How do you feel about DLC?

Richard Dower

Worth it?...cash cowing?, pointless? or really adds extra layers to the game.
I guess like everything it depends on the game, if its new stuff then great, but i hate these unlocks or early access....feels like cheating.

Price is a big thing also, some games really take the piss on DLC prices!
Sleeping dogs had some pretty good DLC that added and extended the games lifeycle, but others are stupid multiplayer crap like COD which are overpriced and add nothing new to the core game.

meoklmrk91

I don think I've ever bought DLC, not sure I ever will unless it really adds something extra to the game, most DLC seems like crap to me. If they brought out something that added extra missions or levels to a game I really loved then I would at the very least think about it.

Agricola

It is of course cash cowing. Not that its a bad thing if its a great game that people want more of. I loved Dishonored and Im currently replaying it, then hoping to get through the knife of Dunwall and might then buy the Witches dlc.

Generally speaking though I dont like DLC for one reason. I have a massive backlog that I can't get through and good DLC means Im going to spend longer in a game than I normally would!
I kind of like the idea of finishing a game, replaying it once on a harder difficulty maybe and then uninstalling it. (Which helps when your SSD is too full) I like the finality of that.
With DLC you end up having to go back to games months later which necessitates you leaving them installed.

First world problems but sure!

Stylesclash07

The call of duty stuff and the stuff like it I like but feel it overpriced but people who are in live with the game may find it a great deal I only play cod once in a blue moon. Borderlands and Red dead have had great DLC also the elder scrolls have had amazing DLC. The one thing I hate the most are costumes I remember a time when you unlocked them in game for doing thing now you have to buy them. My favourite part of DLCis when a game like Skyrim brings out a game of the year edition for a cheaper price but the DLC is worth playing the game again for

Josey Wales

It really depends on the quality of the DLC itself. I have never actually paid for any DLC but I got all the Fallout 3 DLC for free on PS+ and I thought some of it was excellent. It allowed me to expand my character and enjoy more of the game.

When Mass Effect 2 was released on the PS3 it came with all the DLC and that was fantastic. The Lair of the Shadow Broker was especially good.

B0X

Depends on the DLC, for example, the Dishonored DLC is fantastic and I didn't mind paying for them at all because they added so much. Oblivion horse armour on the other hand...

danthefan

I've bought plenty of it but pretty sure I haven't played any of it basically ever. So I'm not a fan.

Sarn

I very rarely buy any. The last one was Dragonborn for Skyrim, but that was fantastic value and added a lot of content. I usually wait 'til there are GOTY editions which helps to minimise any feeling of being ripped off.

faultytool

There's been some fantastic DLC, and some absolute bare-faced robbery DLC.

But you're missing out on some great content if you dismiss DLC completely out of principle.

Grumpypants

No problem whatsoever with it, back in my day we had expansion packs that added extra content to the game. Mainly a new portion of story. Now it's DLC.

Things like the Ballad of Gay Tony and some of the Fallout DLC was pretty solid. I don't really trade in games so it gives me something to comeback to the game for. If I missed a game I will be tempted by a GOTY edition that bundles the DLC too.

If they get the mix right and release a nice balance of free vs paid DLC it can increase the life of a game by a few months.

richymcdermott

A dlc like dark souls or gta iv i can appreciate that adds to the game that breathes life into a game for a further year or so that makes you want to return to it after you are done with it.

What i do not appreciate are dlc that hold back content like metro last light survival mode that had been noted by the developers the way the game meant to be played or something like asuras wraith the holds back the true ending.

sarumite

I have bought DLC in the past and have no major problem with it. Fallout and Borderlands both had good DLC. Burnout paradise had a good mixture of free and paid for DLC. The big surf island was worth it. Not all is good for sure, but it doesn't mean all DLC should be discounted.

DjFlin

Anyone who's anti-DLC should play BioShock 2, and then the Minerva's Den DLC for it. Makes the game's existence worthwhile...

Obviously DLC can be crappy too. You've gotta look at it on a case by case.

Adamcp898

Made a point of stopping to buy it, it's just a cash cow exercise and one which takes features away from the finished product in a lot of cases.

It is not a replacement of the expansion packs that were released years ago as those were things that were created when the developer genuinely had something to add to the game. Now, DLC in many cases is features which a decade ago would have came on disc but are now held off and drip fed in the months after initial release to milk more money from a game all the while being sold under the idealistic narrative that 'it allowed the developer to continually support and add to a game'.

Azza

For the most part I think its fine. Quality and value for money varies from DLC to DLC so I do my research by checking reviews and getting peoples opinion.

As for pre-order DLC I rarely find its worth the extra cost that comes with buying from the major retailers who tend to be the ones with the pre-order DLC offers. Ditto when it comes to the DLC that comes with the premium versions of a game. I'll normally check around for the best price possible and if it happens to come with pre-order DLC I'll happily take it but if it doesn't I'm not really bothered about it.

On principal I dislike pay to win DLC and retailer exclusive DLC.

I don't unlike many others have an issue with pre-order DLC being available on day one. I'm satisfied with the rational given by developers that DLC is developed with a separate budget from the main game and that the DLC content would never exist if it wasn't developed with the intention of making additional revenue aside from revenue generated from the main game. It also solves some of the problems of idle resources at a development studio during the closing phase of a games development.

Of course developers could be cutting content from a game, but their is no way to be sure one way or another. Depending what way you look at it you can call it naivety or cynicism.

richymcdermott wrote:

What i do not appreciate are dlc that hold back content like metro last light survival mode that had been noted by the developers the way the game meant to be played or something like asuras wraith the holds back the true ending.

That's not proof that the Ranger Mode DLC in Metro Last Light was held back. From what I read online about the uproar over that DLC, I think it was simply more a case of a bad marketing catch line. Bare in mind the Ranger Mode was pay for DLC in the original Metro 2033 on the Xbox 360.

The catch line the "way its mean't to be played" caught on in X-Com Enemy Unknown when people talked about Ironman mode. Many reviews cited that mode as the way its mean't to be played. The developers laughed at this saying they added the mode at the last minute. They didn't think the mode would prove popular at all.

SmurfX

In principle it's fine, in practice it's a very cynical moneygrab in almost every case. Even though some games like Valkyria Chronicles have used it well the majority have caused DLC to be an overall negative impact on gaming in my view. I feel like developers have less incentive to produce extra value in products anymore, we're seeing more barebone games where what would have previously been extra modes and endgame challenges now coming as DLC.

I mean it grates that in a lot of games to get something as simple as an alternate outfit is impossible without shelling out more cash. There's some games I missed in the generation and picked up "complete" editions on sale and they really feel like they are what should have been the initial release.

johnny_ultimate

I think 90% of it is B-grade material delivered by a b-team, and hence I don't see why I should have much interest in it.

Here's the thing about the 10% though, the DLC that's often pretty good or an imaginative reinterpretation - it often arrives too late for me to really have much motivation to play it. Take the Dishonoured DLC, which is meant to be excellent (and, I believe, relatively sizable as far as add-ons go). The problem is I played Dishonoured around a year ago now, and with so many other games to play it seems weird to go back and basically 'relearn' how to play for the extra content being offered. Perhaps that's why IMO DLC, if it must exists, works best for latecomers, maybe bundled as GOTY - then whoever didn't play it originally can enjoy the whole thing in one big chunk. Another argument against day one purchases, perhaps. Basically, to encourage me to go back a DLC pack really needs to be AAA material - why settle for not only filler, but premium filler?

That said, I do really like the sound of the second significant Bioshock Infinite add-on. Would be tempted to look into that.

Retr0gamer

I didn't mind the Asura's Wrath ending DLC because:

1.You did get a fairly satisfying ending without it. The secret ending led into the DLC.

2. It was absolutely amazing, definitely the best 4 chapters in an already great game with a huge emotional pay off.

If you have Asura's Wrath then swallow your pride and buy it, it's well worth it.

However do not get the two cheap DLC chapters. They take place between chapters and add nothing to the story. Also they are animated in 2D which seems like a good idea but they were obviously done on the cheap and the animation and art style is very ropey.

Grumpypants

I would like to see it used to tackle used game sales. So if you buy it new you get a ton of free dlc. Not a new character or costume but actual extra content.

That way you can justify the extra fiver for the new copy to people if you get 15 euro of dlc for free. Plus it gives extra content to keep you playing longer before trading it and you get the extra content early avoiding the relearning a year later that Johnny was talking about which is a factor.

If the devs can keep people from trading the game for the first month it will have a huge impact on new sales.

That way everyone wins the customer gets value for buying new, gets mire out of the game and the devs boost new sales.

SmurfX

Grumpypants wrote: »

I would like to see it used to tackle used game sales. So if you buy it new you get a ton of free dlc. Not a new character or costume but actual extra content.

That way you can justify the extra fiver for the new copy to people if you get 15 euro of dlc for free. Plus it gives extra content to keep you playing longer before trading it and you get the extra content early avoiding the relearning a year later that Johnny was talking about which is a factor.

If the devs can keep people from trading the game for the first month it will have a huge impact on new sales.

That way everyone wins the customer gets value for buying new, gets mire out of the game and the devs boost new sales.

Some games have done this like Arkham city with the catwoman stuff and Mass Effect 2. But they're still chopping up content and deciding how to distribute it, Arkham city core felt really underpopulated with content so even though you were getting something for buying it new you still weren't getting a complete product. Companies willing to "reward" consumers for buying new unfortunately are the same companies looking to squeeze money out of them some other way as well.

Azza

Can't say I personally felt Arkham City felt underpopulated and I played Arkham City without the Catwomen DLC the first time round as I had no internet connection at the time to activate it.

Didn't get the feeling either about ME 2. Don't think many complained about ME 2's DLC.

thegame983

I think what it has done is made me think about purchasing games new these day. Unless a game is must have like a GTA5 or the New Rome total war game, ill hold off in buying it untill I can get a GOTY edition. I have enough games to play that I havn't finished to catch up on. Mass Effect 2 DLC was done right, but compare it to 3 where unless you got the collectors edtion you had to pay 10 quid for day 1 DLC. That was a disgrace. I didn't buy it but I genuinly felt let down by the game for denying me content. It left a sour taste in my mouth. Basically it's all about trust. Bethesda have consistantly delivered good DLC, capcom need to get their act together.

johnny_ultimate

Thought the Arkham City Catwoman stuff was a fairly half-assed effort myself. Inferior filler that just got in the way of the actual game at random junctures. Clearly an afterthought in terms of execution and integration. The game would have actually flowed better if it was a completely optional extra.

Penn

My only issue with DLC is stuff that used to be free or unlockable is now held back to be DLC, like characters in fighting games or special outfits. I'd much rather have them still be unlockable within the game (particularly ones which are already on the disc) or you can pay to unlock it straight away. Obviously, anything not on the disc, pay to download it.

ancapailldorcha

Azza wrote: »

Can't say I personally felt Arkham City felt underpopulated and I played Arkham City without the Catwomen DLC the first time round as I had no internet connection at the time to activate it.

Didn't get the feeling either about ME 2. Don't think many complained about ME 2's DLC.

I think Arkham City and Mass Effect 2 were 2 games that got DLC right. The 2 games are complete as they are and both use DLC as incentives for buying new copies which is fine by me. I bought Metal Gear Rising preowned recently and apparently, new copies of the game have a free DLC with a Gray Fox skin. Had I known that, I'd have bought it new.

Retr0gamer

Azza wrote: »

Didn't get the feeling either about ME 2. Don't think many complained about ME 2's DLC.

My only problem with the ME2 content was that it focused too much on combat which was the weakest part of that game. I didn't really like the DLC content for it but I can't fault it for not being substantial.

I much prefer my DLC to take the existing mechanics and do something more interesting with them. A good idea is to farm them off to junior developers to put them through their paces. Soemthing like Minerva's Den or Fallout 3's the Pitt are good examples.

Grumpypants

thegame983 wrote: »

I think what it has done is made me think about purchasing games new these day. Unless a game is must have like a GTA5 or the New Rome total war game, ill hold off in buying it untill I can get a GOTY edition. I have enough games to play that I havn't finished to catch up on. Mass Effect 2 DLC was done right, but compare it to 3 where unless you got the collectors edtion you had to pay 10 quid for day 1 DLC. That was a disgrace. I didn't buy it but I genuinly felt let down by the game for denying me content. It left a sour taste in my mouth. Basically it's all about trust. Bethesda have consistantly delivered good DLC, capcom need to get their act together.

They didn't deny you anything, you could buy it or get it free with the collectors edition. It is an incentive to buy the collectors edition and if you don't want to buy the collectors edition you can purchase the DLC separately. That's perfectly fine.

ancapailldorcha

The only aspect Mass Effect 2's combat I had issue with was what one might call "Final Fantasy XIII syndrome". The areas were essentially corridors and enemies would never try to flank you.
Back on topic, I can't believe I never thought to mention Minerva's Den. One could argue that Arrival and Lair of the Shadow Broker are necessary to explain what happens in the transition between Mass Effect 2 and Mass Effect 3. Minerva's Den on the other hand has no connection to Bioshock 2 aside from using the game engine. I would consider the Artorias DLC for Dark Souls or Minerva's Den the best examples I've played.

ancapailldorcha

Grumpypants wrote: »

They didn't deny you anything, you could buy it or get it free with the collectors edition. It is an incentive to buy the collectors edition and if you don't want to buy the collectors edition you can purchase the DLC separately. That's perfectly fine.

No, it's not. Any significant assets created before the game should be included with it. It's one thing to remove a weapon or 2 but in the case of Javik in Mass Effect 3, his race was so crucial to the series lore that forcing people to pay extra for him was completely unethical IMO.

thegame983

Grumpypants wrote: »

They didn't deny you anything, you could buy it or get it free with the collectors edition. It is an incentive to buy the collectors edition and if you don't want to buy the collectors edition you can purchase the DLC separately. That's perfectly fine.

In fairness they did. This was day 1 story based DLC. Story based. For Mass Effect. This wasn't some map pack or an extra gun it was a pretty significant character. Anyway I didn't buy it cause I looked up reviews online and it apparantly wasn't worth the extra tenner, but still it should have been included in the normal retail disk. It's literally withholding content to get more money out the customer.

Generic Dreadhead

I play a lot of DLC.
The Harley Quinn DLC in Arkham City is the WORST value of any DLC I've encountered (about 90 minutes for about 15 quid when it was 1st released). I got the Catwoman stuff with the game and found it enjoyable, not sure how much it cost if you had to buy it
The Bioshock 1 DLC is pretty useless.
TheThe Bioshock 2 DLC is quiet good, you get maybe 5 hours out of it
Red Dead Redemption DLC is very enjoyable and good value
Mass Effect 2 DLC is worth it and also very enjoyable, especially the lair of the shadow broker as many of you have pointed out.
Need for Speed Hot Pursuit Car Pack DLCs are good too, but a bit pricey for the actual gameplay time you get out of them.
Call of Duty BOII DLC is poor value, but I was a bit obsessed when it came out and committed to a season pass, 4 maps per individual pack is not worth it.
Borderlands 2 DLC is VERY much good value for money, especially as a season pass holder, I even bought the stand alone Psycho DLC

Generic Dreadhead

thegame983 wrote: »

I think what it has done is made me think about purchasing games new these day. Unless a game is must have like a GTA5 or the New Rome total war game, ill hold off in buying it untill I can get a GOTY edition. I have enough games to play that I havn't finished to catch up on. Mass Effect 2 DLC was done right, but compare it to 3 where unless you got the collectors edtion you had to pay 10 quid for day 1 DLC. That was a disgrace. I didn't buy it but I genuinly felt let down by the game for denying me content. It left a sour taste in my mouth. Basically it's all about trust. Bethesda have consistantly delivered good DLC, capcom need to get their act together.

You my good sir, have won todays internet :pac:
I really need to go back and finish ME3.... Resi 6 interrupted my ME flow

Ross_Mahon

Oblivion horse armor FTW.

Azza

ancapailldorcha wrote:

No, it's not. Any significant assets created before the game should be included with it. It's one thing to remove a weapon or 2 but in the case of Javik in Mass Effect 3, his race was so crucial to the series lore that forcing people to pay extra for him was completely unethical IMO.

thegame983 wrote:

In fairness they did. This was day 1 story based DLC. Story based. For Mass Effect. This wasn't some map pack or an extra gun it was a pretty significant character. Anyway I didn't buy it cause I looked up reviews online and it apparantly wasn't worth the extra tenner, but still it should have been included in the normal retail disk. It's literally withholding content to get more money out the customer.

Regardless of the ethics of realsing day 1 DLC its nonesense to suggest that the From Ashes DLC was essential to the storyline. Having Javik or completing his mission in no way affects the outcome of the main storyline. Its just adds a few tid bits of lore which are nice and all but far from essential requirement to enjoy the game. Anyone who has played the DLC and isn't completely biased against DLC on principal has to have realised this.

SmurfX

Azza wrote: »

Can't say I personally felt Arkham City felt underpopulated and I played Arkham City without the Catwomen DLC the first time round as I had no internet connection at the time to activate it.

Didn't get the feeling either about ME 2. Don't think many complained about ME 2's DLC.

I'm not certain on it but I think the new release thing with Mass Effect 2 for the PS3 came with a comic thing filling you in on what happened in the original which wasn't released on the PS3. So if you were buying used and hadn't played the series on another console you would have had to pay extra just to get up to speed.

Azza

You didn't have to get the comic book to get the back story, the other options where play the orginal on the PC or Xbox 360, read the plot on wikipedia or the Mass Effect 3 wiki site, or watch youtube videos of Mass Effect.

sweetie

I buy it sometimes and often on sale (bioshock 2, dishonored, borderlands 2) and last week I bought the witches dlc for dishonored at full price as I had just finished playing the game and the first dlc when it came out so it felt like a natural progression. The 1200pts I spent on those two in total gave me a game as good as the corvo main game imo.

Grumpypants

thegame983 wrote: »

In fairness they did. This was day 1 story based DLC. Story based. For Mass Effect. This wasn't some map pack or an extra gun it was a pretty significant character. Anyway I didn't buy it cause I looked up reviews online and it apparantly wasn't worth the extra tenner, but still it should have been included in the normal retail disk. It's literally withholding content to get more money out the customer.

It is extra content that is nonessential to the main game. The player has the choice you buy the full version that includes the DLC or you buy the cheaper discounted version that doesn't include the DLC.

What you want is to buy the discounted version and get the content from the collectors editions.

ancapailldorcha

Azza wrote: »

Regardless of the ethics of realsing day 1 DLC its nonesense to suggest that the From Ashes DLC was essential to the storyline. Having Javik or completing his mission in no way affects the outcome of the main storyline. Its just adds a few tid bits of lore which are nice and all but far from essential requirement to enjoy the game. Anyone who has played the DLC and isn't completely biased against DLC on principal has to have realised this.

That's not the point. There was no way to know that prior to the game's release.

thegame983

Grumpypants wrote: »

It is extra content that is nonessential to the main game. The player has the choice you buy the full version that includes the DLC or you buy the cheaper discounted version that doesn't include the DLC.

What you want is to buy the discounted version and get the content from the collectors editions.

By discounted you mean full price retail? Look I don't buy collector editions. For the most part they are extremly over priced tosh for what they are. I would think that the majority of people who actually got their hands on the DLC bought it seperatly and didn't get the collector edition.

Call it what you will but it was nasty piece of marketing on Bioware/ EA's part. By all means make money off me just please don't rub your balls in face as you do it.

thegame983

Ross_Mahon wrote: »

Oblivion horse armor FTW.

Ha!. Forgot about that.

ScumLord

I don't like where it's going, there two extreme examples on PC. Both are sim racing titles, one is iRacing where you pay a pretty high monthly fee and then have to buy cars and tracks on top of that. It's supposed to be the absolute pinnacle of sim racing and even attracts professional drivers. People reckon your getting what you pay for with that though, it's a serious piece of simulation software.

Another one is raceroom experience where you get the core game free with one or two cars/tracks and have to buy everything else in the game. It overcomplicates the process as far as I'm concerned. Even if the prices are justified it just turns me right off the game knowing the kind of messing I'd have to do.

I haven't seen any DLC that I've really wanted to get.

Grumpypants

thegame983 wrote: »

By discounted you mean full price retail? Look I don't buy collector editions. For the most part they are extremly over priced tosh for what they are. I would think that the majority of people who actually got their hands on the DLC bought it seperatly and didn't get the collector edition.

Call it what you will but it was nasty piece of marketing on Bioware/ EA's part. By all means make money off me just please don't rub your balls in face as you do it.

Imagine that, making you pay for things. The Monsters.

Sonics2k

For myself it depends on the quality and quantity of the DLC.

In my mind a DLC is basically what an expansion pack was back in 90's.

Sometimes a DLC can be worth the money, like the Oblivion or Skyrim ones (except Hearthfire, which is meh).

As long as a DLC is not an essential purchase for storyline or completion reasons, then I don't mind and may spend the money if the reviews make it worthwhile.

thegame983

Grumpypants wrote: »

Imagine that, making you pay for things. The Monsters.

Yeah but surley treating your customers well has something to do with it? Good customer service etc? I bought all 3 Mass effects on day 1. Loved the first 2, bought all the DLC for both so I'm more than willing to give these guys my money.

The third game IMO wasn't a patch on the first 2. it was good. Not great. which was dissapointing but that's ok the Godfather part 3 wasn't good but I got over it.

My total experience with Mass Effect was soured by what I thought was an average third game and a somewhat jerk-like policy on day 1 DLC. The net result of this experience is that I will not buy Mass Effect 4 (or whatever they call it) day 1. I will wait for a GOTY edition or whatever and get it for 20 quid.

Bioware/ EA were too set on the short con of getting a quick extra 10 quid for their day 1 DLC that they have now (at least with me) missed out on the long con of getting me to buy ME4 day 1 for 50 quid plus probably another 30 quid worth of DLC.

Treating your customers poorly doesn't have an immediate effect but it does have a long term one.

Sorry for the long response but I'm in work with literally nothing to do.

Randall Floyd

The undead nightmare stuff for Red dead redemption was good, as was the GTA IV DLC. I was disappointed with Harley's Revenge for Arkham City though, an hour and a half of gameplay that added nothing to the main story which is kind of unforgivable given the way the game ended.

Azza

ancapailldorcha wrote: »

That's not the point. There was no way to know that prior to the game's release.

You just claimed it was lore essential!

Why was there any concern about it every being lore or storyline essential in the first place?

Could of it been to do with the online campaign (not an organized campaign)by gamers who dislike day 1 DLC on principal to make Bioware look as bad as possible. People just threw the accusation on to the internet and it stuck, and it even sticks now when the content has been proven over a year ago to be non essential to the lore or storyline.

thegame983 wrote:

Look I don't buy collector editions. For the most part they are extremly over priced tosh for what they are.

The developers can't win can they?

If they put mostly tosh in the collectors edition then people will say its not worth buying.

Put something of value into the collectors edition and people will say thats so unfair I have to pay extra for this, it should be in the base game.

noodler

Azza wrote: »

Regardless of the ethics of realsing day 1 DLC its nonesense to suggest that the From Ashes DLC was essential to the storyline. Having Javik or completing his mission in no way affects the outcome of the main storyline. Its just adds a few tid bits of lore which are nice and all but far from essential requirement to enjoy the game. Anyone who has played the DLC and isn't completely biased against DLC on principal has to have realised this.

Completely disagree with you there.

Particularly given the story driven nature of the game.

Azza

Tell me how does seeing maybe 1 minute worth of flashback footage of the Protheans last stand and Javiks random lines of dialogue prove plot essential or lore essential. Same goes for the 2 DLC characters from ME 2.

Its like saying you have to play through the ME effect series twice once with Kaiden and once with Ashley to get all the lore essential back story and random lines of lore essential dialogue.

thegame983

Azza wrote: »

The developers can't win can they?


If they put mostly tosh in the collectors edition then people will say its not worth buying.

Put something of value into the collectors edition and people will say thats so unfair I have to pay extra for this, it should be in the base game.

To be fair collector editions usually come with a fancy statue, a map, an art book - whatever. They don't usually come with an extra sextion of the game.

This collector's edition was a way to put day 1 DLC on the market under a legitimate guise 'hey guys missed out on the collector's edition? - just go on the online store and buy what you missed out on for an extra 10 euro!'

C'mon. It was a bit underhanded.

thegame983

Azza wrote: »

Tell me how does seeing maybe 1 minute worth of flashback footage of the Protheans last stand and Javiks random lines of dialogue prove plot essential or lore essential. Same goes for the 2 DLC characters from ME 2.

Its like saying you have to play through the ME effect series twice once with Kaiden and once with Ashley to get all the lore essential back story and random lines of lore essential dialogue.

I havn't played the ME3 DLC but the ME2 character DLC was around 2 hours long and provided you with extra crew members that you could bring on missions and they would add to conversations etc.