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[Cultist]

Source

Day-one DLC is one of many controversies in gaming. If the content is ready to go and right there, why is it not on the disc you're paying $60 for? Why do you have to pay extra to get it, or commit to a pre-order, just to play some extra content?

BioWare's response? Day-one DLC is so people who blast through games have something else to do.

Fernando Melo, BioWare Montreal's director of online development, recently spoke with Gamasutra about the topic and had this to say:

"…players want more content, and they want it now — the problem is that there is no single 'now', so it should be there when they're ready for it."

Melo has some data from BioWare games to back him up. More than half the sales of the day-one DLC packs for Dragon Age: Origins came from the first day the game was released.

He also notes that DLC offers a chance to allow team members to develop their skills with minimal risk, and… well.. people buy a heck of a lot of it. In fact, BioWare games with ongoing DLC releases see more long-term sales.

What do you think of day-one DLC? Is it good to have? Or would you rather have it on the disc?
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I'm just going to leave this here. So,let's share opinions - are we, players, are happy with day-1 DLC? I must restrict myself here to avoid ban. But free to share your thought.

Modifié par Cultist, 18 août 2012 - 06:28 .

[Giltspur]

Fernando Melo wrote...
"…players want more content, and they want it now — the problem is that
there is no single 'now', so it should be there when they're ready for
it."

Here's my attempt at a generous rewording of that quote

"Players want more content and they want it now.  That's why, after we're done with the retail portion of the game, we start working on day one DLC that will be downloadable on day 1.  One of the reasons we like to have more content ready for day 1 is because our numbers show that's the day with the most DLC sales probably because they go through content so quickly they're ready to buy more even before we'd get DLC done had we waiting until after release to start working for it.  Now it is true that we'll have some of the DLC resources on the shipping disk since we do plan ahead for our DLC.  But much of the content ends up getting created after we've finished retail box."

So I'm guessing that's what he means, and it makes sense.  Personally though the day 1 DLC Bioware has released feels like it's part of the core game and that it should be part of the game.  So I'd rather see them ditch Day 1 DLC as it all seems kind of shady even if it's true that much of the work on it starts after the game has gone gold.  They could always just make that content...and go gold later.  I get that they want more money, and I don't begrudge them that given that I don't want a world where every game is an iphone game.  Or a shooter.  Or a football game. 

Rather than day 1 DLC, I'd rather see "bridge" DLC that takes place after the main game and serves as a bridge to the next game in the series.  Granted, that's probably easier to do in Mass Effect where you have a continuing PC than in Dragon Age with its changing protagonists.

At the end of the day, day 1 DLC is veiled price inflation or incentive for pre-order that is trying to take advantage of digital distribution as a faster means of content delivery.  Its creation is made possible by the gap between "content complete" and release in brick-and-mortar stores.  It'll be curious to see what happens to day 1 DLC once digital distribution is the primary means of content delivery.  

Modifié par Giltspur, 18 août 2012 - 06:51 .

[Sejborg]

Well. I don't want day one DLC. I rather they concentrate on making the game, and put all ressources into the main game, and when done with the game, they use the rest of the time before launch on QA and make day one patches instead, so the final game is as bug free as possible.

[Arthur Cousland]

As long as the day one dlc isn't just content that was cut from the game so the developer could charge extra for it, then it's not such a huge deal to me. The dlc also doesn't need to be rushed out of the door just so it can be available on day one.

Since I tend to replay my games alot, I don't want everything on day one and nothing new down the road. Ideally, there's some dlc early, and then every few months perhaps another. When the game first comes out, I'd be busy enough with the vanilla content. The dlc would give me reasons to keep coming back to the game over the year after the game came out.

[Uccio]

No thank you. You have extra content, you include it into the game from start.

[New Kid]

Javik was day one dlc wasnt he? Hows he extra content for people who blast through the game, if hes just an extra squadmate added to the core game?

[Emzamination]

Ukki wrote...

No thank you. You have extra content, you include it into the game from start.

No, you pay for it, that's why it's called Extra content.

This speaks to me, I've always agreed with the concept of Day 1 dlc, the faster bio can churn out content and expansions the happier I'll be

[BioFan (Official)]

if it's a companion, i want it day 1

if it's not, i want it 3 months after release

[Personality Disorder]

Ceron44 wrote...

Javik was day one dlc wasnt he? Hows he extra content for people who blast through the game, if hes just an extra squadmate added to the core game?

I definitely agree with this. Day one DLC like Shale, Sebastian or Javik are not for the people who want simply more of the same - they require you to start another playthrough, because of the level of their intgreation into the main plot. You don't want them AFTER you've finfished the game, you want them to be there from the very start. Legacy or Mark of the Assassin are axactly that, though, but they take months to make after the release of the original game, don't they?

[casamar]

Two links i wanted to add

Gamasutra article OP was refernecing

and Extra Credits talking about ME3 Day One DLC

[cJohnOne]

So DLC needs to come early or it doesn't sell. I didn't know that. I like how the team can work on DLC after the game is completed. It keeps things together for alittle longer.

[King Cousland]

Nyoka put it well. If they've finished the game and still have time before release, they should polish the game and comb through it for bugs. In my opinion, any content which is created for the game within the production time should be included in the product upon release.

Modifié par King Cousland, 18 août 2012 - 10:42 .

[Korusus]

The problem here is that it is possible to both buy Day 1 DLC and enjoy what you purchase while also resenting it and finding the entire concept of Day 1 DLC to be the epitome of distastefulness and greed. Unfortunately the model works because most gamers have very little self-control even if it is for a cause they believe in.

[Reznore57]

It's not about what the player want...players obviously always want more content.
They were just clever about it , you know , at first those day one DLC were free if you purchase a new edition of the game , like some kind of reward for buying.

Now people doesn't react to the fact that we pay for games that are rushed to death to make profit , the main game suffer (ME3, DA2 are shining example).
But hey we got extra content that they carefully made on the side and now they charge for it.
Content they begin to work on while they 're making the main game (Javik was supposed to be in the main game , it wasn't started as a side project.)....

Anyway I know games cost much more to make now ....but they are way shorter and now comes in kit....That's hardly an improvement.

I mean i like the idea of DLC , but character cut from the game just suck...usually the character suffer from it .(Sebastien fake romance , he can't go in the fade , he's not part of your companion in act1)

DLC should be like expansion , something that expand the game , not some pieces missing in the main game.

Anyway , they say it's super cool , they cash in, good for them.
But you know things like putting at the end of a game :
"You just saved the galaxy , now go buy some dlc" after a really cheap ending just show that there may be a problem there.

And No i don't want everything for free , i value people work , I'm glad to pay for something i enjoy.
And i know Bioware is a business , and one of their priorities is money obviously.
But i don't know there might be more tasteful way to do it without hurting their own project on the way.

[Iakus]

Day 1 DLC free to new copies is alright.

Seperate purchase Day 1 DLC is tacky, makes the company look greedy and gives the appearance of cut content. Even if it's not.

[King Cousland]

Reznore57 wrote...

It's not about what the player want...players obviously always want more content.
They were just clever about it , you know , at first those day one DLC were free if you purchase a new edition of the game , like some kind of reward for buying.

Now people doesn't react to the fact that we pay for games that are rushed to death to make profit , the main game suffer (ME3, DA2 are shining example)

Not really relevent to the thread but I don't understand why people use ME 3 as an example of a game that was "rushed to death". ME 3, IMHO, was a beautifully crafted and written game for the most part. The only thing I take issue with is the dream sequences (which only make sense if you stick to the debunked IT, otherwise they're just a poor attempt at being artsy), and the London/Citadel sequence, which I will admit was both poorly written and rushed. 

[Mike_Neel]

Man I stopped buying the game ITSELF on day one. Let alone DLC.

It's just something I've been doing more and more lately as it seems so few modern games are worth 60 dollars to me, let alone 70 or 75 if you include day one DLC.
Maybe I'm getting older and games aren't as fun for me as they used to be. Maybe the games are in fact getting worse like so many on the internet claim. I don't know. I do know that modern games are much more commercial than they ever have been and there's a much larger focus on business school words like profit margins, profit to cost ratios, and other banking terms. So that's kind of disheartened me away from my favorite hobby. I'm not saying games should not make money or even be made for profit. It just seems like there's no one out there really daring to take a risk anymore. So a ton of games are under whelming or just no longer interesting. I mean I can only play modern military shooters so much you know. I can only be the bad ass bald space marine so much. I can only duck behind chest high walls down so many corridors before I step back and say to myself "This is it. I've experienced everything this generation of gaming has to offer me and there's not going to be anything new or exciting again."

And Day One DLC ties into it all. It's just another reminder that games aren't for the fans anymore. They're for the share holders at Goldman Sachs or CitiBank who don't know what it is the company does or what a game is about other than "MW3 sold a bajillion copies and made a ton of profit. Do that or lose your financial backing!"

Sorry for the rant. Just ignore my giant post. This probably belongs on a blog more than a forum. Feel free to delete it.

[Korusus]

Mike_Neel wrote...

Man I stopped buying the game ITSELF on day one. Let alone DLC.

It's just something I've been doing more and more lately as it seems so few modern games are worth 60 dollars to me, let alone 70 or 75 if you include day one DLC.

I share this sentiment and I think a lot of gamers are starting to share it as well.  I think its part of the bursting bubble that is worrying the big publishers.  They have to make up for lost day one sales by selling even more "stuff" to the most devoted audiences who will buy the game day one no matter what to make up for those of us who are tired of paying more for games and getting less.  Someone has to fund these fully voiced budgets, and guess whose backs that falls on?  The most devoted fans who are willing to be mislead into buying day one DLC and multiplayer map packs.

[Reznore57]

King Cousland , ME3 is well polished , (DA2 wasn't ) but try to replay it.
Most of the game is you go to a map , you spent 30 minutes being railroad to point A to B.
Mars/The moon of Palaven/Earth/Cerberus base/ etc...

Rannoch and Tuchanka ( and tuchanka arc was great) you have 3 quest in each .
And the citadel is some kind of poor quest hub ...it's mostly fed ex things.
You know like the elcor needs your help ...Yeah! you go to it , oh it's just a scanning things.

But I guess once we get all the dlc , it would feel like a more fleshed out experience .

[Emzamination]

Mike_Neel wrote...

I step back and say to myself "This is it. I've experienced everything this generation of gaming has to offer me and there's not going to be anything new or exciting again."

I hear that

[AnubisOnly]

I think that DA2 (1.04v) is more polished than ME3 (1.03v)
I hope that there will be more patches for ME3 as well...

[Wulfram]

Mike_Neel wrote...

Man I stopped buying the game ITSELF on day one. Let alone DLC.
.

I think Day 1 DLC is in someways a good thing for me, because it helps me overcome my enthusiasm and do this rather than effectively throwing away to get it NOW!

[KENNY4753]

lets put it this way if you have the 60 dollars to get the game why not pay 10 extra to get the dlc. it truely isnt that big of a deal and if you dont like it then dont buy the dlc

Modifié par KENNY4753, 18 août 2012 - 11:45 .

[Mike_Neel]

KENNY4753 wrote...

lets put it this way if you have the 60 dollars to get the game why not pay 10 extra to get the dlc. it truely isnt that big of a deal and if you dont like it then dont buy the dlc

Value is subjective from person to person. What's worht 60 dollars and an extra 10 to you might not even be worth 40 to some other people. For example. My friend is willing to spend 500 dollars on a pair of shoes. To me no pair of shoes is worth that much money unles it comes with rockets or super awesome springs for wicked sweet jumps. But to him, they are. 

So sure, paying 60 bucks for a game and 10 for DLC is no big deal to you, but it might be to some of us. Of course your final thought of if you don't like don't buy it is 100% correct as well. But that's not the issue, or main complaing with day 1 DLC. the big complaint is that people feel like they are missing out on essential or core parts of the game or narrative and are being forced to pay an extra 10-15 dollars to enjoy the full and complete experience. 

Modifié par Mike_Neel, 18 août 2012 - 11:55 .