DLC's vs. Expansions

[Digglett]

DLC sucks, expansions all time every time.

DLC is not the devil people.

Can't take this seriously.

[Caiada]

DLC sucks, expansions all time every time.

Can't take this seriously.

Explain one thing DLCs don't do better than expansions that isn't either telling a cohesive story or something you can blame on developers/publishers misusing it.

[Khaza-R]

Very rarely do I feel like I get my money's worth in DLC. Bioware is the worst offenders of this imo. One of the only exceptions I have is Broken Steel DLC for Fallout 3. Even it was borderline worth 1/6th the game's cost.

[PACOX]

Explain one thing DLCs don't do better than expansions that isn't either telling a cohesive story or something you can blame on developers/publishers misusing it.

All the Borderlands DLCs were awesome. I love the Fallout 3/NV DLC. Oblivions DLC. GTA IV DLC. ME2 Shadow Broker & Overlord (hell I like the other missions too). Just cause 2 items packs were cool. And I not even going to get into my Steam games.

[Caiada]

All the Borderlands DLCs were awesome. I love the Fallout 3/NV DLC. Oblivions DLC. GTA IV DLC. ME2 Shadow Broker & Overlord (hell I like the other missions too). Just cause 2 items packs were cool. And I not even going to get into my Steam games.

Exactly. Borderlands and Fallout especially are fantastic examples of how DLC can be a good thing. Adding more content in small bitesize story-chunks that aren't quite expansions but still add things. And if I don't like them? I don't buy them! If I don't like the LoD campaign but want to play as new classes, well, too damn bad, buy the 30-40 dollar expansion.

[bas]

I really wouldn't mind paying some extra for an additional quality content patch (in WoW)

[OrcsRLame]

@OP You're undervaluing the DLC that actually has content. Yes, Kasumi: Stolen Memories is about 30 minutes long. But Arrival and Lair of the Shadow Broker are longer than 1 and 1.5 hours. I can't speak for Overlord, as I never bought it. Arrival is closer to two hours. Lair of the Shadow Broker is also closer to two hours. Possibly longer for both if you do them on higher difficulties.

You also neglect to mention all the free DLC ME2 got.

[Deleted]

I prefer expansions but not really worried about the DLC trend. Only really good games that have pleased the players who have played through them can get away with it.

But sure, I miss expansions.

---------- Post added 2012-03-20 at 06:19 AM ----------

@OP You're undervaluing the DLC that actually has content. Yes, Kasumi: Stolen Memories is about 30 minutes long. But Arrival and Lair of the Shadow Broker are longer than 1 and 1.5 hours. I can't speak for Overlord, as I never bought it. Arrival is closer to two hours. Lair of the Shadow Broker is also closer to two hours. Possibly longer for both if you do them on higher difficulties.

You also neglect to mention all the free DLC ME2 got.

Expansions are usually 10-20 hours though with 2-3 times the DLC price.

[OrcsRLame]

I prefer expansions but not really worried about the DLC trend. Only really good games that have pleased the players who have played through them can get away with it.

But sure, I miss expansions.

---------- Post added 2012-03-20 at 06:19 AM ----------



Expansions are usually 10-20 hours though with 2-3 times the DLC price.

I'm aware, but the OP is still making it out to be worse than it is. DLC isn't quite the monster people make it out to be imho. Just don't buy the weapon packs, as most of the weapons suck anyway. In the case of ME2, the original guns are actually better. Revenant with accuracy upgrade > Mattock. Assuming Overlord is the same length as Arrival and LOTSB, that's 6 hours of content between the 3 of them. Zaeed+Kasumi are an hour between them, and arguably more if you actually like using them and enjoy squadmate dialogue. Firewalker is free, and is about 2 hours. So it's 9 hours of content, for about 35 dollars.

Sure, it's not as good as DA:A, but it's not this total ripoff like people are making it out to be. Hell, it's probably a better deal than the next SC2 expansion. Guarantee I can finish HOTS in under 8 hours. But no one is gonna claim that's the same kind of monster that DLC is.

[Stevegasm]

Expansions. I loved them. They were $40 for another game basically, and cheaper simply because it was nothing more than new levels. Too bad so many fools pay full price for CoD, and sports games every year.

The only good DLC I've ever come across was that by Bethesda and Gearbox. Save that of horse armour of course. Then again, these days, I think people like that shit. I mean, you log into WoW, you saw a lot of that celestial steed crap, along with golden dragons at $25 a pop. $2 horse armour no longer seems like a travesty.

[Deleted]

I'm aware, but the OP is still making it out to be worse than it is. DLC isn't quite the monster people make it out to be imho. Just don't buy the weapon packs, as most of the weapons suck anyway. In the case of ME2, the original guns are actually better. Revenant with accuracy upgrade > Mattock. Assuming Overlord is the same length as Arrival and LOTSB, that's 6 hours of content between the 3 of them. Zaeed+Kasumi are an hour between them, and arguably more if you actually like using them and enjoy squadmate dialogue. Firewalker is free, and is about 2 hours. So it's 9 hours of content, for about 35 dollars.

Sure, it's not as good as DA:A, but it's not this total ripoff like people are making it out to be. Hell, it's probably a better deal than the next SC2 expansion. Guarantee I can finish HOTS in under 8 hours. But no one is gonna claim that's the same kind of monster that DLC is.

Yea true. ME2 is a really good game so I didn't mind the DLCs for it at all. I still prefer mattock though. Reverant is good but is only available for soldiers and excludes you from picking the widow sniper rifle, I think, mattock should be available for all. But the geth plasma shotgun is a clear upgrade for all shotguns. It's just so good.

[Voidgazer]

Good model vs bad model.

This is not a question, OP.

[OrcsRLame]

Yea true. ME2 is a really good game so I didn't mind the DLCs for it at all. I still prefer mattock though. Reverant is good but is only available for soldiers and excludes you from picking the widow sniper rifle, I think, mattock should be available for all. But the geth plasma shotgun is a clear upgrade for all shotguns. It's just so good.

That's probably true about the Geth Plasma Shotgun, but I wouldn't know because I don't really use shotguns. And I did mainly play a soldier in ME2. While the Widow is good btw, the Viper is actually better for a heightened adrenaline rush specced soldier, due to being able to get 5 headshots per AR. Revenant/Viper is simply the highest dps combination in the game, while also giving the best sustainability.

Yes, I metagamed the hell out of ME2 for my insanity playthrough. Personally I prefer the Vindicator. While it is worse than both the Mattock and the Revenant it reminds me of the Halo 2 Battle Rifle.

[Achaman]

expansions since dlc are usually just a few maps or a new race/faction while expansions can be "a whole new game" in 1 (usually) quick install

[Lazy Gecko]

Compare the amount of content you got in Throne of Bhaal for Baldur's Gate 2, to the equivalent cost of DLC content for any modern Bioware game. I think "pay more for less" sums up this generation pretty neatly.

[Deleted]

Compare the amount of content you got in Throne of Bhaal for Baldur's Gate 2, to the equivalent cost of DLC content for any modern Bioware game. I think "pay more for less" sums up this generation pretty neatly.

this .

[Wilian]

There are two sorts of DLC, good DLC (FO NV, Witcher2) where the DLC is either a mini expansion by itself or provided for free for the sake of good relations to customers. (And fighting piracy through good PR instead of restrictive DRM imposed on customers)

The bad DLC would be all and every sort of appereance packs, hastily put together one hour runs and horse DLC shit that practically killed modding community on this front to make people buy them instead of just making them for their games.

In other words, DLC can be good if it's made with good intentions and/or with proper production values to add real gameplay to the game, but usually that's not the case. Expansion packs aren't really that different from well made DLC, except for possibly offering a bit more content (but with higher price/delayed release) versus faster content but cheaper.

[Sinizerg]

Expansions all the way... nothing else to say

[Digglett]

Explain one thing DLCs don't do better than expansions that isn't either telling a cohesive story or something you can blame on developers/publishers misusing it.

You get WAY more content for less. Add up all the DLC's you are paying for and it is mighty expensive. I'm more talking about older expansions, since newer ones tend to leave out a shit load and leave the rest to DLC.

[Edge-]

IF, and this is an EXTREMELY BIG IF they did DLC right, I would totally vote for that. Being able to purchase content a'la carte is spectacular. But sadly it's not done right, and the overwhelming majority is overpriced for how much content is actually delivered. I miss the old expansion model, because when I purchased expansions I felt like I was getting a second complete game.