DLC/pre-order bonus discussion

[OniaPL]

I'd like to talk about DLC in general. Dragon Age 2 isn't even out yet in Europe, and they already have Day one DLC ready. This is ridiculous! When games turned into puzzles, where you have to buy all the pieces separately?

The idea of DLC is great. If you like the game, you can pay a couple bucks to get something extra. But nowadays DLC is just a shameless way to milk money out of the customers. For example, with Dragon Age, the game is all about the story. And the DLC, in Dragon Age at least, is a part of the story and the canon, meaning you can play only 90% of the game unless you buy that 10% as DLC. DLC should be extra, not part of the intended game. DLC should offer 10% to the real game, not to be a part of the real game.

Also, as a sidenote: Pre-order bonuses. They are completely ridiculous! With L.A Noire, if you pre-order the game from Gamestop, you will get an extra mission you can't get any other way! While DLC can be good, these bonuses are utter **** as you won't be able to play the complete game unless you pre-order it from 2-3 different stores!

What I want to hear/discuss:
What is your opinion on DLC and pre-order bonuses? Do you perhaps buy DLC the minute it comes out, or do you wait for a collectors edition where you will get the game+DLC cheap?
How can we "fix" the current situation? Or do you think the situation doesn't need fixing?
What kind of DLC do you approve? What are your thoughts on day one DLC?
...And everything else DLC/pre-order related ideas you can think of.

 

[veloper]

Meh. I don't see the problem.
Just substract from the value from what you think the game is worth minus the DLC.

If the game costs more than that, you just don't buy it.

The only DLC that was good in the first DA:O, was the Golem character and that one came free with an original copy of the game. The rest doesn't add to the campaign.

Make it easier on yourself and don't be a completionist.
If the main event without the extras is good, then it's good. You don't need to see the extras, if they aren't worth the money.

 

[omega 616]

I guess it's a form of DRM in the case of day one DLC.

I am kind of pissed about DA2 even though I am not getting it, PC and 360 get a sword and shield that look quite good while the PS3 gets fuck all (from the uk anyway).

I am going to start waiting for things like this, I did the same with DA:O I got the one with every DLC for £20, which is a bargin!

 

[GiantRaven]

How can we "fix" the current situation? Or do you think the situation doesn't need fixing?

Reduce the size of the used games market.

 

[The Unworthy Gentleman]

You can play the complete game with LA Noire if you don't pre-order and games aren't puzzles with pieces missing. I'm sick of people bitching about DLC, it's fucking ridiculous.

DLC is a little, unnecessary addition to a game that gives you a bit extra to play. It doesn't affect the game drastically, you can still complete the game, you just don't have that little extra. I pre-ordered LA Noire and I've been rewarded a bit of DLC for being loyal to the game and confirming that the game will be sold to someone. I didn't pre-order for anything other than knowing that I will have the game sitting in my console on release day, Rockstar and Team Bondi thought that they'd be nice and give me a little extra for that.

Maybe you should pre-order the games you want if you want the rewards so badly. Alternatively you and everyone else could stop bitching about DLC, it's not a big part of the game and using unlock codes is easier. Here are my answers to your questions:

1. I buy DL when I feel like having that little extra. If I get it with a pre-order then that's super, it doesn't change anything though.
2. The current situation is perfect. It encourages people to pre-order, which confirms sales for the developers and publishers. It's a great way, if not the only effective way, of combating piracy.
3. It's fine, there isn't a problem with DLC at all. If it adds to the canon then you're going to have to buy it to find out. The developers need to make money somewhere.
4. Unlock codes are fine. I want people to stop bitching about it all.

 

[Souplex]

The entire point of DLC is so developers can charge you more for not finishing a game.

 

[GiantRaven]

4. Unlock codes are fine. I want people to stop bitching about it all.

Why are they fine? There's something about selling me content on a disc and then not giving full access to it unless I pay more that doesn't seem right to me.

I'm not quite sure what it is that doesn't seem right. Could be that I'm expecting to actually be allowed access to what I pay for but I guess that would just be silly.

The entire point of DLC is so developers can charge you more for not finishing a game.

Disregarding Broken Steel, where you could technically make a case for it being DLC that should have been part of the main game (although personally I don't see it that way), how was Fallout 3 unfinished by having The Pitt, Point Lookout, Operation Anchorage and Mothership Zeta available as DLC?

 

[The Unworthy Gentleman]

4. Unlock codes are fine. I want people to stop bitching about it all.

Why are they fine? There's something about selling me content on a disc and then not giving full access to it unless I pay more that doesn't seem right to me.

I'm not quite sure what it is that doesn't seem right. Could be that I'm expecting to actually be allowed access to what I pay for but I guess that would just be silly.

Whether it is on the disc or not is irrelevant. If it wasn't on the disc then it would just be something that you need to download anyway. Unlock codes simply means that DLC is available faster and is much better for people who would go over their download limit if they tried to get the DLC. It does seem like they're cheating you, but would you rather wait half an hour to get the DLC you just bought or would you rather wait a minute?

 

[mitchell271]

1. I buy DL when I feel like having that little extra. If I get it with a pre-order then that's super, it doesn't change anything though.
2. The current situation is perfect. It encourages people to pre-order, which confirms sales for the developers and publishers. It's a great way, if not the only effective way, of combating piracy.
3. It's fine, there isn't a problem with DLC at all. If it adds to the canon then you're going to have to buy it to find out. The developers need to make money somewhere.
4. Unlock codes are fine. I want people to stop bitching about it all.

People just pirate the DLC anyways so the "anti-piracy" reasoning doesn't really work. The biggest problems with Day One DLC is that often the publisher/developer make the game to include that character/mission as an integral part of the plot and then just remove them to get more money.

Example
Did you play AC2? They removed 2 missions from the game and then released them as DLC.

 

[The Unworthy Gentleman]

People just pirate the DLC anyways so the "anti-piracy" reasoning doesn't really work. The biggest problems with Day One DLC is that often the publisher/developer make the game to include that character/mission as an integral part of the plot and then just remove them to get more money.

Example
Did you play AC2? They removed 2 missions from the game and then released them as DLC.

People are more inclined to buy a game if they get a little extra with it, DLC isn't the best example, but some people will buy a game for the little extras.

I did play AC2, I did get the two DLC packs that were available. I didn't feel the DLC was actually a necessary part of the game, though. It just felt like a little extra tagged on by the developers, so I was okay with it. They shouldn't have taken it out, but they weren't game changing chapters so it didn't really matter.

 

[GiantRaven]

Whether it is on the disc or not is irrelevant. If it wasn't on the disc then it would just be something that you need to download anyway. Unlock codes simply means that DLC is available faster and is much better for people who would go over their download limit if they tried to get the DLC. It does seem like they're cheating you, but would you rather wait half an hour to get the DLC you just bought or would you rather wait a minute?

Actually, it is relevant if the data is one the disc or not. If I buy the disc, I am buying all the data on that disc. Why should I then pay extra in order to access some of it? I already paid for it.

If it wasn't on the disc, then I would actually be paying for the data, rather than paying for the access to it.

I would rather wait the half an hour because that way I know I've actually paid for the DLC data itself, rather than paid to be allowed access to something I already own.

It would be like buying a CD with a bonus track that could only be listened to if you pay to be allowed to listen to it. It's already on the CD, I should be able to access it at my leisure.