How to sweet talk, recruit and convince a Star Citizen to back ED (Strategies)

Echo Seven

Echo Seven
:eek: :Note - this is a tongue in cheek article - Don't take it too seriously: :eek:

We all want more funding for ED - But how?

Easy, with close to 34,000,000 raised for SC, those SC fans apparently have more money than they know what to do with! So how can we help ED funding along? Simple, follow these hints for recruiting, impressing and keeping an SC backer.

But firstly, why get an SC backer into ED in the first place? For one thing, It's an easy fit! SC backers already love the space genre - they are typically players that grew up with the legends of Elite and Wing Commander. Perfect material for ED. They also (apparently) have cash (covered that point), and will, given the opportunity come over to ED like bees to a honey pot. Once word spreads, even more will come. So here are the top tips :

- Casually mention that Chris Roberts is friends with David Braben, and that they back each others games. In fact, CR even encouraged fans to back ED!
- Mention that the ED forums are mature and civil without implying the SC ones are not.
- Encourage them to talk about how sad they are that they did not find out about SC in time to become an original backer, and then say that they have until the 6th to become an original backer of elite - with all the perks! Follow that up by asking them to ask themselves whether they would later be able to look themselves in the mirror and forgive themselves for having squandered the chance to become an OB in SC. :)
- Ask them what they are going to play until SC comes out. Look sad and disappointed (no matter the response - which will probably involve mumbling about dogfight module - which honestly is going to be pretty fantastic for us SC's - but try not to let that show too much) and say that the exploration mode in ED is going to be incredible and they can support both games.
- Remind them that ED is really just a 'one time backing', wheras they can still go back to SC and back more later if they want to. If they say they are saving for a 890 Jump or similar, ask them "Don't you want some in game ships to strive for? - It's so much more satisfying!"
- Show them the development Video - the latest one is pretty cool, especially the orange head up displays, I think.
- Newtonian Physics!
- Massive universe! (Perhaps the ED focus is less on the cockpit/simulation and more on the Universe itself. Sounds right.
- Share gameplay features you love and law and order details. That's kind of cool.

Other tips :

- SC citizens may think ED is expensive and not understand the funding model as well - They often will not know that ED is being backed with more than 2 million quid - but point out that the kickstarter special of 85 pounds includes 2 ships and Beta access, which is half the price of a Constellation (pretend you know what your talking about even if you don't).
- NEVER insult Chris Roberts, or deride SC.
- Keep the forums the way they are. They will become a refuge in bad times (Try not to mention LTI...).
- Show an interest in SC and say that many ED backers are looking into SC. :)

But perhaps you guys have even more ideas? What is special about ED that you would highlight?
 

Darren Grey

Darren Grey
Echo Seven said:
We all want more funding for ED - But how?
Click to expand...

That's a bit of a flawed premise, I think. Frontier have said they have the investment they need to get the game made. More on board is always welcome, of course, but we don't need to spam and shout at SC fans to achieve it.
 

Philip Coutts

Volunteer Moderator
Philip Coutts
Videos will do the trick, I would imagine the forthcoming Alpha and the gameplay videos that appear on youtube will part a few more with their hard earned sheckles.
 

Frank

Frank
I've always had this feeling that the difference between Elite: Dangerous and Star Citizen is like the difference between Springfield and Shelbyville. The only reason I backed Elite was that Star Citizen had plenty of backing by the time I knew of it. This gives me the opportunity to see the game fully developed and reviewed before I buy.

How is the spin-off literature for Star Citizen? Is it as comprehensive and as meticulously checked as Elite's?
 

Erimus Kamzel

Erimus Kamzel
I think ED will sell itself via the upcoming alpha and beta footage that will flood the internet shortly.

Watch that pledge money pour in and the number of backers skyrocket. That's my new years prediction ;)
 

SirGeldi

SirGeldi
If the star citizen is older than 35 just tell him about E : D.
But a possible reaction is: "Oh wow a new Elite i didn't know obout that, but i bought so many ships at RSi that i am close to bankrupt and will buy E : D when it is out"
 

Captain N

C
Cool videos always work well.

The latest dev diary, with the glimpses of gameplay in particular seemed to resonate with the SC backers I showed it to, sparking some genuine "Why did I never hear about this before!" type reactions. (Another thing to get from that is, that yes, there apparently are SC backers who have not heard of ED yet.)

It's also good to remember that many SC backers have bought expensive joysticks in anticipation of the game and I don't think they would mind having something else to play with their toys with. So it's good to bring up the fact that ED has full joystick support, especially in light of what happened with a recent, not-so-graceful launch of another space game. Some Citizens may still be under impression based on early videos that Elite only supports console controllers. Show them that latest dev diary.

I haven't heard about SC having any spinoff literature, and I'm not sure if their fans even care about that sort of thing. SC seems to have a lot more narrative built into the game itself, like modern games tend to do. But for those people who care about this sort of thing, it would be good to make them aware that Elite has three games' worth of rich background lore to build upon, will come with an entire library of fiction tied into the game, and is not just an empty, cold world of mathematics and procedural generation.

The huge 1:1 astronomically accurate universe, while a cool feature, is something I don't think most SC fans really care that much about, so I'm not sure if there's much worth in emphasising that.

"Newtonian flight" isn't much of a unique selling point, as the ED flight model does not seem to be any more "hardcore" than that of SC, and both are supposedly based on Newtonian physics anyway.
 

Vreynn

V
How about a "rugged" version of the Sidewinder whose cockpit makes an angry face and has thick opaque geometry covering the forward reticle?
 

Jenner

I wish I was English like my hero Tj.
Jenner
Frank said:
How is the spin-off literature for Star Citizen? Is it as comprehensive and as meticulously checked as Elite's?
Click to expand...

Well it's not exactly 'spin-off lit', but there are official story vignettes posted almost weekly on the official SC site. Some of the characters and story arcs will actually show up in-game as well. So yeah... plenty of lore and such for SC, at least from official channels.

And as for getting SC backers to back ED, I agree that when Alpha comes around and we see actual in-game footage on YouTube and lots more press coverage that we'll see a large bump in numbers.

Me, I heard about SC and ED about the same time last year. I backed SC immediately in November, but waited until my birthday in March to get gifted an ED pledge. :) (Which I have jontied up to Alpha on my own since.... shhhh! :D )
 

[VR] Mad Mike

[VR] Mad Mike
Dont try. The game will come out (assuming on schedule) almost 12 months before SC. Once you get your shiny new game then let your mates play it and the game can do the talking.


Personally I say own both. I am all for a bit of friendly fan rivalry but truth is, both games come from an A+ pedigree and both games are gonna be worth owning for any space explorer worth his/her salt.

(proud owner of both bounty hunter packages of each game)
 
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Echo Seven

Echo Seven
Captain N said:
... It's also good to remember that many SC backers have bought expensive joysticks in anticipation of the game and I don't think they would mind having something else to play with their toys with. So it's good to bring up the fact that ED has full joystick support, especially in light of what happened with a recent, not-so-graceful launch of another space game.
Click to expand...

Great point! I bought the CH Fighterstick USB, the Pro Throttle USB and the Pedals, so I can't wait to break them in with ED/SC.

And +1 to @bigmike20vt - both games really are A+ pedigree and "both games are gonna be worth owning for any space explorer worth his/her salt."

And for those saying we don't need more money - REALLY? It's undoubtedly going to allow further development of ED, so I would not seeing more come in!
 

Bill the Cat

B
Well, you got ONE

Echo Seven said:
:eek: :Note - this is a tongue in cheek article - Don't take it too seriously: :eek:

We all want more funding for ED - But how?

Easy, with close to 34,000,000 raised for SC, those SC fans apparently have more money than they know what to do with! So how can we help ED funding along? Simple, follow these hints for recruiting, impressing and keeping an SC backer.

But firstly, why get an SC backer into ED in the first place? For one thing, It's an easy fit! SC backers already love the space genre - they are typically players that grew up with the legends of Elite and Wing Commander. Perfect material for ED. They also (apparently) have cash (covered that point), and will, given the opportunity come over to ED like bees to a honey pot. Once word spreads, even more will come. So here are the top tips :

- Casually mention that Chris Roberts is friends with David Braben, and that they back each others games. In fact, CR even encouraged fans to back ED!
- Mention that the ED forums are mature and civil without implying the SC ones are not.
- Encourage them to talk about how sad they are that they did not find out about SC in time to become an original backer, and then say that they have until the 6th to become an original backer of elite - with all the perks! Follow that up by asking them to ask themselves whether they would later be able to look themselves in the mirror and forgive themselves for having squandered the chance to become an OB in SC. :)
- Ask them what they are going to play until SC comes out. Look sad and disappointed (no matter the response - which will probably involve mumbling about dogfight module - which honestly is going to be pretty fantastic for us SC's - but try not to let that show too much) and say that the exploration mode in ED is going to be incredible and they can support both games.
- Remind them that ED is really just a 'one time backing', wheras they can still go back to SC and back more later if they want to. If they say they are saving for a 890 Jump or similar, ask them "Don't you want some in game ships to strive for? - It's so much more satisfying!"
- Show them the development Video - the latest one is pretty cool, especially the orange head up displays, I think.
- Newtonian Physics!
- Massive universe! (Perhaps the ED focus is less on the cockpit/simulation and more on the Universe itself. Sounds right.
- Share gameplay features you love and law and order details. That's kind of cool.

Other tips :

- SC citizens may think ED is expensive and not understand the funding model as well - They often will not know that ED is being backed with more than 2 million quid - but point out that the kickstarter special of 85 pounds includes 2 ships and Beta access, which is half the price of a Constellation (pretend you know what your talking about even if you don't).
- NEVER insult Chris Roberts, or deride SC.
- Keep the forums the way they are. They will become a refuge in bad times (Try not to mention LTI...).
- Show an interest in SC and say that many ED backers are looking into SC. :)

But perhaps you guys have even more ideas? What is special about ED that you would highlight?
Click to expand...

I had never heard of ED but found a link in the SC forums. Here I am. Other good things to point out to SC people:

1. SC won't be out until 2015 at the soonest, what will you play until then?
2. ED will have a fully flyable, explorable and landable galaxy.
3. ED will have true free form space flight
 
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