DLC: Have our standards slipped?

[TotallyFake]

with intended content cut out.

Now that's a bold claim. Care to prove how intended content was cut out? Seems to me that most of it is added on. Sure, occasionally they'll seed the content (a la Dragon Age) but I'd hardly say the content is being cut.

 

[sephiroth1991]

These days it seems like all they do is add a new map/game mode

 

[cheywoodward]

You guys are forgetting that the game industry is a business first and foremost. As long as they can turn a profit doing it, they'll do it. If you enjoy playing games than you should just suck it up or find another damn hobby to enjoy. I hear good things about basketball.

Or you could do the thing that actually matters and not purchase the DLC in the first place. These corporations exist because we pay them, not the other way around. Charging for stuff is fine, but the kind of stunts that we are seeing here, and believe you me they are stunts, would not fly if we were talking about movies or music or books. You think the movie producers couldn't give you 3/4 of a movie and then charge you five dollars for the other 1/4? Do you really believe that cannot be done? The only reason it is not done is because people wouldn't stand for it.

Um... the movie industry does do that, to an extent. Have you ever paid $5 more for a special edition DVD with deleted scenes because it was just $5 more than the bare-bones edition?

As far as I see it, it isn't that our standards are slipping. I think a lot of consumers have a very low threshhold for what they won't spend money on. A lot of companies started with high-quality content, and they've been trying to push things a little further to see what we're still willing to buy.
Unfortunately, gamers seem to be mostly a weak-willed bunch. How many online petitions and boycotts have gone out the window because all of the participants had to go stand in line for the midnight release of the very product they were protesting? A lot of us are addicts, and our pushers realize just how desperate we are for a fix.
Personally, I enjoy some DLC, as long as it's worthwhile and wasn't left out of the original release. Fallout 3 is a fairly good example; most of the DLC added significantly to the gameplay and story, offering large new areas, a decent number of quests, and new options for the player character. On the other end of the spectrum we have a game like We Love Katamari; at release, certain areas of the game were locked, and had to be unlocked via paid DLC that was released on the same day. Some achievements were even unobtainable without the DLC, meaning that a perfect 1000 gamerscore was impossible without paying for additional content. A DLC structure that's currently intriguing me is Mass Effect 2's; the Cerberus Network comes free with most copies of the game, but can be purchased if a card wasn't included. Plenty of free content has been released over the Network, with regular updates tricking in since the game's release. It seems as though they may be trying to implement a "one-price pass" system with Mass Effect 2; for the price of the Cerberus Network, the consumer is given access to all of the little toys that come trickling down the pipe. At least until they release the big content packs; it remains to be seen just how much may be charged for the Hammerhead content.
When it comes down to it, a lot of people have the right idea about DLC: Buy it if it's worth it to you, but be wise with your money and don't let the companies take advantage of us. DLC is an extremely slippery slope. Game companies now have proof-of-concept that they can release an unfinished product, release the additional content slowly over time, and continue to make profit on a game weeks or even months after the initial release. It's up to us to be picky, to send a clear message to companies with our money or lack thereof.

The hammerhead content has been announced as coming this march and will apparently be free to all Cerberus Network members. I found this info at http://xboxlive.ign.com/articles/107/1072510p1.html

 

[Plurralbles]

I just recently bought Knights of the Nine disc with the additional collection of other DLC for $17. It was worth it.

But to pay $5 for each of the nine extra contents like they would expect today would be bullshit.

 

[veloper]

What's the point of this thread? Some games I wouln't even pay 1 cent for, because the game sucks. Nothing to do with DLC.

Even if a game gets cut for future DLC, suppose the remainder is still a great game then I'll drop 50 for it. If it ruins the game then I simply won't. Everything is worth what it's worth.

 

[secretsantaone]

with intended content cut out.

Now that's a bold claim. Care to prove how intended content was cut out? Seems to me that most of it is added on. Sure, occasionally they'll seed the content (a la Dragon Age) but I'd hardly say the content is being cut.

http://www.joystiq.com/2009/12/22/assassins-creed-ii-dlc-was-cut-from-main-game-due-to-time-const/

 

[Snowalker]

As long as they make the DLC after the game comes out, like the stuff for MW2, but some games have pay-for DLC a week or two after the game comes out? Fuck that.

Funny, you do realize that a good portion of the DLC that will be coming out for MW2 is already on the disk, right?

 

[kasperbbs]

only DLC's i have payd for were for fallout 3 ,they added about 4 or more hours of gameplay and some new stuff ,i have no problem with that ,but others who release dlc day after the game is released and charge money for it are total douchebags ,but ofcourse they have to make profit somehow ,its not easy in this economy.

 

[BloodyThoughts]

Yeah, ever since I found that DLC was a company slapping us in the face with their massive cock, which was the first DLC I ever gotten. But woe is me, I have to stay with the x box with the huge prices for these DLC'S, while you guys get your free DLC off of Steam or get it cheaper on PS3.

 

[secretsantaone]

with intended content cut out.

Now that's a bold claim. Care to prove how intended content was cut out? Seems to me that most of it is added on. Sure, occasionally they'll seed the content (a la Dragon Age) but I'd hardly say the content is being cut.

http://www.joystiq.com/2009/12/22/assassins-creed-ii-dlc-was-cut-from-main-game-due-to-time-const/

Someone doesn't know what time constraints are.

Stop being such a patronising prick.

I'm merely saying that selling intended content as DLC is pretty low, even if it was cut due to time constraints.

 

[jasoncyrus]

I have never paid for DLC...mostly because I dont own an xbox or ps3.

 

[secretsantaone]

with intended content cut out.

Now that's a bold claim. Care to prove how intended content was cut out? Seems to me that most of it is added on. Sure, occasionally they'll seed the content (a la Dragon Age) but I'd hardly say the content is being cut.

http://www.joystiq.com/2009/12/22/assassins-creed-ii-dlc-was-cut-from-main-game-due-to-time-const/

Someone doesn't know what time constraints are.

Stop being such a patronising prick.

I'm merely saying that selling intended content as DLC is pretty low, even if it was cut due to time constraints.

So you'd rather they never released it at all as it would have been just a few years back?

If it was cut, it was cut for a reason. Do you pay for the deleted scenes on your DVD extras?

 

[jasoncyrus]

snip

In all hnesty the excuse of "time constraits" is a load of shit since time constraits are supposed to me "we've got to work on another game and we cant make anything else for this because of the new project" not "We promised this deadline so we'll drop half the stuff we said we'd put in it."

I much prefered the days of waiting an extra 6 months for a game and getting a full experience first time round than feel lke I've been given an inferior product just because they were too chicken to push the dates back for a GOOD reason for once.

 

[chunkynut]

with intended content cut out.

Now that's a bold claim. Care to prove how intended content was cut out? Seems to me that most of it is added on. Sure, occasionally they'll seed the content (a la Dragon Age) but I'd hardly say the content is being cut.

http://www.joystiq.com/2009/12/22/assassins-creed-ii-dlc-was-cut-from-main-game-due-to-time-const/

Someone doesn't know what time constraints are.

Surely you release the game later then? Most developers/publishers have little or no quarms about doing that.

The problem with DLC for some developers is that on PC you can release it for free via your own hosting sites etc. On 360 or PS3 you have MS or Sony to pay to host it on their networks and use their bandwidth. Valve DLC is free on PC but paid for on the 360.

Ass Creed 2 content at least was fairly cheap (on the 360 anyway) but some are 800points for a couple of maps. Res Evil 5 MP was awful as was Dragon Age - i think Ass Creed 2 should have included the DLC on release too. On PC Hearts of Iron 3 and Empire Total War add on units should have been free in my opinion (well this is all opinion I spose ).

 

[Onyx Oblivion]

When we pay for a handful of MAPS, our standards have fallen low.