In-game Advertising?

[rlr149]

Yes! +1

"The Ship in front is a Toyota-Faulcon-De-Lacy"

i'm all for film and/or game in-joke ads too.

"want to meet interesting new species, then colonizing for weyland-yutani could be in your future!"
"book a flight on the 'event horizon' pleasure cruiser"
"death sticks"
"i'm mr spock, and this is the best store on zeleda"
"coming soon - half life 3"
"need to eliminate someone in the past, get the new T1000"

 

[Amylion]

So today I got the e-mail with the invitation to standard beta.

And I am outrageously shocked that I've read in the EULA about in-game advertising!!

It's outrageous: Never ever have I spent more on a game!
It should be enough to finance the game and the minimal server costs (as the game relies almost completely on p2p anyways).

And where is the information about this "feature"?
Why didn't they mention it in the Kickstarter project?
Why is there no official response on this delicate matter?

This is clearly against the goal of Kickstarter and against the spirit of Early Access. It makes Frontier look like a greedy money-grabber who just wants to capitalize on the "free" contribution of creative gamers (valuable feedback on design). Many times some members of the design team look less professional than many backers on here, and definitely less motivated.

I see no way to support such a company.

I hope that there is an explanation for this shady behaviour, and I expect it soon, before I gonna ask for a refund.


Amylion.

PS: Please spare me with comments like "Oh, I have no real life, no sexuality, no illness and never leave my house, so I don't care about total surveillance by online-tracking"!

 

[.Stu.]

Depends on how the Dynamic Ad service is installed/hosted

I'd be ok with it as long as the "Dynamic Ad Service" is an integral part of the Elite game software and ALL content is delivered via the connection I make to FD servers when I log in.

I'm not having them install some other b?????s software to **** my PC as it feels like.

I really really hope they don't get to expecting us to install adware, I'll pay a sub if needs be.

I would not trust advertising agencies or any software other than from a creditable developer farther than I could push a tank with a stream of my own urine!

That said I do believe FD are trustworthy so I'm pretty sure the he (DB) would not allow anything like that to happen.

I know they need to be profitable - that's the point of any company after all.

I have no problem with in game advertising of real world prodcuts, provided it's done with a level of sensetivity.

Maybe an add in the loading bay, which in the Alpha already exists for non existent, future products & companies.

If there was an add for Virgin Galactic it wouldn't be to bad. But an add for BT or AT&T would be terrible (doubly so, because I'm Australian .... and no, that doesn't mean I want an ad for Telstra either). I can also see Coke Cola being available 1,000 years in the future. But not barkleys bank. They have to get the right products being advertised.

Having said all that, it's probably standard boiler plate stuff so that Frontier can monetise the game in some manner and say "Yeah well, we DID tell you we might do this".

Considering Frontier

1. Have to make a profit
2. Aren't charging a monthly subscription fee
3. Seem to be carefully stepping around micro-transaction

there aren't to many other options left open for ongoing financial support for them.

 

[Seonid]

It should be enough to finance the game and the minimal server costs (as the game relies almost completely on p2p anyways).

No, it doesn't. And development costs are ongoing aren't they? It's also an EULA which are typically phrased as "catch all" anyway. Still it is reassuring that you are defending us in 76 point bold font from a problem that doesn't even exist yet.

 

[Cmdr Eagleboy]

So today I got the e-mail with the invitation to standard beta.

And I am outrageously shocked that I've read in the EULA about in-game advertising!!

It's outrageous: Never ever have I spent more on a game!
It should be enough to finance the game and the minimal server costs (as the game relies almost completely on p2p anyways).

And where is the information about this "feature"?
Why didn't they mention it in the Kickstarter project?
Why is there no official response on this delicate matter?

This is clearly against the goal of Kickstarter and against the spirit of Early Access. It makes Frontier look like a greedy money-grabber who just wants to capitalize on the "free" contribution of creative gamers (valuable feedback on design). Many times some members of the design team look less professional than many backers on here, and definitely less motivated.

I see no way to support such a company.

I hope that there is an explanation for this shady behaviour, and I expect it soon, before I gonna ask for a refund.


Amylion.

PS: Please spare me with comments like "Oh, I have no real life, no sexuality, no illness and never leave my house, so I don't care about total surveillance by online-tracking"!

Can you calm down and point out which part of EULA you are disappointed with?

I don't remember anytime FD has clarified in-game advertising, however in-game universe have companies, which make ships and other stuff, so I really doubt there will be in-game advertising with real life companies, it would look very jarring. Maybe some elegant tip, but nothing more.

If you complain about online tracking, then you might now that there are online mode and offline mode. Online mode is what it is. If you don't want to play it, don't.

 

[ZeeWolf]

Just to repeat this is a pretty standard Frontier EULA and roller-coaster tycoon 3 also mentioned such technology in it's EULA as do many other games companies. If you have any other games installed on your PC you will probably find similar text. This does not dictate the design or direction of the game at this stage as far as we know. I seriously doubt anything to do with the games design was considered when that text was drawn up by a man in a suit.

 

[Cmdr Eagleboy]

To have boilerplate EULA is understandable. I would welcome something like Creative Commons in games licenses, but so far it is what it is. It really doesn't indicate nothing than FD sticks to what their lawyers recommend.

 

[timbow]

Just to be clear, the money you have paid is an investment to FD to develop the game, you have donated it. FD have given you access to various development stages as a thank you for the game. That money gets the game to release 1.0, and possibly a bit beyond.

There are expansion packs planned which some of us will get for "free" as a thank you for donating slightly more money, others will buy them, which will pay for their production.

On top of this there is the cost of the infrastructure to cover a MMOish game - servers, bandwidth etc. Many companies offer the "pay to win" model which means we have to keep pumping money into the game in order to progress, which I don't like. I have no problem with advertising in the game provide it is done in a way in keeping with the game, for example the holographic displays outside Coriolis stations, displays in the hanger spaces or landing pads etc, or maybe even liveried NPC ships (e.g. a DHL Lakon 9, or Eddie Stobart Hauler), and as long as the advertising has no impact on the flow of the game (for example one company paying and insisting on certain things happening to all players).

 

[Wrongway]

That would be great. Would love to drive an Eddie Stobart Hauler around :smilie:

I have no problem with advertising in the game provide it is done in a way in keeping with the game, for example the holographic displays outside Coriolis stations, displays in the hanger spaces or landing pads etc, or maybe even liveried NPC ships (e.g. a DHL Lakon 9, or Eddie Stobart Hauler), and as long as the advertising has no impact on the flow of the game (for example one company paying and insisting on certain things happening to all players).

 

[ZeeWolf]

Every-time I read this thread I always feel hungry and want to buy McBurgers

Is this thread subliminally sponsored?

 

[mkennedy026]

too lazy to find a McDonalds sign...
I don't think it would be that bad, breaks up the look and would be great to have more variety of ads. If it helps fund further development that would be nice. But yeah- if it is done poorly or does not fit the look... could be bad.

Spoiler

 

[Anthony Jones]

Stupid thread. EULA's are for accepting rather than reading.

I can recommend "docking is difficult" by Gideon Defoe is you want something to read

 

[Yellonet]

The day I find McDonald's or some disgusting stuff like that in the game, it's my last day in the game

 

[noodle]

I tried really, really hard to get worked up about this, but I think I already spent my internet anger quota for today

 

[VR jefranklin18]

It is rarer to find a commercially-produced game without a statement in the EULA about in game advertising. At the end of the day, we do not know what FD will do with advertising and as far as I am concerned they can throw in what they want as long as it doesn't break the immersion.

The holographic boards outside the stations are hardly obtrusive.

 

[TheSpackman]

It is rarer to find a commercially-produced game without a statement in the EULA about in game advertising. At the end of the day, we do not know what FD will do with advertising and as far as I am concerned they can throw in what they want as long as it doesn't break the immersion.

The holographic boards outside the stations are hardly obtrusive.

If they advertise Wonga they will be

I jest though - I would be stunned if Frontier go down that route. Stunned. Until it happens I'll gladly not worry about.

 

[ZeeWolf]

If they advertise Wonga they will be

I jest though - I would be stunned if Frontier go down that route. Stunned. Until it happens I'll gladly not worry about.

I struggle to think of many games that have injected advertising into the game post release. It's talked about loads, but rarely every implemented outside of mobile games.

 

[Amylion]

Got this reply to my ticket. I made use of my right to revocation and deinstalled the game already.

Response Notes
---
Fri 11th Jul 2014 13:56
Hello, ---.

Elite Dangerous is set in a highly commercial fictional galaxy, and its entirely natural that fictional adverts appear in the game, which they do in and around starports. We also want to reserve the right to include real-world adverts in the game should we choose to do so in future. Any such real-world adverts would be appropriate in the context of the game.

We hope this is a satisfactory answer. I'm sorry to say that as you pledged during the Kickstarter period towards the game we will be unable to refund this for you. You can find relevant terms and conditions concerning this on the Kickstarter website.

Thank you and have an excellent weekend.

Of course they have to refund it, there are laws clearly stating my rights and the pledging / donation method doesn't change a thing about it.

So, good luck and good bye!

 

[JeffRyan]

Got this reply to my ticket. I made use of my right to revocation and deinstalled the game already.



Of course they have to refund it, there are laws clearly stating my rights and the pledging / donation method doesn't change a thing about it.

So, good luck and good bye!

Sigh. For the record I'm actually fine with it. As long as it's done tastefully. But really tastefully. Not like those photos I did when I was young and needed the money. He lied to me.

 

[withnail]

I'm awful! I have never read the EULA!

Is this something everybody else does, and am I the exception?