DLC abuse

[Lord_Jaroh]

I remember when games came with unlocks that you earned by playing the game, that you didn't need to pay extra to get.

I remember when games were actually actually tested for bugs, and most were removed before release rather than "patched later".

I remember when expansion packs actually added to the game that you got, not being parts of games that were cut and resold to you later.

I remember when I didn't require a hard drive just to play a game.

I remember when I could lend a game to a buddy and he could experience it for himself, without developers/publishers calling him a thief.

I remember when games came out that were made for gamers, not profits.

I remember a time when DLC could be used for good and furthering the industry rather than the milking that it is used for now.

There are very few developers I respect anymore that I grew up with, publishers even less. And it's mainly this generation of gaming that has sent most of them into the toilet, much of it to do with DLC and their anti-consumer practices.

 

[Yopaz]

You also say you want companies to earn money, but you're against day 1 DLC because they are removing content. Really, what difference does it make if they are removing content from a full game (and still giving you a full game) or if they are adding content to a full game? You're makinf a big deal out of the difference between Pepsi and Cola, sure there is a difference, but it's no big deal.

Well Pepsi is a cola..

The difference is that in one instance, removing completed content from a game to sell as day one DLC, is cheating the consumer and the other is not. It's not a "full game" if content has been removed from it. It's no different than than a cashier ringing something up twice at the register to maximize profits.

Games are usually complete even with day 1 DLC, but no matter the significancen of it people usually say the publishers are cutting out content. Take the sewers in RAGE. They made no impact on the story and barely added anything, yet making that day 1 DLC made everyone complain that they cut out important content. I fail to see the logic in this and you fail to explain it.

You honestly fail to see the logic in being cheated out of something?

On totally unrelated note got some shit laying around I'm trying to sell. I want you to get fist dibs on it before it goes to craigslist. You seem like a nice guy.

It's the very principal of be being cheated out of something and not how much that item costs or the significance of the item to some story that is important. It's the very principal that a portion, any portion, of the game was blocked off in Rage so as to incentivise new game sales that had people upset. I'm willing to live with bits of day one DLC as long as it is included for free to anyone who purchases the game new.

The pubs/devs have the fight back against the retailers in some way.

I don't feel cheated when I buy games even if they come with day 1 DLC, but I do agree that when elements that are important for story is exclusive for new purchases then that is a bad move. Now I never buy used games, but I believe that we should have the right to do so. My two reasons for not buying used games is Steam and the fact that I have a personal dislike for GameStop after they have sold me several titles that didn't work (new titles) and they refused to give me a refund. However I guess we can both agree that DLC is OK as long as we get a complete game right out of the box.

 

[newdarkcloud]

I vented my opinions on this just a few days ago.

http://pressstarttodiscuss.blogspot.com/2012/04/15-dlc-how-it-is-being-handled-and-how.html

On Disk DLC are not as bad as you think...
Most of the time it is acctually used as a mechanism to bypass certain restrictions or fees placed on digital delivery systems.

You see it happen a lot for games designed for Xbox LIVE which has so many restrictions on what you can and can't do on it from the publisher/developer stand point that many publishers/developers simply bypass this altogether posting a bulk of the DLC content on disk with only minor alterations provided by the DLC packet up for digital distribution.

Even still, I feel that the consumer really should be entitled to the content on the disk that they legally purchased.

Side-Note: I can't be the only one that finds these captcha ads slightly irritating.

 

[back pain]

snip

and snip

Even still, I feel that the consumer really should be entitled to the content on the disk that they legally purchased.

Side-Note: I can't be the only one that finds these captcha ads slightly irritating.

I disagree, consumers should not be entitled to content that they did not pay for, whether or not that content is on the disk is irrelevant. However I do understand the frustration of paying to unlock content on the disk I bought.

 

[newdarkcloud]

snip

and snip

Even still, I feel that the consumer really should be entitled to the content on the disk that they legally purchased.

Side-Note: I can't be the only one that finds these captcha ads slightly irritating.

I disagree, consumers should not be entitled to content that they did not pay for, whether or not that content is on the disk is irrelevant. However I do understand the frustration of paying to unlock content on the disk I bought.

I could argue that they already paid for the content when they bought the disk. Buying the disc also purchases all the content on it.

And yes, spending money on an unlock code really makes me mad. It makes me miss Gameshark sometimes.

 

[SajuukKhar]

I could argue that they already paid for the content when they bought the disk. Buying the disc also purchases all the content on it.

And yes, spending money on an unlock code really makes me mad. It makes me miss Gameshark sometimes.

Technically you bought a license not the disk.

 

[MercurySteam]

As in: I can't take my eyes off your avatar because it's really hot. I didn't know there was a ME3-thing around this sexy thing. All a big misunderstanding! Fast forward a couple of years, and we'll be able to laugh about this.

Indeed. I didn't intend to be hostile but with the shitstorm surrounding ME3, one can never be too careful. And I did suspect that there was more to your original comment, but as I said, some jokes were just never meant to be told over the internet.

And her name is pronounced exactly how its spelt.

 

[SajuukKhar]

Legally most software purchases are considered to be sales of goods rather than entering into licencing agreements.

Except every piece of software that has a EULA, which is to say, most of them.

 

[Fisher321]

Abuse, Gaming Abuse. With all this Online support Companies can throw out games and just reply with DLC to fix any problems. This is why more and more games are launching with such poor Quality (Ahem, BF3 on 360)

Dont get me wrong Battlefield 3 is an awesome game but they overlooked many details which they only fixed recently.

 

[Smithburg]

I used to like DLC. Now I hate it and think it's one of the worst things to happen to gaming. Companies are determined to abuse the hell out of it and people are more than happy to support them. Oblivion: "Shivering isles", Fallout: "Operation anchorage" and "Broken steel", GTAIV: "Lost and damned" and "Ballad of gay Tony".

These were great examples of DLC, I loved these pieces of DLC, they added plenty to the game after it had been released, they were also well worth the price. Most of the DLC now seems to just be content that was cut out or should have been in the game originally.
DRM and DLC abuse are two of the most **** companies do. This is why I hate EA and Ubisoft, because they do **** like this.

those were not dlcs. those were mostly expansion packs.

Considering they were content you downloaded, yes they were DLC, that's what it means.


The thing that really bugs me is overpriced DLC for small amounts of stuff, 2 swords for 5 dollars, a outfit for 5, a new spell, add that up and its four tiny items for a third of the price of the entire game. Fable 3 did that horrifically, everyday there would be something minimal added to the DLC store, and your butler would tell you every time you paused the game that it was there to buy.

 

[squid5580]

This is why I like valve.

Dlc is free.

So I didn't pay for Crash Course or the Passing? I didn't have to pay for a new game mode in L4D2 that hasn't been updated in forever? Methinks someone owes me some money then.

 

[Pyro Paul]

This is why I like valve.

Dlc is free.

So I didn't pay for Crash Course or the Passing? I didn't have to pay for a new game mode in L4D2 that hasn't been updated in forever? Methinks someone owes me some money then.

No you didn't pay Valve... you paid Microsoft in order to download content off their servers... funny bit... Valve Also paid Microsoft to put said content you downloaded On their Servers.

Microsoft LIVE: Dicking over Consumers and Developers alike.

 

[Pyro Paul]

I vented my opinions on this just a few days ago.

http://pressstarttodiscuss.blogspot.com/2012/04/15-dlc-how-it-is-being-handled-and-how.html

On Disk DLC are not as bad as you think...
Most of the time it is acctually used as a mechanism to bypass certain restrictions or fees placed on digital delivery systems.

You see it happen a lot for games designed for Xbox LIVE which has so many restrictions on what you can and can't do on it from the publisher/developer stand point that many publishers/developers simply bypass this altogether posting a bulk of the DLC content on disk with only minor alterations provided by the DLC packet up for digital distribution.

Even still, I feel that the consumer really should be entitled to the content on the disk that they legally purchased.

Side-Note: I can't be the only one that finds these captcha ads slightly irritating.

There is an argument there that has been made many times before and will probably be made many times to come.

what it ultimatly boils down to is that Digital Information isn't the same as Physical Property. As it stands now, with Digital information you are simply purchasing the 'right to observe'.

 

[Pyro Paul]

It's ok to remove content from the game or downright block the content on the disk as long as you use words like extras and additional, right?

um... Yeah?

Haven't you ever heard of 'Extended Edition' or 'Directors Cut' for movies?
Haven't you ever seen the words 'Uncensored' or 'Unrated'?

It is done every where.

Pay a little extra... Get a little more.

I'm sorry but I just don't understand this logic.

Developed on the side of what with what money exactly? You mean developed in parallel? How does the outsourcing of game development to a 3rd party justify an additional cost on the consumers end? Hell, they can 3rd party it up with the DLC after the game is launched. If content is in development when the game is in development then you better get that content when the game is released, provided that content is finished. Charge as much as you want for the game. Let the free market speak.

you do not own the developers...
Nor do you own what they develope.

This idea that you're entitled to what they make is a flawed one...

You get what they want to give you. nothing more, nothing less.
you are entitled to nothing beyond that.

 

[newdarkcloud]

I vented my opinions on this just a few days ago.

http://pressstarttodiscuss.blogspot.com/2012/04/15-dlc-how-it-is-being-handled-and-how.html

On Disk DLC are not as bad as you think...
Most of the time it is acctually used as a mechanism to bypass certain restrictions or fees placed on digital delivery systems.

You see it happen a lot for games designed for Xbox LIVE which has so many restrictions on what you can and can't do on it from the publisher/developer stand point that many publishers/developers simply bypass this altogether posting a bulk of the DLC content on disk with only minor alterations provided by the DLC packet up for digital distribution.

Even still, I feel that the consumer really should be entitled to the content on the disk that they legally purchased.

Side-Note: I can't be the only one that finds these captcha ads slightly irritating.

There is an argument there that has been made many times before and will probably be made many times to come.

what it ultimatly boils down to is that Digital Information isn't the same as Physical Property. As it stands now, with Digital information you are simply purchasing the 'right to observe'.

You've got me there. I admit, this argument becomes much more one-sided once you go into the digital realm. There is no denying that.

 

[Gorilla Gunk]

Why do people act like you're forced to buy DLC?

 

[Versuvius]

I like expansions, big expansions with lots of content, even if it's in DLC form. I don't like piecemeal DLC that adds a skin, or a new gun, or a new shop or a new X little thing not worth 7 quid.