I haven't posted here at all, but you might find some of my blog interesting. Just finished writing the article "No Soup For You!!!" - basically how 95% of games released today give us no kudos/thanks/rewards for supporting previous releases in their franchise. Hope it is a good read for all. Always open to your thoughts on this, and my other blog posts. Thanks all. http://videogameconsolelibrary.com/blogs/mg/
Capcom's been kinda good at doing stuff this gen. In the five remaining percent, I'm at least glad to see Lost Planet 2 kinda fits in by giving you various bonuses based on the existence of save data for the original, the re-release of the original and various other Capcom games (it unlocks a set of custom tags you can use, based on your various capcom games + whether or not you played the original game + if you played the demo it gives you an extra unique weapon) Bionic Commando: Rearmed carried over the retro outfit as an automatic bonus to the big 3D game + you had two extra unlocks (an alternate default fire arm + a key to a bonus room with a bunch of miniateurs of various unused enemy designs for the game) Dunno if Dead Rising will have any import to Dead Rising 2, but the XBLA "demo/prologue" for Dead Rising 2 lets you bring over your stuff. If you're playing the Fable 2 demo, you can import your data from there (+auto unlock achievements you've met the requirements for) to the full version, but nothing exclusive... think there was some sort of Fable 1 -> Fable 2 thing, though, but don't quote me on that (at least pub games carries over into Fable 2) Crackdown 2 demo lets you unlock achievements in advance (a total of 100g worth), but, again, nothing exclusive for being a demo man, it seems. But, yeah, I wholeheartedly agree that games should be better at rewarding the player for being dedicated (in ways only possibly by actually being a returning player). Now a days, it seems like games should only sell on hype and during the launch period... no long term sales or anything. Almost no reprints of old games and so on either... So almost all the "exclusive/fan service" is being brought in via pre-order bonuses :/
I guess one part of the problem is that there's not that many true series any more, "series" meaning multiple games with the same main character. More often it's just something called "<game title> n+1" with a familiar setting but a completely different cast, so porting something (someone) over wouldn't make a lot of sense. And about boni that aren't of the reuse-an-old-character variety, like bonus weapons, cars etc: Those fall dangerously close to the DLC category, which I'm stictly against. Maybe I'm getting old too, but if I buy a game, I want -all- of the game! One or two mission packs are okay (-if- they have enough content), but stuff like horse armor DLC? Nevar!, I say! Also, more and more games have a strong emphasis on multiplayer (which I also don't like much, but that's besides the point here), so you have to keep the playing field at least somewhat leveled, meaning the "veterans" would be given pretty much the standard stuff everyone else gets, just with a different skin on. Is that what you'd want?
Good thoughts\observations. I, too, am not a big multiplayer gamer, but I believe I am pretty much in the minority (old guy here). I see your point, but I guess I do want some treasure chest of goodies awaiting me for my single player experience. I hear ya - the horse armor did suck. But in all honesty, that was the only DLC for ES4 that I didn't purchase (I am a ES junkie). For the most part, I hate the fact that I am getting nickled and dimed to death by gaming companies when it comes to add-on content. I like the concept (add value and development to an existing title), but some companies are going a bit overboard in this area (ie. pre-order bonus).
To be honest, I don't mind DLC much (big spender, actually), but I don't like the "mission pack/expansion pack" sequels certain games get these days. A lot of sequels often feel like cheap mission packs for their previous installment, doing nothing to really improve things or anything. Think my biggest fear was that Portal 2 would end up being a mission pack thing (like Left 4 Dead 2 most certainly was), but at least the currently available footage seems to show that it's not just trying to cash in on a few extra rooms and holes in the wall. One of the things DLC certainly have replaced are the unlockables in games, but I think that's partly the consumers to blame. It's pretty much thing about "wanting everything" that I feel has killed the unlockables. People who don't have the skills/patience/know-how to unlock something will want it to be there on a silver platter - day 1 - but without actually even trying. So the alternative? Don't include it at all. Make those who really want it pay for it (either 'cause they hunger for more or as a means of buying themselves out of having to "win/earn" it). The hardcore fans will hunger for more, the idiots will blindly buy anything and those who enjoyed the game will pay for a little bit extra. Maybe it's not a deliberate change/effect, but I feel there's some underlying connection there... (along with the whole storydriven thing these days... making gameplay a distant 3rd, narrative 2nd and 1st goes to the element of sales hype towards an audience that doesn't know better)
