Question about Paid Add-On Content and Workshop Downloads

[breezerHOG1]

Another thing that a lot of you have been wondering about is paid additional content for Planet Coaster and how this may work in the future. We will also be introducing cosmetic optional purchases for those of you who want to give your parks that little extra personality!

Cosmetic? That's a bit vague. I was wondering if these optional purchases will prevent me from loading Parks or Workshop Blueprints which use content I might not have? I would rather pay for larger add-ons (like RCT3 expansions) so I hope there won't be a lot of these small add-ons, as I don't want to be locked out of parks or blueprints for missing one little extra thing.

The free update is great news though [up] can't wait to see what "gameplay features" it adds!

 

[Joël]

Considering the cosmetic optional purchases, I'm wondering how these will look like. After some brainstorming with a few fellow Coaster Heads, we have come to the idea that these cosmetic optional purchases could be additional designs/themes for existing flatrides and/or additional designs/themes for existing coaster cars. This would be in line with the currently available cosmetic content that you can buy for Elite: Dangerous (example: 6 extra paintjobs for a single ship type). This could also mean that these cosmetic optional purchases would not affect workshop items.

Another option for cosmetic optional purchases would be additional scenery sets. The downside of that idea would be that it will affect workshop items, since those workshop items would not work correctly (missing content) if people try to use them without owning a certain optional scenery set. This makes it more likely that cosmetic optional purchases will be additional designs and themes for existing content in the game, such as existing flatrides and existing coaster cars.

All of this is just brainstorming at the moment, since we have yet to learn more about the cosmetic optional purchases and how they will look and work in the game.

I'm looking forward to more information about this subject. [happy]

 

[breezerHOG1]

All of this is just brainstorming at the moment [...] cosmetic optional purchases could be additional designs/themes for existing flatrides and/or additional designs/themes for existing coaster cars.

Thanks [happy] I know you are just brainstorming, but that would be annoying to pay for "a coaster car" or even scenery packs. I mean, there could be hundreds of those! I also think that if your idea is accurate, that it would still affect visiting full parks if they have that content and I don't, unless it would just swap out the special content. I really hope this doesn't become a library of "what do I have to buy" to unlock this download via microtansactions. I was hoping UGC could help prevent that?


I just realized that the golden King Coaster mascot is an example of "cosmetic" content, I think that is correct? So, I'm not exactly sure how that works. I'm assuming that if I place the Golden Mascot in my park and my friend downloads my park, he will see a standard mascot? I guess if that's how other "cosmetic" content will also work, it won't be a big deal. Just seems odd

 

[Cablenexus]

Glad you made a brainstorm session and a post about this. As much as I like the upcoming updates already I couldn't stop thinking about the paid extra cosmetic content.
I want to make clear that I absolutely not want to judge price / quality and probably buy all custom content myself since that's not a problem for me.

That said, I really love the game (only play it since two weeks) because of the building aspect. Time I spend to build custom scenery and offer it in the workshop is only because it's fun to do and to let as much people as possible download it and rate it. That's all.

So it will make a huge difference in the future if not everyone who is not able to make extra content cannot download every workshop item anymore as before.
The workshop imho is what makes Planet Coaster so popular. 82.000 items offered already is a huge achievement.

Considering that the team makes such a great game, offers so much content already for free and a moderator who participate in a post about it makes me confident 100 % about the future health for the game and the workshop.

Personally I love to see some big fat DLC's (paid or not) full with custom scenery added to the game and like you said the custom content in the form of paid cosmetic DLC not affecting the workshop at all. Anyway I'm looking forward to it and I really want to thank you for the respons about it in the forums.

 

[Kickflip]

With UGC, you would still potentially need to download all of the same content as the other player.

If it's just reskins, it could just default to the basic skin if you don't own the reskin.

It's all guessing though at this point and not really worth starting a crusade over something we know very little about. This behavior is probably why they don't like to tell the players anything until they have the full details to share.

 

[breezerHOG1]

With UGC, you would still potentially need to download all of the same content as the other player.

UGC could possibly be automatically included with a saved park file (possibly) as an option by the park creator.

If it's just reskins, it could just default to the basic skin if you don't own the reskin.

I know its all a guess, but if this is the case (whereby not having them things would "revert" to default) it seems reasonable, I just hope that it doesn't become a huge list of things we can "add to our game" through microtransactions. There could be so MANY little additional extras to every ride, mascot, etc.

I want to make clear that I absolutely not want to judge price / quality and probably buy all custom content myself since that's not a problem for me.

as long as its not like the Staff VIP [tongue]

 

[Toorcam]

Personally I wouldn't mind having paid scenery sets, even if it affects workshop items. Imagine having lots of sets to chose from, like Atlantis, dinosaurs, Egypt, etc. I would definitively save money to buy them all sooner or later.

An option would be that if you did not own some items from a workshop object, those items would be missing when loading that object in game. This way everybody will still be able to get the objects even if you were missing some paid sets.

imagine the future of Planet Coaster...waterslides, Fireworks, lots of themes, mascots, shops, new gamepla, parades, shows, etc....

 

[breezerHOG1]

An option would be that if you did not own some items from a workshop object, those items would be missing when loading that object in game. This way everybody will still be able to get the objects even if you were missing some paid sets.

what if UGC could make it so that wasnt necessary? or at least help cut down on it

 

[tyczj]

There are really 2 ways it could go with paid scenery with blueprints

1. You can still download them but the content you dont have will be missing
2. You wont be able to download them unless you have the specific DLC

I probably see it going the route of option 2 as there are less use cases to have to deal with

 

[Bitter Jeweler]

There are really 2 ways it could go with paid scenery with blueprints

1. You can still download them but the content you dont have will be missing
2. You wont be able to download them unless you have the specific DLC

I probably see it going the route of option 2 as there are less use cases to have to deal with

Also, repeatedly running into option 2 while browsing the Workshop will help nudge people to buy DLC. [wink] [yesnod]

 

[Vampiro]

Considering the cosmetic optional purchases, I'm wondering how these will look like. After some brainstorming with a few fellow Coaster Heads, we have come to the idea that these cosmetic optional purchases could be additional designs/themes for existing flatrides and/or additional designs/themes for existing coaster cars. This would be in line with the currently available cosmetic content that you can buy for Elite: Dangerous (example: 6 extra paintjobs for a single ship type). This could also mean that these cosmetic optional purchases would not affect workshop items.

Another option for cosmetic optional purchases would be additional scenery sets. The downside of that idea would be that it will affect workshop items, since those workshop items would not work correctly (missing content) if people try to use them without owning a certain optional scenery set. This makes it more likely that cosmetic optional purchases will be additional designs and themes for existing content in the game, such as existing flatrides and existing coaster cars.

All of this is just brainstorming at the moment, since we have yet to learn more about the cosmetic optional purchases and how they will look and work in the game.

I'm looking forward to more information about this subject. [happy]

We had a really great discussion about it i love those kind of talks!! Its just like pre-release when we could dream, wonder and analyse everything

We pretty much agreed that skins for flatrides or coastertrains would make sense in so many ways
Granted there might also be a lot of wishfull thinking involved. Personally i would be glad to pay for extra coastertrains and/or skins for flatrides!

Hope we get some more information about it soon!!

 

[WingardiumLevicoaster]

It could be something like more customisation options for avatars?

 

[Joël]

It could be something like more customisation options for avatars?

That is also very well possible.

 

[Lasairfion]

I think it would be fun to be able to reskin the park guests so that they're all dressed in Christmas clothes, or safari outfits, or steampunk dress. That'd be a really fun optional cosmetic extra that would look awesome but not affect any one else's Workshop items or park.

 

[Jules Moore]

I think it would be fun to be able to reskin the park guests so that they're all dressed in Christmas clothes, or safari outfits, or steampunk dress. That'd be a really fun optional cosmetic extra that would look awesome but not affect any one else's Workshop items or park.

I'd pay for that. [haha]
I always feel a bit cold when watching my guests wearing shorts and sunglasses in the snow.

 

[Spanky]

Personally I build all my parks for my personal pleasure and not for the workshop. I would buy the content when I think it would be a great addition to my parks or to my objects. When I would give my objects with payed additional content away in the workshop, I would also add a hint, that this or that additional set was needed. If you don't have the addition and won't buy the addition, then it's your problem, not mine.

 

[PlanetChris]

Personally I build all my parks for my personal pleasure and not for the workshop. I would buy the content when I think it would be a great addition to my parks or to my objects. When I would give my objects with payed additional content away in the workshop, I would also add a hint, that this or that additional set was needed. If you don't have the addition and won't buy the addition, then it's your problem, not mine.

That's true!
I just hope, that we will pay for a skin pack (if it should be a skin update) and not for every skin.
(I hope there is just one skin-dlc for the entire game and not for every ride one dlc or more)
I literally hate those games, where you have to pay for every skin. - Please don't start with such methods.[uhh]

 

[widlanquebec]

I hope that this will not affect the workshop items at all. The workshop is an awesome feature and I hope we'll still be able to download everything we want. There's still many options for paid DLC that won't affect workshop (more mascotts customization like the golden one, more guests clothes or customization, flatrides or coasters cars skins, etc.). I just hope that they'll not add too many things as DLC (like new flat rides, weather pack addition, new biomes, etc.).

 

[Bitter Jeweler]

Paid expansion packs would effect the workshop, so, what's the difference?

 

[breezerHOG1]

Paid expansion packs would effect the workshop, so, what's the difference?

you mean expansions like RCT3? the way I see it is that with a larger "bundle" it would be easier to deal with and keep compatibility issues to a minimum.

Like say if over the next year they add a bunch of "little extras" like a few scenery items here and there, which then get scattered about through some players parks, then next year they release some bigger add-ons which then requires us to have both the expansion AND all the little extras to view certain workshop items.

I've posted this same question a few times back before beta, and the general consensus was to at least keep any add-ons to a reasonable size. I mean I wouldn't mind paying $5 for a pack of scenery items if it contained a lot, but I don't think most people would be happy to see 100 individual items that would make things tedious and would completely turn me off from buying any of them.

I just had hopes that UGC would keep scenery items from becoming microtransactions, and that "paid for add-on content" would be for bigger gameplay features or at least something really unique besides "cosmetics"

It could be something like more customisation options for avatars?

I don't even consider that to be a part of the actual game though, its just a digital icon which I will never have any interest in buying. Wouldn't it be more fun if you unlocked avatar items by completing objectives? I don't know why people like buying a new color for their avatars clothing lol. At least on xbox your avatar goes with all your games and not just one, plus you get free unlocks from playing games