40 réponses à ce sujet

[Seboist]

The best alternative to day one DLC is no day one DLC.

[Fast Jimmy]

^
Which is exactly what I'm proposing.

[Fast Jimmy]

Atalanta wrote...

Vandicus wrote...
I'm still wavering over whether to go with the 25$ version or the CE for project Eternity. I normally always go for CEs but this one seems particularly lackluster. Without any sort've special dlc attached to the CE the $25 dollar version is so much cheaper that its hard to resist choosing that one.

I'm still debating on whether I'm going to back Project Eternity, but if I do I will probably just go with the $25 version too. I might wait a bit longer and see if they annouce who is composing the soundtrack, because if I remember correctly, that's what you get with the next pledge level. 

As an aside, I finally got around to playing another game I backed on Kickstarter over the weekend, FTL: Faster Than Light and had a blast. My wifey isn't into video games AT ALL, but she played it for 6 hours yesterday nonstop, with a big grin on her face. So that small purchase was totally worth it, haha.

I meant to ask - what is the concept behind FTL?

[Fast Jimmy]

One more suggestion for my original idea. I had brought this up in other threads as well, but I forgot to include it here.The concept of a limited time frame.

I was thinking roughly a year would be a good frame. This could give Bioware time to make roughly 3 or 4 DLC packages. And if a player got the DLC Discount, I imagine it would be a difficult to keep record of that subscription/flag/whatever to track if they should be paying full price or not. So one year seems pretty solid. The one thing I would strongly caution Bioware of is to not release DLC one year and a week from the original Release date, otherwise you might have some disgruntled fans.


Any Bioware devs want to weigh in on this at all? Is this viable? Is it not? Is it missing some huge component to either the selling or developing aspect of games I am missing?

[Fast Jimmy]

As a foil to the Discount DLC model I presented, I could also envision an option for diversity.

A player could get the Collector's Edition with the Discount for future DLC as I outlined in the first page, but there could also be an edition which has a redeemable code for a free DLC of the player's choice. I, for instance, could give two shakes about Sebastian's DLC, but I would have greatly enjoyed getting and playing Legacy. So by giving the players the choice of a discount on all future DLC or the choice of getting one future DLC for free, I think that might open the possibilities of consumer choice more.

This would, again, be with the caveat that no DLC is released on opening day, but rather is worked on and polished until a month after release. They could even tie in some patches to the gameplay that were discovered after release with this download as well.

Just trying to make the model as flexible and fair as possible.

[Mr Fixit]

Jimmy, the thing is Day 1 DLCs, whatever we think of them, are here to stay. No level of incentives will make up for the lost sales on the very first day the game comes out.

[Fast Jimmy]

But that's the beauty of my suggestion.

Currently, Day One DLC is given away for free with Collector's Editions. I'd say the VAST majority of downloads of Day One DLC are from such promotions. With my model, you can have the same level of Collector's Editions sold, but not have to give any DLC. Then, a month later, you can sell DLC, the same DLC (with more polish, of course) that you had planned on giving away on the first day.

It, at worst, results in a net zero difference in revenue for Bioware, at best it gets then more money. But it avoids the scorn and protest that their current model has and it makes the consumer's experience more financially invested in all future content, extending their play time and enjoy et of the game.

I just need a reason this would fail, something other than 'Day One DLC is here to stay, so get used to it.'

[Fast Jimmy]

After thinking this over, I think that possibly the issue on the developer side may stem from a lack of control on prices for console vendors.

To explain further, Bioware as a developer can set the price for their games, and they can have an unlock code which waives that price (either in a currency like Microsoft Points in the case of the XBox or in the form of actual money in the form of Steam). However, giving discounts on console vendors may be more tricky or, possibly, even outright impossible. Microsoft and Sony may allow a price to be set and never changed, with the only other option being to have keys which pass that bill directly onto the publisher. It is entirely possible that discount codes are not at all supported.

Does anyone know if developers can give discounts through these mediums? I know many developers have given away DLC for entirely free, but has anyone heard of a developer giving a discount entirely?

[Blacklash93]

As much as I'd like some alternative to happen or it to be nixed entirely, Day 1 DLC is pretty much policy for anything under EA's jurisdiction. Even if Bioware took to this suggestion, they'd have to consult those higher than them for permission and getting any special changes might be more work than Bioware is willing to do if it isn't futile to begin with. Day 1 DLC does bring in the money, that's why it's kept going despite being looked down on by gamers, and changes to it present financial risks. Again, neither Bioware or EA may be willing to budge.

Not that I'm saying it hurts to propose these ideas in the first place.

Modifié par Blacklash93, 26 septembre 2012 - 01:37 .

[AppealToReason]

Isn't the day one DLC what makes the collectors edition the collectors edition since then it's free?

[GGW KillerTiger]

Sejborg wrote...

Paying extra to get a discount hurts my brain.

I don't know. It might work.

[Doveberry]

I think I may be the only one who actually likes day one DLC. If the developer was unable to include it in the original game, and a DLC solution ensures that I get my hands on more content, I prefer that they release it as soon as possible.

[Fast Jimmy]

I suppose I can understand the 'I want it as soon as possible' mentality. Emotional/desire purchases drive the D1DLC model and, in fact, the economy in general.

My only condolence to offer is that the extra delay between Release Day and when the DLC would come out would be in theory used to better the DLC product that is sent out.

[Fast Jimmy]

AppealToReason wrote...

Isn't the day one DLC what makes the collectors edition the collectors edition since then it's free?

Not necessarily. Before the days of DLC, Collector's Editions included things like collectibles, exclusive items that couldn't be bought in stores or cool stuff like a developer's diary or original art work sketches. Recently, they have also started including exclusive items, like in-game gear and equipment, or features like the Black Emporium for DA2. DA2's Collector's Edition also came with a Strategy Guide which was full on in-depth explanations of behind the scenes features and numbers, which was almost required in determining how some of the math for leveling up your character worked. Did you know that every class should put one point of Cunning for every level raised in order to keep a balanced defense score? Yeah, neither did 95% of the people going through their first playthrough. 

There's TONS of things companies can give in Collector's Editions besides Story D1DLC. If a game just comes with the DLC, then you're not really 'collecting' anything. You are just pre-ordering your DLC. 

[Heimdall]

Doveberry wrote...

I think I may be the only one who actually likes day one DLC. If the developer was unable to include it in the original game, and a DLC solution ensures that I get my hands on more content, I prefer that they release it as soon as possible.

I agree, the problem is more that a large portion of the fan base seems to stick their heads in the sand and scream about how it was sliced out of the main game to be sold later and they were gyped into buying an incomplete product.

I think the best day one DLC gets Shale's treatment, free with each new copy and charged for download.  It provides incentive to not get the game used, though I understand that this is only preferable if selling new copies with minimal complaints is your goal.

(Unfortunately, story DLC is the only DLC that could really entice me to by Collector's Editions)

Modifié par Lord Aesir, 26 septembre 2012 - 05:57 .

[Fast Jimmy]

Lord Aesir wrote...

I think the best day one DLC gets Shale's treatment, free with each new copy and charged for download.  It provides incentive to not get the game used, though I understand that this is only preferable if selling new copies with minimal complaints is your goal.

(Unfortunately, story DLC is the only DLC that could really entice me to by Collector's Editions)

I agree that Shale would be the coolest model possible, incentivizing new game sales and pirating. However, it looks like EA's solution of multiplayer/co-op/social networking aspect in every game is going to fight tha battle for them. 

So, in light of that, why not make money on the DLC model instead?

Which I totally understand. And I do understand Story DLC sells best (its really the only DLC I've even ever considered buying). I even understand that it may help sell Collector's Editions more than Collector's Editions without DLC do.

But I really think the model I have proposed will sell out Collector's Editions (ME2, DA2 and ME3 all sold out of their pre-ordered Collector's Editions, I have no reason to think they would not with DA3, if things err on the positive side). Which means that Bioware will still get the same amount of extra dough on Release Day as they would with the D1DLC Model. 

It then lets them package, polish and release their first DLC at a time frame that is best for them, allowing to make truly worthy piece of content. Since, let's face it, the Companion DLC's are often a little lackluster in their content, outside of the Companion themselves. They can then sell this DLC at full price for people who didn't buy the Collector's Edition (just like they would otherwise) but then they ALSO get money from people who got the Collector's Edition DLC Discount. If there was any drop off from fan interest because it was a couple weeks after release, it is more than made up by the fact that I'd wager very large amounts of people who got the CE would then shell out money for that DLC, which, even at a 50% discount, would be $15 for the same DLC they would have charged just $10 for.

Granted, the next DLC will be $5 as well, meaning they net the same amount as they would have otherwise... but they have the bonus of making every CE consumer invested in buying that DLC, so volume would rise.

I may sound like I'm beating a zombie Shadowfax (not just a dead horse, but the KING of horses, who is dead but undead, so I'm allowed to beat it repeatedly) here, but I find this model so much easeir to sell to consumers without complaint and which would make equal or possibly even more money. So I'm going to drill it into the ground.