Physical DLC Thread [Toys-To-Life. amiibo, etc.]

[Kosheh]

hmm...

I think the idea of collectible figurines is neat, but using them as another form of paid DLC kinda bugs me...
Mainly because I only really see paid DLC as a marketing ploy.
Basically, I go and buy a game because I hear that the Pokemon Mew is a play-able character. Well, I try to play as Mew, and "This character requires an additional purchase" or something... (or I read it on the package) So, one trip to the store later, more money spent, just to use ONE CHARACTER... In worse case scenarios, EBAY/Amazon/etc...
The other possible way this could play-out is I go to the store for the figure, and read "scan/connect to this game on this console to unlock this character in-game!" well, naturally, I go buy a new system, and a game for that system, and whatever other stuff is required, just to play that game, unsure if I'm going to like it, even, just so I can play as that one character! In both of these cases, a lot of people just made a lot of money off of me.

Furthermore, it's another opportunity for people who came into the game late, or who lack extra money to feel left-out of the loop, or...resort to hacking. In short, the Nintendo exclusive events scenario 2.0

I also have concerns that it's another device to get broken, misplaced, or stolen...

One last concern of mine, its present validity unknown... but Do Amiibos and similar merely contain some completely random unlock code for an already existing feature/character, or do they physically contain another file/series of files, pertaining to that content? Whatever the case may be, it's not inconceivable for the latter option to come into play if it's not already... And thus, my last point I'd like to make, is what that means for sites like this. As-is, finding the normal roms isn't always an easy task. This could add another layer of difficulty for sprite/model/sound/texture rippers, as they'd also need a copy of the DLC files/roms/whatever you wanna call them... And this requires either an inside leak, or someone to go and dump the data from one they acquired.

That's all i'd like to say, hope this isn't violation of the rules laid-out in the OP, but it said anything related to physical DLC, and concerns about them do fall under that category. Anyways, if there's an issue, please notify me.

Hello I'm notifying you. What you're describing is literally Skylanders or Disney Infinity, and yeah that's a problem.

amiibo, for the most part have a header that describes what figure they are - SOMETIMES their alternate form, and what "family" they're from, i.e. "TOON LINK: variant of LINK from ZELDA series" and when they're tapped into a game. The rest is space on the figure which can be written to. It's only a few hundred kilobytes, but that's all you need. Other toys-to-life figures have a similar read/write function.
The game's reader reads that header and presents you with the relevant content.
The thing about Nintendo's usage of amiibo, though is that it's never really required DLC: It's actually supplementary content that's not required to enjoy the game experience. For example, Toon Link (from before) can be used within Smash Bros. as an AI training buddy, and can be "fed" equipment and taught player habits. You can level it up, and then take it to friends' houses and fight your amiibo against one another. Now, you could've just gone over your friend's house and played Smash; but amiibo allow you to enjoy another experience with your pals together.
Otherwise, they unlock pretty much cosmetic DLC in games that isn't really necessary to enjoy gameplay and it's generally stuff you can live without (mainly though, you're buying them for a primary usage in like Smash or something, and the other unlocks are just extra)

The only time where it's really "DLC behind a paywall" is the new Shovel Knight amiibo, which is literally Season Pass DLC in a figure...but that's also a third party amiibo.