Question about Paid Add-On Content and Workshop Downloads

PsychoScooby · Jul 21, 2017

I feel very mixed about the DLC. I was hoping for more larger expansions which we still may see, but I don't know. I like the alternate Go Kart cars though, I think that was a good idea. But the scenery could(and will) hinder people from being able to download certain workshop items. From a marketing stand point, its a brilliant move on Frontiers part.

Kombiice · Jul 21, 2017

What about workshop buildings with alternative props?

breezerHOG1 · Jul 21, 2017

Kombiice said:
What about workshop buildings with alternative props?

what do you mean "alternative"? oh you mean the new DLC stuff?
well if you dont buy it you wont be able to access the blueprints

Ramm · Jul 22, 2017

I was hoping for bigger, more expensive expansionpacks like Wild! and Soaked! that include multiple rides and themes and new (seperate) game functions.

I dont know if I would purchase a GoCart skin for 3€ a piece, that's still a small 10€ for 3 gocarts skins (and some building pieces of course) since i'm more like an everything or nothing type of collector.

Can't tell if I like the way that it's going yet, will have to wait out and see what other DLC they release.

jamesviago · Jul 22, 2017

when people share, i imagine they will feel pressure to NOT use the DLC pieces, because so many players won't be able to use their shared creations.
for that reason, i am hesitating to buy the DLC - i know i'll use the pieces rather indiscriminately, and then i'll share things, only to find that they cannot be downloaded by most of the community.

if it was possible to download blueprints with incompatible DLC (but perhaps the entire blueprint is locked and cannot be edited), i'd buy all DLC immediately, as there would be no downside.

Pyrolator · Jul 22, 2017

jamesviago said:
if it was possible to download blueprints with incompatible DLC (but perhaps the entire blueprint is locked and cannot be edited), i'd buy all DLC immediately, as there would be no downside.

Best solution so far

+1 [up]

Chems · Jul 22, 2017

jamesviago said:
when people share, i imagine they will feel pressure to NOT use the DLC pieces, because so many players won't be able to use their shared creations.
for that reason, i am hesitating to buy the DLC - i know i'll use the pieces rather indiscriminately, and then i'll share things, only to find that they cannot be downloaded by most of the community.

if it was possible to download blueprints with incompatible DLC (but perhaps the entire blueprint is locked and cannot be edited), i'd buy all DLC immediately, as there would be no downside.

I agree, but they are not going to do this because then someone who has the dlc can just make blueprints out of every individual item. Maybe they should just remove the DLC items if you do not own them.

Daphnir · Jul 22, 2017

Angelis said:
... Annnnnnnnd, here we are ...

Since PlanetCoaster is a theme park simulation game, which mean that one of the main goal of the game is to build a theme park using themed content, It would be absolutely discriminating to charge in-game cosmetic objects/theme/skins, since this is the basis of the gameplay. The same way it would be discriminating to charge a better weapon in a competitive FPS, or to charge a faster vehicle in a racing game. (Some studios do it anyway, but they pay the price, with a degraded image, disrespect of their community, criticism in the press, or unscrupulously massive piracy of their productions, denuvo or not)

The gameplay of thIs game is entirely based on two concepts : the "management" in one hand, and the "building" on the other hand, which mean "using cosmetic content".
No element can be "sold separately" in either of these two aspects without creating financial discrimination between the players.

The one and only thing that would counterbalance a disgusting practice like that, would be to offer the possibility for all players to import their own content. In this case, players who can not afford "official" content could, at least, download free UGC. (It would not bleach Frontier of course, but it would help to sweeten the pill, at least a little)

... but IF the "cosmetic optional purchases" (yes, "microtransactions", call a cat a cat) are applied to elements that does not enter in direct interaction with the gameplay, for example everything that is considered as a "skin" not related to the gameplay, like the skins for our 3D avatar (haircuts, clothes, hats, beards and whiskers, disguises, etc ...) or the skin of the interface (themes, icons, additional colors and textures for the UI, etc.), or skins for the mascots (like the actual "gold mascot", but warning, not new mascots which is related to the gameplay), or anything like that, that does not create differences of what players can create/build/drop or not in the game, according to their wallet, then ... it's 100% fine !

The same way that I have nothing against the paying cosmetic chests sold by Blizzard on Overwatch for example, since it changes absolutely nothing to the gameplay of the game itself, and also generates a regular income for the studio allowing us to have free update with new content and game mechanics regularly in exchange.

To summarize, 3 solutions :

- The worst solution is to sell new rides, new shops, rides and shops skins, themed scenery objects, animatronics, mascots etc...
- The "little less worse" solution is to sell that, but offer a strong UGC tool in exchange, to reduce the weight of the injustice caused by your stupid and venal decision.
- The fair play solution is to sell only elements that does not affect the gameplay (because yes, I repeat, in this game "the cosmetic aspect" of buildings and rides is an integral part of the gameplay) like "avatar/mascots/guests skins", while explaining that the free updates will continue in return.

The future will say if you want to sell your soul to the devil or if the balance between the profit of your company and the player's respect will remain fair, and if you are the gentle or the villain of the story.

+1 I'm agree with all you said. I feel that this story of cosmetic is going to separate the community. It is already the case with the workshop. Furthermore, of the addons truths and not microtransactions would have been more interesting... Quite a lot of things are missing in the game, and for me, Frontier, in spite of is fabulous work up to here (although majs did not still bring of new themes but I understand now why) made a big error on the way of making.

inspectorgadget1 · Jul 22, 2017

And expansions are they permitted or no? Would Frontier be 'selling their soul to the devil' then if these were released with new rides/themes etc (which is fairly likely at this stage you would assume)? The licensed DLC will bring in some income & no they can't just sell cosmetic skins for the next few years whilst releasing free content updates simultaneously. That's hardly a good business model and you're naive if you think things would ever be this way.

The one and only thing that would counterbalance a disgusting practice like that, would be to offer the possibility for all players to import their own content. In this case, players who can not afford "official" content could, at least, download free UGC. (It would not bleach Frontier of course, but it would help to sweeten the pill, at least a little)

Is this supposed to be 'financial discrimination'? It's a computer game for goodness sake, it's not life and death if you don't own an extra scenery item or two. For those who can't afford the base game should they be offered it for free to avoid this financial discrimination?

If the small DLCs are restricted to licensed content/niche items like these which can help fund the game's development whilst they're working on larger paid for updates I don't see an issue.

En Anu · Jul 22, 2017

breezerHOG said:
this isnt about price, its about organization.

In RCT3 it was better having 2 large expansions, once you get into small add-ons it becomes a mess. I wont support 100 various scenery items, I want gameplay content

The lovely EA milked people dry on the SIMS - is history going to repeat itself here!

Best if we just buy expansion packs for serious elements of the game such as coaster builder, management, animatronic maker you get the idea. this way Frontier get the support they need and the workshop is not effected that much. Cosmetic/Glam items should be free anyway.

I think licencing DLC could take PC down a road it should not go down.

MissUniversum · Jul 22, 2017

i think, we get an big expansion in november... i've read somewhere, some month ago, that frontier bought a license for jurrassic park..
now they released universalcontent dlc, so i think its probably true...