Frontier's Charity Auction for GameBlast20

Stephen Benedetti

Community Manager
Hey everyone!


With our 24-hour Charity Stream only a couple of weeks away, we wanted to kick things off with our annual Charity Auction! If you haven’t participated in our previous ones: don’t worry, we are going to explain how to bid on some amazing prizes!

During the auction, you can bid on any item for however much you'd be willing to pay for it (the point is to try and outbid your fellow community members)! You can also bid on multiple items (you'll have to fill in the form once per item you want to bid on) - however, be aware that you may end up being the highest bidder for multiple items! These bids are private, so you have to bid what you’d be willing to pay per item. We will contact each winner directly once the auction is closed, and ask that you donate your winning amount to our official JustGiving page. This year, we will be hosting our livestream alongside GamesBlast20, which is the UK’s biggest annual charity gaming marathon weekend and all of the proceeds go towards SpecialEffect, who are changing lives of gamers with physical disabilities.

The Charity Auction will run from the 6 February 2020 until the 13 February 2020 – 16:00 UTC!

Have a look at all the available, one-of-a-kind prizes below! Once you see one or more items that you'd like to bid on, simply go to this Google Form and pick your prize from the dropdown list, add the information needed, and click submit. If you want to bid on multiple items you'll need to submit the form for each one. You will be asked for proof of donation (only if you are the highest bidder) before we send you your prize. If you don't hear from us after the auction closes on 13 February, you were not the highest bidder... this time!


Please check the Terms and Conditions at the bottom of this post for more details!


Below are the items that you have the chance of winning:

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Dinner with the Developers - Have you ever wanted to sit with your favourite Frontier developers and be wined and dined? Then why not try to bid on a space to join us for a lovely Dinner with the Devs? We will be picking a handful of the highest lucky bidders and taking them to a restaurant for a lovely evening! Please note you will have to make your own way to Cambridge, UK. The location will be decided after the auction is closed based on all winners' preferences.


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Planet Zoo Launch Signed Gamescom Artwork - Before Planet Zoo's launch, we set up an absolutely stunning booth at Gamescom 2019, filled with amazing artwork and a full zoo set-up to show off the game. We have kept some pieces of art and had them signed by the development team. This would be a great addition to show off to all of your friends, and mount in your home. Please note the dimensions are A4-size!


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Planet Zoo Signed Livestream Artwork - If you have tuned into our livestreams, you may have seen a large Planet Zoo Logo canvas! We have had the development team sign this canvas for a lucky winner to take home. Please note that the dimensions are approximately 100x60cm!


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Planet Zoo Pillow Set - Have you ever wanted to cuddle up to some of your favourite animals from the game? If so, then get your hands on this amazing custom set of three pillows!


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Planet Zoo Custom Hoodie - Our creative team have brought you another custom hoodie! This is a special Planet Zoo design that is not (and will not) be available to purchase in any stores!


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Planet Coaster Pillow Set - If there is something strange in your couch, who ya gonna call? No one, because the Ghostbusters will already be there with our great Planet Coaster pillow set.


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Planet Coaster Custom Hoodie - Last year we gave away a bespoke Planet Coaster Hoodie, and we wanted to give anyone who missed out the chance to try again. Our creative team have came up with a brand new design to get your hands on!


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Jurassic Merch Goodiebag - This goodiebag is the perfect prize to get your claws into, and contains 3 "Clawsplay" Plushies, a Claire Dearing Funko Pop, a Cast Metal Key Chain, Badges, and an incredible Fossil Raptor Claw Metal Bottle Opener! We might throw in some other surprises too!


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Unique Anaconda "Iridescent Silver" Paint Job- We are giving this stunning Anaconda Paint Job to a lucky Commander. Dazzle your friends as they fly through space!


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Unique Asp Explorer "Iridescent Silver" Paint Job - Explore the galaxy in style with this unique Asp Explorer Paint Job, and blaze your own trail!


Name a Starport - Make your mark in Elite, name a Starport in the game! All entries will be reviewed and require approval from the Frontier Developments team; location will be decided by the dev team (but you're allowed some options).

Name a Planet - Here is your opportunity to add to the Elite Dangerous Galaxy and name your own Planet! All entries will be reviewed and require approval from the Frontier Developments team; location will be decided by the dev team (but you're allowed some options).

2x Name a System - Make your mark in Elite, name a System in the game! All entries will be reviewed and require approval from the Frontier Developments team; location will be decided by the dev team (but you're allowed some options). Please note that you're bidding on one System; the TWO highest bidders will each name one.

Name a Planet Port - Have you ever wanted to name your own Planet Port? Here is your chance! All entries will be reviewed and require approval from the Frontier Developments team; location will be decided by the dev team (but you're allowed some options).

Become a Planet Zoo guest - Want to visit zoos all around the globe as a Planet Zoo guest? Add a first and last name into our guest naming system. All entries will be reviewed and require approval from the Frontier Developments team.


Go here now to bid on your favourite(s):
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1P-...dWuDeYQZH26OADJk/viewform?edit_requested=true


Terms and Conditions for Charity Auction
- The auction is part of the JustGiving campaign for GameBlast20 and will end on 13 February 2020 at 16PM UTC.
  • Bids are only accepted if made directly through this Google Form.
  • You must be over 18 years old to be able to place a bid.
  • Winners will be contacted shortly after 13 February 2020, and will be required to reply within 48 hours.
  • If no response is received within the 48 hours, we will move on to the next eligible bid.
  • Payments should be made the JustGiving page before the event on February 21, 2020.
  • Frontier reserve the right to edit or replace any auction prizes with an alternative prize of equal or greater value should any of them become unavailable.
  • Frontier can re-arrange the “Dinner with the Developers” evening as required by giving a minimum of 48 hours’ notice.
  • Your contact details are handled with utmost respect by the Community and Purchasing team only, and prizes will be dispatched after proof of payment has been received and at our discretion.

 

Sir.Tj

The Moderator who shall not be Blamed....
Volunteer Moderator
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rootsrat

Volunteer Moderator

Joël

Volunteer Moderator
Very cool. Nice to see charity work, and for such a worthy cause too. If I wasn't on the dole, living in temporary housing and living in The Netherlands (it's a long story), I would bid for Dinner with The Developers. I'm English and so I would hope for an Indian/Pakistani food option but I wouldn't turn my nose up at a good steak, kebab or burger. Or fish and chips.

I recently watched a video about a young blind man. He loved to play video games but obviously being blind (zero vision in both eyes) he had to figure out a way to be able to play and progress in the game. With trial and error and by listening to the game sounds and timing really, really carefully, he could play (I've probably got the names wrong, I've never been a console person) Zelda or Final Fantasy or Mario or one of those kind of games all the way through. Blind. Imagine what he could do with some "upgrades."

Good luck to all who bid. Bid dangerously. (y)
 
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Why not make the paint jobs a purchasable item flat out?
I'd be happy to buy one for 10 or 20 bucks to support charity. And you would raise heaps more funds too.
I don't know how much these are being bid on, but even if someone with a big wallet nabs it for 500. That's ONE donation. grats. Put it out there for 10, and you will have 100 people buying it. You now raised 1000 for your charity.
I know it wouldn't be one of a kind, and in its current design, I'll never see it fly in space, since I only play solo. Just food for thought for the next one.
 
Is there any way to donate a fixed amount for a set prize as well? Even just a paintjob or decal for £10 or something for those of us who will probably not be able to donate enough to win a major prize but want to feel part of it.

Will donate anyway just asking as would like a memento of the occasion.
They tend to give PJs based on donations. 2 years ago everyone who donated at least £5 got a sidewinder PJ (I think it was sidewinder), last year there was a donation tier that once reached unlocked the Special Effect PJ that everyone got on the Krait.
 
If only you could add ones voice to a stations announcements now THAT I would go high for! I already have my name plastered across most of the ED Galaxy anyway and I won a goody bag(including a signed by the ED TEAM EAGLE POSTER which I have framed) in a previous charity give away. I'll donate to this charty for the sake of donating and the good work they do but OH TO BE A STATIONS ANNOUNCER! Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! :) I can dream! :)
 
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Why not make the paint jobs a purchasable item flat out?
I'd be happy to buy one for 10 or 20 bucks to support charity. And you would raise heaps more funds too.
I don't know how much these are being bid on, but even if someone with a big wallet nabs it for 500. That's ONE donation. grats. Put it out there for 10, and you will have 100 people buying it. You now raised 1000 for your charity.
I know it wouldn't be one of a kind, and in its current design, I'll never see it fly in space, since I only play solo. Just food for thought for the next one.

I suggested that a couple of years ago. Regardless of whether it was instead of the unique auctioned ones or as well as them, putting a Special Effect paintjob in the store to tie in with the live stream would have been a great way to raise some money for them. Now though, the ship has sailed because we no longer buy paints with cash. They can't even agree that they will donate X amount for every paint bought with Arx because they might all be bought with free Arx in which case FDev are basically just making a donation themselves. And they're doing plenty as it is.
 
I suggested that a couple of years ago. Regardless of whether it was instead of the unique auctioned ones or as well as them, putting a Special Effect paintjob in the store to tie in with the live stream would have been a great way to raise some money for them. Now though, the ship has sailed because we no longer buy paints with cash. They can't even agree that they will donate X amount for every paint bought with Arx because they might all be bought with free Arx in which case FDev are basically just making a donation themselves. And they're doing plenty as it is.
Well, the live stream giveaway is a bit of a double edged sword - not everyone can watch the life stream due to time zone, work/school conflict schedule. Not everyone lives in the UK.
And the buy via shop would still work: Just like with the bid - make a donation, send receipt to FDev with your commander name and get PJ activated on your account.
 
Well, the live stream giveaway is a bit of a double edged sword - not everyone can watch the life stream due to time zone, work/school conflict schedule. Not everyone lives in the UK.
And the buy via shop would still work: Just like with the bid - make a donation, send receipt to FDev with your commander name and get PJ activated on your account.

Not saying it's completely impossible to do now, but I'd think it's now administratively awkward enough that they won't. Basing that on the fact that they didn't do it when it was trivially easy.

I know that not everybody can watch the livestream but the paints they've given away previously don't require anybody to actually watch the livestream, just to donate or bid in the auction. Even if they did require people to watch the stream, that wouldn't be a reason not to do what they've done previously - yes some people might not be able to watch it, so what? Somebody will always miss out on anything they do as a giveaway - I've been away from the bubble for a year and I've only spent about a month of that time within human inhabited systems at all (Colonia) - I missed out on the chance to get a few exclusive decals because the events they were tied to weren't happening 40,000 LY away, that's life.

That's why, as I said, your idea is fine and is one I agree with in principle, just that it's something they could do as well as the stuff they do already, rather than instead of.

I would have loved the one-off totally exclusive Holstein Friesian cow paint they auctioned off for the T-9 that time. Sadly I don't have the money to throw a few hundred quid or more at things in an auction, no matter how good a cause it is. I get why they do the auctions though because they are also a serious money raiser.

Although I REALLY wish they'd put that bloody paint in the shop for charity instead...

If you were to name a planet, what you call it?

Cuthbert.
 
I would have loved the one-off totally exclusive Holstein Friesian cow paint they auctioned off for the T-9 that time. Sadly I don't have the money to throw a few hundred quid or more at things in an auction, no matter how good a cause it is. I get why they do the auctions though because they are also a serious money raiser.

Although I REALLY wish they'd put that bloody paint in the shop for charity instead...
Totally. I am all for a good fund raiser, it's just sad to see to limit it to a single donation of the person with the biggest wallet.
Not everyone has a - as you said - a couple of 100 to donate for a cause. A 10 or 20? Sure, happy to.
I even sometimes buy pets for WoW and Diablo3 if it's for charity. I don't even play WoW at the moment anymore, still buy the pets, because it's for a good cause. And it's not much either, around $15 or so.
 
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