Veylon said:
A basic thing like a storage chest ought not to be DLC. That's like denying you a compass or a map or the ability to run or having hotkeys without forking over extra cash.
DLC should be extra stuff, like weapons or areas or characters or spells. But a storage chest? Oy.
I played through the ENTIRE game without the use of either a storage chest, or actually collecting my DLC companion, Shale. The removal of these pieces do not detract from the experience of the game. For example, with the item limit, I found that after completing a major quest and doling out the loot, simply selling the unnecessary bits, giving away the gifts, making the traps and poisons and health packs and whatnot left me with sufficient free space to journey through an entire additional major quest without being forced to discard items or not loot certain things. Even when the box WAS added, I couldn't really be bothered to exploit it.
With respect to the Character, Shale, I'd point out that it does absolutely nothing not better handled by existing characters. The story and quest bits related do little to actually expand the central components to the game, other than adding a few additional minutes of amusing dialogue as you talk to your giant rock-friend. The last piece of DLC, the Blood Dragon armor, is hardly necessary. Significantly better armor options already exist in the game such that all party members can be equipped with high quality late game gear with excellent bonuses without resorting to using the DLC addition.
More importantly, the latter pieces of DLC are free with a new copy of the game and only cost money if one wants them when they bought a used copy. I see no problem with such a plan. The content is hardly necessary for a fulfilling game experience and represents more than a mild garnish to the game. Considering neither the developer nor the publisher make any money off a used game sale, the purpose of the latter portions of DLC seem to be a way of gently pursuading the consumer to purchase the version new. If they choose not to, they can still get the full experience if they desperately want to have a talking rock friend, and at least the developer and publisher actually make money in the end.
I will of course, be among the first to procliam my righteous indignation about DLC when it is literally an integral part of the experience that has been sold seperately and has no excuse to NOT be on the disc. Thus far, I have never seen such a situation and thus my nerd rage is firmly held in check. Besides, I am fully capable of realizing that a company much prefers to make some money rather than no money and as such will not begrudge them for thinking up strategies that encourage consumers to purchase a new version of the game rather than a used copy.
