Chris Avellone Interview: "Day One DLC Hurts the Industry"

Excerpt:

On “Fallout New Vegas” and Why are Obsidians NPC’s SO Amazing?

“The way we approach characters in Obsidian, is that we try to examine the game mechanic of the title and try to make sure all of the companions you meet in the title complement that- what I mean by that is..We look at things like “Hey New Vegas has a brand new reputation system” Once we know it’s a mechanic- we need to make sure all of the NPC’s you interactive with react to that system and complement it in someway.”

Then on top of that, you want to make sure they have a background and a realistic perspective on all the factions in the game, whether they love or hate Casears Legion or NCR- it’s important for us that the reason they feel that way are presented to the player and the world”

[insomnium2]

Judging by the headline alone he is a smart man. Day 1 DLC really needs to go.

[Anon1974]

I'm at a loss. What's wrong with day one dlc? As long as the game by itself is full and complete, I don't see a problem with offering optional, additional content from the beginning. You usually have one team working on a game and other teams working on DLC. Due to the length of time it takes for a game to go gold and go into production, I can certainly see how DLC might not be ready to go when the game is rolling off the line, but could be ready for digital release.

I totally get the frustration if the game is short or incomplete, but if the game is a decent length already, I don't see the harm in day one DLC. If the DLC is ready to go, why wouldn't they release it?

[cyguration]

Usually day-1 DLC is designed with the rest of the game but purposefully withheld to make money on it, like Javik from Mass Effect 3, because they KNEW that die-hard fans would drop $10 to play as an extinct race from the game's lore. They could have made that IGN girl day-1 DLC but they opted for a more important character to the game's story and character genealogy.

The argument is usually that day-1 DLC is optional, but seriously what part of a video game isn't optional? Stealing cars in GTA is optional, they could just make you take taxis everywhere. Picking up weapons in COD is optional, you can stick with your default weapon and just get more ammo. Using helicopters and jets in Battlefield is optional, there's no reason to get into a vehicle.

Do you see how absurd it sounds when you justify day-1 DLC? It gets to the point where everything "optional" can (and soon it will) become a microtransaction because people like you don't see the harm in it.

What you fail to understand is that day-1 DLC is not designed during the certification or "going gold" phase, usually this stuff is pre-planned during pre-production so that it doesn't hamper workflow.

All assets, voiceovers, mo-cap and scripting have to be finished for important DLC (like Javik) during the main production of the game. Do you really think they brought in a voice actor during the three weeks of certification and had him read lines while the rest of the game was being prepped for launch and the day-1 launch patch was being worked on? That's not how game design works. In fact, Javik's scripts were leaked early, showing that he was always planned to be a part of the game from the start (search up Prothean in the text below):
https://docs.google.com/doc...

But I can see the publishers have managed to brainwash you real good into thinking the way they want you to think.

This kind of mentality is what keeps company's like EA in business. Oh yeah, and Peter Moore is proud that they have customers like you so they can turn a $60 game into an $80 day-1 purchase:
http://www.cinemablend.com/...

*slow clap*

[Anon1974]

Who said I buy it? I've not once bought a day one download, nor do I ever intend to. As I said, if the game is complete by itself, I see no harm in it. If the game isn't complete and relies on downloadable content, I'm not going to pick it up in the first place, but adding optional content for those who might pay extra for it, more power to em. As long as it doesn't compromise the original game as a whole, complete product.

If somebody wants to drop a buck or two on an optional, new character or costume right off the back, that's their prerogative. Who the hell are you to say they can't? And what kind of fascist dictates to a developer that "If you have 10 characters made, you must release all 10 characters. You're not allowed to sell one as extra content." What, developers aren't allowed to freedom to do what they what with their creation? What entitled, bullshit is that?

Maybe I want to buy the extra character? You're going to tell me that's wrong and I can't? Don't dictate to me how I spend my money. Or do you think for a second you have any right whatsoever to tell me how I can market something I've created? How can you not see how wrong that is? You don't like it, vote with your wallet. Let have no business telling me how to vote with mine.

[majiebeast]

DAY 1 character dlc the reason i didnt buy ME3. I dont mind if its cosmetics cause they dont impact the game, but content that impacts the game should never be day 1 dlc.

[ApolloTheBoss]

The Javik DLC should have already been in the game, seeing as he fitted a little too conveniently into the storyline.

[dangert12]

I have not brought a game with day one DLC since KZ3 and i was let down by that aswell as the game. I am all for good DLC but this day one bs especially on a bluray! SONY SONY SONY

[ziggurcat]

1. obsidian is terrible

2. day 1 DLC isn't mandatory to own in order to enjoy the core content of the game, so it does nothing to harm anything.

[4lc4pon3]

you sir are well ill keep it clean.

1. It turns gamers away from your core games

2. Everyone knows that this DLC WAS included in the final release and they took it out of your game and charge you for something that was supposed to be added anyways.

[majiebeast]

So this is the type of gamer that brings these anti consumer practices to gaming. I have never seen one in the wild.

[chrish1990]

Throw a Poke ball and train it to level 100: respectful gamer.

[NukaCola]

Well

1. New Vegas performs much better than FO3 and Skyrim

2. Look at Mass Effect 3 and tell me day one DLC doesn't take away from the core experience.

[Hicken]

1. Them being terrible is your opinion.

2. Day 1 DLC may not be mandatory, but when it represents any significant increase in content over what's available on release, it's bad. Worse is that it's becoming an excuse to hold back content from the core release so they can make more money off of a single game. That's DEFINITELY doing harm.

[TuxedoMoon]

I have a problem with DLC in general. Most of that crap is already on the disc and are premade or ripped from the game to sell off. Most DLC stuff, like costumes, would've been UNLOCKABLES just a generation ago (ps2/gc/xbox1). Today's unlockable content are stupid trophy/achievement messages. We went from actual content that adds a little more to the game (Cheats, costumes, etc.), to getting a "You killed 100 monsters. GOOD JOB!" message.

There is good DLC out there, and that's legit expansions. Things that add more to the game. No, not selling the REAL ending...that's just bull crap. Good DLC, my favorite, being the GTA4 episodes. GTA4 alone was underwhelming, but the DLC episodes were pretty good. Dragonborn for Skyrim was a good addition too.

As I play more games, I feel like there is just less to do. DOA5 is a good game, but what kept me playing the past DOA games was unlocking all 15+ costumes for the characters. DOA5 only has...what? 3 unlockable costumes for each character? The rest I'd have to buy. That's BS! there are some other issues with DOA5, like the lackluster online mode and strange exclusions like not having any arcading ending movies and no arcade tag mode.

"What about trophies?"

Screw that! I don't have any drive to do a certain thing to get a stupid message. I'd rather do something, like beat the game on hard, to get stuff like characters, stages, and costumes. I feel rewarded with a costume/character/EXTRA FUN CONTENT than a stupid "Good job" message.

[PureSophistry]

Listen to Chris- the mind behind the Fallout New Vegas DLC talk about it- Adresses your issues, very inspiring stuff.