DLC Done Right.

[No-Superman10]

Fallout 3's Broken steel is a perfect example of DLC done right;

DLC done right is having no DLC at all. Make a full expansion if you want to add content to your game. Those are always worth the price tag because they add 20-40 hours of content for $40, whereas even the best DLC only adds 1-2 hours of content for $10.

the boderlands DLC is pretty chunky, as is the fallout DLC, and the GTA4. I flat out think you're wrong.

And yet my point stands. They could have included all of the DLC AND THEN SOME in an expansion for those games, and saved people a lot of money. Hell, obviously Fallout 3 eventually did with GOTY edition. DLC is all about tricking people into thinking they're getting a deal because they're only paying a small amount, but really they're usually always getting a very poor price to quality ratio. It doesn't help that DLC is rarely reviewed, but when it is, it almost never scores above a 75% on average. Terrible.

Make a full expansion, however, and it will be reviewed by everyone. You'll be held accountable for the quality of it. And I think that's what developers fear now, actually having to produce a decent product for a decent price.

Burnout: Paridise

 

[silverbullet1989]

if done right yeah, but its rare that it is done right, prime example of good dlc is of course the dlc in the mentioned games, but other developers which i shall not name see it as a way to get the most money for a couple of new things and the stupid masses support it

 

[Legendsmith]

Oh, may...*Leans back in his rocking chair on his creaky wooden patio*...I remember in my day when those "DLC" were free! They called 'em patches!

Patches are different to DLC and patches are free now and even more widely available.

Unless it's Team Fortress 2. The compilation of game modes and maps, class updates, hats and other new content that have been added to TF2 through patches is a lot. Enough to make a sizable DLC.

 

[Frybird]

Good DLC in my opinion:

- GTA IV Episodes, as said above

- Left 4 Dead 1 Survival Mode, because it was fun and free (for PC)

- Burnout Paradise because it felt more like a real expansion pack if you put it all together (new Modes, Vehicles, an entirely new type of vehicle, a new island and new challenges)

- Resident Evil 5: Lost in Nightmares and Desperate Escape.
While being pretty short and mainly made out of existing RE5-assets, it was still fun to play and felt unique by focussing on a specific aspect of the Game (LiN: Horror, DE: Even more Action). Also the price was fair and it had new characters for the Mercenaries Mode thrown in.

- Oh, and of course, the Rockband DLC, fair price, constantly new stuff and a vast catalogue of genres and bands (even more now with the Rock Band Network)

 

[TheZapper]

The GTA 4 dlc is easily the best dlc i've ever bought.

 

[Iwata]

As far as good DLC goes, these are my favourites:

- Anything for Valkyria Chronicles. Good pricing and extra challenges, one that allows you to play as the "bad guys".

- Reborn and Demons of the Badlands, for Fear 2 and Red Faction Guerrilla. New campaigns, pretty lengthy for the price, expanding on the main storyline. The mission packs for Force Unleashed also fit in this category.

- Character pack for Revenge of the Fallen. About a dozen new characters that can be used in both single and multiplayer for little over 5 bucks. Including Gen 1 Starscream. Oh yes.

 

[Meggiepants]

I thought most of the Fallout DLC was worth the money I paid for it. And the Oblivion Shivering Isles DLC was almost large enough to be called an expansion. Certainly when I compare it to Dragon Age Awakenings in any case.

I'm reluctant to buy any DLC that isn't pretty substantial. Extra characters and costumes are not going to cut it for me.

I don't really see a problem with developers doing this though. If I don't feel a game is worth the purchase price to start with, I won't buy it. Fallout 3 was worth every penny I spent on it before I bought a single DLC.

 

[Xojins]

I think DLC on the XBL marketplace is shameless in it's money-making scheme; you can never just buy however many points you need, you have to buy extra more often than not. On top of that, once you buy the points and use them, you have extra points which you probably won't use unless you're getting a lot of DLC.

So I guess any DLC from XBL is the wrong way to do it.

 

[AVATAR_RAGE]

With the advent of online connected consoles becoming more and more commmonplace, so do does the ease of which developers can get new content to gamers. One of the benefits of this has been easy patching for games, when before on the consoles, this wasn't possible.

DLC to has become prominent, for better or worse, with divided opinions. I feel that supporting a game post launch with good high quality DLC which represents value for money is very important and some games benefit greatly from it.

Games such as Fallout 3, Borderlands and GTA 4 are all examples of how I feel DLC should be done. Sizeable chunks of gameplay for a modest price, adding in lots of new content. To me this is how all DLC should be, not just a couple of new maps or a few new vehicles/clothing/weapons.

So what does the Escapist think of DLC itself, and what do you think are examples of DLC done right?

I agree lots of stuff in it, worth the cash.

anything less should be free

 

[Asehujiko]

Good DLC is called either a patch, or an expansion pack.

 

[xHipaboo420x]

DLC is essentially a paid-for compromise between the Add-On Pack and the Patch. I can see good points and I can see bad points, but overall actions speak louder than words, and no DLC has yet compelled me to part with my currency.

 

[slipknot4]

A dlc should be a new area with new missions that should not have been remotely possible with the original game.
For instance a swamp i fallout 3.
A Zombie Island for Borderlands or
A biker gang story line in GTA 4
Not like the Activision styled map packs or song packs
"NOW INCLUDING 3 MAPS THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN IN THE GAME AT LAUNCH!!"

 

[Gunner 51]

I think DLC on the XBL marketplace is shameless in it's money-making scheme; you can never just buy however many points you need, you have to buy extra more often than not. On top of that, once you buy the points and use them, you have extra points which you probably won't use unless you're getting a lot of DLC.

So I guess any DLC from XBL is the wrong way to do it.

I agree with this whole-heartedly. The MS Points system is a good idea in theory as it charges a fairly standard rate throughout the world - but it falls down in the you have to buy points in blocks, which means you have to buy a surplus number of points and pay more for the privilege of doing so.

(Not to mention, the sheer waste in packaging the points - a little cellophane wrapper on the card would do the trick - but I digress.)

But the trouble with overpriced DLC is that there's more than enough people out there who will pay for it. So as far as the publishers are concerned, DLC is the golden goose they dare not kill.