Paid DLC: Thoughts.

[Dreamy]

It depends, if it's something that I don't want then whatever, but if it's something I really want then I guess I would just have to pay for it.

 

[Excitable Boy]

I'm going to refrain from making a judgement on this until I've seen more specifics about what it's offering, why they're doing it, how it will translate here, how much there is, etc. Like with anything new ever, this could go horribly wrong or horribly right. However...

Because I generally like to explore every aspect of the games as much as I can, and having to triple or double my price for the game wouldn't good.

Doubling or tripling the price?

You're aware that 150¥ is about equivalent to $1.88 USD, correct? Unless you're paying 63-94 cents for the game, that's a bit of an exaggeration.

Day one on-disc DLC and $70 for the CORE GAME? In an age of increasingly-available technology, discs and digital distribution, even with inflation, game prices should be dropping, not rising. (Someone once told me that games cost just as much now as they used to. Never mind the $70 "experiment" of ME3, games are now on discs or digital distribution and not big honking cartridges. Even the DS game card is slimmed down significantly from the cartridges of yore.)

Most of the cost of the game comes with developing the game itself, not manufacturing the cartridges. Games are actually getting more expensive to produce, considering that many are now made with more expensive engines, especially in terms of graphics. Putting them on smaller chips does nothing to offset this.

The first thing that came through my mind when i saw that i had to pay 3$ for the dream radar,

Because it's an entirely separate game that can be played and enjoyed independently of BW2.

 

[Metagross8]

No, no and a hundred times no.

DLC is a lazy way for games companies to con the players, as if it's not bad enough when they charge large amounts for games, including ones they KNOW will sell. Even for side games of the franchise, I disagree.

Look, if I buy a game, I should be entitled to play the whole thing, and not have to pay for 'extras'. It's fine to have unlockable content, but to have to pay for it is too out-there for a franchise like pokemon. payware DLC is more suited to games such as Team Fortress, Trainz (not really a game, but...) and Sims 3, and even then I'm fairly opposed to it. Can you imagine how Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Sky would have been if you had to pay for the additional stories? because that's basically how "buy-DLC" works. It doesn't matter if it's a small amount of money, because if you're going to add more to the game, you should have done so BEFORE RELEASING IT.

I'd rather we get whole games where things are unlocked progressively (Dara O'Briain would disagree for things like GTA and Guitar hero, which I agree on) like in Explorers of Sky than to pay a large amount for a game and then be expected to pay anything more for something that should have been included in the first place. Even C-Gear skinds and things like that, non-payware DLC, is relatively pointless and out of place in Pokemon.

In short, the progression of technology and its reliance on the internet is destroying traditional gaming. Oh, and pay-DLC must never enter the main series lest it bomb.

 

[Watchog]

The Dream Radar was pretty much the first DLC for Pokemon, needing it to get other formes of Pokemon. Either way, I think day-1 DLC is terrible. Anything that was released on day-1 should already be on the game. It's a cheap tactic and a slap in the face to whoever buys the game.

Indeed. I can still feel the slap in the face every once in a while.

 

[Watchog]

Because it's an entirely separate game that can be played and enjoyed independently of BW2.

No ma'am, You may justify this upon me if we were talking about Pokedex3D Pro, Wich costs about 15$ bucks i belive, Pretty much what it should cost. Dream radar on the other hand, Costing only 3$ dollars should've been made as “free downloadable content” for many reasons, one of them being the fact that those of us who reserved pokemon bw2 did not receive anything whatsoever with the copy besides genesect, Wich was a slap in the face.

 

[Excitable Boy]

one of them being the fact that those of us who reserved pokemon bw2 did not receive anything whatsoever with the copy besides genesect, Wich was a slap in the face.

um

You realize that when you purchase a game, you're not -entitled- to anything extra, correct? All you purchased was the game, and all you received was the game. In what country is not getting more than you paid for a "slap in the face?"

I hate the whole idea of DLC's for Pokemon, as it is supposed to be for kids, and not a competetive money-maker, which it seems to evolve into

Every form of product, ever, no matter what demographic it is targeted toward, is meant to be a competitive money-maker. That is and will continue to be the basis of capitalism itself.

 

[Schade]

I hate the whole idea of DLC's for Pokemon, as it is supposed to be for kids, and not a competetive money-maker, which it seems to evolve into

 

[Watchog]

In what country is not getting more than you paid for a "slap in the face?"

U.K.? idk. We usually recive something everytime we reserve a copy of a pokemon game (Not sure if you ever did judging by that question of yours), And this time we didn't get anything at all. But this is besides the point i guess, yet i was expecting Dream radar to be free DLC at least, Perhaps as a bonus of some sort. Either way it was a slap in the face and a big one, Cause first of all i do not have a credit card to start with neither am i planning to buy one nor ask for favors. smh

 

[Excitable Boy]

U.K.? idk. We usually recive something everytime we reserve a copy of a pokemon game (Not sure if you ever did judging by that question of yours), And this time we didn't get anything at all. But this is besides the point i guess, yet i was expecting Dream radar to be free DLC at least, Perhaps as a bonus of some sort. Either way it was a slap in the face and a big one, Cause first of all i do not have a credit card to start with neither am i planning to buy one nor ask for favors. smh

I live in the US, and usually the bonus is a piece of crap with little actual value. In no form of retail is the manufacturer ever expected to include free stuff with a purchase, and it is never considered a "slap in the face."

You are aware that prepaid eShop cards exist, and can be bought in most stores that would normally retail Pokemon games as well, correct? As in, you pay $20 up front and receive a card with a scratch-off code redeemable for 2000 eShop points. I do not own a credit card either, so I have bought multiple cards.

 

[Masterge77]

No, just no. I believe DLC should always be free, as paid DLC is the problem that many people have with Capcom lately is paying money to put content in the game that isn't necessary in the first place. Day-1 DLC is the worst kind of DLC in my opinion, and one infamous example, as many people have been stating, is the Dream Radar, it's just a slap in the face for something people don't really even need in the game, if anything, such content should be available in-game.

This is the main problem I have with event Pokemon, as most of it is unnecessary, you don't even need it to complete the Pokedex, and 90% of the time they are banned in tournaments and in-game battle facilities, essentially making them a waste of space in your PC, to put it simply, they are only novelties and nothing more. What's worse is that anymore you cannot even nickname them at all, as they're treated like traded Pokemon and have a preset OT and ID number that you cannot change their name from "Keldeo" to whatever you please, I mean, I think it's fun to nickname Pokemon because I think it gives them individuality.

I personally thought what they did with how to obtain Zorua and Zoroark in BW1 was a really bad choice on Nintendo's part, as they didn't even need to be event Pokemon at all, they only did that simply to promote a movie that was MADE TO PROMOTE GEN 5 IN THE FIRST PLACE, which I think sent people on a wild goose chase just to get an event Pokemon, simply to get a Pokemon that's basically needed to complete the regional Pokedex, when the others weren't needed for Pokedex completion at all. And while I'm glad they made Zorua and Zoroark in-game obtainable in BW2 (even though you cannot nickname the Zorua you get in Driftveil and is treated as a traded Pokemon), that is not the point. Back in Gen 1, you didn't even need Mew to complete the Pokedex 100%, you just needed to trade between the two versions in order to get every entry, Mew was simply a "bonus Pokemon" and wasn't needed at all, Celebi was essentially the same thing in Gen 2. It wasn't until Gen 3 that it started to slowly become a requirement, as at the time, the only way to get Lugia and Ho-oh was to either get to the Naval Rock event, or transfer them from Colosseum/XD, which I personally thought it was easier to obtain them from there, even though how you obtain them in those two is rather tedious, but that's another topic.

Now here we are in the 5th Generation, and already event and DLC Pokemon are slowly starting to become a requirement, such as the aforementioned Zorua and Zoroark, and now the Sacred Beast formes of the Kami Trio. Regardless, event Pokemon, since Gen 1, are essentially a form of DLC when you think about it, but have always been free regardless.

 

[Aegon]

So you want to pay for things rather than be given it for free?

Thing is, I'm not given these things at all. There are no in-store events in Ireland. So, yes, I'd much prefer being able to obtain the event in some way; I don't care if it involves paying a minuscule sum.

 

[Serebii]

Thing is, I'm not given these things at all. There are no in-store events in Ireland. So, yes, I'd much prefer being able to obtain the event in some way; I don't care if it involves paying a minuscule sum.

I was talking about WiFi events, Global Link promotions etc.

U.K.? idk. We usually recive something everytime we reserve a copy of a pokemon game (Not sure if you ever did judging by that question of yours), And this time we didn't get anything at all. But this is besides the point i guess, yet i was expecting Dream radar to be free DLC at least, Perhaps as a bonus of some sort. Either way it was a slap in the face and a big one, Cause first of all i do not have a credit card to start with neither am i planning to buy one nor ask for favors. smh

Dream Radar is a game, not a free bonus. As such, it was done by a development team who has staff, bills etc. and as such, it needs to be sold in order to regain the money used

 

[*IZ*]

Well I guess that they think that adding DLC they'll be as successful as EA or Activision. Maybe they totally forgot that their games are targeted at younger kids that don't own a credit card. And im guessing wondermails are gone if they're going to be making people pay for extra dungeons.

 

[General Nonsense]

I am against DLC in general. When I buy a game, I am paying for a whole game, not part of a game, the rest of which can be purchased later. I am actually rather disappointed that Nintendo has decided to do this since I don't believe in needing to pay for game content when I have already purchased the game. Why should I have to spend extra money to get full enjoyment and usage out of the game? The only reason I'm fine with wi-fi events is because I don't have to pay extra to get it. I don't have a console, so I don't know how prevalent DLC is usually, but I do know that I was always happy that I never had to deal with that since handheld games don't tend to have extra cost game content. Having to pay a few dollars in order to download a new map just seems like a very poor use of money, especially because kids (who the game is targeted towards), do not have that kind of money to burn.

 

[Floette]

I am definitely against paid DLC. Another game that I was really into absolutely died because of it. It became where Money = Game Progress, and as I learned from that experience, that is not a good formula.. Paid advantages are not okay. If you want to get more money, increase the price of the game itself. I may sound a bit harsh on this, but I am so dead set against this specifically because every game I have ever enjoyed that gained paid DLC died because of it. That being said, hopefully it won't be implemented in the main series games. I would hate to see that.

 

[craigprime]

It all depends on what the DLC is for. Paying for an advantage (Ex. Items, unobtainable pokemon) is what I would consider extremely unfair. All I want when I buy a game is for it to have as much data and capability that can be stuffed in it. DLC's this generation (Map packs, costumes, weapons) has gone to far in some cases. In Reggie's words "Make no mistake, this a full game, right out of the box."

 

[crystalzapdos]

I like this whole DLC idea with pokemon, And i don't. The first thing that came through my mind when i saw that i had to pay 3$ for the dream radar, The first thing that came through my mind was “CAPCOM ”. I was expecting it to be free downloadable content (At least for reserving the game “pokemon white version 2”), Considering the fact we didn't receive anything.

Dream Radar is its own game. Its not DLC. You can paly it without even owning B/W2. How does that equal DLC?

Well I guess that they think that adding DLC they'll be as successful as EA or Activision. Maybe they totally forgot that their games are targeted at younger kids that don't own a credit card. And im guessing wondermails are gone if they're going to be making people pay for extra dungeons.

I have no idea what credit cards have to do with DLC. Why would one NEED a credit card to buy DLC? You can buy DLC on a prepaid card.

And im guessing wondermails are gone if they're going to be making people pay for extra dungeons.

So because there DLC means there's no more wondermail? I'm not getting your point.

It all depends on what the DLC is for. Paying for an advantage (Ex. Items, unobtainable pokemon) is what I would consider extremely unfair. All I want when I buy a game is for it to have as much data and capability that can be stuffed in it. DLC's this generation (Map packs, costumes, weapons) has gone to far in some cases. In Reggie's words "Make no mistake, this a full game, right out of the box."

This is basically how I feel about it. As long as its for something worth your money, Not day one DLC, and not on-disk DLC, I'm okay with it.

 

[jireh the provider]

As long as it's only storyline-related, such as extra chapters you can unlock, and it's only on spin-offs, then that's fine by me. I think having DLC on a main game would be pretty unfair, since as Masuda said, it's mainly little kids playing it.

I'm really happy about this, actually. This is what I had in mind for future 3DS Pokémon games; the DLC can be available for free initially, and after a specific time, it costs, but has no end date. This'd be far, far better than the system we currently have.

I'm fine with it. To a certain degree.

Luckily, Nintendo seems to know that DLC is a money-machine that only benefits the developer, and not the customers as it should, I don't think it'll turn grim like, as already mentioned, Activision and EA Games. As long as it only remains on the spin-offs. Imagine you have to pay to download a Mew for your BW2.. My god.. Gotta buy 'em all. >.>
I can clearly see the problem with not being able to restart games because of the DLC.. Hopefully there'll be a way to avoid it. Like you don't have to pay to download it again later on or a way to store once downloaded DLC.

Main games. No. Never.
Thankfully we have Junichi Masuda agreeing with this.


Well 3DS downloadable games that can connect with main games seem to be excluded from that... I don't like that approach
As far as I know there is no way to get the last 3 new formes except through the dream radar. As long as they are easily available gen VI and on however I can deal with it, same as how Zorua was not inherently in BW, but at least you could get one traded easily at least...


Spin-offs... well, I don't really see any currently that would benefit from it, but who knows whats up next. Im sure there could be kinds of games that could have awesome DLC especially one that is player-feedback based. Just stay off the main series.

Nothing wrong with it. Plenty of games do this and I don't mind it at all. When you buy a game it can be fun but after you have played it for months you have kinda seen everything but you aren't really bored of it either.
That's why DLC is so great, it keeps the game fresh and new. I don't mind if I have to pay for it, most developers create their DLC content after the release of their game so it makes sense we have to pay extra for it.
Those people aren't working for nothing

I'm already annoyed by the free DLC system for the main games. The limited edition C-Gears, etc. mean I'll probably never feel happy about restarting my file again, meaning I get a lot less out of the game then I did for DP and older. I have a similar opinion of some of the trickier events, such as Spiky Pichu and the Rotom key on platinum (seriously, I'd love to be able to restart platinum and use rotom, it's the only game in which it's reasonable, yet I'll never be able to get the key on a new file). The new challenge mode feature pretty much requires restarting to enjoy it fully, yet then I'd lose all my C-Gears.

Fortunately, it does appear the main games will be shying away from pay DLC, but even on the spin-off's I'd be worried. I wouldn't want to pay for map packs that I'd lose if I restarted, especially if they're the only way to obtain certain pokemon. Or DLC items if they were ever introduced, it would be all to easy to lose them. Also games like Ranger, where you'd be at risk of missing missions if you weren't able to buy the game or connect it to the internet for the first few months. I think I missed a couple of wifi ranger missions and now I'll never be able to get them.

As such, I'd only be happy with DLC if they considered such things and made sure you wouldn't be punished for starting a new game, or not getting the game immediately.

(And that's assuming they're ethical and only use DLC for introducing new features. Deliberately removing features or worse making you pay to unlock features already coded on the disk is just wrong. Especially games like Sims 3 where they had almost as many items in the DLC store from day 1 as they did in the game itself.)

Also worth considering is Animal Crossing CF. All the DLC was free and interesting, and you could get as many copies as you want, once you had at least one, to give to players who missed the download window but the implementation system had a critical flaw which led to fake DLC being spread around like a virus, causing all sorts of problems.

My stance on Paid DLC will always be the same and personally, I think it is an insult to customers. When you buy a game, you expect all of it and if developers want to add anything else they should spend a little more time developing the game and release it within the full game. Free DLC is a different story as it is more bonus content for buyers of the game but I also don't think this is fair for people who do not have access to the internet.



I'm thinking instore events are more popular than Wifi ones because the younger generation may not be aware of the wifi events as sometimes the instore ones are more widely advertised.

The Dream Radar was pretty much the first DLC for Pokemon, needing it to get other formes of Pokemon. Either way, I think day-1 DLC is terrible. Anything that was released on day-1 should already be on the game. It's a cheap tactic and a slap in the face to whoever buys the game. I terms of Pokemon, dlc for the Mystery Dungeon series could be pretty cool depending on what you get. Even if they say they don't want kids paying for bits and pieces of the game, the fact remains that kids are the ones that mostly play these spin-offs.

Once again Nintendo strikes!

I am definitely against paid DLC. Another game that I was really into absolutely died because of it. It became where Money = Game Progress, and as I learned from that experience, that is not a good formula.. Paid advantages are not okay. If you want to get more money, increase the price of the game itself. I may sound a bit harsh on this, but I am so dead set against this specifically because every game I have ever enjoyed that gained paid DLC died because of it. That being said, hopefully it won't be implemented in the main series games. I would hate to see that.

Oh my we got a high fire debate about Downloadable content. Let me review on your opinions guys and girls. "Unova University Professor of Pokemon Battle Theology" and "Neo Team Plasma Theologist and Scientist" Colress will be involved about the DLC debate..

a. On downloadable content ... for the terminology, it seems something for an update to a computer software. Just like how you had to update your Java software on the PC.

b. Technically wise, I'd say you guys are quite right. Get extra bonuses, unlock new events in the game (most replied about something in between the game while other some says non money involved downloads), and perhaps fix unchecked bugs on the game (refer to the Lanayru Gorge Glitch in Skyward Sword.)

c. (A 2 flips of the coin; Price Money Involved VS. Free from Payment.) Truth is, in my experience from hanging out with PC players, the business model of DLC is quite similar as to how apps work in Iphone, Android, and other Apple related products work. It could be free or you must pay for it. (trust me since Philippines has one of the Highest populace when the topic is about Computer and Cellphone usages)

d. Day of Releasing a DLC. I bet most of you replied to this debate. Only had done this with mystery gift pokemon. Truth is, it all comes to correct management and Download Value (more below). It's a good thing they said that it WILL BE AFTER THE GAME'S RELEASE ONLY. Which, in return, developers can get reviews, suggestins, and reports from fans as to how the game is woring, or malfunctioning, or what is lacking.

e. DLC Management. in this par of the debate, according to our forest guardian time traveller, it will not get itself involved with the main series. Just the spin offs (and with good reasons) since, unlike the main series, does not have the high number gold amount that the main series has. Another factor is making a proper schedule of releasing a paid DLC and/or Free DLC (like mystery gifts) in all sides of pokemon games.

f. Download Value. I bet this is where most of you guys have suffered badly. One tip: don't get yourself too impulsive when downloading something (like shopping). This part of the debate is agreeable on both sides of the coin. If it is not valuable and won't do much of a game change, then its quite a waste. Alternatively, if it does influence important aspects of the game (whether its the current or it unlocks something when transfered to another future game) with benefits to both developers and players, then good play.

g. Accessibility. Now all of us know that Pokemon very much became a global culture of its own. Now as to how this(access) works, will either make or break this DLC mechanic. Not all of us live in techy rich places. And the conflict is, most of us living in economically dumped places only had like 5% occurence to get DLC (xcludig mobiles and Computers). Or worst none at all due to some country's limited technological access. Class status ma get involved unintentionally.
Personal experience Example
For me, I love the Phantom pokemon greatly (Mew, Celebi, Jirachi, Manaphy, Shaymin, Victini) but my country has very little access to Nintendo related events, let alone Pokemon events. Which Is why I missed like almost every DLC in the past 10 years. Truth about DLC's, Don't get technologically poor countries involved like Philippines as of yet. Stick to technologically advanced countries like America (were waiting for our historical friendship but thanks for saving us.).

h. Packaged VS Extra Package. Packaged meant the complete game itself. Extra Package refer to DLCs. I agree that for a video game to be enjoyable, it has to have everything already from the day its selling day opens in public. But when extra package gets involved, the references above are just as important as how valuable the Packaged product has to be.

I know its quite lenghty for my reply, but discuss we must. Question is, how should it be done?

• - Just from what Mr. Junichi Masuda said, it will be open after the game's released. About after a month or three it should be open, IF they decided to go with DLC.
• - Use the DLC to fix bugs found in the package that were unchecked during the game's development (ex. would be, lets say, chapter 8's story scenario in PMD involves you to investigate this dungeon. After the dungeon boss is down, the cut scene did not open and exits the dungeon defeated. With the DLC, the bug/lag is fixed)
• -Don't use DLC FOR SMALL VALUED CONTENT. (Example would be that Japanese Cubchoo event in Black and White oor the zoroark event in the same game).
• -WHEN USING DLC'S, it MUST do something valuable to the player's game experience in return.
• Let's say these in examples:
  [**]a. I got DLC shiny Jirachi on April 13, 2013 [first day DLC release] for my Black Version 2. In the game, Other than just being a collective novelty, lets say that her features in the game would be an event access in Undella town every Thursday. Caitlin sees interest with your Jirachi and asks for you to help her in her psychic training with your Jirachi's guidance. After a few tries, Caitlin may give you an exclusive held Item that is only usable by Jirachi in battle. Lets say Item A lets say, Star crown, may activate the moves secondary effects within 60%
  [**]b. I got an upgrade to the habitat pokedex feature that allows an in game transmission to make all of the starter pokemon with dream world abilities catchable in the wild but rare.

In the end, we come to 2 different yet solid answers: Colress will do the honors.

"So far the DLC works well. When DLC is used properly, I agree promoting it to Spin off Pokemon Games only. But if the downloads reached the main series or do things terribly wrong with the DLCs, I COMPLETELY DISAGREE!"

 

[Watchog]

Dream Radar is its own game. Its not DLC. You can paly it without even owning B/W2. How does that equal DLC?

You're gonna tell me Dream radar is a game? And not downloadable content? And, That i can play it without BW2 wich would be just meaningless? How is it not DLC when you obviously need it in order to obtain the “Therian form tornadus, etc.”? Wich is by the way, The only way to obtain them. As for the "game” part, If we were talking about “Pokedex3D pro” you would've been very right.

 

[Manna]

I was going to say no,

As long as it's only storyline-related, such as extra chapters you can unlock, and it's only on spin-offs, then that's fine by me.

But if it's something like this, then I'm fine with it.

It honestly all depends on what it is though. I can't think of anything to put on a main series game as DLC though.