Disney Infinity Will Have On-Disc DLC

[BrotherRool]

"We're hoping that isn't something that is widespread reported because then people are going to start looking for it, and it's going to ruin the magic for the consumer," he says.

This must be winkwink nudgenudge, because surely people can't be this stupid? Unless the context of this is some small little business meeting that got leaked

 

[Therumancer]

If the people who bought it are given access for free when the project is released, then I see no problem. However, if they're going to go all Crapcon and charge for it, then there's a big problem.

..Wait, given the recent era of consoles, the content needs to be on the disc? Isn't digital distribution the thing everyone is pushing so hard for cause its like the greatest thing ever that cuts costs and puts the screws to the consumer? All the major consoles have stores loaded with multi-gig games that can be downloaded. What exactly is holding this particular project back from having their DLC actually be DLC?

It's described as being "Skylanders-Esque". That leads me to believe that the game is probably going to revolve around figures with microchips and such in them like "Skylanders" but with content like the various character specific "soul shard" (or whatever they call it) being on the disc, perhaps including an advertisement for that character. They might have rigged it so certain items that buff a character from an IP not currently in release don't appear in the game even as an ad until the figure itself is placed on the system/base, but the code/placement for the item is on the disc.

That's my best guess as to the issue at any rate.

Truthfully I got Skylanders for Christmas and have played it a bit, it's interesting. I'm actually hoping that they might come up with a "mature" version of it at some point that isn't so kiddified. It might be interesting to see what someone like Todd Mcfarlane could do, and I'd probably wind up with action figures/statuettes I'd actually want.

 

[Shoggoth2588]

I can see why there would be disc-locked content on this as well as with Skylanders if it's the toys/figurines that activate the locked data. I would also agree with the argument that, since these are games designed for younger kids they may be unable to have full access to their consoles' online functionality and are therefore unable to download patch-after-patch-after-patch. Hell, I've bitched about that kind of thing in multiple threads personally. I think it's a bit naive to ask for hackers to not spoil upcoming developments for the game though but this brings me back to the kids who don't have full access to the internet being the ones who play this game. There will still be Disney magic for those people.

 

[thejarofdirt882]

I follow an account on Twitter (tis also a website) that has a pretty good inside track into everything Disney. Yesterday they were basically saying that Disney are taking a heavily calculated risk & there's a lot of "security". A leak from Infinity isn't likely and its easier to leak information for future releases from other sources.

I think Disney are basically putting their cards on the table now so they're not accused of hiding DLC on the disc if someone comes across the files/does hack them and they don't seem to be so worried about it even happening so there must be some trick about it. Although they have made the game a target so who knows how this could end up.

(If anyone's interested in the site it's Stitch Kingdom.)

 

[DracoSuave]

1)

Anyone surprised that a game that involves buying toys to use in game would have "DLC" on the disc isn't paying attention. Skylanders has 'on disc dlc' in that you need the RFID with the toys to unlock the content.

2)

They're supplying the data for future toys in the system even if they haven't revealed what those toys are or will be. This can be because they haven't manufactured the toys yet, it could be that they're waiting for a movie/tv tie-in, or whatever. But given point 1, it doesn't make any sense to require any sort of download when they already know what they're going to do. Secondly, given that the toys won't be platform specific, they can't simply include the data with the toys without having to provide a copy of the data for every platform the game is for--that's a lot of wasted packaging and material. It'd only make sense to people who think that sort of thing is free and costs nothing.


So, in light of those things, this shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone whatsoever. Add in the justification that the target audience doesn't necessarily have internet access and you have the possibility of a lot of people who the product isn't designed for getting huffy over things that probably can't and shouldn't be done any other way.


So, before you get huffy about "on-disc DLC" on principle, consider that this specific product is NOT similiar to most other products, and the product it IS similiar to has On-disc DLC by design as well. Then if you still complain, explain how the product COULD be released without it.

3)

Someone WILL hack it--and I would bet good money that not only will there be 'leaks' about the unlocked content within a couple weeks of launch, some of those 'leaks' will involve people playing with that content as if they bought the content outright.

Just like Skylanders.

 

[Atary77]

I was thinking the same thing about the yearly release thing. I would hope the toys are universal and you don't have to buy toys of the same character every year. That would be an incredibly cruel, and expensive, thing to do.

Yeah, with the second Skylanders game there was a number of new figures but you could use the figures from the pervious game if you wanted. However the second edition figures of the original characters had an advantage in game making them stronger than the first edition figures which was kind of dickish if you ask me.

I would hope Disney doesn't do the same thing.

 

[Beautiful End]

"We're hoping that isn't something that is widespread reported because then people are going to start looking for it, and it's going to ruin the magic for the consumer,"

THAT is their reasoning? That's supposed to be discouraging?! Everyone in the world wants to be first at everything!

I mean, I've heard about how they always try to keep the magic alive at the Disney parks and how employees can't break character (Like that South park episode) and I'm fine with that. But I don't think that applies to this...

 

[Pickapok]

Calling it DLC is a huge misnomer. It is locked content, yes, but the content is characters that you buy in stores like Skylanders.

This is the Video Game equivalent of a trading card game. Buying the game gives you the core rules and experience as well as a "starter deck" of figures to choose from. Buying these other figures to unlock them in game (these characters being the aforementioned on disc "DLC") is no different from buying a booster pack for Magic or Pokemon.

The sooner people stop treating this game like a traditional video game and more like the unique fusion of TCG's and video games that it is, the better.

 

[Notsomuch]

This game is going to be like skylanders meaning it will be specifically geared towards taking your money. Don't buy this if you want to have a full experience out of the box, you will be highly disappointed.

 

[FEichinger]

They are up-front and honest about it, so I'm not mad at them for it at all.

 

[Doom-Slayer]

*Sighs into hands* ITT People saying that you are "owed" the content on the dvd just because its on the dvd. If the game box does not state state that you are purchasing that special content...YOU ARE NOT PURCHASING IT. It doesn't matter if its on the disk or not, if its not described as part of the product you are buying...you are not buying it.

Also..ya..its like Skylanders so the DLC will be related to actually owning the toys. If you dont have the toys you dont get the content.

So you

just don't charge lot's of money for something that people have already paid for.

And you.

However, if they're going to go all Crapcon and charge for it, then there's a big problem.

need to realize that if they arent describing that extra content as part of what your buying, it isnt yours. On top of that, whos to say its finished. On top of that...Skylanders-esque toy based dlc onlocking thing. So many things wrong with your views on this.

 

[thejarofdirt882]

That explains jack squat about why they'd put DLC on the disk to begin with.


I say hack the shit out of the game, throw it all out on the internet and laugh. Besides, I'm pretty sure I can guess at least ONE of the "future" products that will be in it.


Spoiler alert: Another Pointless "Pirates of the Caribbean" flick trying to again convince us that Jack Sparrow is good enough for Main Protagonist. Spoiler alert again, he still isn't.

I'm guessing it will be on the disc because most of the content will be done for the year before this ships. Why not put it on the disc? Why force people into downloading it & storing possibly huge amounts on their console when there's room to put it on the disc in the first place?

Actually Pirates 5 isn't slated, at the moment, to be out until July 2015, which not only puts it out of the year window for this game (June 2013 - June 2014 releases), it pretty much puts it outside of the year window for the next game too (June 2014 - June 2015 releases, assuming they release a new version next year in the same month).

I'd say future products could be things like some Marvel (both Captain America 2 & Thor 2 are released in the window so there'd be a tie in to those & appeal to adults), Muppets (again new film releases in window), a "classic pack" - Mickey and them lot (though I have a funny feeling I read about them being in the game already). Personally, I'd like to see a villains pack especially with Maleficent coming out (although that's not slated to release until after the second version would be) and I'd really REALLY like to see Kingdom Hearts but I doubt that would happen.

Oh and the Academy would like to disagree with you about Jack Sparrow being good. Sort of. As well as BAFTA, Empire, Screen Actors Guild, Golden Globes...

 

[Hairless Mammoth]

Why do people call locked content DLC?

DLC means "downloadable content" if it's on this disc, you aren't downloading anything but the activation key.

OT: I get they don't want to spoil the surprise, all fine and dandy, just don't charge lot's of money for something that people have already paid for.

I thought some games (Far Cry 3, I think) started calling on disk content "UnLockable Content/ ULC". It makes a little more sense than DLC, but that name still gives the impression "you need to do something in-game to get this cool stuff", not "We want more money before you start using Pixar's latest cool character".

 

[Canadamus Prime]

John Vignocchi, the game's executive producer, warns that if tech-savvy buyers hack Disney Infinity discs, they could find content that shouldn't see the light of day for up to twelve months. "We're hoping that isn't something that is widespread reported because then people are going to start looking for it, and it's going to ruin the magic for the consumer," he says.

You know, there's one way to ensure that doesn't happen eh? DON'T PUT IT ON THE DISK!

 

[Doom-Slayer]

We aren't "owed" anything, If I buy a game for 55 euro at retail, I should get everything I paid for, I get the disc, box, manual, I own the everything that the game should offer, but if they are going to lock content on a disc I paid full price for, I should get everything the disc offers.

If they make DLC after the game is out, fine, I love supporting a game after release, DLC is a wonderful thing, but having to pay extra for something that is already on the disc I paid full price for is just a cash-grab.

Also, does the box of Street Fighter X Tekken say there is content on the disc that isn't mine until I pay for it? (I actually don't know if it does)

If you choose to buy the game, you get exactly what they want to give you. If you dont like that, dont buy it.

The escapist podcast has covered the second point quite a bit. Development cycles and processes are complicated. And during the end of development its likely that after the entire game is built or having the bugs ironed out, that a lot of the dev team has nothing to do. Instead of them not doing anything, they are hired to work on DLC, and its generally it will be too late to actually include that in the game as the game may be being checked by hosting companies etc or the DLC simply isnt finished.

Since they are paying the devs to work on that content when they dont need to, they charge for it, and that is DLC, and if they can they will slip it onto the disk for USER CONVINIENCE.

Also for your Street fighter example. Why do they need to? That kind of content is not available in the game, is not advertised as part of the game and can only be accessed by actually opening the cd and rooting around in the system files. How in the world can you reasonable argue that that is yours when it is not advertised, not available in game and clearly not meant to be accessed via those means.

What bothers me so much is that if devs just made that content before release then just delayed it..YOU WOULD NEVER KNOW. And you would parrot on about how much better that is than having it on disk....ie the more convenient option. That is plain stupid.

 

[weirdee]

while this may appear to be really dumb

accepting the inevitable and making a goodwill bargain while you can is probably more thought than a lot of people have used when thinking about this kind of thing

 

[PunkRex]

If you don't want people to see it, don't sell it to them yet.

Im sorry but this seems like selling someone a reveiws magazine with several of the pages stuck together and asking the reader to pay to open the pages later, saying it will spoil the surprise otherwise. I mean, I get where he's coming from in terms of planning ahead but why does it have to be locked, can't we see it as a lil'teaser?

 

[Doom-Slayer]

There are strong arguments for both sides, this [http://arstechnica.com/gaming/2012/10/op-ed-why-on-disc-downloadable-content-isnt-a-big-deal/] and this [http://www.cinemablend.com/games/Why-Disc-DLC-Bad-Crime-Gamers-Make-It-Out-48109.html] give their reasoning and both make good points.

I see your reasoning, but on your last point, what about devs that removed finished content from the finsihed product for a quick cash-grab, nothing to do with time or delays, just to squeeze more money from people who possibly paid full price.

You can never really know what the devs were thinking, but to be honest, on the subject of the article, if the person doesn't want the locked content of the disc spoiled, why put it on the disc where people can look in the game files to find?

No, you cant ever know what a dev is thinking, so why are we demonizing every single dev that does it then?

And for the second article

Plain and simple: If content is finished in time for certification and ships with the master gold print for manufacturing, there's no reason why it couldn't be included with the game from the start.

This is the basis for the articles reasoning. And it's stupid and flat out wrong. What if the content isnt even finished? What if it isn't balanced? What if its like the Skylanders DLC thing where you need a peripheral or a toy to unlock it? What if that content wasnt in the original design document and while they finished it, they didn't have time to integrate it into the final product?

What if you know what, they made that content as an extra and want to sell it to you as such? What if they made their game..sat down and said "This is our final finished product...THIS over here..this DLC..this is extra content and we dont believe this is integral to our game. We do not wish to include this content in the main game. Therefore we are going to sell it as an extra."

Saying that you haven't got the "full" game, or that they are "required" or that you're "entitled" to that piece of content is ridiculous. You get what you pay for, not what you want, not what you think they should give you, and you certainly are not entitled to every piece of content they have made before release. You get what they give you and what they advertise you on the box. Simple.

 

[T_ConX]

1998: Factor 5 and LucasArts hide a playable Naboo Starfighter in the code of Star Wars: Rogue Squadron. They manage to keep it secret for six whole months. They publish the cheat-code to unlock the content when Star Wars: Episode 1 is released.

2013: Disney hides code for playable characters on $60 discs of Disney Infinity. Because Disney made this stupid ass press release, it takes hackers a week to discover and unlock these characters. A year later, Disney charges gamer's $10 to unlock content on the game they already bought.

This is NOT progress! I just plain refuse to buy on-disc DLC on principle...

 

[TheProfessor234]

I could get behind this, if you didn't have to pay for it.

Having content that's supposed to come out eventually on the disc already isn't a big deal. They're waiting for the right time. It would of been like TTG's Walking Dead, where you had to wait a month between episodes, except that was for development. You bought the game with only one episode but you still owned the whole game when it eventually came out.


What I seriously don't get is, why not just not put it on the disc and not even mention it?


Would be awesome if it was just a hoax though, seeing who breaks the code.