Did you agree to in-game advertising?

[Darth Ender]

this thread is kind of stupid. It's in reaction to the nvidia galnet story but that's not an advertisement other than in the sense that an advertisement is a notice. It was only a notice for a community contest that happens to be sponsored by a commercial entity that happens to be a real business in the real world. The idea that you can't suspend belief that maybe there is an in-game company of the same name and such and so you're angry about the immersion breaking is kind of silly too. I mean the game is full of names of things that reflect pop-culture or are oddly earth centric in a galaxy spanning civilization over a thousand years in the future.

You can hate being offered free things just to do something in-game. I have no problem seeing more of this. Now when an actual advertisement shows up in-game we'll be able to have a debate around it's intrusiveness and effect on the game.

 

[Monk]

Correct me if I'm off the mark, but shouldn't this be a discussion about the ethics of advertisements in a paid product? I don't know about any of you, but it irks me when I find advertisements in a product/service I have paid for. I pay for cable TV "On-Demand" service and the On-Demand content has commercials in it, commercials that can't be fast-forwarded through. But wait a minute, I'm paying for the extra service so shouldn't it be ad free? A year ago it used to. I see 99 cent Android apps that have still have ad banners in them too. Elite's native advertising (the GeForce one) isn't anywhere near as invasive as disabling fast-forward capability during commercials, but is that not minimizing the act of crossing the paid-content-advertisement line?

As I work in the cable industry, I'll answer that part.

The price you pay for cable is a drop in the bucket for how much it costs to deliver programming to you. The cable company collects fees from customers. This money is used for various things, primarily for infrastructure which includes fiber backbones, satellites, dishes, underground cables, service trucks, people like me who manage service delivery (software projects), and research into new technology(and some profit, of course). Finally, some of that money goes to the content providers, the channels. The cable company has to pay Discovery Channel for the right to include it any of our lineups. What discovery channel does with that money is up to them. They likely use that money to go towards the cost of producing content but content is expensive (even reality TV isn't cheap, though much cheaper than making a new scripted show) and they need to supplement the shortfall with commercials, plus some more so they can turn a profit.

With cable, you are basically paying for the right to watch a bunch of crap. The cost of producing that crap is facilitated through commercials or, in the case of Premium like HBO, additional per subscriber fees.

An analogy can be drawn to ED from here. By buying the game, you paid for the right to play the game at all. The further costs of maintaining that product and producing new content for it is paid for by ads. It is a loose analogy, since this is a product not a service like cable, and in reality further content is paid for by sustained sales. Ads would reduce the dependence on sustained sales for producing new content.

 

[Defacto]

I mean either Nvidia have provided them, or FD have bought them. Either way - you're not paying for one if you find one.



I don't see it as an advertisement. It's a treasure hunt. It doesn't make me more or less likely to buy and Nvidia card, it just means I'll be on the look out for one.

So if you find one of the items on a station, are you going to just leave it there in protest, or try and claim it.....

First, you said ''donated'', now you say ''provide'', an interesting change I think. I agree with the change as I find it more fitting, I think the word ''donated'' hints at a well-meaning intent or even philanthrophy. ''Provide'' is much better: The reason FD got 5 graphics cards was so that they could complete their part of the advertisement agreement between FD and NVidia.
I would say that no advertisement ever has convinced me to buy a product... but I really don't think that's how advertisements work. I certainly do see this as an advertisement, and I don't see how you can't. The ingame event is also a kind of treasure hunt.
I think I would claim the canister if I found it, since not doing so would not make the advertisement less profitable in any way. Heck, it might actually mean that I could get my voice heard better!

 

[Kayweg]

<mod hat off>

@OP - what's the problem???

Nvidia, or FD have donated 5 high end graphics cards as a treasure hunt for players to find. It's not in-game advertising, it's a competition.

If they'd said "Find the Graphics Chips" and not mentioned Nvidia, would you be happy then?

I don't see billboards saying "Drink Coca-Cola", "Barry Scott's Cillit Bang" or "Sign up to Netflix" on the way into a station.

All this consternation over a competition.... sheesh!

The original post doesn't mention the Nvidia promo with one word, it simply asks if players agreed to in-game advertisement based on the current EULA.

While probably triggered by the promo, it's not the topic of this thread....it's just what it turned into.

 

[Iskariot]

I have a lot of goodwill for FD. They need revenue, and if in-game advertising can help them to make this the ultimate spacesim, then I would be mad to say no. This game has the potential to become the spacesim that will rule them all, if FD can afford to create it.

On the other hand in-game advertising might destroy immersion.
For me the nvidia promotion does cross the line, because the way it is done does take me out of the game and into a real world contest to get a graphics card.
I do not not mind such a contest, but it has no place in Galnet news. Nvidia is not part of the ED universe and there should be no communication about real world stuff in a medium that is supposed to use fluff to enhance immersion.
I would not mind to see an Nvidia billboard in front of a station if FD created fluff to make nvidia into an Elite universe corporation.

 

[Slopey]

First, you said ''donated'', now you say ''provide'', an interesting change I think.

Not interesting at all I'm afraid. I dunno if Nvidia donated or provided them (difference?), or if FD bought them, or maybe it was a 3rd party supplier. Doesn't matter really.

 

[Shogouki]

I don't mind but I think they should just change the name Nvidia (Assuming that is what this poll is about) to something close but obviously intended to be Nvidia. Then it will match the other real world aerospace manufacturers name's that they've changed slightly.

 

[Dante80]

Here is how it could be done.

Make a galnet report about nvidia corporation together with an in lore partner or faction making the contest. Make the contest fun and involved for your userbase. Like a treasure hunt that follows hints and pieces, not a straight random search everywhere/anywhere, or a race like in FFE.

DO explain that nvidia stands for "Neuron Visionary Immersion Direct Information Appliances corp" or sth in that line. Give as much info on the background of the company INSIDE the game world (founded in 2650 in ______, specializes in ________ etc etc). If you use pictures, change/evolve the logo so that it feels like the current but remains evolved/distinct.

DO NOT tell us the actual product is a 2014 graphics video card, talk to us about a new model "the titan 34k EHQ" or sth like that. Give the product properties aligned with the game world we play in. The latest DREAMWARE neuron plugin player for example.

Then make a page in the main site and explain that the 5 winners get a titan black and that the contest is sponsored by nvidia (if it is).

...

...

profit!

DBOBE, you remember the ads and journal entries in FFE? Thats what people really want from something like this.

 

[Lord_Crazy]

Not sure I understand the question. One need not agree to be advertise as long as advertising is not made by using personal data (such as email or geolocalization for instance). There is no legal requirement to make users sign a contract whereby they agree to receive advertisement in-game. That being said I find the Nvidia thingy very immersion breaking and I hope FD won't resort to that too often. Players paid for that game, not sure they will appreciate to be solicited while they play.

 

[Defacto]

I have a lot of goodwill for FD. They need revenue, and if in-game advertising can help them to make this the ultimate spacesim, then I would be mad to say no. This game has the potential to become the spacesim that will rule them all, if FD can afford to create it.

On the other hand in-game advertising might destroy immersion.
For me the nvidia promotion does cross the line, because the way it is done does take me out of the game and into a real world contest to get a graphics card.
I do not not mind such a contest, but it has no place in Galnet news. Nvidia is not part of the ED universe and there should be no communication about real world stuff in a medium that is supposed to use fluff to enhance immersion.
I would not mind to see an Nvidia billboard in front of a station if FD created fluff to make nvidia into an Elite universe corporation.

What if we had an ingame Gal-Net newsfeed available both from station services and the website, and an out-of-game news section only available on the website, which would list things like these events, as well as patches, updates, new trailers and devlogs, things like that. I think that it would be preferable.

Not interesting at all I'm afraid. I dunno if Nvidia donated or provided them (difference?), or if FD bought them, or maybe it was a 3rd party supplier. Doesn't matter really.

I do think it is interesting. Very interesting. How much did FD get, I wonder? Is it a one-time thing, or a more long-term partnership? Are there any future plans for more of these little ad events? Whose idea was the graphics card awards?

 

[OrLoK]

Hello there

Most Eula's and T&C's are rather draconian and "scary" if you read through them.

Ill judge the dev's by their actions rather than what they "might" do.

As to having ads in game, tbh it really doesnt bother me if it's integrated seamlessly, doesnt break immersion too much and doesnt force me to "watch" vids etc unless I choose to.

I'd rather not have them (if it ever occurred) but as long as it's done well its not a game breaker for me.

Rgds

LoK

 

[Kayweg]

Not sure I understand the question. One need not agree to be advertise as long as advertising is not made by using personal data (such as email or geolocalization for instance). There is no legal requirement to make users sign a contract whereby they agree to receive advertisement in-game. That being said I find the Nvidia thingy very immersion breaking and I hope FD won't resort to that too often. Players paid for that game, not sure they will appreciate to be solicited while they play.

I completely agree, user consent is not required.

If FD decides to feature in-game advertisement in ED, then that's their call to make.

After that, it's every individual player's call to make if he/she wants to put up with it.

It's really no more complicated than that as far as i can see, the EULA doesn't even come into it.

 

[Tuub t Tute]

I'm sick and tired of all those Zorgan Peterson ads on the holoboards on the way into dock. I ain't never gonna buy me one of their ships, so they can shove them!

If my hazy memory serves me, the OP is the "blah, blah, Braben lost the lawsuit, show me proof otherwise, no show me better proof that matches my assertion" guy? A tiny ray of sunshine in an otherwise cold and grey universe.

I enjoyed seeing Neo use a brand new Nokia bananaphone, I enjoyed seeng CSI make Dell Notebooks do ridiculous things. Doesn't bother me at all about in-game adverts. They don't break my personal immersion: ymmv!

 

[Iskariot]

Here is how it could be done.

Make a galnet report about nvidia corporation together with an in lore partner or faction making the contest. Make the contest fun and involved for your userbase. Like a treasure hunt that follows hints and pieces, not a straight random search everywhere/anywhere, or a race like in FFE.

DO explain that nvidia stands for "Neuron Visionary Immersion Direct Information Appliances corp" or sth in that line. Give as much info on the background of the company INSIDE the game world (founded in 2650 in ______, specializes in ________ etc etc). If you use pictures, change/evolve the logo so that it feels like the current but remains evolved/distinct.

DO NOT tell us the actual product is a 2014 graphics video card, talk to us about a new model "the titan 34k EHQ" or sth like that. Give the product properties aligned with the game world we play in. The latest DREAMWARE neuron plugin player for example.

Then make a page in the main site and explain that the 5 winners get a titan black and that the contest is sponsored by nvidia (if it is).

...

...

profit!

DBOBE, you remember the ads and journal entries in FFE? Thats what people really want from something like this.

Completely and utterly agree with everything.
This is how it should be done.

 

[Doctor Axel]

Here is how it could be done.

Make a galnet report about nvidia corporation together with an in lore partner or faction making the contest. Make the contest fun and involved for your userbase. Like a treasure hunt that follows hints and pieces, not a straight random search everywhere/anywhere, or a race like in FFE.

DO explain that nvidia stands for "Neuron Visionary Immersion Direct Information Appliances corp" or sth in that line. Give as much info on the background of the company INSIDE the game world (founded in 2650 in ______, specializes in ________ etc etc). If you use pictures, change/evolve the logo so that it feels like the current but remains evolved/distinct.

DO NOT tell us the actual product is a 2014 graphics video card, talk to us about a new model "the titan 34k EHQ" or sth like that. Give the product properties aligned with the game world we play in. The latest DREAMWARE neuron plugin player for example.

Then make a page in the main site and explain that the 5 winners get a titan black and that the contest is sponsored by nvidia (if it is).

...

...

profit!

DBOBE, you remember the ads and journal entries in FFE? Thats what people really want from something like this.

Yup, agreed with that as well. The ads/out-of-game-content/product-placement/whatever doesn't bother me terribly (or at all, currently, because I've been away from civilization for a while now... =P) but it could have been done a bit more gracefully.

 

[figola]

^^^^^+1 What Dante80 said.

 

[Armour]

Here's some Galnet copy that doesn't suck quite as much as the original IMO:

The intergalactic megacorp NVIDIA Labs, in conjunction with the Archaeology department of Reynhardt Intellisys, has offered a valuable reward for recovery of 5 prototype GeForce GTX Titan Black modules, reportedly stolen from NVIDIA's Museum of Technology.

These prototypes are an example of a GPU card, an ancient component used to create displays on early (pre-holo) view screens. These units were state of the art in their own time period (c.2015), but are of course far less powerful in raw processing terms than the brain of a modern robopet!

The prototypes are highly-valuable relics of pre-war computing history, much of which was wiped out by the third "World War" that decimated much of the landscape and population of our home planet. "It would be a tragedy if they were lost", stated Mr Huang, the current holder of the hereditary, ceremonial position of CEO/President of NVIDIA Labs.

The prototypes are very fragile and non-functional, but a project was allegedly underway at NVIDIA Labs to build a limited quantity of fully working replicas, as part of an initiative by the NVIDIA Museum of Technology. The eventual plan is to exhibit a functional replica of what was known before the war as a Personal Computer. These primitive devices were apparently used as general purpose processing platforms for commercial, education and entertainment purposes.

Sources close to NVIDIA Labs have claimed that any pilot that successfully returns prototypes will be rewarded with a fully-functional replica of a GeForce GTX Titan Black, each as it would have looked and performed way back in 2015!

The prototype modules are rumoured to be on sale at a currently-unknown location.

(N.B. A Personal Computer is not included in the prize)

(I already posted this yesterday btw, this is a repost)

(edit: "origibal"?)

 

[halo jones 101]

The "ignore the debate and cast others as hysterical" meta game is strong with others....

try reading #68 thus not ignoring the debate, Its a reasonable question to debate as a design ethic, just questioning the OP reasons for stressing over the EULA Change...

edited for missing "change"

 

[Cosmos]

<mod hat off>

@OP - what's the problem???

Nvidia, or FD have donated 5 high end graphics cards as a treasure hunt for players to find. It's not in-game advertising, it's a competition.

If they'd said "Find the Graphics Chips" and not mentioned Nvidia, would you be happy then?

I don't see billboards saying "Drink Coca-Cola", "Barry Scott's Cillit Bang" or "Sign up to Netflix" on the way into a station.

All this consternation over a competition.... sheesh!

Actually it is advertising for Nvidia but the in game treasure hunt is very attractive, so not complaining on this one, and I'll certainly be on the lookout. If this is the extent of in game ads then it seems pretty sweet all things considered.

Ugh.. I dunno, I suppose the game needs funding in some fashion and buying ships and so on is clearly a no-no, as are subscriptions.. So in the scheme of things ads are probably one of the least worst options. In principle I kinda object to be drillled with coke ads as we dock.. and those bill boards are there for a purpose.. Arguments for and against i guess..

Ultimately I can't continue to object to everything Frontier decides to do to create revenue from ED.. I suppose there are more important issues to focus on..

 

[Defacto]

Actually it is advertising for Nvidia but the in game treasure hunt is very attractive, so not complaining on this one, and I'll certainly be on the lookout. If this is the extent of in game ads then it seems pretty sweet all things considered.

Ugh.. I dunno, I suppose the game needs funding in some fashion and buying ships and so on is clearly a no-no, as are subscriptions.. So in the scheme of things ads are probably one of the least worst options. In principle I kinda object to be drillled with coke ads as we dock.. and those bill boards are there for a purpose.. Arguments for and against i guess..

Ultimately I can't continue to object to everything Frontier decides to do to create revenue from ED.. I suppose there are more important issues to focus on..

Actually, I think offering ships for money would be a better idea: Something like the kickstarter start ships, some mid-range (price-wise) ships with humble ut working loadouts.
I don't like this idea, but I would totally prefer it to more advertisement events. It's not really pay2win in any way either, since I don't see what you could possibly ''win'' with them.

Also... bobbleheads! Interior skins! If FD needs money, then why is this not a thing??