ED Server / Servers Down problems discussion thread
- Status
If it came down to it then i would probably change my mind but in the interim i would not pay for a game on a monthly subscription, i would hope FD explore other avenues of funding, Vanity items, advertising and cash for credits.
Subscription based income for the servers would probably result in me quiting the game.
Subscription based income for the servers would probably result in me quiting the game.
not that surprising as vanity items by their nature give you no advantage and by now most of us accept that if FD don't sell credits someone else will & it wont be good for the security of our accounts if they do.
I'd prefer FD made them available than risk having my account hacked and my credits stolen to be sold by some phishing felon via a third party site.
cash for credits or vanity would be the best way to go.
I went for Cash for credits (as it's already planned and I guess FD have contingencies to deal with pay to win) and vanity items (we've already seen them too with things like the decal upgrades).
I'd also like to see Elite merchandising - like the mugs, T-shirts, elite badges, elite hats but appreciate that would involve additional infrastructure.
I'd also like to see Elite merchandising - like the mugs, T-shirts, elite badges, elite hats but appreciate that would involve additional infrastructure.
![[VR] Shadowman](https://forums-cdn.zaonce.net/data/avatars/m/16/16608.jpg?1553527108){kind=avatar}
Don't be too pleased about the cash for credits. I've seen many a post on other websites, where it's very much frowned upon/gamers avoid such games. FD could be narrowing their potential audience and by extension, hurting themselves in the process.
I still don't understand why subscriptions are still being debated. I thought the Kickstarter FAQs were fairly clear on this:
Will the game be free to play after the initial purchase?
We do not plan to make it subscription-based. Once you have purchased the game up front, you will be able to play thereafter for no further cost. Everything in the game will be purchasable with in-game Credits, earned from trading, bounty-hunting, etc. We will probably allow the supplemental purchase of Credits with real money, for those who want to accelerate their progress through the game.
We do plan to charge for additional updates, to be available sometime after the original release. These will offer additional content, features and gameplay
OK, they only say "We do not plan to make it subscription-based", but I would feel pretty cheated if FD were to go back on this. In fact I agree with SlinkyJim. If there is a subscription then I won't be playing, and would not have pledged in the first place.
For the avoidance of doubt, I don't beleive that FD WILL go back on what they say in the FAQ.
Will the game be free to play after the initial purchase?
We do not plan to make it subscription-based. Once you have purchased the game up front, you will be able to play thereafter for no further cost. Everything in the game will be purchasable with in-game Credits, earned from trading, bounty-hunting, etc. We will probably allow the supplemental purchase of Credits with real money, for those who want to accelerate their progress through the game.
We do plan to charge for additional updates, to be available sometime after the original release. These will offer additional content, features and gameplay
OK, they only say "We do not plan to make it subscription-based", but I would feel pretty cheated if FD were to go back on this. In fact I agree with SlinkyJim. If there is a subscription then I won't be playing, and would not have pledged in the first place.
For the avoidance of doubt, I don't beleive that FD WILL go back on what they say in the FAQ.
Last edited:
Its a cause Ive supported for the best part of 10 years. Here it is coming to a game Ive been waiting for, for even longer.
I am well aware of resistance to the idea from large numbers of players, Ive been involved in many epic forum threads on the subject of subscription free mmo's over the years. Ive yet to see anything that convinces me that it is anything more than fear of the unknown. Sure it COULD go wrong, its not at all unusual for Game Developers to make collosal mistakes. But the principle to my mind is a good one, and its only the implementation which needs to be got right.
The thing is most major mmo's have cash for currency players, just these players are forced to buy from back street dealers. This takes that demand, gives it a safe venue and channels the funds into the games continued development.
Im fairly certain that having the option but not being forced to buy credits wont put too many players off. What it will do is harness a demand that will exist anyway and create a nice revenue stream for FD.
The main issue is that once there are cash for credits in a game it is very rare that this doesn't affect how the game is developed. Once that becomes a factor, it becomes an additional balancing act that developers have to take into account and it is not a trivial one.
If it was guaranteed that the experience for those who do not want to get involved with cash for credits was the same in a game regardless of whether that was offered for those who wanted it, then there would be far less objections. This is far from guaranteed though.
I don't care about the standard free ipad-games that intentionally balance their game in favour of buying credits as that's what they do, but once you buy a full price game it should not be necessary to add on to that to get the full experience as the developer intended it.
Once you add the x-factor of that developer having to balance in people buying stuff for real money though, it will affect the game no matter how noble the developers intention might be.
I agree with this.
Done right, advertising in game can add a lot to atmosphere and feel, with no real negative sides.
But yea, this is all kinda moot since it seems FD had made their minds up on this before they even started the kickstarter.
Simple answer. When FD tell us they need to raise revenue for the servers and ask us for preferences then the question will have a point. Till then it's just hot air.
If its done right the game should be developed as is, and then afterwards the ability to buy credits can be tacked on. The original Frontier prices leant themselves very nicely to a pay for credit system that both allows credit purchases to be in demand by a player without breaking the game for none credit buyers on day one.
Just adding in the table from the other thread to show how, even at £1 per 1,000 credits, you're not going to be knee deep in Imperial Explorers on day one!
I dont believe that its at all necesary to have the game being "pay to win" for there to be demand for credits for cash. The demand has been there in plenty of games which were never developed for that market (although the market exists underground in most online games)
There has been plenty of BAD game design decisions made in the history of gaming, but I dont believe that cash transactions HAVE to affect game design at all. But people will always fear the unknown and what "might" be. I for one dont intend to make any great use of the facility. BUT I like the fact that it is there and helps to protect the playerbase from less scrupulous suppliers.
My issue with advertising is that what of today's organisations will exist in the 34th Century? Even if they did, would they be in a format that we'd recognise from today?
I just get horrible images of ships flying around with Tesco on the side or Lloyds Bank (they could both use a black horse logo anyway....
). How could advertising of contemporary products be reconciled with a game set so far in the future?I can understand making certain sacrifices to allow the multiplayer game to exist, but harming the product we're paying for in such an overt way isn't one of them.
I just get horrible images of ships flying around with Tesco on the side or Lloyds Bank (they could both use a black horse logo anyway....
I agree with you up to a point. Any brand advertising would have to very carefully thought out.
It needn't look out of place though. McDonalds featured prominently in The Fifth Element but it didn't seem out of place; perhaps because it was prominent.
Just having billboard advertising would be wrong unless the advertiser actually had a kind of presence. So in the space station you buy fuel from BP or Texaco. This make BP and Texaco billboards more natural.
Perhaps the American Rifle Association could sell beam lasers, or Durex could sell covers for missiles; you know, to keep them clean.
I'm pretty sure no, but then, all of what we imagine of the 34th century is probably not going to be anywhere close to what it will actually be anyway.
Advertising can make for fantastic atmosphere though and if it is to be included, then why not use actual products? Look at Blade Runner - it didn't use actual products, but "walking" through the streets of that future LA the ads were such an important part of what made that place so memorable and special.
Yea, Coca Cola and Nike are probably not going to be around in the 34th century, but that's hardly the biggest leap of faith we'll make if we want the game to be an accurate portrayal of life then.
More likely Coca Cola and Nike will have completely replaced governments and own their own planets.
- Status