Bleszinski: On-disc DLC an unfortunate necessity [Joystiq]

[DP ServBot]

http://www.blogcdn.com/www.joystiq.com/media/2012/02/sfxt0214125bmpjpgcopy_530x298.jpg (http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/10/bleszinski-on-disc-dlc-an-unfortunate-necessity/)
With the recent kerfuffle surrounding Street Fighter X Tekken's on-disc downloadable content, Epic's Cliff Bleszinski chimed in on the issue, calling it "an ugly truth of the gaming industry." Speaking to GameSpot (http://au.gamespot.com/news/on-disc-dlc-an-ugly-truth-says-gears-of-war-designer-6370601), the well-known designer noted that prior to a game finally shipping, there are "often three or four months where the game is basically done," leaving developers with "an idle team that needs to be working on things."

For the sake of compatibility, some downloadable content may need to be located on the disc itself. "It's an ugly truth of the gaming industry," Bleszinski added, "I'm not the biggest fan of having to do it, but it is one of the unfortunate realities." Once the industry goes entirely digital, he said, the issue will be obsolete.

Capcom recently raised the ire of its fans when it was discovered that upcoming downloadable characters were already on the disc. The publisher stated that the content was included on the disc in order to ensure compatibility (http://www.joystiq.com/2012/03/05/capcom-street-fighter-x-tekken-dlc-on-disc-to-ensure-compatibil/) by offering a "single, unified version of the game." In a response to Better Business Bureau complaints (http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/03/report-capcom-sees-no-distinction-between-on-disc-and-off-dis/), the company later stated its belief that there is "effectively no distinction" between bonus content included on a disc and downloaded content.http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif (http://www.joystiq.com)Bleszinski: On-disc DLC an unfortunate necessity (http://www.joystiq.com/2012/04/10/bleszinski-on-disc-dlc-an-unfortunate-necessity/) originally appeared on Joystiq (http://www.joystiq.com) on Tue, 10 Apr 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds (http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/).

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[Rickstilwell1]

Bring back Gameshark and unlock everything for free...

[substantial_snake]

The only thing in the article that bothered me was:

"Once the industry goes entirely digital, he said, the issue will be obsolete."

...

So what does that mean? That the problem will magically go away or that dev studios and publishers will continue to push this model of "on the download" content lockouts? Shipping a product with locked content on the disc is just shitty since its locking out the consumer from content they physically but you chose to deny access to.The dev cycle has nothing to do with weather the content is the final release or not, if you ship the game with it then it should be accessible to your consumer. I don't see how a dev with passion for gaming can seriously justify the practice as something the industry HAS to do rather then WANTS to do.

I can totally understand things like the Online Pass idea or traditional DLC (though larger PC-like expansion packs were soooo much better) as a way to get more out of the investment that game development has become but this practice is just total bullshit to me regardless of how they want to justify it.

[Oobgarm]

I have no issue with this. I thought Capcom's response made sense about making things easy to deploy and balance.

If I don't want it, then I wont buy it. And if were a feature I wasn't interested in anyway, I wouldn't make use of it if it were standard content.

If a game is devoid of initial content, like Ridge Racer on Vita, then there's reason to complain. But Street Fighter X Tekken? Please.

[j_factor]

So, if they had just left the data off the disc, but done nothing else differently, people wouldn't be complaining? Seems a little silly.

[Edmond Dantes]

Bleszinski: Apologist to greedy scumbags.

[kai123]

So, if they had just left the data off the disc, but done nothing else differently, people wouldn't be complaining? Seems a little silly.

There is nothing silly about it. If it was just the models on there then sure I get "it". The characters have everything on there. Nothing is keeping them from being playable but a small file to download at a later date. The game would be balanced if the characters were unlockable like in the old days. There is no reason to play my games more than once anymore (fighting games excluded). I don't unlock anything but trophies. It is a sad state we are in. Then they wonder why people wait before buying games or wait to buy them used.

[BHvrd]

This coming from a man who's DLC for his newest game (GoW3) is nothing short of a 5 page essay.

[Dangerboy]

If companies believe I need to pay for content already ont he disc I just bought, then I believe I can buy it used to afford the extra content.

[Hawksmoor]

If the DLC requires extensive development time, that's one thing. However, it seems all too often content that would have been included in the past, such as alternate costumes, is basically parsed out so that the devs can line their pockets. Trying to pretend that it's not a blatant money grab is disingenuous.

[Gamereviewgod]

I have no issue with this. I thought Capcom's response made sense about making things easy to deploy and balance.

If I don't want it, then I wont buy it. And if were a feature I wasn't interested in anyway, I wouldn't make use of it if it were standard content.

If a game is devoid of initial content, like Ridge Racer on Vita, then there's reason to complain. But Street Fighter X Tekken? Please.

Or, Capcom could just have all the characters available to everyone, and suddenly, there are no balance issues.

[j_factor]

There is nothing silly about it. If it was just the models on there then sure I get "it". The characters have everything on there. Nothing is keeping them from being playable but a small file to download at a later date.

The part that I see as silly is that the criticism doesn't extend to DLC more broadly. If Capcom changed nothing else but took the character data off the disc, you'd find the situation less objectionable, but you're not actually getting anything different.

[kai123]

The part that I see as silly is that the criticism doesn't extend to DLC more broadly. If Capcom changed nothing else but took the character data off the disc, you'd find the situation less objectionable, but you're not actually getting anything different.

I don't really care either way I wasn't going to buy this game and it makes it that much easier not to. I am just tired of games with no bonuses at all anymore. There is no reason to replay single player in games anymore. I also don't appreciate DLC becoming the only way for them to make money. This was clearly developed with rest of the game and was going to be forced down our throats at one point. Capcom can try to spin this however they like. DLC annoys the shit out of me except with the way Bethesda has been handling their DLC. Yea, I know horse armor but DLC was very new at the time and I feel they have given quite a bit of bang for the buck since then.

DOWN WITH DLC!

[Az]

I have no issue with this. I thought Capcom's response made sense about making things easy to deploy and balance.

So I bought the PS3 version over the 360 version for Cole, Megaman, and Pac-Man.

Megaman and Pac-Man are on the damn select screen from the moment you first turn the game on yet I can't use them because you have to take your PS3 online to download the update to play as them.

So Capcom finishes the characters, advertises them as PS3 exclusives, puts them on the goddamn character select screen from the start of the game, yet still requires you to go and download an unlock key? And what was the time frame between street date and the unlock release, like 3 fucking days? Please, someone explain to me the logic behind that bullshit.

[Rickstilwell1]

So I looked it up and they did make an Action Replay for Xbox 360. Don't you think all this DLC could probably be unlocked for free with cheat codes?

[j_factor]

So I looked it up and they did make an Action Replay for Xbox 360. Don't you think all this DLC could probably be unlocked for free with cheat codes?

I think you're mistaken. The only "Action Replay" device I've seen for the 360 is the Power Saves product.

[Kitsune Sniper]

Hey Cliffy.

YOUR GAMES are not a necessity.

[Gamereviewgod]

So I looked it up and they did make an Action Replay for Xbox 360. Don't you think all this DLC could probably be unlocked for free with cheat codes?

Players with modded 360s are actually online playing with the locked characters. Capcom asked people to point out the Gamertags, and the forum thread turned into a squash-fest towards Capcom. Only one person called out a GT. It was hilarious.

[RARusk]

DLC stands for Downloaded (or Downloadable) Content. It is something you download from a remote server to your machine.

If the DLC is already on your disc then it is not DLC since you didn't download the content - you already have it in your possession. Some people may point out that the key to unlock the content qualifies as DLC. It does not - the key is not content.

Therefore any locked on-disc content that is advertised as DLC is fraud and should either be renamed or have the practice outlawed. If you actually want to have all of the DLC on your disc then you wait a year and get the Game of The Year Edition.

[kedawa]

Disk Locked Content.
The beast has many names.

[Berserker]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v348/natev/unfortunatenecessity.png

[RARusk]

Disk Locked Content.
The beast has many names.

Didn't think of that. Good response.

In this case then DLC should be spelled out as "Disc Locked Content" instead of using the acronym since most people still see it as "DownLoadable Content".

[InsaneDavid]

Let's all look over at that Skylanders display making a bundle for Activision - buy hundreds and hundreds of dollars in plastic character and level unlocks for the game that's included all the content since day one.

[BetaWolf47]

Man, while all of this is happening. CD Projekt is releasing a free upgrade of The Witcher 2 in three days. Glad I've stayed away from Capcom games like I have.
http://www.gog.com/news/the_witcher_2_assassins_of_kings_enhanced_edition_ announced