You don't? Well I can see why people are "upset" with this. Probably because I'm one of those "sheeple" who don't like it when I'm getting blatently shaved by greedy managers of a large coorperations.
Because you're milking your customers by promising cut content for a price that isn't worth the investment, from a consumer point of view. I've never bought DLC and I don't plan to, as most DLC don't add that much quality or quantity. The old way of releasing expansions was much more worth the investment, from a consumer point of view. Not from a multinational sharehold coorporation, that I can agree with, because releasing substanderd and short content is far more cost effective then releasing an expansion with all the risks and costs attached to that.
But in the end the coorporations are serving their potential consumers, not the other way around. Which is basically what the DLC model does. You're not "rewarding" developers good sized extra content (read, no cut content from the core game) by buying an expension. The consumer is basically paying EA's bill to keep the core team employed a little longer to work on cut content which should've been in the core game in the first place, but which was axed because the coorporation hoped/knew enough people would by DLC and therefor could cut content from the core game.
In other words EAware knows it can cut content from the core game because of the DLC model. And gamers apparently are playing ball with EA, for reasons unknown to me. But ask yourself this. Do you really think EAware released DLC out of charity? They're not expanding the game with features or improvements that were thought up after the core game was released. They're releasing cut core content and getting the sheeple to pay for it seperately.
If gamers want to pay for that behaviour and businessmodel, that's fine by me. Me, I'll pay for good sized SP campaigns which appeal to me and my preferences. And I'll pay for good sized, quality expansions. I won't pay for DLC. I don't care for shareholder targets, I care about good games.
Ps about the picture in the link....how did Bioware ever survive the developement of Baldur's Gate back in the "old days"? No DLC then, just expansions. Needing DLC model to survive is really just an excuse.
ps 2 This controversy isn't knew at all. I remember that in BG2, two merchants were added in the CE of that game. Gamers were mad that they weren't included in the core game. The merchants were later added in a patch.
In retrospect those two lousy merchants were the beginning of DLC if you think about it.
It's content that wouldn't be in the game. Back in the long long ago there were plenty of things that were close to being done, but for times sake had to be cut. Now many companies will add these back into the game. Or even things form their concept phase that were never intended for the final game because of x, y, z reason. People are the ones who wanted more so the developers started offering it. If you don't like that, fine. I'm unsure of your usage as to cut content. So I figured cover both bases.
The content in the game isn't cut. I'm sorry to say. As each team finishes their section of the game they move on to working on DLC. By the time ME3 was just finishing principle programming where most of the hard work goes it was only then beginning to be prepared to be made as a DLC. Once the game was properly done the majority of their coders was mopved over to it. PRE-Production means just that. Getting the actors, scripts, computers, space, and anything else needed for the DLC to be made. The fact that they didn't have his actor from the get go should tell you that this DLC wasn't cut from the main game. Or they would have hired him from the main games development time/budget. Remember ME3 was done last year, so they've had plenty of time to make DLC.
Are expansions a better deal? Yes. That's your only point you have there. The downside is impatient gamers have quickened the cycle. They want more, now, and as much as possible. DLC was the inevitable trade off. Is it as good? No. Is this games particular day one DLC cut content? No. Could there be companies who have or will cut actual in game content out of the disc and then sell as DLC? Yes. The debate about an expansion is a different topic though. This is just relating to the DLC being cut content. No Strawman if you will.
Also the DLC isn't needed to win, it doesn't have a large impact on the games plot, and it isn't all that relevant to the greater plot in the game about defeating the Reapers. It's a neat piece of lore, but it's hardly critical. Everything important about the squad mates species you need to know is most likely in game. If anything. It's completely optional, and it isn't needed to access anything else in the game or to beat anything. It is 100% optional and people are mad at this. I've looked at the leaked script files, war asset files, ect. He isn't all that important. Now if YOU think it's important, then your going to fork over the cash. Extra content made outside of the games development time does not get launched for free, unless it's a nice company like Valve or CD Project Red.
I've already stated why that would be impossible as well. ME3 was undergoing certification when the DLC was just starting to be made. Once certification is done it's often very complicated to get anything added to the game. It's almost like a final proof, and too many people depend on it for it to suddenly just change. Lots of lawyering would be required. And this is EA we're talking about. So I seriously doubt it.
This new model is newer, it's something game studious have to do to make any money with the crazy demand for games people have these days. They need to have something on development at all times. It also uses more time developing more things. It's just an adaption. They have the money to do it too. However even without DLC they can still use that production cycle. Even for an expansion or something, or even a sequel/new title of some kind. You keep your staff busy. Your paying for them, so make them work. Any downtime is wasted time, especially how long games take to get made. If you don't keep them busy then you're paying them for nothing and they must be let go. So then when you do try an expansion or DLC all of a sudden you need to rehire everyone, and pray to god in the 3-6 months of certification/testing that they haven't moved on with their lives and other jobs. Lots of those people have family's to feed.
No Bethesda started DLC with their crappy horse armor. Those were just patches, when all dev's gave out free content like that. Just little things, not all that critical to the enjoyment of the game.
I'm not saying EA is good here, I'm just saying their neutral and entitled to make money. This is one of the few times they haven't done something stupid. As much as people cringe to admit it, they have no claim to that first day DLC.
Edit
All that 870$ business is complete nonsense. The only things unique and not in the game are the pre-orders, collectors edition content, and day 1 DLC. All that other DLC is just early unlocks for multiplayer that comes with expensive things. So if your time is worth 800$ to shave 1-2 hours of play time off of multiplayer, then feel free. Seriously all those things are are early unlocks or +1 to the weapons stats unlocks ie level ups for guns if you already have them. So no, it isn't required. Unless your rich enough that 2 hours of your life can be valued at 800$.
» Wed Sep 19, 2012 4:27 pm 
. So much awesome stuff they could have done
That is very true.
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