Former DICE dev: $DLC is doing fans a disservice

XvMMvX said:
Wah Wah Mommy I can't get my maps for free anymore... these damn devs trying to capitalize on their work....



I am sure you are an amazing guy to hang out with... you make fun of every choice people choose to spend their money on?

$15 for four maps that most people get hours and hours of entertainment from is NOTHING... I don't know how many times this has to be explained... it is simple math and great value for the dollar. That is TWO or THREE beers at a fucking bar.... ONE night at the movies.
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I'm starting to think you're an anti-PC troll with nothing better to do. I really don't see how you're a PC gamer when all you do is take pot-shots at every PC gamer that hates the dark side of the gaming industry (which has most definitely forgotten where it came from).
 
Ironchef Chris Wok said:
1. I like expansion packs more than DLCs for sure
2. Remember when we used to get maps WITH PATCHES FOR FREE??

I'm not even asking for developers to give us free shit anymore, but we used to get community maps that were then adopted into the mainstream.
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All that games need is proper mod support. I don't even care about developers giving us free extra content, as well (of course it's nice, but...), but just put in mod support so the community can do it. Refusing to put in mod tools is just greed, plain and simple.
 
TheToE! said:
FAIL HAS RETURNED!
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I draw a line; if it was something developed during the normal development of the game, it should be included in the purchase price of the game. I still haven't bought the Day 1 DLC for ME3 and I'm a massive fan of the series. I have B2K for BF3, but only because it was included in my preorder and I didn't pay a dime extra for it. I did buy the new CQ DLC but bleh, crappy maps. I do like the new guns though, probably not worth $15.

If, after the game is released, they continue to develop new content for it and I like what it is, I have no problem paying for their work. That being said I'd love to see mod tools come out and see what the community could add; look at DOTA, look at CS, look at DoD. Look at all the Elder Scrolls/Fallout games...give the community a chance and they do amazing things.

Really though the reality is that with all of these studios being scooped up by publically owned companies, they have to monetize everything. Just buy some of their stock and you might feel less bad about paying for DLC. ;) Also, if you adjust for inflation, the current cost of games should be around $75 - $90...so really DLC is just making up for the money the industry lost via stealth taxes.
 
TwistedAegis said:
Really though the reality is that with all of these studios being scooped up by publically owned companies, they have to monetize everything. Just buy some of their stock and you might feel less bad about paying for DLC. ;) Also, if you adjust for inflation, the current cost of games should be around $75 - $90...so really DLC is just making up for the money the industry lost via stealth taxes.
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I don't really buy that line of reasoning. Yes inflation has devalued the real worth of money, but at the same time the market for video games has exploded into a multi billion dollar industry which now eclipses the movie industry.

So whilst in real terms they may be making less real profit per unit of software sold because of inflation, they now sell millions to tens of millions of copies rather than a mere 50,000 to 100,000 copies like when the industry was in its infancy.

I believe the stronger influence is accountability to shareholders where profit is the bottom line, irrespective of whether profit is synonymous with delivering users with a fun or better experience.
 
XvMMvX said:
Wah Wah Mommy I can't get my maps for free anymore... these damn devs trying to capitalize on their work....

The Problem with some dlc that I have is that the 4 maps for $15, the devs included in things called patches for free. now they want money for the same thing just because everyone else is doing it.
Now if it was more like a mini expansion that would be worth it, I would think that for 1\4 the price of a new game they could give you a little more than 4 maps.

As for the dlc that does add to a game in a good way like more maps, new games types in multiplayer, and enhances the overall game then it is worth the purchase.

Dont flame me, this is just my opinion and nothing more
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I'm starting to get tired of DLC. Unless it's at least 10 hours long and less than $5 I think I will pass on it from now on. Certain franchises I liked supporting so I bought the DLC and in hindsight I got burned out looking at new DLC popping up in my Steam browser. I'm almost immune to it nowadays unless I see that it has actual value and dirt cheap.

And for those that say the developer spent their time making it then I say they should have released a mod tool so fans could make it for donations. I'd rather see a young man or woman showcase their skills making a terrific mod for a game, get famous, and possibly hired to work in the industry than keep sending devs money for a product I already own.

My next step in my purchasing evolution is to only buy GOTY editions. It's not like I don't have a backlog to hell and back already so I can feel good skipping a title for a year until the dev gets the DLC packs out of their system. I'm thinking that might be the way to go in the future.
 
Remember the Specs Ops expansion for BF2? that's what a "DLC" or "expansion" should be, new stuff, new maps, new EVERYTHING, that was worth paying for.

The previous 2 DLCs for BF3... Karkand and CQ I honestly thought weren't totally worthless because we did get new guns and new weapons, there wasn't anything massively new in those DLCs.
 
kirk121 said:
XvMMvX said:
Wah Wah Mommy I can't get my maps for free anymore... these damn devs trying to capitalize on their work....

The Problem with some dlc that I have is that the 4 maps for $15, the devs included in things called patches for free. now they want money for the same thing just because everyone else is doing it.
Now if it was more like a mini expansion that would be worth it, I would think that for 1\4 the price of a new game they could give you a little more than 4 maps.

As for the dlc that does add to a game in a good way like more maps, new games types in multiplayer, and enhances the overall game then it is worth the purchase.

Dont flame me, this is just my opinion and nothing more
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Those maps take a lot of work effort to create. I dont know how many hours, but i guarentee they just dont crank them out in a week.
Everyone wants stuff for free. When you pay for this effort, it goes back to the company. When it goes back to the company they profit more. When they profit more, the company does better. When the company does better, they make more games. I love playing games so its a win/win for me.

I am not rich by any means, but if i took the cost per hour of time i spend playing on a new map, it is worth it. As someone said it cost less than a round of beers for your buddies at a bar. Heck, if you drink Chemay Belgium ale, it cost about as much as 1 beer with tip.
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defiant007 said:
I don't really buy that line of reasoning. Yes inflation has devalued the real worth of money, but at the same time the market for video games has exploded into a multi billion dollar industry which now eclipses the movie industry.

So whilst in real terms they may be making less real profit per unit of software sold because of inflation, they now sell millions to tens of millions of copies rather than a mere 50,000 to 100,000 copies like when the industry was in its infancy.

I believe the stronger influence is accountability to shareholders where profit is the bottom line, irrespective of whether profit is synonymous with delivering users with a fun or better experience.
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I agree that the stronger influence is accountability to shareholders. But I don't know about the inflation angle, it could still be big; yes they sell more units but they also cost much more to produce now. Not having the actual numbers however it's only speculation.
 
DICE managed to produce "new" content for free multiple times with Bad Company 2 without going to hell.

Some small, free updates to complement the paid "expansions" (using that term very loosely) would be nice.
 
Valve released free everything (DLC, updates, game modes, items, etc, etc) for TF2 and it's STILL one of the most played games out there, and STILL provides Valve with income even after all these years. There is definitely value in catering to your fans to the point to where your bottom line is still more than profitable while keeping good relations with your customers with an exceptional customer-oriented approach.
 
Fail said:
Valve released free everything (DLC, updates, game modes, items, etc, etc) for TF2 and it's STILL one of the most played games out there, and STILL provides Valve with income even after all these years. There is definitely value in catering to your fans to the point to where your bottom line is still more than profitable while keeping good relations with your customers with an exceptional customer-oriented approach.
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Should be noted as well the DLC for TF2 is aesthetic and not gameplay impacting. People complain about hats but I'll take hats over feeling like I can't play on the same level as everybody else because I'm not pouring all my money into gun and armor dlc.
 
Fail said:
Valve released free everything (DLC, updates, game modes, items, etc, etc) for TF2 and it's STILL one of the most played games out there, and STILL provides Valve with income even after all these years. There is definitely value in catering to your fans to the point to where your bottom line is still more than profitable while keeping good relations with your customers with an exceptional customer-oriented approach.
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Valve's PR Department couldn't have written that better themselves. ;)
 
Fail said:
Valve released free everything (DLC, updates, game modes, items, etc, etc) for TF2 and it's STILL one of the most played games out there, and STILL provides Valve with income even after all these years. There is definitely value in catering to your fans to the point to where your bottom line is still more than profitable while keeping good relations with your customers with an exceptional customer-oriented approach.
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More than Valve, TF2 provides some serious $$$ for people who get content added. Pretty sure Gabe actually bought like $20,000 worth of wrenches from one of the earlier inclusions. I also saw some guy in game before that got a custom map included, I think he said they paid him like two thousand fucking $$$ or something whacky. Look at the stamp system, some maps have made people like over $50,000 at this point.
 
piscian18 said:
Should be noted as well the DLC for TF2 is aesthetic and not gameplay impacting. People complain about hats but I'll take hats over feeling like I can't play on the same level as everybody else because I'm not pouring all my money into gun and armor dlc.
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Not all the shit released for TF2 is aesthetic.
 
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