Downloadable Content (DLC): Yes or no? (Also regarding SpotPass and StreetPass)

[Oasis_S]

 

[RomanceDawn]

Nintendo wants free online services and wants it to continue that way for as long as it can. They've finally come to understand that paid DLC can be beneficial with New Super Mario Bros, though of course Fire Emblem already had it, but if Mario is getting it, now it's only up to Sakurai as the director to include it in Smash.

Iwata did say it can extend the duration of games, so I see it as a very real possibility that 6 months after release, we get a new character, stages or costumes, some of witch would cost. Doesn't bother me I'll be voting with my wallet.

 

[Pseudomaniac]

I like the idea of having theme packs. 1-2 characters, 1-2 stages, trophies, costumes, Vs. mode options, etc. for paid DLC. Patches should be free though.

 

[Pyra]

Mmm. Not that I would be buying a Wii U or a 3DS anytime soon (sadly), but I have no problem with the DLC, as long as stuff like updates, characters, and stages are free. Basically, anything that would affect the gameplay should be free; Other things and luxuries, such as costumes, can be paid for.

I can also see online problems with DLC. Being randomly matched up with a guy who doesn't have the same characters as you for whatever reason might cause problems, unless it's handled properly.

However, unfortunately, I doubt gameplay-affecting things are going to be free.
But eh, I'm not an expert on the subject, so.

 

[Bionichute]

I1. On-Disc DLC: Makes everybody hate you and feel betrayed. Nintendo is smarter than this and won't allow it to happen.
2. Day 1 DLC: Same as #1.
3. Overpriced and Lacking DLC: This might be a problem, but I don't think Nintendo would let that happen either.

4. Say there will be DLC but never release any. :Capcom:

But really, characters and stages should be released in packs, preferably with stickers and trophies, and have them cost ten dollars.

Character costumes should be released in packs too, with one pack for each character and should cost three to four dollars.

 

[Wario Bros.]

I welcome DLC as long as the prices are right and if they don't go overboard on how they handle it.

Also, the boss of the Tekken series does not like the idea of paid DLC at all. (He hates it enough that he wouldn't want to be involved with the DLC or even quit Namco if it happened.) Assuming he's working on Sm4sh's DLC, it could greatly increase the chances of us not paying for the stuff.

 

[Frostwraith]

you know what? they could do SpotPass trophy downloads like what was done with the 3DS app Pokédex 3D, where they distributed 3 Pokémon per day.

 

[lordvaati]

Ok, so i just read the issue of Nintendo Power in the store and i can safely say we will be fine.

when asked about DLC, Sakurai said he likes the DLC that is added seperately to extend a game's replay(he actually said one of his favorite examples was Fallout 3's DLC) and disliked the DLC that was basically just an unlocking code. so if(more like when) we get DLC, it will be totally legit.

 

[Frostwraith]

Ok, so i just read the issue of Nintendo Power in the store and i can safely say we will be fine.

when asked about DLC, Sakurai said he likes the DLC that is added seperately to extend a game's replay(he actually said one of his favorite examples was Fallout 3's DLC) and disliked the DLC that was basically just an unlocking code. so if(more like when) we get DLC, it will be totally legit.

these are definitely good news. it should raise the hopes of many people.

we can expect DLC characters and stages that way or perhaps new event matches or costumes... if Sakurai decides to include DLC for SSB4.
DLC will add a lot of replay value to the game, there's no doubt about that.

 

[ChronoTempest]

I would think that stages and alternate costumes would be a good match for DLC, characters would be awesome, (though likely banned from most tournaments). I like the idea of theme packs and think that it seems like something nintendo would do. As a note, do you think that they would use DLC for third-party characters so that they can keep the core game almost entirely first party?
-Peace

 

[Aaven]

Titles like MvC3 and Street Fighter get DLC characters, costumes, stages and more, I really don't see why Smash 4 should be any different.

Give me my future DLC please.

 

[Norm]

I'm all for DLC because there's a lot of great stuff that can be done with it New Characters, modes, stages, costumes, items, collectable etc.... That can be added into the game to extend it's playability and keep people coming back for more. I have no problem paying for new content as long as it's worth paying for. The idea for theme packs is a great idea as well that way we get good value for our dollar spent.

And even some like special free DLC content would be cool like say a new Zelda is coming out. Ok well to get some hype going we'll have a couple of new downloadable trophies of characters from this new Zelda giving little hints and info about the next Zelda game. And you don't just get them you have to unlock them the same way you would any other trophy so you would be encouraged to play the game more to try and get these new trophies so you could get some new info about the upcoming zelda game. There could be a lot of fun stuff done with Smash Bro's DLC given how many game universes it spans.

 

[Frostwraith]

I'm all for DLC because there's a lot of great stuff that can be done with it New Characters, modes, stages, costumes, items, collectable etc.... That can be added into the game to extend it's playability and keep people coming back for more. I have no problem paying for new content as long as it's worth paying for. The idea for theme packs is a great idea as well that way we get good value for our dollar spent.

And even some like special free DLC content would be cool like say a new Zelda is coming out. Ok well to get some hype going we'll have a couple of new downloadable trophies of characters from this new Zelda giving little hints and info about the next Zelda game. And you don't just get them you have to unlock them the same way you would any other trophy so you would be encouraged to play the game more to try and get these new trophies so you could get some new info about the upcoming zelda game. There could be a lot of fun stuff done with Smash Bro's DLC given how many game universes it spans.

^ this.

they can benefit a lot from promoting upcoming games with references to it in Smash.

don't forget that the Fire Emblem series being released outside of Japan owes it to Melee and Kid Icarus Uprising owes to Brawl.

this kind of DLC would benefit, by promoting an upcoming game putting Trophies about the game's characters, music from the game or a stage based from the game.

 

[Diversity]

1 - The problem with some DLC is that at times companies will hold off on developing everything they already thought of in design team meetings for the full game in order to make some extra money off of the DLC. So if the development team decides to go out of their way to make DLC (especially close to the release date) then I'd say that would take away from what we would get in the full release.

2 - However, as far as official DLC goes (I did like what they did with user DLC in Brawl) the only thing I'd be okay with is if many years down the line between the release of this Smash and the next, they get some of the development team together for more stages (or even stage skins) with new music, costumes, items, bosses, event matches, collectables, etc. Essentially just aesthetic changes to make the game feel fresh and spice it up.

But if you look at the hacking community for Brawl, there is A LOT of aesthetic "DLC" that can be applied to the game already created by one or a few individuals on their computers... And it's free. That's pretty cool. So Nintendo, I really hope that if you do decide to make DLC for Smash 4, please please let it be free. Or at least provide a public dev kit for fans to make their own aesthetic content. You don't even need to provide servers for the content because us fans just love all of these characters and games so much. We'll find a way to release it on our own.

3 - I'm 100% against the idea of adding new characters. It would totally ruin the balance of the game that was established. We don't need any Super Street Fighter II Turbo Ultra Arcade Shiny Choclolate Covered Rainbow Edition: EXTREME nonsense for Smash in the same way that Capcom does that with their fighting games. Any new character ideas between Smash games should be saved for the next full release of the franchise. If you come up with it in the middle of development, just be patient for god sake.

 

[Rosalina suporter]

I'm all for dlc i really hope smash 4 gets some.Holiday dlc would be awsome.

 

[lordvaati]

1 - The problem with some DLC is that at times companies will hold off on developing everything they already thought of in design team meetings for the full game in order to make some extra money off of the DLC. So if the development team decides to go out of their way to make DLC (especially close to the release date) then I'd say that would take away from what we would get in the full release.

2 - However, as far as official DLC goes (I did like what they did with user DLC in Brawl) the only thing I'd be okay with is if many years down the line between the release of this Smash and the next, they get some of the development team together for more stages (or even stage skins) with new music, costumes, items, bosses, event matches, collectables, etc. Essentially just aesthetic changes to make the game feel fresh and spice it up.

But if you look at the hacking community for Brawl, there is A LOT of aesthetic "DLC" that can be applied to the game already created by one or a few individuals on their computers... And it's free. That's pretty cool. So Nintendo, I really hope that if you do decide to make DLC for Smash 4, please please let it be free. Or at least provide a public dev kit for fans to make their own aesthetic content. You don't even need to provide servers for the content because us fans just love all of these characters and games so much. We'll find a way to release it on our own.

3 - I'm 100% against the idea of adding new characters. It would totally ruin the balance of the game that was established. We don't need any Super Street Fighter II Turbo Ultra Arcade Shiny Choclolate Covered Rainbow Edition: EXTREME nonsense for Smash in the same way that Capcom does that with their fighting games. Any new character ideas between Smash games should be saved for the next full release of the franchise. If you come up with it in the middle of development, just be patient for god sake.

if anything,the DLC for Smash would be to AVOID the mods/hacks that Brawl had. a few texture hacks were fine, but when they started tweaking the game engine and building characters from scratch, they practically turned Brawl into MUGEN.

 

[Robert of Normandy]

Why are so many people against the idea of DLC characters? How does adding characters to an existing roster make the the game unbalanced? If the characters are designed to be balanced with the rest of the cast, it shouldn't be a problem. And if it is, just create a balance patch post-release.

Also: the whole point of DLC characters and patches is to avoid Updated Rereleases.

 

[lordvaati]

^exactly. when AE was released, there was a balance issue with Yun, and Oni was underpowered IIRC, so they just made AE2012, a free patch that fixed the balance issues.

 

[Enlong]

The problem is that, if you haven't downloaded a character, it can cause problems if you run into that character online. I am reminded of Dissidia Duodecim 012 Final Fantasy. Getting the Prequel chapter unlocked Aerith as an Assist-only character. However, she was actually already on the game's disc, which allows someone who hasn't purchased Aerith to play someone who has. If we had DLC characters, we'd either have to restrict people who have it to only play with each other, or (probably) have people who don't have it download it temporarily each time they face someone who selected the DLC character.

I think it would be much less unweildy to have downloadable costumes, music, and perhaps stages.

 

[Diversity]

The problem is that, if you haven't downloaded a character, it can cause problems if you run into that character online. I am reminded of Dissidia Duodecim 012 Final Fantasy. Getting the Prequel chapter unlocked Aerith as an Assist-only character. However, she was actually already on the game's disc, which allows someone who hasn't purchased Aerith to play someone who has. If we had DLC characters, we'd either have to restrict people who have it to only play with each other, or (probably) have people who don't have it download it temporarily each time they face someone who selected the DLC character.

I think it would be much less unweildy to have downloadable costumes, music, and perhaps stages.

There comes a point when you have to think, do I want more characters to satisfy my short term wants? Or do I want GOOD online play? I'm all for the latter. Also, how would anyone not want another new Smash game after this next one? Do you think Street Fighter 4 or MVC3 are going to be the last games in each of their respective series? Think again. I haven't bought those games anyways. I considered it, but was alienated from doing so after they re-released both games with all the extra content, making the previous games irrelevant.

AND ANOTHER THING! (lol) I just want to say that I really do feel like I'm being cheated of my money when large DLC features are being put out that aren't being put into the full release. Games are expensive enough as it is and making consumers pay for content that could be included on the game already feels terribly, terribly unfair. ESPECIALLY when it is already on the disc. Anyone remember the whole Darth Vader/Yoda debacle for Soul Calibur 4? I know I sure as hell do and I didn't buy Soul Calibur 5 because of it.

 

[dlbpc]

It's a fighting game that will probably have an online focus, so if there is DLC, it should be free.

 

[Hypercat-Z]

I think the only downloadable stuff fpr this game worth to exists are new elements for the costumed stages.
It's a vantage because Nintendo could create new stuff to download anytime even months after the game is realased, like an update. And at the same time it's not strictly necessary.

 

[Carlo_H.Luz]

Masahiro has stated that balancing is hard and that he believes he must focus on quality beyond quantity. I agree because smash games are great because of their quality. So I think he can take his time developing a reasonable character rooster game and then continue designing characters on the future for DLC with a lot less pression. And we must accept it. We would buy any DLC with any troubles, characters, stages, etc

 

[Zinnamon]

If they do make characters and stages how would it work on online gameplay? As you might know in order to play you need two versions of the same game, even if the less updated game is allowed to run. In order to play online against someone you need to have every add on/plug in he has, you must have too, so every time new content is added, everyone's wiiU would need to be updated. I don't know how the Wii memory content and disc memory content differentiation works I suppose the wii could read from the disc and memory at the same time.

 

[xX1337Sn1PeZaSsAsS1nXx]

I think this would hurt the overall competitive scene as some people may not wish to purchase the dlc.

 

[Rif-Raf]

Since the 3DS has update stuff and WiiU is bound to have something like that I wuldnt be surprised if we got DLC, like music, alternate colors and stages. Plus, if Nintendo is making the WiiU more like other consoles I highly doubt theyre gunna leave out downloadable content.

 

[SmashShadow]

Personally I'm all 4 it if i can get new characters that would have otherwise been cut out due to time constraints. Hell, they could even make a pack to bring back the charcters that have been cut out(pichu, young link, roy, mewtwo)if they don't get in on their own. Actually i think they could add young link to that majoras mask pack :D

 

[Robert of Normandy]

I just had an idea...

So, a lot of people want to see Tom Nook in SSB4, but a lot of people don't think he would make sense as a fighter. But what if(assuming DLC is implemented) they incorporated him/other characters like him as shopkeepers for the DLC stores?

Not sure if this is the appropriate thread for this or not.

 

[keero16]

I just had an idea...

So, a lot of people want to see Tom Nook in SSB4, but a lot of people don't think he would make sense as a fighter. But what if(assuming DLC is implemented) they incorporated him/other characters like him as shopkeepers for the DLC stores?

Not sure if this is the appropriate thread for this or not.

That actually sounds kind of cool. Maybe not even just for a DLC shop, but maybe there can be a shop in the game for you to buy extra stuff, and the shop owner changes to one from many different Nintendo games.

 

[Big-Cat]

I think this would hurt the overall competitive scene as some people may not wish to purchase the dlc.

That's tough **** really as tournament setups require that all the essential DLC be available. This typically means gameplay related things like characters and not cosmetic things like alternate costumes.

I just had an idea...

So, a lot of people want to see Tom Nook in SSB4, but a lot of people don't think he would make sense as a fighter. But what if(assuming DLC is implemented) they incorporated him/other characters like him as shopkeepers for the DLC stores?

Not sure if this is the appropriate thread for this or not.

Anna was used as the host of the online connections for Fire Emblem Awakening. I'd welcome this kind of thing being used for different things. Like, you could have CPU Adam from Fusion telling you what you have to do for an event match.

It does not cost MONEY to make characters, it costs TIME.

As Oasis said, time is money. You have to pay those people that make the content after all.

Here's where I stand on DLC. I think things that are essential to gameplay like characters, stages, etc. should be paid, but they need to be marketed as upgrades and should be packaged together. Now, if we're talking about patches where no new features are added like with AE 2012, those should be free. When it comes to cosmetic things like costumes, I'd like it to be included in the game to begin with, but I'd be fine for paying custom parts like the ones you get in 3D fighters, especially if they're added later on and not day 1 DLC.

On the topic of disc locked DLC, this will sadly be something not fully understood. The way it works with this content is that the developers have granted you a basic license to use only what they give you. iPhone apps have been doing this kind of thing for years. I'm not the biggest fan of it, but they have do have the freedom to do it and it does prevent online compatibility issues and reduces the price of the DLC when they choose for you to have it.

That being said, there are some times where keeping it disc locked makes sense. Take SFxTK with its 12 characters. They were, aside from a bug here and there, fully functioning, but they were not balanced so if they were unlocked, things would've been bad. For example, Bryan had a restanding glitch like Kazuya had and Sakura was, from what I've heard, borderline OP because of her juggling potential. In other words, these characters were not finished, something a lot of people just couldn't accept.

 

[Robert of Normandy]

That actually sounds kind of cool. Maybe not even just for a DLC shop, but maybe there can be a shop in the game for you to buy extra stuff, and the shop owner changes to one from many different Nintendo games.

Or have different characters for different shops. Maybe you could have Nook manage an in-game "Trophy Shop" and Anna from Fire Emblem manage the DLC shop.

 

[8-peacock-8]

Or have different characters for different shops. Maybe you could have Nook manage an in-game "Trophy Shop" and Anna from Fire Emblem manage the DLC shop.

I like this idea.

 

[GreenKirby]

It's a fighting game that will probably have an online focus, so if there is DLC, it should be free.

No the heck it should not for the sole fact that employees should get paid for their work.

You have to make the model
Their icon
The announcer to announce character's name
His/her trophies
A new victory theme if said character isn't from a franchise already with reps.
A voice actor and in some case like Fox and Falco, two voice actors
Respective Kirby hat
Makiko Ōmoto , Kirby's voice actress, will then have to mimic that grunt of the DLC's B move
The Classic Mode ending of said DLC character
Making it so that the CPU can use the character as foe in Classic Mode
Somehow must work a way for the character to work online against someone who didn't download the character yet
Setting up AI competence of the character so it isn't a complete moron
Considering the fact that consoles can hold only so much space so the developers are still stuck with the issue of who gets to be DLC and who isn't.

 

[Kirbunny431]

It's been stated that you can plug as much memory as you want into the Wii U, so space is really the least of our worries.

(At least, I think that's been said. Correct me if I'm wrong.)

 

[Deleted member]

DLC stages, music, and characters would be awesome to see. It's just too bad that given Sakurai's nature of finishing the game and not coming back to it, that it's probably not going to be what we're thinking.

 

[Ghirahilda]

DLC stages, music, and characters would be awesome to see. It's just too bad that given Sakurai's nature of finishing the game and not coming back to it, that it's probably not going to be what we're thinking.

Awesome if they are for free! I will pay for chacacters, but not for stages and music!

 

[Super FOG]

I don't like DLCs, but I think that's the only solution for the inclusion of latecomer characters and stuff.

I suggest that Smash Bros. DLC should be sold in "combos", a single pack that includes a lot of things.

i. e.: A DLC package containing a character, a stage and a music set.

But in general, I'm against DLCs in this type of game.

You have to make the model
Their icon
The announcer to announce character's name
His/her trophies
A new victory theme if said character isn't from a franchise already with reps.
A voice actor and in some case like Fox and Falco, two voice actors
Respective Kirby hat
Makiko Ōmoto , Kirby's voice actress, will then have to mimic that grunt of the DLC's B move
The Classic Mode ending of said DLC character
Making it so that the CPU can use the character as foe in Classic Mode
Somehow must work a way for the character to work online against someone who didn't download the character yet
Setting up AI competence of the character so it isn't a complete moron
Considering the fact that consoles can hold only so much space so the developers are still stuck with the issue of who gets to be DLC and who isn't.

They colud cut some expenses by imposing some limitations:

DLC characters couldn't be used in single player modes, eliminating the need of making an ending sequence;
By consequence, CPU characters should never control DLC characters, saving extra programmation, this also applies in multiplayer modes;
In order to use ther character in an online interaction, the other player must have the same one;
Trophies could be included without the need of purchasing any DLC character;
Voice acting could be reused from another games, just like many of SSBM voice clips are reuses from SSB64 and other N64 games;

Of course, I don't have te intention to support DLCs in Smash. It's just a plenty of alternatives that producers could use for making paid DLCs cheaper.

 

[SwayneGang]

DLC for Smash 3DS and Wii U? Yes. It's long overdue, it HAS to happen.

Any character that had to be dropped from the roster (veteran or newcomer), could be released as add-on content.

 

[UltiMario]

Just would like to pop in and say I completely approve of DLC if it's done the way that, say, Valve handles it.

Buy the game? Great. All future DLC is free.

How about we make paid DLC addons too? Oh, by the way, these DLC addons are available for free in the game too. It's just to get them faster and more easily. Amazing.

If DLC is handled like this, it's fine.

If DLC is handled like Crapcom or *insert company that makes a realistic shooter here*, then that would be HORRIBLE. Pay for the game at least two times over to get get content that was more or less finished when the game was launched.

 

[Amazing Ampharos]

If this is like most fighting games, alternate costume DLC is a pretty strong possibility and could be pretty cool. Dr. Mario could easily return just as a costume for Mario for instance, and the revenue from DLC could justify making costumes like that across a large cast. I can already imagine good costumes for most of the cast whether it's Boshi, OoT Link, Dark Samus, Fox and Falco in the jumpsuits they've worn in various games, dry Bowser, strikers Peach, SS Zelda with an SS Impa-look-alike version of Sheik, Ike in Griel's armor, Pikachu dressed up in a full Pokemon Trainer outfit (not just a hat but a jacket, pants, and backpack too), Mr. Game & Watch "colored in" as a detailed person not just a solid black sillhouette (though he'd still be flat and have the exact same outline, and his animation would be the same so it really did look kinda like a drawing yeah I only included this one because I knew G&W was going to be the hardest character and I wanted to show it could be done), yarn Kirby, pajamas Ness, Captain Falcon wearing nothing but a speedo and mask, Ice Climbers in NSMBWii styled penguin suits... There's no way they'd ever include that for free since that's all a ton of extra work especially given that Kirby is going to be a character in this game, but as paid DLC it would be a sure thing moneymaker for them and would give a lot of us something we'd be more than happy to pay for.

As per gameplay relevant DLC, I generally trust Nintendo not to try to rip us off so I presume if there's something there it will be something that wouldn't have been there if not for the DLC. Smash being as big as possible is great for me; we only buy a new smash game once per generation so spending a little extra is nothing compared to the benefit of having more characters and more stages. The only worry would be them locking stuff and taking forever to release it, but that's usually the result of licensing deals which I don't think we'd have to worry about too much with Nintendo at the helm (they run the console, and they're bigger than any third party they may be contracting with for characters). If we're talking about balance patches, I presume those are free and they could be a great thing for the game; my work on Balanced Brawl if anything showed me how much such a thing could improve these already good games, and from a community perspective Meta Knight being nerfed in a patch would have been greatly preferrable to what actually happened.