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DLC introduced to iPhone Gaming

G

Gowans

Member
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Another example was EAs Sims 3 on iPhone where you could buy a radio for 0.99c

With the preview of the iPhone OS version 3.0 iPhone is allowing developers to do a bunch of new things with a large amount of new APIs.

One of these is in app DLC, as the examples shown above.

The iTunes app store has always been a level playing field allowing the consumers to really vote on value, creating a large amount of very cheap games constantly updated with new content for free.

Now with DLC coming will this help us get more from the app's, help the developers gain more revenue etc?

Or will this lead to a rise of cheap apps with hidden DLC costs etc?
 
This is a good thing. I don't see many costume packs KEY unlocks coming from this, but instead, new levels, features, ect.
 
Not surprising.

With the big boys coming into to play like EA, it was a given.

But hey, folks wanted Apple to let the developers do their thing....

OPTIONS!
 
Jaruru said:
imagine some app will pop these up and you accidentally clicked on YES. :lol :lol :lol
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It would ask for your password first.

Personally, I see it as a bad thing for games but a good thing for other apps. I can't wait for newspaper subscription apps! (FT delivered to your iphone :D)
 
The iTunes marketplace is so different that apps need to gain popularity to gain traction, this normally comes at cost or feature range.

My big worry is that App's will have a tiny starting price to get up there then sell you everything as bolt ons.

the one thing that I have hope in is the customers, with the app store customers choices seem to really make a direct impact to the market so I guess we shall see. I have loved the constant free iterations to the apps tho, guess that maybe going

One thing I'm really glad about tho is to have DLC your app can't be free.
 
Well I've already posted in the iphone thread but here it goes again ;)

Any game that nickel and dimes I won't purchase. Just like on Xbox Live. I expect people like EA to try to gouge. I simply won't purchases things like Sims 3 on the iphone. I don't have a problem with appropriate DLC but won't pay for bullshit.

Most of the devs and games I like on the iphone/itouch are mostly put out by small devs so hopefully they avoid this bad practice.
 
Gowans007 said:
The iTunes marketplace is so different that apps need to gain popularity to gain traction, this normally comes at cost or feature range.

My big worry is that App's will have a tiny starting price to get up there then sell you everything as bolt ons.

the one thing that I have hope in is the customers, with the app store customers choices seem to really make a direct impact to the market so I guess we shall see. I have loved the constant free iterations to the apps tho, guess that maybe going

One thing I'm really glad about tho is to have DLC your app can't be free.
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I'm hoping app store reviews really ding any app by companies trying to nickel and dime like EA.
 
Damnit! I was liking the platform so much.

On the plus side, this could mean some big titles from big publishers already used to DLC are on the way.
 
Tobor said:
You'd have to accidentally type your iTunes password as well.
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nice. I hope this kind of message won't pop up too often during games...
and it's nice to see them keeping free app = DLC free
 
bdouble said:
There was already DLC. This just so happens to put the store in the game.
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Seems this is becoming a more popular approach, I just read yesterday that Steam now allows for purchasable DLC directly from within the games as well.
 
Stoney Mason said:
Not like this and not for the vast majority of games. Not that we know how many will take this approach.
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Yeah but still developers could charge for any update. Puzzle Quest Chaperts 2 wasn't supposed to be free originally and yeah Steam just did implement this as well.

Dragnet said:
DO NOT WANT
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DO NOT BUY THEN.

give me a break. Bitch all you want its still going to be there. DLC is good and bad.
 
bdouble said:
There was already DLC. This just so happens to put the store in the game.
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Not really. Any app which had DLC pretty much had to implement it themself, from payment to hosting to app integration. I'm hoping that this new approach means that it becomes relatively painless to make games that rely heavily on expansion - like episodic games. I just released an app for reading my webcomic, and it'd be awesome to be able to sell additional comics without having to release a new app.... which makes me wonder if the DLC will also need to go through Apple's retarded overbearing approval process as well...
 
bdouble said:
Yeah but still developers could charge for any update. Puzzle Quest Chaperts 2 wasn't supposed to be free originally and yeah Steam just did implement this as well.
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I meant while I didn't agree with charging for an update to PuzzleQuest at least in concept that is slightly closer to an expansion pack or splitting a game in half or episodic content. Any very few games currently pursue that model on the iphone.

This Sims 3 business is heinous shit by comparison where you have to buy potentially lots of little items to get the full experience. Or that shooter where you have to potentially buy extra guns. Both of these are horrible DLC imo.
 
fanduck said:
At least charging for DLC isn't going to be required by Apple like it is my Microsoft on Marketplace.
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Free DLC is no different than a patch, it could be done from day one. This change only adds the ability to charge for content from within the app.
 
bdouble said:
Yeah but still developers could charge for any update. Puzzle Quest Chaperts 2 wasn't supposed to be free originally and yeah Steam just did implement this as well.
Click to expand...
That's not DLC, with updates it was a linear payment system, you couldn't avoid update 1 and get update 2. Which is why devs had to build dozens of apps doing the same thing with different content instead (e.g. ebooks junk)
Tobor said:
Free DLC is no different than a patch, it could be done from day one. This change only adds the ability to charge for content from within the app.
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Which is why if I understood correctly there will be no "free" DLC, it's only for for-paid stuff, and for for-paid apps (no free app with DLC after that)
 
bdouble said:
DO NOT BUY THEN.

give me a break. Bitch all you want its still going to be there. DLC is good and bad.
Click to expand...

It's not about that, fuck you. These large updates that we currently get for free (Fieldrunners, Pocket God, Rolando, X-Plane, the list goes on...) will now be broken down. We'll get bug fixes free, sure, but now that the option exists to charge for updates we'll get the things we would of got free previously like levels, weapons, modes, tweaks etc with a price attached instead. Fucking brilliant. One of the best things about iPhone gaming was the superb developer support we got because of the lack of a 'charge for updates' option. Say bye byes to that.
 
Dragnet said:
the lack of a 'charge for updates' option. Say bye byes to that.
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Actually there was no lack of a charge for updates, from day 1 devs could ask you for money for updates.

And FWIW there's a clear separation in the update screen, which is why the update screen you usually (always) see talks about free updates.
 
Masklinn said:
That's not DLC, with updates it was a linear payment system, you couldn't avoid update 1 and get update 2. Which is why devs had to build dozens of apps doing the same thing with different content instead (e.g. ebooks junk)

Which is why if I understood correctly there will be no "free" DLC, it's only for for-paid stuff, and for for-paid apps (no free app with DLC after that)
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Semantics. If I want to release a new level for my game, I now have the same option I had before to release it for free, or I can charge for it. It's the same content either way.
 
Tobor said:
If I want to release a new level for my game, I now have the same option I had before to release it for free, or I can charge for it. It's the same content either way.
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Of course.
 
Masklinn said:
Actually there was no lack of a charge for updates, from day 1 devs could ask you for money for updates.

And FWIW there's a clear separation in the update screen, which is why the update screen you usually (always) see talks about free updates.
Click to expand...

The reality though is now that the genie is out of the bottle it will most likely become a much more common practice. Especially with big developers doing it and Apple going out of their way to introduce it as a new "feature".

Like I said this doesn't necessarily mean I'm against the idea of DLC. Just shitty DLC.

What I hope remains is a devs incentive to improve their product so I actually purchase it which is the way the current market works instead of simply as a way to make more money off the existing user base.

There has to be some balance between those two goals.
 
Stoney Mason said:
What I hope remains is a devs incentive to improve their product so I actually purchase it which is the way the current market works instead of simply as a way to make more money off the existing user base.
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Until Apple changes the way the Store works and how games are ranked/categorised, I can't see the model changing too much. Sales are pretty brutal for anything not in the top 50, so keeping base prices low and updating/upgrading the title agressively is almost required to keep sales high.

I think adding the functionality to include DLC is good for the longer term, but I can't see it being used on any games except those with really large user bases for a while.
 
Stoney Mason said:
The reality though is now that the genie is out of the bottle it will most likely become a much more common practice. Especially with big developers doing it and Apple going out of their way to introduce it as a new "feature".

Like I said this doesn't necessarily mean I'm against the idea of DLC. Just shitty DLC.

What I hope remains is a devs incentive to improve their product so I actually purchase it which is the way the current market works instead of simply as a way to make more money off the existing user base.

There has to be some balance between those two goals.
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I still have hope, the "indies" proved that they got how to work with the iphone, with a bit o' luck they'll show that they get how not to abuse DLC (EA & al are probably a lost cause on the other hand)
 
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I...I assume this is just a mock-up example, yes? And not the worst DLC concept we've seen yet. I note the specific use of "one" rocket launcher.

Apple fans and DLC. Star-crossed lovers.
 
Dragnet said:
It's not about that, fuck you. These large updates that we currently get for free (Fieldrunners, Pocket God, Rolando, X-Plane, the list goes on...) will now be broken down. We'll get bug fixes free, sure, but now that the option exists to charge for updates we'll get the things we would of got free previously like levels, weapons, modes, tweaks etc with a price attached instead. Fucking brilliant. One of the best things about iPhone gaming was the superb developer support we got because of the lack of a 'charge for updates' option. Say bye byes to that.
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time machine? Seriously. How do you know all this already? They could have already charged for those updates but they didn't. If a dev wants to be taken off of the top 100 because they all of a sudden start only giving you a "basic" game and then charge a dollar for each new feature I'm sure the word will spread fast enough and no one will buy it. Sure they might if its worth 10 dollars for the whole price but what you are describing sure as hell wouldn't help the developers image out at all and would most likely hurt sales.

This is just a way of adding an in game store. A TD game is not going to start charging you $.99 for a pack of towers.
 
SecretBonusPoint said:
Not enjoying the "as well" phrasing either.
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Agreed. There is no good reason to ever charge for guns in a shooting game. I raged at Battlefield Bad Company when they initially tried to pull the same thing. At least they could have used the slightly more acceptable idea of maps packs to demo the concept.
 
I hope this stops devs releasing half-finished games...

...or they'll continue to release half-finished games but charge for the features they intended to add....

:-/
 
One thing for sure we can wave good bye to all these free app updates, unless they are bug fixes most people are going to use DLC, surely.
 
Diablohead said:
One thing for sure we can wave good bye to all these free app updates, unless they are bug fixes most people are going to use DLC, surely.
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Why do you people enjoy being fucking stupid?

The App Store already allowed devs to release for-pay updates, they didn't have to make them free
 
Jaruru said:
imagine some app will pop these up and you accidentally clicked on YES. :lol :lol :lol
Click to expand...

:lol This along with the concerns others have already voiced.

Don't know about this one. I can't think of any app I own now in which I would want to purchase DLC. Any word on the "premium app store" that was rumored a while ago? It might make sense for those apps...
 
Masklinn said:
Why do you people enjoy being fucking stupid?

The App Store already allowed devs to release for-pay updates, they didn't have to make them free
Click to expand...
Maybe so but the whole DLC thing will just trigger many more people releasing pay to own content, the fact you can buy it from ingame directly also will tempt more people to include such things. Depending on how easy it is to add to your applications also.

Do you have to be so insultive?

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