Frontier Needs Money (new Dev Update from Michael).

[JeffRyan]

So Michael explicitly says in the new update here:

The most obvious benefit comes from the income. We have chosen not to go down the route of subscriptions or 'pay to win', but we do need income to support the game, and so far most of that is coming from adding new customers, so it is in all our interests to get more people playing.

You know what? That's absolutely fine with me. I welcome CQC, I welcome the XBox guys. The more money there is for development the better for everyone. (Speaking of which, you really should make decals and paint jobs in the store a priority).

This week was a bad coincidence for me. I contributed to some of the negativity in the forum, but for a completely different reason. I wanted PC NEWS from E3, I wanted news about the paid expansions (First Expansion Coming Xmas 2015!) or something.

But I was not, have not and shall not be upset about Frontier broadening their revenue stream and welcome their attempts to do so. Thanks for not going 'pay to win'!

Just my two euro-cent.

 

[Soopyyy]

I am happy to keep buying cosmetic stuff!

 

[Alex Brentnall]

So Michael explicitly says in the new update here:

The most obvious benefit comes from the income. We have chosen not to go down the route of subscriptions or 'pay to win', but we do need income to support the game, and so far most of that is coming from adding new customers, so it is in all our interests to get more people playing.

You know what? That's absolutely fine with me. I welcome CQC, I welcome the XBox guys. The more money there is for development the better for everyone. (Speaking of which, you really should make decals and paint jobs in the store a priority).

This week was a bad coincidence for me. I contributed to some of the negativity in the forum, but for a completely different reason. I wanted PC NEWS from E3, I wanted news about the paid expansions (First Expansion Coming Xmas 2015!) or something.

But I was not, have not and shall not be upset about Frontier broadening their revenue stream and welcome their attempts to do so. Thanks for not going 'pay to win'!

Just my two euro-cent.

Hmmm, I welcome the x-box players in all honesty, its good to have it on all platforms and media types. It makes sense. I also agree with the comments on pay to win and subscription.
What I can't fathom is that until this update I thought Frontier were effectively rolling in it. They reported higher than expected pc sales, they ran the £13,000 race to Elite, the Nvidia giveaway competition and had a successful kickstarter. I thought they had too much money if anything so this is quite the surprise for me...

I mean the prizes and that will have brought some people into the game but I can't imagine they got £13,000 of new players directly from that competition, seems odd to me..

my 2 euros.

Edit: I also agree with you on E3 but after the past 2 years of E3 I have learnt to expect the lowest dregs of game development essentially showing off how well they can choreograph trailers, videos and strictly limited in game footage. Wasn't too fussed about the lack of information from E3 but more lack of communication generally with patch notes and updates coming as the servers update, I'd much prefer to digest the changelogs for a few days and then have the update hit..

 

[JeffRyan]

Hmmm, I welcome the x-box players in all honesty, its good to have it on all platforms and media types. It makes sense. I also agree with the comments on pay to win and subscription.
What I can't fathom is that until this update I thought Frontier were effectively rolling in it. They reported higher than expected pc sales, they ran the £13,000 race to Elite, the Nvidia giveaway competition and had a successful kickstarter. I thought they had too much money if anything so this is quite the surprise for me...

I mean the prizes and that will have brought some people into the game but I can't imagine they got £13,000 of new players directly from that competition, seems odd to me..

my 2 euros.

Yeah, but money in da bank mate, money in da bank. And with the game on the PC since Xmas 2014 it's a decent time to push it out on the consoles.

 

[Vasious]

Is the idea that a company is seeking to expand their customer base and income streams is a good one.
Leads to growth and development such as the optimisations that "are more agnostic and are beneficial across all platforms"
Frontier Development should be quite chuffed with how they are managing to do so.
Onwards and upwards

 

[Bragor]

(Speaking of which, you really should make decals and paint jobs in the store a priority).

THIS ...

I want more space for decals (I'd like a Federation one on my Python .. or even better, a Winter's one ... I want a decal for my Federation rank (Lt.Cmdr atm) .. I want a cool looking skin .. and I don't mind paying for that some RL cash).

Or even better, a slightly different model for my ship .. get some ideas, FD, how to make us pay .. I'm personally not interested in t-shirts, mugs or other RL stuff.

 

[Surly_Badger]

I'd happily pay for a Fuel Rats logo.

 

[JeffRyan]

THIS ...

I want more space for decals (I'd like a Federation one on my Python .. or even better, a Winter's one ... I want a decal for my Federation rank (Lt.Cmdr atm) .. I want a cool looking skin .. and I don't mind paying for that some RL cash).

Or even better, a slightly different model for my ship .. get some ideas, FD, how to make us pay .. I'm personally not interested in t-shirts, mugs or other RL stuff.

It's a rare thing indeed when a company isn't putting out stuff they know people are begging to buy.

 

[Arry]

The income has to be welcome and in the long term, good for the game. Especially if like most UK ventures, it is done on a shoe string. I have never been into the PC v console thing, but sort of understand, some peoples need for separation. At the same time, I can see the desire for the PC users to want first dibs on the good stuff. After all, it was on PC first.

 

[Jim Steinman]

It's not rocket science that any dev needs money to support their game or product. I think it was inevitable the game was going to consoles, they probably got a bit of £ from MS for the time exclusivity, no issues there.

At the end of the day, more people in the game is better. More people buying paint jobs etc...all good for FD and us, the players as the game will likely be around longer.

 

[deMangler]

I was encouraged by reading Micheal's update.
I have done and will continue to voice my desires about PC features and DDF proposals, and the apparent deviation in direction that separates what I perceived as the vision for ED and where the released ED seems to be going.
However, I also am capable of imagining, and believing, that FD are engaged in a practical and necessarily quiet path to the game they want to make, and that game, despite superficial appearances, is indeed not far removed from the game I backed. If this is the case then I commend the discipline and generosity of Team FD, Sandro, Michael and the others from FD who put so much effort into this game and take so much flak on the forums. I look forward to the day when they can say "we told you so "
Meanwhile I am going to be a vocal proponent of "What has happened to the game I backed???" and keep that part of my mind that believes they really have not sold the DDF down the river as secret as FD are keeping their dev roadmap. With absolutely no hard feelings at all.

 

[JeffRyan]

I was encouraged by reading Micheal's update.
I have done and will continue to voice my desires about PC features and DDF proposals, and the apparent deviation in direction that separates what I perceived as the vision for ED and where the released ED seems to be going.
However, I also am capable of imagining, and believing, that FD are engaged in a practical and necessarily quiet path to the game they want to make, and that game, despite superficial appearances, is indeed not far removed from the game I backed. If this is the case then I commend the discipline and generosity of Team FD, Sandro, Michael and the others from FD who put so much effort into this game and take so much flak on the forums. I look forward to the day when they can say "we told you so "
Meanwhile I am going to be a vocal proponent of "What has happened to the game I backed???" and keep that part of my mind that believes they really have not sold the DDF down the river as secret as FD are keeping their dev roadmap. With absolutely no hard feelings at all.

We go after them when we need to go after them deMangler. We spit in their faces and scream defiance when they deserve it. But when they deserve it. This isn't one of those times.

 

[Deleted member 38366]

--- Deleted ---

 

[CMDR Crustatious Cornelius Pig]

So Michael explicitly says in the new update here:

The most obvious benefit comes from the income. We have chosen not to go down the route of subscriptions or 'pay to win', but we do need income to support the game, and so far most of that is coming from adding new customers, so it is in all our interests to get more people playing.

You know what? That's absolutely fine with me. I welcome CQC, I welcome the XBox guys. The more money there is for development the better for everyone. (Speaking of which, you really should make decals and paint jobs in the store a priority).

This week was a bad coincidence for me. I contributed to some of the negativity in the forum, but for a completely different reason. I wanted PC NEWS from E3, I wanted news about the paid expansions (First Expansion Coming Xmas 2015!) or something.

But I was not, have not and shall not be upset about Frontier broadening their revenue stream and welcome their attempts to do so. Thanks for not going 'pay to win'!

Just my two euro-cent.

In complete agreement with the OP. I want Elite Dangerous to have a long happy life. Glad they didn't go pay to win with the game and happy to welcome Mac and console players...the more the merrier. I am a kick starter supporter and I as of yesterday also bought the XBOX One prerelease. I am all in.

Continue the good work frontier.

 

[Smugallo]

I tend to moan a good bit as well, doesn't mean I don't love the game, I just get bored/frustrated sometimes with Frontiers weird marketing thingy. Bought the XBOX version as well, and looking forward to playing my main on my big telly

 

[JeffRyan]

Since I'm a straightforward and honest guy...

I have to say... Had they listened to some excellent inputs or vetos at key junctions or learned from the feedback after these junctions were passed - they wouldn't be in that predicament today

Frustrating to say the least, seeing prediction after prediction come true. One after the another. Like darn clockwork. Just because they did not listen or thought of other priorities and wasted precious resources & time.
Frustacting, because : effectively... you can't really help these guys. What use is all the knowledge presented on a Painite ornamented silver plate, assorted in ready-to-eat portions - when it gets ignored over a full year?

I do wonder - what is one supposed to do in such a case?
I ask because I simply have no answer.

Honestly the only prediction I /ever/ made that came true was this one.

Some of the replies there amuse me now.

 

[CMDR Crustatious Cornelius Pig]

I also do not agree with all of their decisions but I also am not looking at it from their point of view. As a independent publisher they have chosen a harder route but provides them the creative freedom they would not have had with a big publishing house like EA, Activision etc....

I want them to follow the DDF as a guide and to listen to their players...something I think they do better than the vast majority of studios do but I also want them to make lots of money so they can fuel this great game for years to come.

 

[ianw]

So Michael explicitly says in the new update here:

The most obvious benefit comes from the income. We have chosen not to go down the route of subscriptions or 'pay to win', but we do need income to support the game, and so far most of that is coming from adding new customers, so it is in all our interests to get more people playing.

You know what? That's absolutely fine with me. I welcome CQC, I welcome the XBox guys. The more money there is for development the better for everyone. (Speaking of which, you really should make decals and paint jobs in the store a priority).

This week was a bad coincidence for me. I contributed to some of the negativity in the forum, but for a completely different reason. I wanted PC NEWS from E3, I wanted news about the paid expansions (First Expansion Coming Xmas 2015!) or something.

But I was not, have not and shall not be upset about Frontier broadening their revenue stream and welcome their attempts to do so. Thanks for not going 'pay to win'!

Just my two euro-cent.

It is remarkable that it is the first time - AFAIK - that they seem to have confirmed that PTW is off the table.

There was a time - for anyone who doesn't know - that cash for credits was potentially a thing - it was roundly condemned by many (full disclosure - I wasn't one of them) and FD went quiet on it.

So yeah - let's chuck some money at the store I s'pose..

 

[Banana's_Are_Good_For_You]

If they offer good things to buy then ppl will buy them.
Logo's, decals and the purely cosmetic are all good... but if they ever go P2W then I'll be out. All that ever ends up being is buy the OP stuff, nerf later and then bring out the next OP thing, only to be nerfed later and that sucks.
I expect more from this game than just the same old crap I see in many games these days.

Like someone above said, if you open an opportunity for something to exist "fuel rats", you should back it with some support.
I don't think this game is near financial ruin but every little helps.
Embrace those who play and they'll get their reward.

It's kinda like if a Bounty Hunter, have that role in the form of a design, much like the Pirate thing. Just have a few variants regards colours or w/e....like they currently do on designs. The higher the rank you attain, the fancier it gets. Kinda like there has to be something to set an Elite player above the rest regarding design. It could be one design, just with less lines or emblems unavailable to the lower ranks but if you've bought it, it will update as you progress.
Same goes for other "roles"...

Maybe a thread about, what do you want as things evolve would help.
Camo's for individual ranks do not work. People do move on from rank to rank so what use is a camo for that when it only has a limited time period?
Maybe a "specialist" camo that tracks a role would be a better idea. That way, a player can always have use for any particular Camo, associated with a role, when they decide to play that way.

 

[TorTorden_VR]

I would buy a flag or other cystom skins for my python.