Cosmetics thoughts........ pay once then earn in game

[[VR] Mad Mike]

Hi
I realise FD have to make money on the side etc however i dunno about you guys but to me, having cosmetics that we buy out of game means they mean nothing to me. i have not even bothered to put on some of the ones i bought - even as far back as a year ago.
(I personally preferred the suggestion in kickstarter about everything earnable with in game credits but that credits would be sold on the store - but i know others feel different and that ship has sailed - and this thread is not about that so please dont derail i accept i am a minority here)

however just a pie in the sky thought.

IF FD offered an optional "upgrade" to our account, how would people feel.

A "1 off" payment of (for arguments sake and amount up for discussion) of say £50 - with a 50% reduction for LTP owners and then it meant that all missions in the game as well as specific activities in the game have a chance of a reward being given of a random cosmetic - that we do not already own.

this would only be available to those who paid the money if not it just would not be activated and so not visible to them in game.

Brand new cosmetics made by FD could either appear right away OR IF FD felt they were really cool "exclusive" ones then they could have maybe a 6 - 12 month store exclusivity before they are added into the pool.


the top tier cosmetics (again for arguments sake like the braben bobblehead, wire frame cobra etc) would be the equivalent of "oranges" and be rarer and the chances of dropping a "rare" could be higher on harder missions.

there would also be things like a hutton mug bobblehead for delivering maybe 100 tons of scrap to hutton orbital etc..

Now just to close off, this isnt about me being tight and not wanting to pay for skins... for me it is all about the fact that i want to earn my skins ingame, but accepting the fact that money from cosmetics is built into how FD fund the game. whilst i know there are a few whales who have spent loads on cosmetics i suspect the average amount spent is FAR less than the £50/£25 i suggested about.

apart from anything else this would scratch my "gotta collect em all" itch esp if we could open a panel and see all the skins on a screen lit up if we had them or shadowed if not, kind of like a bobblehead /trophy cupboard. I know it is not much but this would keep me playing for many more hrs after getting to elite etc

what do you reckon.

 

[S3B4ST13N]

Don't like the one off payment idea.

Would just prefer:

1. In-game cosmetic rewards (as you mentioned).. purchasable from certain stations, as mission rewards, getting special kills (eg: killing a certain Thargoid ship), or even as reputation rewards etc and,
2. Special cosmetics not available as in-game rewards available on the store.

 

[Bosie]

Nah, leave it the way it is.

 

[[VR] Mad Mike]

Nah, leave it the way it is.

Fair enough you are entitled to your view etc but i am not sure what harm it would do you if you like it as it is now. My suggestion does not change anything that is already here, would just be an extra option to allow those who get no enjoyment from buying cosmetics (like myself) to actually enjoy earning them in game, but i accept that sadly FD do not seem to be in a position to allow us to have this stuff for free.

Don't like the one off payment idea.

Would just prefer:

1. In-game cosmetic rewards (as you mentioned).. purchasable from certain stations, as mission rewards, getting special kills (eg: killing a certain Thargoid ship), or even as reputation rewards etc and,
2. Special cosmetics not available as in-game rewards available on the store.

this would be better than what we have right now as well......

 

[Kenneth McGrew]

i dont like it

 

[[VR] Mad Mike]

i dont like it

fair enough. can i ask why? (just curious i am not trying to change your mind )

Thanks

 

[Watcher]

I'm not sure about the rest but I do like the idea of there being some in-game cosmetic rewards for things like the Hutton run.
They could even do something with generated cosmetic logos for minor factions - if you get allied status you get to use them if you want perhaps.. Lots of little things like that which could be done.
Still, none of that makes money of course...

Meanwhile I think limited livery access should be available from the ship controls at all time.
Make paint jobs available from here - I feel this can be easily justified by saying the 'paint' we repair is actually an active surface that updates (it looks like that now so why not). Then you can then make changes as you want on the fly, you'd still need to repair the 'paint' as it gets damaged - just like now...
Maybe allow decal changes, same logic.
Could allow name and registration change though you can certainly argue this ought to be properly registered at a station.
Weapon/engine colours follow a similar argument.
Bobble heads and lights slightly less justifiable, though sure..
Ship kits, I think that is going too far, probably lock that out.

I think this would be good for explorers who are away from stations for long periods and might like to do things such as change paint jobs for the holidays.. Also seems a bit rubbish to be buying paint jobs you won't be able to use for months - why have that disincentive for commanders to spend money!

 

[[VR] Goooost]

I think having these things be earnable in game would make the game much more interesting for players. I've said for a long time that I like this game, and I want to own the entire game, but frontier won't let me buy it for a reasonable price. I think your idea is a good compromise between the two, however I would get rid of the random cosmetic idea. You could earn upgrades for a ship by performing tasks in that ship. 10 kills in a corvette and you can get a corvette paint job. Want the pirate kit? You have to commit crime missions in that ship. Stuff like that, where it kind of makes sense.

 

[Dagwit]

Frontier makes so much money out of cosmetics because each individual purchase is cheap enough to be an impulse buy: I recall someone remarking that paintjobs used to be more expensive, and Frontier sold fewer of them. They certainly didn't drop the prices out of the goodness of their hearts.

Selling the cosmetics as a pack would make it more of a considered purchase; Frontier would have to take a view on how many players would consider it not worth purchasing.

And speaking for myself, I've spent probably over a hundred pounds on cosmetics, gradually over two years. What are the chances that Frontier could have sold me a cosmetics pack for that price?

 

[Shiro Akai]

The one and only in-game shop idea I approve is: Warframe. Warframe is a TPP shooter/slasher where you unlock and collect various "Warframes", biomechanical suits that possess various abilities; along with weapons. Game is F2P and as such I was highly skeptical about their in-shop business. It turned out pretty well thought and executed.

It looks like this - you get in-game currency (credits) and prime currency (platinum). You can buy, build and unlock EVERYTHING with using just credits and other n-game obtainable resources. But you are limited to 2 frame slots and 2 or 3 weapon slots. Additional slots cost platinum only. Platinum you buy for IRL money. Platinum can be traded.

By playing game you get credits, resources, frame and weapon parts (regular, non trade-able and "prime" - better versions of regulars, trade-able). You can trade your drops with other players for platinum or buy other player's drops with your own platinum. Acquired platinum you can spend on more slots, rushing production (building new Warframe takes 72 hrs + time to assemble components - about 4 days) to be instant. With platinum you can buy from in-game store literally everything if you don't want to spend time unlocking it.

Essentially - everything in game (with a slight option of $ only cosmetics, but it's a true minority) is earnable by just playing. Premium currency - platinum - is an alternative currency for "I want it nao" + some convenience.

Translating Warframe's model into ED it would be so every paintjob, every engine trail, every CMDR customization is a reward from certain activity. Basic paintjob would be an award option for cargo hauling. Pirate ship kit would be rare reward from difficult assassination mission. Aside we would have in-game shop where we could just buy that ship kit - not everyone is willing to spend lots of time doing missions and wait for reward to appear.

This way both sides could be happy - players as they can access things without paying IRL money, just time and effort. FDEVs as they get additional income from those unwilling to wait.

I'm not a fan of paid DLCs, cosmetic purchases and such but Warframe's model is so great that even I must admit it.

 

[S3B4ST13N]

Shiro, I wouldn't call Tennogen a minority.

 

[Bortas]

Frontier makes so much money out of cosmetics because each individual purchase is cheap enough to be an impulse buy: I recall someone remarking that paintjobs used to be more expensive, and Frontier sold fewer of them. They certainly didn't drop the prices out of the goodness of their hearts.

Exactly... It's like "hey, this paint job for my favorite ship looks nice... and it's only 1,50£... sure, I buy that". But with the OPs suggestion it would be like "25£ for a bunch of paintjobs? Uhm, no thanks... my ships will be fine without them".

 

[[VR] Mad Mike]

Exactly... It's like "hey, this paint job for my favorite ship looks nice... and it's only 1,50£... sure, I buy that". But with the OPs suggestion it would be like "25£ for a bunch of paintjobs? Uhm, no thanks... my ships will be fine without them".

in which case you would just buy them as you always have...... i am suggesting an addition not a removal of what we have.

I dunno i guess i am not in the majority that i hoped i was I just want them to be an ingame thing not an out of game thing.

 

[Shiro Akai]

Shiro, I wouldn't call Tennogen a minority.

Heh, I was comparing stuff that is sold for $ with that is available for plat. Quantity wise. Didn't mean the community.

 

[Factabulous]

Don't like this - it reminds me of 'classic' engineers where you need to do a RNG number of missions to get stuff. Imagine the salt "I paid £25 for all the cosmetics, but I've now been playing 1000 hours and I still can't get X".

Main thing I would like is the ability to share cosmetics between accounts. I'm on DW2 in my (rather lovely looking) default skin Beluga, but if I could use the golden skin I have on my main account them I probably would. But hey, I accept that is an edge-case.

 

[S3B4ST13N]

Heh, I was comparing stuff that is sold for $ with that is available for plat. Quantity wise. Didn't mean the community.

Prime Access?

 

[K M Butler]

Like the concept. The weighted random drop, however, carries a slight whiff of lootboxes, which will in turn create a lot of biowaste for Brett C, mods and CM's to clean up.

 

[IndigoWyrd]

I’d be more in favor of Temporary Cosmetics - a paint job you can’t repair. When it flakes off it’s gone. If you really like it, buy the “real” one you can repair.