Downloable versus unlockable content?

Downloable versus unlockable content?

Postby devnewton » 01 Nov 2012, 11:35

I studying the possibility to sell additional levels for my game ( http://devnewton.bci.im/projects/newton_adventure ).

I see two way of doing this:

- sell downloable level packages (DownLoable Content, DLC)
- make some levels inacessible and sell activation keys. (UnLockable Content, ULC)

DLC is harder to implements, but is well known by players and more likely to be accepted by the free sotfware community.

ULC is easy to implements, but is very uncommon in free softwares and I fear that it won't be accepted/understood.

Note that I just want a way to propose to buy, not force to buy. Since I do libre software, I dont want to invent a Digital Right Management and if somebody want to grab my code and remove the level lock or download the additonnal level and share it with his friends, that's ok.

What do you think of DLC vs ULC?
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Re: Downloable versus unlockable content?

Postby qubodup » 01 Nov 2012, 16:58

DLC means that it will be downloaded in-game? Or will the player have to download a file manually and open it using the game or place it in a location?
ULC means that the additional levels are included in the releases/updates?
What will be the license of the levels?

In Nikki and the Robots, we have "Story Episodes", which has a menu entry that leads to our buy page. After buying you receive a key and then you have to enter the key in the game. It then downloads the proprietary additional content (non-code) inside the game.

The inclusion of Nikki and the Robots in Debian is still being discussed. The proprietary content didn't seem to be problematic in the discussion (as long as it doesn't contain code?).
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Re: Downloable versus unlockable content?

Postby devnewton » 02 Nov 2012, 08:45

DLC means that it will be downloaded in-game? Or will the player have to download a file manually and open it using the game or place it in a location?


I prefer the manual option. Implements ingame payment and downloading is too complex.

ULC means that the additional levels are included in the releases/updates?


Yes.

What will be the license of the levels?


I want to use the same license for all data: CC-BY-SA. (The levels do not contains code).
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Re: Downloable versus unlockable content?

Postby qubodup » 02 Nov 2012, 11:25

devnewton {l Wrote}:
DLC means that it will be downloaded in-game? Or will the player have to download a file manually and open it using the game or place it in a location?

I prefer the manual option. Implements ingame payment and downloading is too complex.

Nikki has in-game downloading but just opens a browser for payment.

To handle DLC more easily, SOS (McPixel) gave us the hint that one can register a protocol handler:
- You can register your game as a protocol handler, e.g. so that links
starting with nikki:// will be open by default with your application
- The protocol register during elevated setup is non-invasive!

We haven't implemented that though (in our case it would be useful for not having to enter email and key manually).

devnewton {l Wrote}:
What will be the license of the levels?

I want to use the same license for all data: CC-BY-SA. (The levels do not contains code).

Cool! This makes it harder to answer to your question. :) You could for example ask on the Debian Games mailing list.

I have one idea/suggestion:
  1. In the main menu have "buy" option, which has a lock graphic.
  2. In the background of the menu, have items lying around, bombs, dynamite, jackhammers, files.
  3. Allow the player to either use the menu option (which will lead to an info page about how to buy/where to enter the code) or allow the player to remove the lock in a playful manner: drag the destructive items on it and then click it 250 more times, making visible damage to it.
  4. If the player decided to 'break in' display some kind of humorously critical sign, for example a poster saying "Cheap Player! WANTED DEAD OR ALIVE" and if the player pays, have something rewarding instead (the minimal would be a nice little tune and some particle effects when unlocking the lock.
If you want to sell levels individually or in packs, then the above could be applied to the "menu options" of such level packs.

This might be too much effort of course. :)
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Re: Downloable versus unlockable content?

Postby devnewton » 02 Nov 2012, 13:54

"win hard challenge or pay" business model?
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Re: Downloable versus unlockable content?

Postby qubodup » 02 Nov 2012, 16:59

devnewton {l Wrote}:"win hard challenge or pay" business model?

Sounds like the free to play (F2P) model.

The being-able-to-forcefully-unlock is supposed to be more of an easter egg combined with a nagscreen.
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Re: Downloable versus unlockable content?

Postby DangerOnTheRanger » 02 Nov 2012, 18:54

qubodup {l Wrote}:Allow the player to either use the menu option (which will lead to an info page about how to buy/where to enter the code) or allow the player to remove the lock in a playful manner: drag the destructive items on it and then click it 250 more times, making visible damage to it.


Why do that? Just seems like it would detract from your revenue. There are several free programs out there that would easily perform those 250 clicks in a very short amount of time, thus enabling people to easily get the DLC for free.
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Re: Downloable versus unlockable content?

Postby qubodup » 03 Nov 2012, 16:30

I forgot to explain that the idea behind adding this F2P-like mode of selling levels would be to remove incentive from Debian packagers to patch the ULC away.
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Re: Downloable versus unlockable content?

Postby KIAaze » 03 Apr 2013, 12:58

I think a simple reminder in the game of where you can buy it/donate for it (or buy additional levels, etc) is better. (not everybody gets their games from official sources, especially if they are DRM-free or in distro repositories).

Personally, I dislike both DLC and ULC, but I think there are 2 main points to take into account:
1) Disadvantage of ULC: With ULC, you have to prepare all the unlockable content in advance and can't easily add new one. -> Solution: game update system (problematic for packaging into distros)
2) Advantage of ULC: Players can find out about unlockable content from within the game, while they may be completely unaware of any new DLC you put up on your website. -> Solution: in-game menu getting content/news from the internet

I'll just mention some of my experiences with DLC/ULC here:
1) Steelstorm: They added a DLC offering a few new weapons and the official online-multiplayer servers were only accessible if you had the DLC, i.e. if you wanted to play online using the official servers, you had to get the DLC. (but of course you could still host your own multiplayer games) -> Bad experience.
2) Dwarfs is available as free to play on steam and offers various unlockable content. All of it is shown in the game menus with locks on it and clicking on them open s up a website describing the ULC and allowing you to buy it. The ingame-menus are really well done and the free to play part of the game stands well on its own. -> Good experience.
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