1. Should gaming sites review/post articles on dlc?

[Heister]

2. If they didn't promote it, would it go away?
3. Is it ok to promote dlc for small indie studios?


1. I don't think gaming sites should promote dlc if it isn't free or created by an indie developer.
2. It would affect the sales I think, so maybe?
3. Yes. These guys need all the help they can get. But... no publishers allowed!

Any thoughts or additions to the above?

[Hypernetic]

That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard. DLC isn't evil and really is just an extension of something that has been happening in gaming for decades, a little thing called an expansion pack.

Back in the day you used to have to go to the store and buy a boxed copy of "DLC" aka an expansion pack, now you just download it. I don't see the problem.

Is some DLC stupid? I.E. map packs that should be free or day one DLC? Sure, but it is up to you as a consumer to decide what is worth paying for.

There are plenty of examples of amazing DLC for games (just off the top of my head, broken steel for Fallout 3 or Shivering Isles for Oblivion), to have gaming sites stop covering it simply because you think DLC is evil is beyond retarded.

[Heister]

That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard. DLC isn't evil and really is just an extension of something that has been happening in gaming for decades, a little thing called an expansion pack.

Back in the day you used to have to go to the store and buy a boxed copy of "DLC" aka an expansion pack, now you just download it. I don't see the problem.

Is some DLC stupid? I.E. map packs that should be free or day one DLC? Sure, but it is up to you as a consumer to decide what is worth paying for.

There are plenty of examples of amazing DLC for games (just off the top of my head, broken steel for Fallout 3 or Shivering Isles for Oblivion), to have gaming sites stop covering it simply because you think DLC is evil is beyond retarded.

Oi, dumbass, did you see the word 'evil' in the post above? Did you even read any of the questions or answers?

[Kodeen]

Not all DLC is created equal. An expansion pack sized DLC released months after release, like what is possibly coming for Skyrim soon, is not the same as a character reskin DLC.

Particularly for the former, people would want to get it and would like to be informed of it. Would you argue that, if we were still in the age of expansion packs, that articles shouldn't be written about those?

[Fumarole]

I don't think gaming sites should promote dlc if it isn't free or created by an indie developer.

Why?

extra characters

[Hypernetic]

Oi, dumbass, did you see the word 'evil' in the post above? Did you even read any of the questions or answers?

It can be inferred from your post that you think any DLC made by a big developer is evil/garbage/etc.

[arathain]

Oi, dumbass, did you see the word 'evil' in the post above? Did you even read any of the questions or answers?

I've read both the questions and answers. Like Hyperkinetic, I got the very strong impression that you don't like DLC, except in the hands of small studios; a puzzling distinction. It doesn't seem worthwhile to enter into a discussion when you've made up your mind, but it's the Internet and talk is cheap.

1. Why on earth shouldn't they? It's part of gaming. Many gamers like and want it or they wouldn't keep paying for it. Many great DLC is more than worth the asking price, and why should something of value that required time and expertise to produce be free? There's bad DLC out there- just don't buy it. Hey, if gaming sites didn't cover it you'd have a hard time knowing the good from the bad.

2. If gaming sites made some sort of bizarre worldwide collective bargain to pretend a part of gaming didn't exist developers and publishers would still market directly to consumers, just like they do now.

3. I don't understand the distinction. I guess it's some sort of "big company bad. Small company good." which seems rather arbitrary. Not sure why indies "need all the help they can get" when many of them are doing very nicely for themselves on the back of some very good games.

[soldant]

1. I don't think gaming sites should promote dlc if it isn't free or created by an indie developer.

So basically, if an indie dev releases a shitty character skin DLC we should review that, but not if EA does it for Mass Effect or something? That's friggin' ridiculous. Substantial DLC packs should be reviewed, that's the whole point of a review, to offer someone's opinion which may assist you in determining whether or not you'll like the product. Its origin should be relevant only in terms of what standard should be applied to the content, not whether it should be mentioned or not.

Also the indie circuit gets a boatload of free advertising these days, especially since everyone's jumped on the Kickstarter bandwagon. I don't see why the fact that its indie should make one iota of difference nor why they need even more exposure simply for DLC.

[dsch]

Personally, I have faith in the editorial judgement of the hive mind.

[Heister]

So basically, if an indie dev releases a shitty character skin DLC we should review that, but not if EA does it for Mass Effect or something? That's friggin' ridiculous. Substantial DLC packs should be reviewed, that's the whole point of a review, to offer someone's opinion which may assist you in determining whether or not you'll like the product. Its origin should be relevant only in terms of what standard should be applied to the content, not whether it should be mentioned or not.

Also the indie circuit gets a boatload of free advertising these days, especially since everyone's jumped on the Kickstarter bandwagon. I don't see why the fact that its indie should make one iota of difference nor why they need even more exposure simply for DLC.

I'll put that under 'any thoughts or additions'. Saying that, has any indie dev put out such shit dlc as that? Apart from Tripwire?

[Nalano]

Oi, dumbass, did you see the word 'evil' in the post above? Did you even read any of the questions or answers?

Oi, dumbass, who the fuck are you calling dumbass? I read the OP, same as Hypernetic, and came to the same conclusion as he did: You hate DLC. Suck it.

1. Yeah. It's content, same as any other.
2. No. It's profitable, and people want it.
3. Why wouldn't it be?

[Sketch]

Should gaming websites cover gaming news?


Gee...

[wuwul]

Is some DLC stupid? I.E. map packs that should be free or day one DLC? Sure, but it is up to you as a consumer to decide what is worth paying for.

Extra maps should be done by hobbyist modders, and for multiplayer games automatically downloaded when you join a game using the map.

[Capt. Eduardo del Mango]

That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard.

I'm beginning to pick up quite how hostile these forums can be at times. Jesus man, you don't agree with him - and you explain why in the middle bit of that post, awesome. But why do you need to say "that's the dumbest thing I've ever heard" and finish off with;

beyond retarded.

Now he's a retard, and you're a fucking retard, and you can shut your fucking face and you watch your damn mouth and what did you call me etc etc. You made a perfectly logical, reasonable, convincing riposte to his comment - why tack an insult on each end, man?

Anyways yeah, DLC clearly isn't automatically evil. I, OP, everyone else in this thread knows exploitative, shitty DLC when they see it and, yeah, I'd probably rather not see that promoted, but in answer to 1 well what do you expect a big mainstream review site who relies in advance copies of games to do, and in answer to 2 I can't imagine it'd make a difference. I don't play games which do the DLC thing a lot, but I'm sure there are enough ways to push it in the faces of players in the process of getting to the game itself for a lack of DLC coverage to do very much to sales of it.

But much more significantly from my point of view, there are a shitload of little upcoming indie games (primarily in SPAAAAAAAAAAACE) that I'm really excited about - I could skip every game with the type of DLC that Heister objects to for the rest of my life and still have plenty of things to keep me busy. In essence, CoDblops 7: The Bloppening can have as many downloadable custom rifle grips as it wants, and sell as many individual maps as it wants, and Gamespy can cover them as much as they want, and people can buy them as much as they want 'cos it's not going to stop Faster Than Light coming out and it's not going to stop it being fucking awesome.

[Hypernetic]

I'm beginning to pick up quite how hostile these forums can be at times. Jesus man, you don't agree with him - and you explain why in the middle bit of that post, awesome. But why do you need to say "that's the dumbest thing I've ever heard" and finish off with;



Now he's a retard, and you're a fucking retard, and you can shut your fucking face and you watch your damn mouth and what did you call me etc etc. You made a perfectly logical, reasonable, convincing riposte to his comment - why tack an insult on each end, man?

Anyways yeah, DLC clearly isn't automatically evil. I, OP, everyone else in this thread knows exploitative, shitty DLC when they see it and, yeah, I'd probably rather not see that promoted, but in answer to 1 well what do you expect a big mainstream review site who relies in advance copies of games to do, and in answer to 2 I can't imagine it'd make a difference. I don't play games which do the DLC thing a lot, but I'm sure there are enough ways to push it in the faces of players in the process of getting to the game itself for a lack of DLC coverage to do very much to sales of it.

But much more significantly from my point of view, there are a shitload of little upcoming indie games (primarily in SPAAAAAAAAAAACE) that I'm really excited about - I could skip every game with the type of DLC that Heister objects to for the rest of my life and still have plenty of things to keep me busy. In essence, CoDblops 7: The Bloppening can have as many downloadable custom rifle grips as it wants, and sell as many individual maps as it wants, and Gamespy can cover them as much as they want, and people can buy them as much as they want 'cos it's not going to stop Faster Than Light coming out and it's not going to stop it being fucking awesome.

That's how I roll. Also, I never called HIM retarded, I called his idea retarded.

[agentorange]

Well I just played through the DLC for Human Revolution, The Missing Link, and thoroughly enjoyed it. The developers listened to criticisms of the base games, namely on the boss fights, and improved on those areas, and those improvements could carry on to future sequels. All in all an example of good DLC. Sure, a lot of DLC out there is a shameless attempt at cash grabbing, but some of it is not, some of it is genuinely thoughtful new content that the developers wanted to make for creative reasons (New Vegas DLC). And even some cash grab DLC like skins, if a fan wants to spend money on vanity products like that, products allowing some programmer or digital artist to earn a few bucks, who are we to criticize that, it's their fucking choice to spend the money. The only DLC I am staunchly opposed to is day 1 DLC of substantial content, such as quests, that could have been in the base game on release.

In conclusion the idea of not reporting on DLC at all is moronic. If DLC is so awful then why would you want to keep articles criticizing DLC from being written?

[Grizzly]

I'll put that under 'any thoughts or additions'. Saying that, has any indie dev put out such shit dlc as that? Apart from Tripwire?

Two questions stem from this:
1. Has Tripwire actually done stuff like that?
2. Is Tripwire an indie dev? Quite sure they are under the paradox banner.

Also, Heister, you appear to be completely ignoring the question that gets send to you all the time: What is the problem with DLC (You also appear to be ignoring a few other questions aimed at you, but I'll leave those to the respective threads)? If we take DLC like "Old World Blues" for New Vegas or "Lair of the Shadow Broker" of Mass Effect 2 as an example, can you explain what is wrong with these DLC?

[QuantaCat]

I'm beginning to pick up quite how hostile these forums can be at times. Jesus man, you don't agree with him - and you explain why in the middle bit of that post, awesome.

Says "I WANT TO KILL YOU WITH THIS SPOON" man. Welcome to the internet, sir.

Anyway. I like expansions. I dont necessarily like small expansions, as DLC usually is. But where they're substantial, they should be loved by the world!

[Vexing Vision]

1) Yes, please.

[Scumbag]

Apart from Tripwire?

Care to expand on that? Its crap DLC as its paid for skins in Killing floor?