Beards & Beaks first Xbox LIVE for Windows Phone game to feature DLC
Here's quite the surprise: Beards & Beaks ($2.99) features downloadable content (DLC) i.e. extra levels and add ons that can be purchased from within the game itself.
Up to now, our games have been fairly limited, requiring a whole new download to bring new levels, like IloMilo. Now, developers evidently can start offering extra levels, new mini-games, etc. as an extension of the main game (as well as charge for it, hello!).
Luckily the "Forest Map" add on here for Beards & Beaks is completely free. What's more, it's mean this game can get extended life out of it since MSG can keep creating new levels and features.
Ah, the future of Windows Phone gaming is looking good. Grab the game here in the Marketplace.
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Geez#IM says:
Wait what since when can we use Microsoft points??what did i miss?
Jimbob73 says:
...and the Mountain-Level is 80 Points...you can buy "extra mushrooms" for 40, 120 or 320 MSP...I really don't like the direction...
Daniel Rubino says:
I can see why, but on the other hand it *works* on the console. People like and use DLC all the time, in fact it's one of the biggest features of "connected" consoles.Fact is, it makes money and gives developers more incentive to create content. Users are by no means forced to buy anything and games don't feel incomplete without them.I was a sucker for The Force Unleashed DLCs and bought a bunch of extra levels. Cheap? Not really. But I did enjoy them, even if they were short.
Jimbob73 says:
I don't have a problem with paid DLC in general. I just don't like "Day 1"-DLC when it's already in the game and you have to pay extra money to unlock it. Best example was the unlockable Darth Vader in Soul Calibur on the Xbox for 400 MSP.....
fujisawa san says:
But even a short Force Unleashed level has much more content than a B&B level. I realize the prices are different, but still. Give us more than 3 short levels and 2 bars of magic before you try to sucker us into spending more money on your game. Or here's a novel concept: make the prime game long enough that we don't feel ripped off when the level select screen starts asking for money. Heck, when I launched it, the first thing I saw was to click to buy additional levels. I had to realize that the part of the game I owned was a few swipes back!
selfcreation says:
having to pay for extra levels ... no thanx . maybe if it took more then a week to finish the game... and more then 1hour to finish a 3$ level.
mydefposse says:
This is great news, means we can hopefully start getting DLC achievements too!
Verkunder says:
Whether you pplan on ever buying it, it's a good direction for the phone. Merely having the ability to add levels/characters/etc. means, as someone said, developers might be more inclined to add content to their games. I mean, how many people are calling for additional Angry Birds levels?
theefman says:
From what I've seen on the Xbox all it turns out to be is a way for devs to ship incomplete games and then charge you for the rest later. I seldom buy DLC on my 360 and that wont change on my phone. What we will end up seeing is shorter games with DLC coming later to make up the difference and with XBL games coming in more expensive anyway it doesnt bode well for better pricing in the future. Really not a trend we should encourage.
fujisawa san says:
It depends. In the case of something like Mass Effect or Alan Wake, you get more than enough for your initial investment that the DLC wasn't unwelcome. But in the case of a mobile game that took me under an hour to finish the levels included for my $3, I'm pretty annoyed that they have the audacity to ask for more money so soon.
hauz_20 says:
Yeah, I want the option to use MS moonbucks as payment! That would make things much more simple for me.
mittortz says:
As of now, Xbox LIVE on WP7 is feeling more like an excuse to rip us off than anything. Games are triple the price (or more) compared to other platforms already, now there's DLC? On the first day?? Watch us pay for angry birds levels that iOS and Android get for free. There is an advantage to having DLC, but a majority of the time the feature is abused by greedy publishers.And in the end, what do we get in return? LIVE achievements...and... we can look at our avatar on the go? Not worth the price of admission, if you ask me. MS really needs to improve on the service provided before they continue trotting out these $7 games (and now also $3 games with DLC!)
fujisawa san says:
While I applaud the effort to simplify the delivery of new content, I'm pretty okay with a whole new download in order to receive new levels and the like. I also get that this will provide incentive to devs to release new content they might not otherwise put out, but in the case of this game, I'm appalled. The game I just paid $3 for isn't nearly long enough and the fact that it will cost me another $2 to bring it to a reasonable length is unacceptable. Also, having to pay for magic recharges (mushroom bundles) is completely ridiculous. I guess that's this game showing it's Facebook roots. It would be like having to buy ammo clips for Master Chief in Halo Anniversary.I bought the game because I found the trial to be pretty fun, but had I know that I was going to be scammed so hard by the devs, I would have passed. It's a shame that greed overrode decency here. I would have gladly bought levels a few weeks from now if I had the five the game shows from the get-go. Now, not so much.Guess I should have also paid a bit more attention to the fact it had day one DLC. Ah well. Live and learn.
uvadave says:
Completely concur. I'd return this game if I could, and highly recommend anyone strongly reconsider buying it.They literally added a 20hr time sink for no other reason than to get you to give them money. This would be the equivalent of having to pay for Mushrooms or Fire Flowers in Super Mario Bros. I'm okay with paying for extra levels in games (usually don't buy DLC, but hey it's an option for those willing), but they made a key portion of the gameplay require real money to work, its ridiculous and disgusting to find this in a first party game.Not to mention it also completely negates the leaderboards since anyone who is willing to spend money on mushrooms will have an easier time.
