Poll: Do you buy DLC?

[mjc0961]

Once interacting with stuff in-game becomes my second nature I start seeing the flaws quite clear. And this usually happens within the first few hours of gameplay.
So no, I don't think Portal 2 and most other AAA titles are anywhere close to brilliant. It's Games like Okami, Braid, BF:Bad Company 2, Lara Croft and the Guardian of Light, and LittleBigPlanet 2 that are truly brilliant.

So after a few hours of the completely broken and unresponsive controls in Okami, you thought it was brilliant? But Portal 2, which runs flawlessly, isn't.

Forgive me if I think that makes absolutely no sense whatsoever.

 

[INF1NIT3 D00M]

It really does depend on the game and the type of content. Borderlands had DLC that ended up being better than the main story. Dawn of War II had some interesting wargear for sale on the steam store, so I picked those up as well. When it comes to steam, I'm always a sucker for their sales that include the game and the DLC, even if it costs a little more than the base game would at full price, so in that case I'd count that as buying the DLC since I went out of my way to get it. The times I don't buy DLC is if it's something extremely cosmetic, like the hats in TF2 or the multiplayer-only Dark Angels skin in Dawn of War II. The only other time I won't buy DLC is if it adds things I know I won't play, like Super Meat Boy bastard-hard extra levels or Call of Duty sequels.

Edit: I totally got burned by the Halo Reach DLC though. Twenty bucks for 6 maps, a few of which I haven't even played. Both times I told myself I wouldn't buy it, and both times I totally caved.

 

[Drummie666]

Well, I was planning on getting the second map pack for crysis 2. But then I found out that crytek was giving away codes over twitter all that week. The next day I waited at least two hours for that code. I now have the map pack at no charge.

So far, no, but I might in the future.

 

[martin's a madman]

I bought Fallout:NV on PC when it was only 15 dollars, and the DLC was only 2.99 for each set.

So, hells yeah.

I already have it on Xbox 360, but the DLC there would be super expensive, so I now have two copies of both Fallout 3 and Fallout: New Vegas for Xbox 360 and PC.

 

[PorkChopXpress]

If it's worth a shit and not overpriced, damn right I do.

 

[BanthaFodder]

I buy DLC all the time.
Undead Nightmare, LittleBigPlanet Costumes, etc.
if it's worth it, I'll buy it

 

[spartan231490]

EDIT: Dahhh. Fuckdonkies. The message board ate my poll. Well, feel free to answer as best as you like anyway.

I've been a gamer all my life. I'd place myself in the "core" market, for certain... yet I've never, ever purchased a piece of DLC. This is mainly because I'm incredibly poor and it's a big enough stretch just to pick up all the games I want, let alone buy a bunch of extra side-quests and junk for a game I've already finished and have no time to play.

That said, it's actually put me in somewhat of a curmudgeony mindset. I'm in the habit of ignoring supplemental material and tend to consider whatever has been put on the disc as the entirety of the game I bought for all intents and purposes. Thinking about this, I wondered to myself how many people are in the same boat or if I'm in the minority.

So, how about it, gamers of the Escapist? Do you avidly and regularly buy DLC, save it for specific, major releases or DLC packs that're particularly meaty (more like downloadable expansion packs), or are you like me and do you try to ignore it altogether?

EDIT 2: To clarify, I'm talking very specifically about going to an online store and downloading a standalone piece of DLC. Special editions like Fallout 3: GOTY Edition, which include a pile of all the DLC thus far as bonus material, needn't apply. I realize that's a fine line to draw for some, but for the people who picked the special edition up as their first copy it makes all the difference.

This is exactly what I do. I can't afford DLC in most situations. I've bought maybe 6 ever. As a rule, if the game isn't good enough to sell itself with the disk stuff, DLC won't change that. And if it is good enough, I'm happy enough without needing to play DLC.

 

[ChupathingyX]

I was tempted to wait until New Vegas was re-released with all DLC but I just couldn't wait and brought them myself.

Don't regret it one bit.

 

[LookingGlass]

Never. The closest thing I've ever done is buy the two expansions to Morrowind.

 

[Mechanix]

Rarely. I only buy DLC for games I really, really enjoy, like Brutal Legend or Uncharted. I would never buy $15 DLC for CoD so I can get a couple maps.

 

[infohippie]

I buy DLC if I really enjoyed the original game and I want more time in that world, and if the DLC is large and contains plenty of value. I wait for reviews or at least fan comments on the DLC so I have a better idea of what to expect and whether it'll be worth it. I buy expansion packs, but under the same kind of pre-purchase scrutiny as to potential value.
I don't buy appearance packs, additional characters (unless they come with substantial additional campaign time), or short little bits of DLC that only give a half hour or so of additional play time.
So I bought some of the Mass Effect DLC but definitely not all, I bought Awakenings for Dragon Age, I've bought a couple other bits of DLC over the years. I will definitely not be buying the new DLC for Dragon Age 2 (or probably any DLC for DA2), I haven't (and won't) buy DLC like the additional weapons for ME2 or the extra appearance items for Portal 2. And I couldn't care less about hats.

 

[Pancake Madness]

If it looks interesting enough I buy it, but it has to be really good. This is why I love youtube. I can preview it and see if I want to bother spending money on said piece of DLC. This strategy has saved me so much money.

Most of the DLC I bought was for Mass Effect, Arkham Asylum (most of it was free), Uncharted or Assassin's Creed.
In the case of Rockstar however, I just purchase the Expansion discs when they come out. The bad thing about most of this DLC is that most of it is a glorified rental until either your hard drive dies or Sony/Microsoft decides to get rid of it.

 

[Harry Mason]

All the time. Got got the Alice DLC.

PRETTY DRESSES!

 

[Caffeine Rage]

If you could GotY versions that contains all the DLC, then yes. I typically will wait for those all inclusive packs for games that I don't have to play right away.

Other than that, very rarely will I buy DLC and even then it normally has to have some massive price cut for me to even consider it.

 

[Flutterguy]

Depends completely on the game/content available from DLC.

eg. I like L.A. Noire, but I doubt i will pay any money for a few missions. I love Blazblue, but i won't spend 8$ on a character. I hate CoD multiplayer (most of the time) but I still bought any DLC's regarding zombies because I know me and my friends will get our monies worth.

 

[thom_cat_]

Nope. Exactly why I haven't bought L4D2 XD

 

[Amondren]

If its not stupid. Their is DLC to unlock all the content in Sonic all star racing content that is easily unlocked by playing the game. You don't even need to win the races just be in them. But DLC like Point Lookout is good DLC and I usually like it if it builds on a game I like.

 

[MrAkuma201]

I only get free DLC or if it comes with the game. I don't see why developers don't give you an option to pay more for a game so that you get some code that lets you get DLC weeks after a game comes for free

 

[Evill_Bob]

Really depends, sometimes I buy it religiously other times I see "new DLC" and think "oh that's nice" and continue on. If it adds enough to the game for a fair price then yes or based on other reasons. For instance DLC for Fallout New Vegas I buy without question and I did the same with Fallout 3, why? Because I play on the PC and often mods are made to take advantages of resources in the expansions. Such as a mod for Fallout 3 that put weapons and armor from "The Pitt", a very good DLC on its own, into the leveled equipment list for raiders. Making them an interesting encounter past level 10 rather than annoying wastes of ammo (though the hilarity of a half naked crazy man running up and hitting your power armor with a pool cue is gone). Other times I see things like the DLC for Dragon Age (which add NOTHING to the value of the game) or the Dark Angels pack for Warhammer 40,000 Dawn of War 2: Retribution (insanely long title) and could care less since I will be able to play the game without the DLC and still have as much fun as I would if I had.

Worst "DLC", or the precurser of it (happened long before DLC became popular), was the MechPacks for Mechwarrior 4. They added new weapons, mechs (gaint robots), and maps but none of which was available in the single player (only fixed recently with the MekTek free release).

 

[Krinku]

I usually wait, see what people say about it, and then decide to get it or not.