In the PC version of the game, backers/founders who pledged money to the original Kickstarter campaign were able to receive one of two different insurance rates, the Alpha Insurance (97.5%) and the Beta Insurance (96.25%) as opposed to the standard insurance rate of 95%. This isn't the case on the Xbox One version, even for backers of the original PC game. I would like to start a discussion on how these two different rates would come to the Xbox One version, if they ever do.
I believe that should come to the Xbox One version in the form of timed exclusives. The Xbox One Game Preview for Elite Dangerous released on June 15th. I believe any players who play the game from then to the CQC Update should receive Alpha Insurance. Any players that join in after that time, up until the game's completion (when it becomes full price for everyone else) should receive the Beta Insurance. Any players who buy the game after it's completion will be stuck with the standard insurance.
This sort of follows how it was done on the Kickstarter, those who pledged enough money were able to play the early Alpha of the game, which also got them the Alpha Insurance. Those who pledged less were able to play the Beta, getting them Beta Insurance. Everyone else would only get Standard.
To put the insurance differences in perspective, I will use three ships as examples.
An Anaconda costs 146,969,451cr stock. If it is destroyed, you play 5% of that, 7,348,473cr. With Beta Insurance, you pay 3.75%, or 5,511,354cr. With Alpha, you pay 2.5%, or 3,674,236cr. The difference is staggering. Let's try a cheaper ship, the Fer-de-Lance. Stock, it costs 51,567,040cr. Standard rebuy costs are 2,578,352cr. Beta 1,933,764cr. Alpha 1,289,176cr. Even smaller, let's go with the Vulture. Stock price straight out of the station is 4,925,615cr. Standard rebuy cost is 246,281cr, for Beta it is 184,711cr, and for Alpha it is 123,140cr. If you want to see how much you'd have to pay using your ship with your upgrades, you can check out ED Shipyard. Simply change the "Standard Insurance (95%)" near the bottom of the site to Beta or Alpha to see the different in rebuy prices.
So what do you think? Should the Xbox One version have access to these cheaper insurance costs? And how?
I believe that should come to the Xbox One version in the form of timed exclusives. The Xbox One Game Preview for Elite Dangerous released on June 15th. I believe any players who play the game from then to the CQC Update should receive Alpha Insurance. Any players that join in after that time, up until the game's completion (when it becomes full price for everyone else) should receive the Beta Insurance. Any players who buy the game after it's completion will be stuck with the standard insurance.
This sort of follows how it was done on the Kickstarter, those who pledged enough money were able to play the early Alpha of the game, which also got them the Alpha Insurance. Those who pledged less were able to play the Beta, getting them Beta Insurance. Everyone else would only get Standard.
To put the insurance differences in perspective, I will use three ships as examples.
An Anaconda costs 146,969,451cr stock. If it is destroyed, you play 5% of that, 7,348,473cr. With Beta Insurance, you pay 3.75%, or 5,511,354cr. With Alpha, you pay 2.5%, or 3,674,236cr. The difference is staggering. Let's try a cheaper ship, the Fer-de-Lance. Stock, it costs 51,567,040cr. Standard rebuy costs are 2,578,352cr. Beta 1,933,764cr. Alpha 1,289,176cr. Even smaller, let's go with the Vulture. Stock price straight out of the station is 4,925,615cr. Standard rebuy cost is 246,281cr, for Beta it is 184,711cr, and for Alpha it is 123,140cr. If you want to see how much you'd have to pay using your ship with your upgrades, you can check out ED Shipyard. Simply change the "Standard Insurance (95%)" near the bottom of the site to Beta or Alpha to see the different in rebuy prices.
So what do you think? Should the Xbox One version have access to these cheaper insurance costs? And how?