Not so much ripped off, but unfairly “taxed”. The game hasn’t been out a month yet, and already there is DLC. That to me says that the maps were ready when the game came out (or close to it), so why were they not a part of the game? It means that instead of making the game as feature-packed as they could (thus giving maximum value to the consumer), they held back with the purpose of trying to gouge more money from the consumer. As a gamer, that just pisses me off.

Aside from this, it’s simply poor value. 800 points is in the ballpark of $10. So you can pay $10 for 3 maps, and to be blunt, I don’t think that’s worth it. For $10 I could go out and rent a AAA title which will give me more enjoyment than 3 maps, or buy an arcade game that will also likely get more use.

And on top of that, it’s counter-productive in a sense. If you release the map pack for free then it sends a sign to gamers that the game is being well-supported and thus they’re much more likely to buy it. If you charge for every little piece of DLC, then the game appears to be a money pit, and I’d just as soon look elsewhere.

I don’t see any problem with releasing DLC soon after a game comes out. It’s DLC after all. You don’t have to buy. It’s for people who like the game and want to experience more (enough to pay for it, that is).

The question of value for money is a reasonably subjective one. If you really like Gears, then you’re more likely to consider it value for money, particularly if you’re going to play on the maps a lot.

Fair point on the money pit thing. EA are easily the worst offenders for this, particularly in the nature of the DLC released. But again, I have to return to my original point, you’re only going to pay for it if you consider it value for your money and that’s a subjective consideration.

No you don’t have to buy it. It’s insulting to the consumer though to release part of a product, charge full price, then release the rest and charge additional money.

It’s not in the slightest bit insulting. That’s the point of DLC. It’s additional content over and above the main product content. You’re not getting 90% on disc then the remaining 10% as DLC. You’re getting 100% on disc and an EXTRA 10% as DLC.

If you were missing the ending of the game and had to buy it as DLC, then that would be disgraceful, but that hasn’t happened to my knowledge. And when it does, everyone will be in their perfect right to complain their ass off, but as it stands at the moment, no one can complain about it.

If you can think of an example where you bought a game and you didn’t think it felt complete until you bought the DLC to accompany it, I’d be interested to know.

My own comment was pertaining to the maps being on the disc thing. In which case, it’s not bonus content, it’s disc content that’s been locked away to charge the consumer more money.

If it wasn’t on the disk then I have no qualms about it.

Sorry man, but I simply cannot begin to comprehend that viewpoint. It’s additional content and whether it’s on the disc or not is completely irrelevant. The location of the content doesn’t make it any more yours to own even though you bought the disc. It doesn’t mean you have any right to the additional content that you haven’t paid for yet over and above the main game. I don’t expect to get anything that I don’t deserve to get. If I want to access additional missions then I expect to pay for them if that’s what’s required.

I think this one is why someone invented the phrase “agree to differ”. I respect your viewpoint, but I can’t begin to comprehend it as it appears to be a cut and dried case to me.

mano,

if you don’t mind paying $90 per game then shut the fuck up about it.

we all know how YOU feel, and i admit, it IS an anomaly, but you are either not listening or not getting what others have to say.

unfortunately, YOUR viewpoint is costing US money we would not have had to pay if it weren’t for you and your ilk. honestly, whether you realize it or not, you are defending a dickish move, and it would be very easy to label you a dildo, which you are obviously not.

maybe you better sit back, relax, and just LISTEN on this one.

no offense, you bring a lot of good conversation to the table, i just thought i would share my reaction.

quote from mano:

“but as it stands at the moment, no one can complain about it.”

seriously, doesn’t sound like you respect our viewpoint, as you later claim.

we believe we have something legitimate to complain about. why would you complain about that? you have been a part of the community for quite awhile, and this statement reflects zero “respect.”

I think where things are getting confused is in the area of what should be considered bonus content.

If the maps, costumes, etc. are done and ready, and then SHIPPED with the game, on the disc, it should not have to be paid for. If the devs want me to work my ass of to get it, fine, I can do that. If the game’s good enough I’ll gladly play it again. That is what developers did for years before DLC, even with cheat codes which required snooping on the part of the user to find.

If it’s shipped with the game and then later revealed as “bonus content” which requires payment and then just unlocks content on the disc, then it is a dick move and was clearly only to make money. There is no reason for them to have done that other than for more profit. This was not new content that required another development cycle post-release, it was done with everything else on the disc and cut from the regular game to later milk us for our money.

You are right, it’s not my content to say what to do with, it is theirs. What I am complaining about is that they should and shouldn’t do, which is make us pay for content that is already done and there.

Seriously, I do see what you’re saying. But the fact of the matter is, unfortunate though it may be to some, we now live in a different kind of world.

DLC is premium content whatever you look at it. If you get it for free, you’re laughing, but I certainly wouldn’t expect it.

And the reason why I said “no one can complain about it” is because it is very clear when content costs us money and when it is free. If you like the game enough to pay for extra content, then you will. No one is breaking your legs to do it. It’s your choice and therefore you can’t complain about it.

I still can’t see the difference of the location of the content though. Say, for instance, I read an ad stating that I can have a Lamborghini car for $100,000 delivered to my house. Okay, so I pay up and within a short while a new sports car is in my driveway and I own it. It is mine.

Now, say the house I just bought has a Lamborghini in the driveway. When I bought the house, it didn’t state anything about a Lamborghini in the driveway. Does the Lamborghini belong to me? Of course not. Do I feel ripped off because I don’t have the keys to drive the Lamborghini around town. No, because all I bought was a house. The fact that I have an undrivable Lamborghini in my driveway would be annoying, yes, jealousy-inducing, yes, but can I complain about the fact that it isn’t mine. No. Because I didn’t pay for it. However, I call the estate agent the next day and say “Can I have it?” and he says “yes sir, that’ll be an extra $100,000 please.”

Are you beginning to see my point here? I don’t expect nothing for nothing. The location of the premium content to me is completely irrelevant. It’s a technical consideration, not a customer consideration. In fact, I’d probably prefer to pay for unlock codes as they are very small on the HDD and don’t take up as much space. Why would you want to store all that content on your HDD when it can be comfortably stored on the media where the main game is stored as well? The only reason would be if the main game itself was so memory intensive that you couldn’t fit any DLC on the disc. And before anyone retorts to that one, a game which takes up more disc space is not necessarily better.

Let’s be clear on this: The point of PDLC is to make money, yes, but you can still play the game again, if you like it without paying for PDLC. That still applies, but for people who want more from the game in terms of extra missions, whatever, that’s there for you as well. I personally prefer the element of choice and variety which exists within games now. Okay, you’ve got your EA Sports crud which makes a mockery of the whole thing, but in my experience most DLC isn’t like that.

I absolutely do respect other’s opinions. I’m simply finding it difficult to understand the viewpoint. I am simply stating an opinion and trying to get others to understand it, perhaps widening their own perception of an issue. I guess that’s what we’re all doing here. No disrespect was intended. :-)

dude, you must live in a little little world.

i, for one, am offended by your lack of empathy, and disappointed in your lack of insight.

no fucking response required. i thought i made that clear before.

“And the reason why I said “no one can complain about it” is because it is very clear when content costs us money and when it is free. If you like the game enough to pay for extra content, then you will. No one is breaking your legs to do it. It’s your choice and therefore you can’t complain about it.”

you might want to think about that one a little more. sounds dickish, and a little close minded to me.

and there is more to dlc than cash. dlc brings back interest to a game for which interest is waning. it generates new sales. it rewards loyal customers for forking out shitloads of cash on their product. do not get me started on your use of the word “premium.” i am begging you.

the opinion you are pushing might as well be a chunky regurgitation of the industry line being shoved down our throats from every direction! please for the love of god, we have heard it all before! make it stop!

by propping up this bullshit system, YOU are aiding ea’s “mockery,” and are going to end up swimming in an ocean of pain. the problem is, we all swim in the same ocean.

the Lamborghini in your driveway is a bomb. you should call the cops, and GET IT THE FUCK OFF YOUR PROPERTY!

mano states:

“Are you beginning to see my point here? I don’t expect nothing for nothing. “

yeah, you want to pay for your nothing. what the hell?

and that whole lambo story did not support your premise at all. it doesn’t apply in any way. think about it. seriously.

mano prefers his “downloadable content” on the original media.

yeah, i will let you think about THAT one too dude. jesus tap dancing christ!

a much better analogy than your lambo one, would be if one of the rooms in the house you just bought was locked, and you couldn’t go in it.

capiche?

That wouldn’t equate at all as you would own the room since you’d already paid for it. You haven’t already paid for the additional content hence the reason for the car analogy. Simple logic in order to get across the point that the location of the additional content is irrevelevant.

I still haven’t heard a logical reason from any one that makes my argument any less sound. I would be delighted if any one can give me a reason that can change my mind without resorting to personal abuse and wasn’t so pedantic on the semantics involved in the argument. But seeing as we’re going down that road, I shall admit my mistake on that one. I used the term DLC when what I should have been saying was additional content which is more explicit and accurate. DLC should pertain to downloadable content only however everyone tends to use the terms interchangably now. Except for some people who prefer to pick up on semantics rather than the argument itself.

“That wouldn’t equate at all as you would own the room since you’d already paid for it.”

oh.

my.

god.

you are illogical, and that is the most euphemistic i can get for you dude.

good luck.

semantics are important.
if you use the right word or phrase, people are more likely to understand you.

“I would be delighted if any one can give me a reason that can change my mind.”

you have all the pertinent information…
it is up to YOU now. delight yourself.

You may wish to take a class in logic mu as you appear to be unable to comprehend what I’m saying in terms of a simple analogy.

The logic is absolutely sound. If you can find something wrong with the logic of my argument, by all means, point it out, but just saying that I’m illogical with nothing to back it up doesn’t cut it, I’m afraid.

Full marks for trying though.

Sure. No problem. Just send me a friend request.

GamerTag (lo and behold) : ManoDestra.

I wouldn’t even consider playing Horde with people I don’t know. You need to play it with your friends to maximise the fun.

“Writing news, by rule of thumb, is supposed to be as objective and unbiased as possible.”

True, you’ll never get a truly unbiased article, unless it’s written by someone who lacks the ability to have an opinion, but you still have to try.

I love Gears, but I have been burned a bit. I had super high hopes for this game and beteween the widely reported lag, long matchmaking wait times and completely unnacceptable glitches I’m completely turned off.

I’ll do my best to be little more unbiased in the future. Every once in awhile my opinion is going to slip out. COD SUX … oops there it went again.

i’m enjoying CoD too much at the moment.