Critique about having synthesis recipes behind a paywall

[Pan Paka Pan]

As a long term fan of this series, i believe this is unacceptable.
Having costumes as DLC is perfectly fine. Cosmetic optional stuff irrelevant to the gameplay.
Having characters and maps as paid DLC is sad, but still tolerable as it expands a bit the experience.

But having recipes behind a paywall is just plain ridiculous.

“This bundle includes a collection of recipes for weapon parts, items from past titles of the 'Atelier' series, and some new Catalysts and Enhancing Agents that will become available for purchase from shops in the game.“
Price: 5 USD.

Koei Tecmo is just going full stu-pid now. What’s next? Hiding the true ending of a game behind a paywall? Really disgusting practice if you ask me.

I know they need more money, but geez... c’mon...

What do you think?

[mandrakia]

I don't mind paying for additional content, I don't expect developpers to work for free and it allows me to enjoy Atelier Lydie gameplay a bit longer

[[rori] Nade]

Originally posted by logicspace:

What’s next? Hiding the true ending of a game behind a paywall?

Shh, don't give them ideas xDD. This is a shame, Like I have said before, some developers are getting greedy lately.

About the season pass... even Fatal Bullet being a meh-meh game (they promise 3 DLCs with story-expand, more characters, etc... for 25€) it would be acceptable but paying 80€ for craps (like Blue Reflection for example) is not acceptable.

[zachillios]

It is kinda crappy for them to do. If it's any consolation, the new recipes aren't at all needed to do the super bosses at level 200.

[Pan Paka Pan]

Originally posted by mandrakia:

I don't mind paying for additional content, I don't expect developpers to work for free and it allows me to enjoy Atelier Lydie gameplay a bit longer

How come every other Atelier before didn’t need this abuse of DLC?
Monster Hunter World not only don’t have content behind a paywall, but they also create new content every month for free. I don’t know why the same could be applied to Atelier.

Mind you, I’m not speaking on a personal level, it’s not for me that I’m talking, I don’t care paying more stuff for game i like, i even got the Atelier premium box.

It’s not that i want stuff for free, it’s because it would be better for Atelier reputation. Every player out there have high regards for good games that doesn’t have DLC content like MHW. For Atelier Lydie you can see a lot of people including the Japanese in forums and news very unsatisfied about this situation.

If they keep this trending, expect more and more abusive DLC practice, whole chapters behind a paywall, true ending behind a paywall, they are starting to close the gap between mobile abusive microtransactions and full paid games.

Next we will see a magic alchemy box with a CHANCE for a rare item that we can’t acquire in game by grinding. *facepalm*

[zachillios]

Originally posted by logicspace:

Originally posted by mandrakia:

I don't mind paying for additional content, I don't expect developpers to work for free and it allows me to enjoy Atelier Lydie gameplay a bit longer

How come every other Atelier before didn’t need this abuse of DLC?
Monster Hunter World not only don’t have content behind a paywall, but they also create new content every month for free. I don’t know why the same could be applied to Atelier.

Mind you, I’m not speaking on a personal level, it’s not for me that I’m talking, I don’t care paying more stuff for game i like, i even got the Atelier premium box.

It’s not that i want stuff for free, it’s because it would be better for Atelier reputation. Every player out there have high regards for good games that doesn’t have DLC content like MHW. For Atelier Lydie you can see a lot of people including the Japanese in forums and news very unsatisfied about this situation.

If they keep this trending, expect more and more abusive DLC practice, whole chapters behind a paywall, true ending behind a paywall, they are starting to close the gap between mobile abusive microtransactions and full paid games.

Next we will see a magic alchemy box with a CHANCE for a rare item that we can’t acquire in game by grinding. *facepalm*

While the monster hunter contrast doesn't really work due to its sales and budget, I do agree with you on the fact that a lot of this stuff shouldn't be dlc. BGMs and Maps ripped from another game and put in this should be free, especially if you own those games in the first place. Also, traits/effects should all be in the base game, no question there. And bonus characters? Especially ones that are already in the story and have important roles? That's nonsense. The only dlc I can say is reasonable to pay for is the costume dlc.

[Kotri Lv.199]

I like your phrase 'behind the paywall', and yes, monster hunter world is a nice game.
We should buy all mhw dlcs because the game is so good we don't have to buy dlcs to win :p

[Pan Paka Pan]

Originally posted by Kotri Lv.199:

I like your phrase 'behind the paywall', and yes, monster hunter world is a nice game.
We should buy all mhw dlcs because the game is so good we don't have to buy dlcs to win :p

By the way, Monster Hunter World just announced a huge update with new map, new elder dragon and tons of new stuff, everything for free.
I wish Koei would learn from them.

I don’t think it’s exaggerated to compare the two games. Even if the sales are not the same, the reputation is the key factor for future releases.

If they released every DLC for free = less money earned for now, but much higher reputation, people earns the trust again and feel confident in spreading good words about Atelier franchise. Popularity and reception rises.

If they keep doing what they doing (putting everything behind paid DLC) = higher money right now from hard fans of the franchise, worse reputation, some of the hard fans start becoming soft fans, soft fans becomes not interested anymore in the franchise. Next titles expected to sell extremely lower numbers due to very bad reputation.

Right now Atelier is in full decline, and they are getting more and more greedy with paid DLC, not even DOA has so much variety of content behind paid DLC. Most of them are just cosmetic stuff. I’m afraid that Koei is burying Atelier due to their own incompetence of managing business.

[Sashimi Kimochi]

if this game was released 10 years ago, Lucia would have been in the base game but no, it's 2017 we gotta be greedy and cut the contents themself. Lucia story fit the base game perfectly on chapter 3 where she join the party idk who the fk think of the idea cutting her out as DLC. The moment i finished chapter 3 and Lucia still won't join the party because she was cut as DLC i was like "wtf is wrong with nowaday games". There is no excuse to defend this form of business, not to mention about cutting other core contents like container send back or the speed shoes and make them DLC. Let's think about something equivalent : if mana khemia was released on 2017, the wings of return item (forgot its name, the item that sends you back to the campus) would be a DLC, that is totally unacceptable.

looks like GUST was influenced by KOEI too much and it's getting really worse

[Pan Paka Pan]

Originally posted by Sh!t Just Got Real:

if this game was released 10 years ago, Lucia would have been in the base game but no, it's 2017 we gotta be greedy and cut the contents themself. Lucia story fit the base game perfectly on chapter 3 where she join the party idk who the fk think of the idea cutting her out as DLC. The moment i finished chapter 3 and Lucia still won't join the party because she was cut as DLC i was like "wtf is wrong with nowaday games". There is no excuse toe defend this form of business, not to mention about cutting other core contents like container send back or the speed shoes and make them DLC. Let's think about something equivalent : if mana khemia was released on 2017, the wings of return item (forgot its name, the item that sends you back to the campus) would be a DLC, that is totally unacceptable.

looks like GUST was influenced by KOEI too much and it's getting really worse

I believe Koei is the one who decides this stuff (dlc). Gust is only the developer.

[Uranus Queen]

i hope every game like Witcher 3, splendid port, very beautiful graphics, and all DLC is free, just pay for main game and expansion pack

[chingw]

The price of the game itself is already expensive,I spend so much to buy this game just for play,and yet it cost additional for recipe ..If the game has same price as sophie with recipe dlc then I can understand. But this one is not.

[[rori] Nade]

To not start a new thread, I will post my complaint here following the paywall formula. Well, I couldn't resist to try the game before the character DLCs are out and... I am a bit angry. Seriously, I thought Lucia & Ilmeria wouldn't appear in the game if you don't pay for them (like Heintz & Shanon from Firis). So, basically, we have to pay for add them to the battle formation... /facepalm. Not this time, Koei.

[Pan Paka Pan]

Originally posted by rori Euu:

To not start a new thread, I will post my complaint here following the paywall formula. Well, I couldn't resist to try the game before the character DLCs are out and... I am a bit angry. Seriously, I thought Lucia & Ilmeria wouldn't appear in the game if you don't pay for them (like Heintz & Shanon from Firis). So, basically, we have to pay for add them to the battle formation... /facepalm. Not this time, Koei.

Yes. At least in Firis the DLC characters are just extra chars that doesn’t impact the story at all, but Lucia and Ilmeria are keys in L&S, hard to see them as just npcs. Gust probably did the game based around them but Koei decided to put those two behind a expensive paywall, really bad and greedy decision.
They could put Captain Backen and Fuoco behind DLC, instead of key characters that should be included by default.

[Pan Paka Pan]

http://www.dorkly.com/post/86263/the-5-worst-feelings-in-gaming
Relevant comic, square #5.