Requested feature for PCGW: List all available DLC for games

[IAmWeasel 0]

As the title says, I would like this feature to be added to the Wiki. I am kind of a completionist, and it's hard to find any information regarding DLC for some older titles (for example Mass Effect 1). What do you think? Is it possible to implement this?

[Mirh 103]

Mass effect series dlc are correctly listed in the series box

What would be the problem then? Informations on the purchasing procedure are usually mentioned in the availability section

 

Or you might be referring to games like just cause 2 which actually have so many "dlcs" there's no room for them

[Garrett 218]

DLC is almost always available from at least one digital distributor so I'd say the individual DLC only needs to be covered when there are exceptions to the norm, as with Mass Effect's Pinnacle Station DLC no longer being sold separately or Mafia II's The Betrayal of Jimmy being limited to certain European countries.

[Nicereddy 109]

I personally like this idea, how about as a function of the infobox that's automatically collapsed but can be shown manually if the viewer wants to see it. I don't want to clutter the infobox, but as long as it's collapsed by default that shouldn't be much of a problem.

[Nicereddy 109]

It's a bit of a problem, as we already include DLC info in the series box. Perhaps a rethink of this entire section is in order.

Would it be possible to just remove the DLC from the series box in favor of including them per-game? I'd support that, but I don't want to have wasted people's time if they worked on getting the DLC in the series box in the first place.

[Suicide machine 54]

Idk - I really like the system we have now. The only problem is sometimes linking it. Steam for the most part just makes a list of available DLCs (which is extremely useful), but even there, there are some exceptions like for example with first Quake (where I've taken some opportunity do something, on my own, as our sample article didn't cover that).

 

Either way, I like the current system, as most often we only point out only the worthy DLCs that add maps, expend storyline etc. and we skip the shovel-dlc crap like weapon packs, skin packs, which I would never buy, unless I happen to enjoy a particular game very much. It's small and informative and I'd be against getting rid of it. But adding more information directly on game's pages, I wouldn't mind either.

[IAmWeasel 0]

Wow, I didn't notice this post got so much attention. However I think Nicereddy has the best idea/solution to this:

I personally like this idea, how about as a function of the infobox that's automatically collapsed but can be shown manually if the viewer wants to see it. I don't want to clutter the infobox, but as long as it's collapsed by default that shouldn't be much of a problem.

Exactly what I was thinking. A list you can open with all DLC listed, availability next to it (is it still available/was consol only/if available from where). It could be a totally different box altogether, so yes, I think that would make the list in the series box unnecessary.

Would this be possible?

[Garrett 218]

It might be better to have the collapsible section below the normal availability table; there would then be room for notes about DLC region/OS availability etc. if needed.

[Mirh 103]

Imo, most of the problem resides into distinguish crappy DLCs from proper expansions.

Battlefield 2 or starcraft 2 are great examples of games with really considerable extra contents which should really deserve a space in the series template

 

On the other hand mass effect and cod additions (aside from the first really rich expansion) are already more doubtful of an inclusion

 

Until you arrive talking of mirror's edge or burnout paradise dlc... which is already a thing if their dlcs are mentioned somewhere in the page, given their insignificance/diffused unavailability

[Marioysikax 89]

I like idea of listing DLC as some games have tons of DLC available but doesn't even bother to tell what the DLC actually is in full extend. One of greatest examples are Tomb Raider and Sleeping Dogs. They have DLC which basically breaks single player campaing to some degree, with Sleeping dogs it's already listed as fix but it would be nice addition to have collapsed list of DLC and icons what DLC does what. 

However these are single cases and usually listed on article so benefit from listing DLC is really marginal.

 

Enhanced Steam does this, but they have their own database: http://www.enhancedsteam.com/featuredetail.php?id=12 

[Garrett 218]

Now that the main availability table has been updated I think it's time to take another look at the possibility of covering DLC again since so many addons are limited to certain stores/regions, include extra DRM or have other weird behaviour. Both DLC and traditional expansions would be covered in the same table.

 

I've made a basic example at User:Garrett/DLC/sandbox. The table is collapsed by default. I'm not sure what other columns it might need; operating system is one possibility since some DLC is not available on the same platforms as the base game, although that could also be handled in the notes as usual. The final version would also include a Steam app ID parameter to be used in place of listing DLC app IDs in the infobox.

 

DLC content/features fall outside the wiki's scope so wouldn't be described unless relevant such as Tomb Raider (2013) having DLC for skills that can also be unlocked through normal gameplay without actually owning that DLC.

[Garrett 218]

Putting DLC app IDs in the infobox tends to result in big lumps of meaningless numbers (as with Borderlands 2); storing each ID alongside the associated DLC would make it easier to manage the IDs and catch omissions.

[Garrett 218]

Fair enough, the current method works in the end.

 

I have updated the example with an OS column. Template:OS would need to be updated to support some sort of DOS logo.

[Marioysikax 89]

Fair enough, the current method works in the end.

 

I have updated the example with an OS column. Template:OS would need to be updated to support some sort of DOS logo.

Are there actually that much DLC which is available for other OS but not for another one? I can only think few examples where games DLC won't work if you have specific version of the game. 

Icons for wether DLC is story, expansion, in-game item, cheat, etc. would be much better now like I suggested earlier if there will actually be table for DLC content. It would also streamline seriesbox, if dlc is story or expansion, then include it in seriesbox. 

[Garrett 218]

There are many recent cases of DLC not being on the same platforms as the base game. This happened frequently with traditional retail expansions. Some DOSBox/Wine re-releases are also missing expansions that were available on the original platform.

 

I still think covering DLC content/features, even in symbol form, is getting a bit beyond the scope of the wiki. Linking to Enhanced Steam's DLC categories would be a good solution but unfortunately it doesn't seem to be accessible from outside the extension.