The answer isn't "don't buy the game", and I don't think anyone is really saying that. Not buying the product all together ... isn't really going to give a clear message. Also, if it's a game you really want ... it's just kind of silly not to get it.
A clearer message would be to buy the game, but not buy the "DLC" (technically ODC ... since it's On Disc Content )
If you just abstain ... they'll view the lack of sales however they want, most likely punishing the developers who worked on it, rather than changing any real practices.
Cronozilla wrote:A clearer message would be to buy the game, but not buy the "DLC"
If you just abstain ... they'll view the lack of sales however they want, most likely punishing the developers who worked on it, rather than changing any real practices.
I totally agree with this.
Also, There's soooo many games out there, why waste time on extra content that not everyone gets to play? I'm more concerned with getting the main experience, the one everyone can relate to.
I think the only DLC I've ever bought into is Yoda for SCIV on PS3. But even that is a "main experience" aspect of the game, as he's on the 360 version.
Having extra, inaccessible (without unlock purchase) content on the disc is pretty cheesy though. In the future, I think hackers should crack that open for everybody else, per game.
A clearer message would be to buy the game, but not buy the "DLC"
It's not that simple with SFxT! A good portion of the actual game experience is DLC (disc locked content). This IS a fighting game after all. Around 15 characters are obtainable via DLC... 15!!! And what's worse is that even if you're cool with purchasing this said content, you have to suffer and wait for the stupid PS Vita release because of some foolish exclusivity between Capcom and Sony so their handheld version can contain some appeal over its console counterpart! Even if you ignore DLC altogether, The fact remains that the game is far from a polished product in its current state. I'm just glad that not only the US consumer is aware of how much of a mess this game is...
Ok, I will give a counter argument to the uninformed or the disillusioned about the gaming business and development process.
In game development, and any other project driven enterprise, they schedule the project out ahead of time. Most of the time the cost of development is the least fluid aspect. The development cost is roughly set and the the content and development time/schedule is mapped out. Obviously all 3 of these aspects are tied closely together.
So, at the beginning stages of the game development, they outline what will be in the game and itemize each feature with a projected development cost in both money and time. Ok, if we add in this level it will take x graphic designers and y hours each and this level designer y hours etc... Same thing goes for characters in fighting games or any other feature in any other game. This is when they budget what can make it in the game and what can't given their resources. Certain features or aspects can only be worked on or make it in the game with the promise of dlc funding.
A decision to cut those 15 fighters is made because they cannot fit it in their initial budget or projected schedule. They then discuss that they can justify the extra designer work and money be put in if they have a projected added return on that content from DLC. If there was no projected DLC return, that content would just not make it in the game at all as they couldnt justify spending the resources on it, and you most likely would have never even heard about it as it was left on the cutting room floor. They didn't make the characters and levels and then after the fact go ok lets cut these 15 fighters for now and make them dlc only. They schedule and budget these things out, each feature is accounted for in the schedule and budget.
So are all the other games you have bought that had features cut out that you never even knew about incomplete games? Or are they any less incomplete than the DLC games? The promise of DLC funding allows them to make additional content they otherwise wouldn't put in the game anyway. A consumer of the game still gets the initial purchase game experience they want, and fans who especially love the games now get to put a bit more money into the product to unlock additional content. By getting rid of dlc, the regular consumer gains nothing while cutting out the fan who would be interested in more content and support. On disc content or dlc is just additional content projected from the beginning of the project instead of solely being worked on after.
I don't think anyone is saying don't make or buy DLC. Not even a little bit. But there is a bit of responsibility on the publisher's part.
Rolling over for whatever practices they want to perform is nonsense. The publishers have a budget per title and a set amount of work: of course. But to do it in a way that compromises the consumer ... is unacceptable.
There are certain constraints that are unacceptable to bypass ... even for the bottom line. It's not OK, just because it's the only way they could afford to do it.
For example, SFxT could have been released without those fighters on disc and released later, or even day 1, as actual DLC. Would it have cost Capcom more money? Not really. Consider that the fees for getting content up on distribution services on consoles is about the same regardless of size. Really large things cost more, sure. But, their argument was, it's on disc for compatibility instead of releasing a compatibility patch. And that this practice saves no money. However, the game will get patched anyway (compatibility can be included), and you have to list the fighters for sale on the stores anyway, amounting to the same exact fees.
The only thing that's actually sacrificed is that the user is, in effect, buying content then paying to unlock it. They justified it because they'd potentially save some money from the online store fees ... but not really. But in effect, they violated consumer laws to do it, and this reduction in rating is proof of that. (The BBB would not have taken the thing seriously otherwise)
Basically, publishers aren't advancing their funding and payment strategies as fast as they need to. (Fundamentally keeping a game and it's DLC funding separate, even though it's made at a different time is silly. Splitting a budget like that, and profit, reduces the amount actually gained. It's a stupid thing to do) And while that sucks for them, it is not viable to dupe the consumer to attempt to cut some of your overhead.
And, just saying that "oh this happens in a lot of games" doesn't make it OK. It doesn't even have anything to do with a game being complete. It's the fundamental idea that you bought a product that contained content, except you had to pay more to access that content and you were not made aware of this situation by the publisher.
It'd be an entirely different situation if there was a notice on the game saying, money is required to unlock all game content. But there isn't.
Depends on how you look at it. To them, you bought a licensing agreement of software, but you don't necessarily own everything that is on the disc. There have been lots of games with stuff locked on the disc that were just never meant to be played. So it makes it better or any different if they already made the content, didnt put it on the disc and just waited a few weeks or days and released it all as downloadable? Isnt that really the same end result to you as the gamer?
I guess it just drives people nuts that they already stuck it on the disc, but the end result is the same. They choose what they will have as dlc. If there was no dlc, you just wouldnt get those extra characters... They use that promise of future funding to justify the development of what they consider 'additional'. Does this happen 100% of the time? I am sure there have been some shady stuff, but most of the time that is the driving force during the development process.
It's all for the sake of profit. Capcom's greediness is pissing off a lot of gamers, but they still buy and play the games so... I don't expect to see Capcom's handling of DLC to change. S-Kill has stated that they'll handle the wording and marketing better in the future.
Personally, I have a hell of a lot more respect for Namco, specifically Harada and the Tekken staff. Harada tweeted some time ago, around the time the SFxT DLC dilemma started hitting the fan, that Namco would never make its players pay for characters in a Tekken game, and that if anything characters should be handled, as they have been in the past, as unlockable through gameplay. Vanity items, like the CAS items in SCV, are a different story (and they don't charge an arm and a leg for them), but actual characters are like pieces of a chess game.
You need all the pieces to get the intended experience out of a game of chess, and here's Capcom charging you for portions of the complete set. This is something Harada's stated the Tekken staff will never do to its players.
Personally, I have a hell of a lot more respect for Namco, specifically Harada and the Tekken staff. Harada tweeted some time ago, around the time the SFxT DLC dilemma started hitting the fan, that Namco would never make its players pay for characters in a Tekken game, and that if anything characters should be handled, as they have been in the past, as unlockable through gameplay. Vanity items, like the CAS items in SCV, are a different story (and they don't charge an arm and a leg for them), but actual characters are like pieces of a chess game.
You need all the pieces to get the intended experience out of a game of chess, and here's Capcom charging you for portions of the complete set. This is something Harada's stated the Tekken staff will never do to its players.
You beat me to the punch lol! But yeah, Harada is a BOSS and he understands the importance of giving every consumer the same full set of tools. I'm sorry but 15 characters is pushing it way to far IMO!
Oh yea. So much respect for Namco who has thousands of dollars in DLC for The iDOLM@STER. I don't think anything else comes close to iM@S in DLC costs.
What are you people talking about?
Note: I still love The iDOLM@STER. And the DLC isn't on disc, for what it's worth. But they release new DLC packs every month.
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