400 ARX per week max - How Come?

[iFred]

Answer is easy: Sales.

No idea what you guys expect from a virtual currency. Frontier is not saving the world, they want to make money and instead of making the game better they use mechanics from Asian MMOs to raise the income.

And 90% of the naive playerbase seem to like it.

I remember when they asked the community about future content of the game and everyone screamed "Arx".

 

[Bigmaec]

Reason is simple: people in this game grind like hell.

If not capped, it would take 2 hours after release that the first "how to max ARX" vids on youtube appear, and
people would do nothing else then afk-farm (propably botting-assisted) ARX.

No way a company keen on earning money would allow that.

 

[Stealthie]

FDev have spent half a decade using ED to program a Palvolian response to "grind" into us.

Is it a surprise they want to limit the amount of free stuff we can obtain as an alternative to giving FDev real money?

 

[Stealthie]

Reason is simple: people in this game grind like hell.

If not capped, it would take 2 hours after release that the first "how to max ARX" vids on youtube appear, and
people would do nothing else then afk-farm (propably botting-assisted) ARX.

No way a company keen on earning money would allow that.

Heh,

This is what happens when you only read the first page of a thread before making a reply.

 

[Bigmaec]

Heh,

This is what happens when you only read the first page of a thread before making a reply.

Huh?

 

[Jack Schitt]

So what is the upside on the cap?

Those whose gameplay doesn't get them close to the cap won't feel as though they're being denied something significant, while those who hit the cap easily will quickly learn to ignore its impact on their gameplay because it's something they'll be achieving without really trying. But they will notice their arx balance creeping towards the threshold for that paint job they really want, and the closer it gets the larger the temptation may be to buy just a small pack of arx...

If FD are playing the psychological games well they will have looked at their metrics and chosen an arx accrual mechanic that puts most players firmly in one of those two camps, leaving a relatively small number in the grey area and hoping that they will be encouraged into the second group rather than giving up on the game altogether. It's a fine balancing act, and may actually cost them some players from that middle ground who will feel as though the game manipulating them is the final straw. But if done right, the bulk of players will either ignore it or they may be nudged towards further arx purchases.

A few will of course play the mind games better than FD; maxing free arx, never buying packs, picking up free skins every few weeks or months. History with other games suggests they will not be a significant proportion of the overall numbers, otherwise FD and their partners would not be doing this at all.

Just my tencents.

(I suspect the whole reason for the OP was excuse to liken ED to a "last gasp MMO", but since most replies are treating the subject seriously I figured I'd play along.)

 

[lenna]

Sigh. It's not the concept of ARX I'm asking about. It is the weekly cap. No other mmo caps in game currency for in game grinds. It is a weird design - it takes the "daily" model and stretches it over a week.

ARX is not an in-game currency, it is a store currency that is notionally bought but FD are giving some away for just playing ED. It is little more than a token thank you in essence with a maximum real-world currency value of about 0.24 GBP (24p) per player per week.

 

[Stealthie]

Huh?

Just that, as a result of not reading past page 1, I ended-up posting almost exactly the the same thing as you, right underneath your post.

 

[Tikanderoga]

Those whose gameplay doesn't get them close to the cap won't feel as though they're being denied something significant, while those who hit the cap easily will quickly learn to ignore its impact on their gameplay because it's something they'll be achieving without really trying. But they will notice their arx balance creeping towards the threshold for that paint job they really want, and the closer it gets the larger the temptation may be to buy just a small pack of arx...

Those who really want that paintjob would most likely already bought it.

I think for new players it's a nice carrot on a stick to keep them playing and in a few weeks time, they can get that PJ for "free" as a reward for playing.
Those who just want that PJ, they will buy it, regardless of how much it costs. Well... within a reason of course.

 

[Stealthie]

Those who really want that paintjob would most likely already bought it.

I think for new players it's a nice carrot on a stick to keep them playing and in a few weeks time, they can get that PJ for "free" as a reward for playing.
Those who just want that PJ, they will buy it, regardless of how much it costs. Well... within a reason of course.

Uhuh.

I guess it'll depend on what sort of stuff is in the store.
I mean, I doubt anybody's going to save up for a year to buy a COVAS but, if they're cheap enough, I suspect people will regularly dump their "free Arx" on things like decals and tattoos/haircuts for their CMDR or whatever.

 

[Saool]

Am I reading this right?

FDEV are going to give you something for free, that you don't have today, and people are complaining about it?

 

[Factabulous]

An interesting comparison for capped Vs uncapped is fleet carriers, which at the moment have an unknown (uncapped) price. Many seem to be grinding billions in the hope of getting able to afford one, unable to stop because there's no limit. Now think what they would do if there was no arx limit...

 

[ALEX CAOS]

it´s called Marketing

 

[Kenneth McGrew]

Stops them being pulled into Parliament with other companies and being asked why they try to get children to play excessive hours on the game? Is the responsible thing to do when you know there are people with addiction issues in the community? That kind of thing. Being a responsible company.

exactly this, some would even argue 400 ARX and the hours to get them is still excessive for a video game and promotes an addiction cycle

 

[Factabulous]

exactly this, some would even argue 400 ARX and the hours to get them is still excessive for a video game and promotes an addiction cycle

Well, if you believe OA and his '30 hours' finger in the air estimate. Then again, fdev don't always get numbers right so maybe he's correct - 30 hours for 25p isn't a good rate of return.

 

[Muzz UK]

I think the community are completely missing the point.

You currently earn ZERO arx... you currently PAY for skins and cosmetics not you can earn them in game. Time played or whatever can always be adjusted or tweaked. At the end of the day its paid content for free.

 

[Ian Skippy]

So what is the upside on the cap?

Are you legit asking why FD put a cap on how much free money they give to us?

 

[Ian Skippy]

30 hours for 25p isn't a good rate of return.

I guess people arent supposed to play 30h for the 25p, but rather because they like to play the game for 30h with the 25p being a tiny little bonus. This entire Arx debate is so silly. Supposedly this is a Very Mature Community with Big Boys having Grown Up Jobs, yet here we are; discussing how many pence we should get for a full workweek and whether we lose or gain a few pence with the new Arx structure.

I dont want to be the rich internet boyo, but I am in the lucky position that 25p is, in the grand scheme that is my life, not that big a deal. I dont check beneath the coffee machine to see if anyone dropped a coin either, so why should I care if it takes 10, 30 or 300 hours to get 25p? We get a few pence for some number of hours. Great. Can we move on now?

 

[Kenneth McGrew]

Well, if you believe OA and his '30 hours' finger in the air estimate. Then again, fdev don't always get numbers right so maybe he's correct - 30 hours for 25p isn't a good rate of return.

id not seen/heard the 30 hours quote, but considering a child spends ~30 hours a week in education (9-3:30 minus lunch and the two breaks ~5hours per day x 5 days = 25-30hours) one could consider 30 hours as excessive and encourage addiction. (7+ game IIRC)

the point about earning ARX is irrelevent, its a good thing you can earn it in game and a nice freebie, but..... when it encourages excessive playtime to get your quota, that can come with a world of health problems any responsible company should avoid.

i.e. a quicker route to gain 400 ARX, or a lower weekly limit, whatever it is. if people are spending 30 hours a week on a game thats kinda ethically and morally irresponsible IMO, perhaps its not 30 hours

thats my 2 cents.

 

[Nutter]

I guess people arent supposed to play 30h for the 25p, but rather because they like to play the game for 30h with the 25p being a tiny little bonus. This entire Arx debate is so silly. Supposedly this is a Very Mature Community with Big Boys having Grown Up Jobs, yet here we are; discussing how many pence we should get for a full workweek and whether we lose or gain a few pence with the new Arx structure.

I dont want to be the rich internet boyo, but I am in the lucky position that 25p is, in the grand scheme that is my life, not that big a deal. I dont check beneath the coffee machine to see if anyone dropped a coin either, so why should I care if it takes 10, 30 or 300 hours to get 25p? We get a few pence for some number of hours. Great. Can we move on now?

The big boys like me are concerned not with earning ARX, it's the hiding the true value of store purchases. Slippery slope and all that jazz. Now when I see something in the store I will have to refer to my spreadsheet to see how much it costs.