Lifetime pass payback time

[Lunchmoney]

DOOOOOM!!!!!
https://support.frontier.co.uk/kb/faq.php?id=158

Updated: Monday 28th September 2015
The Lifetime Expansion Pass (LEP) is the virtual pass that grants players access to all future seasons of Elite Dangerous content released over the coming years, along with any Beta server test phases.

I don't honestly believe DOOOOOM!!!!! is coming, but I am amused that the LEP FAQ page mentions seasons and seasons are no more

I'm a lifer and I have most definitely had my money's worth and some more.

I strongly suspect owners of the LEP will still get their content as part of what they have paid already. (I hate to phrase it "getting content for free" as we have paid; it's not free).

 

[Iskariot]

Not a kickstarter, not a lifetime pass holder, so I really don't have much to say about this, other than... this is an example of why I don't do these sorts of things. It's a risk, and largely an unnecessary one.

I am confused at all the confusion.

Nope there is no risk whatsoever.
FDev, Braben that is, already stated they intend to develop this unique spacesim for years to come.
The only thing that changes is the way they will release the content to the public.

The way I see it is that FD is new at this thing.
They have experimented with the season model and have come to the conclusion that it would be better to do the content delivery in a different way.
That is fine by me. LEP is still LEP. The LEP is not tied to the season model at all.

The only thing I really care about is that this huge spacesim gets further development. I don't care about the method.
Elite is unique in what it does and I want it to realize its potential.
I hope to be there in 10 years (I hope less) when we get access to the upper layers of gas giants and are allowed to land on atmospheric planets with alien flora and fauna.
I am so incredibly curious about the experience.

 

[Iskariot]

I don't honestly believe DOOOOOM!!!!! is coming, but I am amused that the LEP FAQ page mentions seasons and seasons are no more

Initially they were talking about 'expansions', hence the name: Lifetime Expansion Pass.
Later they introduced the Seasons delivery method.
No matter what they call it, seasons, expansions, updates, patches, add-ons... it doesn't matter to me at all.

 

[Ian Phillips]

I got myself one, and one for my brother.

Does that answer your question?

 

[Kzak]

I have a LEP back from Beta, and I'm quite happy with it. I'm sticking with Elite for the long haul, and I'm safe in the knowledge that all new content won't cost me anything at all. I have no problems buying paintjobs etc, from time to time either.

 

[Heater]

Time will tell....

 

[Lightspeed]

Life time owner here, I had pretty much the same motivations like you and decided it was worth the risk and bite the bullet incase things go south. As of today I feel a little indifferent, we still dont know what is up to come. All I know is that I am in for the ride anyway.

However I would have totaly loved to get some extras for being such a loyal customer like exclusive cosmetics, decals etc. Still dont understand why that option was never on the table, since its a normal practice for many other games.

I've only just come to this thread, so apologies if this has been responded to in later pages (haven't got to those yet).

LEP owners have received some benefits .... we received a free gold Asp X paint job .... the Black Friday paint job for just about all ships except the Dolphin .... we received the Cobra IV (which turned out to be a good gift when it was discovered how well it responded to engineering) ..... and there may be other things I have forgotten about ?

All this gets handed on a plate, we don't have to worry about "should I buy this upgrade ... or when is the optimum time to buy?", we just get it.

So I say, keep on board for the ride ... you won't be getting off now anyway, so just watch everyone else trying to decide whether or not they should purchase the next big upgrade when it comes

Oh .... I would add that we get free access to every Beta that comes along, too !

 

[Riverside]

I share the OP's concern, however I'm in the unusual situation that my wife is now happy with my (£120) LEP purchase because of how much I play the game, but I remain concerned that both communication & development appear to have slowed to a crawl & that I have not received everything I (thought I) paid for ie a season of content every year.

'Season 3' or whatever it may eventually be called (not even knowing that is frustrating & does not inspire confidence) is now over 6 months late & we still have no word on what it is let alone any future seasons.

I would like to know these things, and I'd like to know when I will be able to land on atmospheric bodies & maybe when I can finally get out of my seat. FDev have the money already, what are they doing with it? Apart from relocating to a bigger office of course.

 

[CorvusDove]

Better question: when I'm old and gray and emulating "back to the good Ole days" and want to load up E;D in its final state, will it bomb because the servers don't exist?

 

[Riverside]

Better question: when I'm old and gray and emulating "back to the good Ole days" and want to load up E;D in its final state, will it bomb because the servers don't exist?

Probably

Play while you can...

 

[Red Anders]

It's everybody's (including mine) own fault for handing out money on vague promises. The truly wise don't pre-order.

I broadly agree.

Backing a kickstarter is a fine thing to do (and many games now would never see the light of day without it) as long as people understand the risks they're taking.

Pre-ordering games that aren't being kickstarter funded though? No excuse for that whatsoever. The only way the games industry will ever stop expecting people to pay before having the finished product to base a purchasing decision on is if people reject the arrogane presumption which is contained within the model and refuse to do it. Sadly there are enough gamers who are eoither desperate enough for whatever trinkets get waved at them for pre-ordering, or who can just afford to drop £40 here, £50 there on substandard games without being too bothered by it that it doesn't look like it will ever happen.

The growth of pre-order as a sales model is the worst thing to happen to gaming in the last 15 years in my opinion. If you want to know why, I'll just cite one example. No Man's Sky.

 

[Ziggy Stardust]

What did the guarantees look like which came with the pass?

 

[VR Golgot]

What did the guarantees look like which came with the pass?

Pretty much what the FAQ has now:

The Lifetime Expansion Pass (LEP) is the virtual pass that grants players access to all future seasons of Elite Dangerous content released over the coming years, along with any Beta server test phases.

So pretty vague and open. Here's the text from the 2nd sale (where someone has liberally circled the word Season, but it's also called a 'Lifetime Expansion Pass', so I'm pretty chilled on that front )

Think the initial Kickstarter version had more bells and whistles re the Artbook and stuff. (Although I got that too with my 2nd-time-around purchase.)

 

[[VR] optimal_909]

Life time owner here, I had pretty much the same motivations like you and decided it was worth the risk and bite the bullet incase things go south. As of today I feel a little indifferent, we still dont know what is up to come. All I know is that I am in for the ride anyway.

However I would have totaly loved to get some extras for being such a loyal customer like exclusive cosmetics, decals etc. Still dont understand why that option was never on the table, since its a normal practice for many other games.

Lifetime backers should deserve some goodies, I agree.
I'm not one of them, to me Elite came in out of the blue shortly before Horizons.

However, I did buy FDev shares I'm planning to keep, to serve as bit of backing. It isn't much, but still, the amount is more than the lifetime backing costs.
Also, I do my fair share in leaving money in the FDev store too.

 

[Schmack]

Lifetime pass is an investment into the game itself. Perhaps you will never reap the rewards personally in this game, but when i make those moves it's because I want to support developement because there really isn't much of a risk. If you can drop that money on a video game, you aren't really losing anything. Besides, there aren't many games you can play for this long and still be interested in them.

I do get the point though. To me, lifetime should include skins and almost all DLC. You should not have to continue spending money except for things they might eventually offer like Cr if you wanted more of that.

 

[xondk]

Like many here, I've got a lifetime pass. Some people via kickstarter, some paid into. When I jumped in with a lifetime pass, Horizons was for the future but it was known that season 2 would be in the £30-40 range. I thought that with a 10 year plan, maybe 5 seasons (or at least major updates such as Horizons), then it would, in the end, be worth it. I was kind of hoping for something as revolutionary as horizons for S3, 4 etc, but it seems like FD are running out of steam for major gameplay changes.

With a season 3 looking less likely and FD moving to a more random DLC method of delivery, do any of you other paid lifetime pass holders think that you'll get your monies worth from it in the end, or do you feel a little conned by the way things appear to be moving? I've not decided where on the side of the fence I lie at the moment.... (I guess it depends on S3 / 4 or whatever replaces the season idea)

Uh, I think you've missed something, lets clarify?

1: You've already gotten good value.
2: You will continue to get stuff, it just isn't in the season pass model, what model is used is still to be seen but lifetime passes will still get whatever there comes free.

So yeah, you have not been conned, in any way shape or form.

 

[Steve50]

I have a lifetime pass but do I think it was worth it? no.
During 2012 I was hyped up and thinking this would be the Elite IV I've dreamed about for many years, sadly it's changed so much from the initial promises that imo it no longer has the feel of Elite and the way the game is heading (ie:- purely pewpewpew, appease the FPS kids etc etc) I don't see this changing. If I had my time again then no, there is no way I'd burn £200 on this, to most that's not a lot of money but to me it is, heck I even sold several things to raise the money back then. What a fool I was.

As for dropping the "seasons" idea, well the excuse is that people find it complex to understand. I'm sorry, but are people REALLY that stupid?? C'mon now.

I can't help but think this "new" way of delivering the updates is going to make lifetime passes null and void.

 

[Lightspeed]

The season concept has been difficult for many people to grasp, judging by the numbers of comments in this forum alone ..... do I get season 2.4 free if I bought Horizons ? ... what about Elite Dangerous players? ..... where's my my free Cobra IV that I paid for ? ....,

so I should imagine the Support Group and Marketing people have been on the thick end of a lot of questions concerning the seasons. Most of the confusion, I suspect, has been caused by the special offers if you bought early or before a cut-off time .... that caused many complaints.

 

[Para Handy]

I bought a LEP, later I bought a second account which then pre-ordered Horizons then later I was gifted a DeLux Commander thingie so that's a third account. I'd buy LEPs for those two accounts tomorrow if they put them back on sale.

(At my age F D are probably on a winner with the LEPs but I don't care, still well worth it.)

 

[JosiahD]

Like many here, I've got a lifetime pass. Some people via kickstarter, some paid into. When I jumped in with a lifetime pass, Horizons was for the future but it was known that season 2 would be in the £30-40 range. I thought that with a 10 year plan, maybe 5 seasons (or at least major updates such as Horizons), then it would, in the end, be worth it. I was kind of hoping for something as revolutionary as horizons for S3, 4 etc, but it seems like FD are running out of steam for major gameplay changes.

With a season 3 looking less likely and FD moving to a more random DLC method of delivery, do any of you other paid lifetime pass holders think that you'll get your monies worth from it in the end, or do you feel a little conned by the way things appear to be moving? I've not decided where on the side of the fence I lie at the moment.... (I guess it depends on S3 / 4 or whatever replaces the season idea)

I've already gotten my money's worth several times over when I consider my playtime thus far. Still keen to see the game continue to develop and I occasionally contribute through the store. The question of value for money was resolved for me some time ago.