Horse Armour. It's perhaps the most infamous example of downloadable content ever coded - and also one of the oldest, pegged onto the end of Bethesda's celebrated The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion in April 2006.
Originally priced at 200 MSP - rather a lot to swallow for what amounted to a single set of threads for your nag - the Horse Armour pack was quickly demonised by critics of newfangled digital distribution markets. So ferocious was the hate, that Horse Armour attained internet meme status.
Hines dropped the bomb when asked whether Bethesda had found the "sweet spot" for DLC pricing.
"In one respect everything we've done has done well, including the much maligned horse armour," he said.
"I swear to you I don't have the report in front of me, but multiple people bought horse armour yesterday! For some inexplicable reason. It happened, I promise.
"So that sold, and Shivering Isles sold, and everything we did for Fallout 3 sold, so it's clear to us that what matters most is value - and whether it's value at the 10 dollar or 10 pound price point, or five pounds, or whatever it is, so long as it's good value, people will like it and buy it.
Hines argued that time is as important a factor in the production of DLC as cost and content.
"Really what we try to find the sweet spot for is: what does it cost, what do they get, and - something that's not often talked about, but that's important to us - how long will it take us to get it out?"
"We don't want them having to wait forever to get something, so we try to find the right mix of time and expense and content that works," Hines concluded, "and what that formula will be down the road, I can't say today for sure."
Hear more from Hines in the podcast itself, available to download from iTunes now. Topics covered include building security into an open world, the centrality of Xbox to Elder Scrolls, and what's new in Skyrim.
6 comments so far...
CunningSmile on 16 Mar '11 said:
I've always admired Bethesda's take on DLC. Look at the ES and FO games and with the exception of the Horse Armour it isn't a case of 'Give us a tenner and we'll give you three maps' like so many developers, it's more 'Give us a tenner and we'll give you a three hour+ sequel to a game you love, often with a new setting and atmosphere.' Yes they have mixed quality (I for one wasn't a fan of Mothership Zeta on Fallout but loved Point Lookout's survival horror) but at least they put effort in. For that alone I'll forgive them the Horse Armour.
However I won't forgive the people who still buy Horse Armour. What are you people? Crazy?
Grummy on 16 Mar '11 said:
I loved the Horse armour, still do too. Sure it probably should have been in the game anyway, and to be better value for money it should have been more than just 2 styles, and yes it should have added a carrying capacity, BUT it was one of the very first pieces of DLC, all developers were just trying there hand at it to see what would work and what wouldn't. Horse armour was a simple and inexpensive way for everybody to try out DLC. If Horse armour didn't sell, then Bethesda didn't lose anything for having made it, and they learned from the experience, if it did, then those who bought it only spent a couple of pounds, nothing much at all really.
The important thing is that Bethesda learned from it, and since then all their DLC has been worth the cost, whether small add ons like the different class houses in Oblivion, long quests like Mehrunes Razor, full expansion like SI or perfectly balanced DLC that we got for Fallout, it's all been right.
As for those who still buy Horse armour, good for them, all they're doing is continuing to show support for a developer they trust and a game they enjoy.
Personally I hope they release Horse armour again for Skyrim as a day 1 DLC. As much as I would like it to be in the game already, complete with varied designs and carrying capacity etc, I'd much rather see it as DLC again, just for the lol factor. It'd be a great way for Bethesda to give a nod to the fans over it.
Bezza89 on 16 Mar '11 said:
Anyone think he is hinting at a DLC like shivering isles to bridge a gap between ESVI? Having something to keep us occupied?
Maybe...
Grummy on 16 Mar '11 said:
No. He was talking about DLC like we got with Fallout 3.
He's already said a while back in previous interviews that they've found the right balance with these 4 hr DLC's every few months, and that they believe they're better than a big expansion, people prefer the smaller bitesize DLC and that this is where they're going from now on.
It's a bloody shame tbh. I don't agree with him on this. Yes the bitesize DLC are excellent, perfectly priced, perfectly paced, BUT I damn sure would much rather wait a year or 2 for an amazing full expansion than have these DLC.
glavias on 18 Mar '11 said:
I bought every dlc there was for Oblivion.
But I am crazy anyway, to answer Cunning Smile
msbhvn on 20 Mar '11 said:
I bought everything else, but I didn't buy Horse Armour for the reason that horses in Oblivion were utterly useless.