Actually, CK 2 is the perfect example of good DLCs.

There are exactly two DLCs that have gameplay changes. Those are "mini expansions" in every sense of the word. They add playable factions to the game. But, and that is the best part, all other gameplay enhancements you get via a free patch.

The other DLCs are graphics and sound stuff. Pay if you like them, ignore them if you don't like them.

But Paradox is also the worst example of DLCs and installers. That is why I only buy their games on Steam.

Gotta love that Horse Armor.

For me, anything other than a real expansion is too much - something that adds new content, expands areas/storylines, etc. I don't go in for the "spend ten bucks and get this pet" kinda thing.

DLC sucks. Expansion packs rock. There is a difference. Hats (I'm looking at you TF2) do not count as expansions.

DLC or expansions or new game content or whatever you want to call it can be good and bad.

For example many DLC are things like Team Fortress hats - its totally optional "bling" that you can opt to pay for if you want it and if you don't want it it has no effect on gameplay what so ever. Sure some people have gone rather mad with the whole hat trading aspect, but honestly its a visual addon and has no effect on the game at all.

Then you've games like Warlock Master of the Arcane which was released in a good quality state and at a lower than normal price. Since then they've released optional DLC expansions which expand upon the base content. It's a great way for a developer to release a title to the market and then allow them to continue to profit and work upon the title to improve it.
Priced well and with a good base game this approach can allow a smaller time studio to produce a good quality finished product in stages.

It always depends on the individual DLC. I enjoy expansion packs since they really add to the experience. Complimentary DLC that comes with the game in the form of a code in the package is fine with me since it merely encourages purchasing new in order to compete against pre-owned deals.

Things like extra clothing sets I tend to avoid.

But does a few new levels for a game (like The Missing Link for Deus Ex), or some new content for one of the factions (like say in HoI 3 and its two faction specific things (like this one) count as DLC or an Expansion according to your definition? Is Sword of Islam DLC or an expansion? (It introduces a new system which deals with Muslim courts in Crusader Kings 2 and also allows you to play as the Muslim nations)

And the TF2 hats are neither DLC nor expansions, they are extras.

*edit* Heck, is this a DLC or an expansion? Well, its not downloadable, so it can't be a DLC, but it contains less content than a lot of DLC...

DLCs in general are great. It allows developers to keep a small but steady income coming in with not much of work done, while working on the next big thing.

You mean they keep stuff from the full game on purpose so they can nickel and dime you.

I have never and will never buy DLC. For me, its not worth it.

No. Lots of ideas get cut during development time, sometimes to meet deadlines, sometimes because the resources were getting thin. But the use of DLCs allows developers to push these ides into the game once it has hit the market, and get paid for their work.

The fact that sometimes this is abused, like the recent Capcom-related crap where DLC content was already on the disc with a key being sold for it to be unlocked, doesn't mean that all DLCs are made like that.
So, you're saying you will never buy an expansion? Because DLCs are just that.

Have you checked out some of the DLC out there? There are these pointless (though entirely optional) skin-packs, and such things on one end of the scale, and then you have things like "Treasures of the Sun" for Dungeon Siege, "Sword of Islam" for Crusader Kings 2, "The Missing Link" for Deus Ex: Human Revolution or "Old World Blues" for Fallout: New Vegas. These are expansion-sized DLC that simply happens to be named DLC because they are downloadable and not bought in a box. Judging all DLC by the skin packs just means that you miss out on a lot of expansions.

Yeah, I'm still waiting on an example of that. "Oh look, first day DLC. Must be cut from the game ... "

I will agree it is getting to much, I only approve of DLC if it is a legitimate expansion to the game and not something like horse armor.