I have such mixed feelings on DLC.
So do we want game developers to work on games post release or do we want them to just move on?
The DLC blow black is enough that we’ve reduced the DLC we make on games. But there’s a cost – we have laid off most of our artists because we don’t have enough work for them to do anymore (we contract artists instead). So there isn’t DLC at all since the review score hit was greater than the amount of money being made from DLC.
Absolutely, yes. Anyone who disagrees is just someone wrong on the internet!
If there are good ideas and still creative juice behind a project, continue on. When you want to take things in a different direction, make a sequel.
There are lots and lots of people who feel that ongoing new development comes as part of their purchase. They’re very up front about it.
Unfortunately, we can’t afford that. We can either do new development and pay for it through DLC or not do new development.
In 2018 so far, we’ve done one DLC for GalCiv III. Our road map had planned on 1 every 90 days. But we took such a beating on Steam user reviews (which dramatically affects sales) that we had to discontinue it and lay off the artists and scripters who were assigned to it. :(
Us pc gamers are a bit spoiled here.
Genuine DLC (what used to be called expansion packs) seem pretty rare and the majority of current DLC seems like a cash grab, where assets are in the main game already but have been locked.
Where those assets were in the main game at release.
That stings.
But for me, where something new has been made, that’s legit DLC.
Example- new races in AoW3.
Absolutely
I never understood why people are so entitled. I don’t care if the DLC is created before the game has been released and held back as long as the base game doesn’t feel like it was missing something necessary. Companies gotta plan ahead and try to make some money.
If some DLC isn’t worth it, then just don’t buy it. The minor exception is when someone releases so much that it makes the shopping experience a pain - but that doesn’t prevent me from buying the good DLC.
If there are clear and obvious bugs or the game performs terribly then it should be fixed at the developers expense and shouldn’t be classed as new and ongoing development.
New and ongoing development, where new features or an extension to existing features which enhance the gameplay, should definitely be done and the DLC model is a good way to fund and execute that.
However, DLC exhaustion is a real thing and “certain” developers/publishers are putting off customers. Normally this is from too many weak “Content Packs” or just rehashes of the same DLC with a different “theme”.
The DLC model is great when you are up to date, where you purchased the original game at release and buy the “important” DLC regularly. However, if you let them build up, purchasing the game and all DLC just isn’t feasible without a bundle i.e. anyone buying Crusaders Kings II and all DLC for the first time would probably need to apply for a loan.
It’s interesting.
I bought CK2 for maybe £5.
Haven’t ever bought dlc for it.
In fact, I don’t think I’m dlc complete for any of my games but AoW 3.
I think there’s a fine line between:
And.
Not commenting on the morality of it, but the first example is OK by me but the 2nd would annoy me.
Not sure of the veracity of the allegations, but Total warhammer apparently did number 2, withholding fully functioning chaos faction from the start.
Didn’t go down well.
Iirc it was a pre order bonus? Does that count in a dlc discussion?
I guess I don’t understand why its a problem if the base game was worth the money that was paid for it.
I’m not an author so I don’t know if this is a great example…If an author write a series of books and plans out some of them in advance, and actually does some work on book two before book 1 is released, should they be expected to include book 2 with one?
I don’t get why gamers seem to care when the work was done. Time was spent making it, employees were paid and companies need to make money. If their product is worth it then buy it. If not then skip it. If you want to wait for a sale then wait. It doesn’t seem reasonable to slam them with negative reviews. Not saying you do any of that BloodyBattleBrain, but some people seem to.
Here is my gripe about DLC in general. I play the base game for a while and them I am bored of it. These games generally have a campaign of some kind. The DLC typically adds a new area to adventure in. The thing is, I am bored of the regular adventure. I do not want to go through it again. What I would like, is an expansion. I would like to take the characters who finished the other adventure on a new one. Perhaps a continuation of the story or something totally new. This content could be as big, if not bigger than the original adventure. This is far to big for a DLC.
However, games like galactic civ are not campaign, story driven games, so a DLC that adds a new faction with very different mechanics to play with can work for me. IE: Add a machine race where nearly all worlds are fully habitable. They do not care about temperature, air pressure, fertility, etc… The only thing that matters is how mineral rich the world is.
So yes, mostly DLC doesn’t work for me, but sometimes it does. I am waiting for Stellaris to get to a point where it is a fully developed game from beginning to end. If and when that happens, Ill probably buy a lot of DLC.
Totally agree, DLC works well for sandbox/repayable games as long as they introduce enough new or different features to re-ignite interest in the game. Crusade did that for GC3, Intrigue not so much, 90% of the CK2 dlc are a big nope for me.
If the game is a story based, linear game, then the DLC needs to add a significant new campaign, or something new to get me to re-visit. Completed Mafia 3, no interest in picking up the DLC. However, Mooncrash for Prey has my interest because it’s something different.
Books and games aren’t really comparable.
Games are a pretty unique media.
And like I said, the line is a thin one.
Let’s use the upcoming Planetfall as an example.
In the paradox forums, someone suggested assymetrical victory conditions.
Lennart Sas said it was a good idea, and something to consider for an expansion.
That’s because the game as is has been designed and now it’s being made.
Adding something so central as a new victory condition (well 6 really because if 6 starting races) would be challenging to put in now.
So far so good, expansion material. Everyone’s happy.
Now, what if Triumph revealed that they had 8 different victory conditons already done, and 8 different races, but that you were only going to get 6 and 6 because they’d decided to withold already created stuff in order to get more money of you.
People would be pissed.
It’d be better for them to focus on the 6 original races, make them dammed fun, release the game, get feedback from the community at large, issue a few patches, and then go make race number 7 and 8.
That to me seems the more honourable course, and more profitable too I imagine, as it responds to the community.
I personally would be OK with it if the game with 6 races and 6 victory conditions were worth the money they charged. Nobody is obligated to give me stuff just because it was created before the game was released.
This is subjective and hard to define, but if the game didn’t feel like a whole experience or felt lacking because things were missing - then I would be unhappy. But, that would be the case whether the DLC was created ahead of time or not.
I think what people object to is when a game is made lesser because of it.
Like if Triumph released a half baked game.
I think it comes down to perceptions, and the management of expectations.
As far as “on-disk” content it’s also about association with a physical item. Most people don’t see games or software any differently than buying anything else, so they see content that is on the physical device but inaccessible as equivalent to buying a 4-door car and having the unlock code for the back seats cost more money after the fact.
I think another part of it is that people commonly think that the price they should pay for something is essentially the cost to make it (including the makers’ salaries). So if part of it is “already done” or “missing” then the thought is that the cost has already been included in the base game. Of course, the price that something will be sold for is in actuality the price that the buyer is willing to pay–which is not the cost to produce it in all but the freest and most competitive of markets. DLC is a very handy form of price discrimination, which consumers don’t like, but which works.
Star Control Origins in Galciv 3.
Cute!
Here’s the trailer for it. :)
Galactic Civilizations III v3.2 takes faction personality traits into account, improves game AI, and more.
More info and changelog:
February 21st