (which in TF2's case is very bad news.)
Wait... "Shale and her quest"? her quest? Have I missed on of the subtleties of the English language or does Shale turn out to be ...?
"So the Stardock system rewards you for buying new. The day one DLC system punishes you for not buying new. "
I see the opposite. With the Stardock system, your boxed game is forever locked at 1.00 with no updates or extra content. You can never play online, and you dont even have the option. That's punishing people for buying used: The used copy is forever out of date and lacks major in-the-box features.
With the Dragon Age model, you are still allowed to get any free content they release, you're still given the opportunity to purchase expansion packs and DLC: You just get one bit of DLC free for buying new. That's a reward.
I see the opposite. With the Stardock system, your boxed game is forever locked at 1.00 with no updates or extra content. You can never play online, and you dont even have the option. That's punishing people for buying used: The used copy is forever out of date and lacks major in-the-box features.
With the Dragon Age model, you are still allowed to get any free content they release, you're still given the opportunity to purchase expansion packs and DLC: You just get one bit of DLC free for buying new. That's a reward.
I don't like the ME2 DLC, you had to d'l the 500mb free Cerberus pack in order to be able to use any DLC you wanted.
Do companies like EA and Bioware assume everyone has high speed internet and a virtually unlimited download limit? It would have been easier if they put it on an extra disc inside the package.
There are only 2 things I hate about ME2, this is one of them.
Do companies like EA and Bioware assume everyone has high speed internet and a virtually unlimited download limit? It would have been easier if they put it on an extra disc inside the package.
There are only 2 things I hate about ME2, this is one of them.
I don't mind Mass Effect 2's DLC, since its just a few add-ons that don't have a large impact on the story.
I was expecting the Bounty Hunter guy to be like Shale in terms of his personal story. In the end he ended up being pretty shallow compared to the other characters, which I would normally complain about but since it was free, I can't really say anything bad about it.
well...
Its complicated. Play through Orzamaar with Shale in your party at all times and it will be revealed.
I was expecting the Bounty Hunter guy to be like Shale in terms of his personal story. In the end he ended up being pretty shallow compared to the other characters, which I would normally complain about but since it was free, I can't really say anything bad about it.
Its...IgneusMaeror said:
well...
Its complicated. Play through Orzamaar with Shale in your party at all times and it will be revealed.
