Skin debate (NPCs)

[Flavio]

There seems to be a lot of people complaining about the price being charged for extra skins that really only others can see (apart from when you are outfitting etc) so as well as these skins that players can use, do you think that npc ships should have different skins as well and if so, should we pay to see them or should they be visible to all in order to show you what you can buy?
That way an npc will have a random skin but you will only see the standard skin unless you have paid for that particular one and therefore you will only ever see npcs in skins you like.

Unlike the player skin that you buy per ship, the npc skins apply to all ship types and if you buy a skin for your ship, you will also get to see it on npc ships that also use it.

Do you like this way of FD getting extra revenue or do you see this as money grabbing?
Since the player skins are a few pounds each, I suggest a pound per skin type so people can have the frequented places as individual or as drab as they see fit.

 

[Paden]

I'd pay for a skin if it meant I could bypass requesting docking clearance - now that would be a skin worth paying for...

Could be a 'staff' or 'security' skin? 'Rockstar' skin?

But seriously, these docking / launch delays are doing my nut.

 

[Lobster]

I think NPCs should have multiple skins, even if you don't buy any. I think that is already the plan.. at least i saw that they added NPC pirate skins.

 

[Jenner]

Since OP is talking about skins on NPCs primarily I've changed the thread title to better reflect this. We don't really need yet another general skin thread.

 

[Flavio]

Since OP is talking about skins on NPCs primarily I've changed the thread title to better reflect this. We don't really need yet another general skin thread.

Thanks

 

[Asp Explorer]

I'd like to see NPC's with their own unique skins, plus all the ones available to players.

It would mix things up a bit, and brighten up the cosmos

 

[Carradin]

I agree with the above. NPCs using skins would make space more interesting. Not to mention might open up some interesting possibilities in regards to company/faction liveries and the like.

 

[Flavio]

I agree with the above. NPCs using skins would make space more interesting. Not to mention might open up some interesting possibilities in regards to company/faction liveries and the like.

The police, military and faction/company liveries can be viewed by all but other skins similar to the ones in the store i.e tiger stripes etc which do not infer belonging to a group could be restricted in that either npcs do not get them or that players have to pay in order to see them or they are also visible to all without payment.

 

[Carradin]

The police, military and faction/company liveries can be viewed by all but other skins similar to the ones in the store i.e tiger stripes etc which do not infer belonging to a group could be restricted in that either npcs do not get them or that players have to pay in order to see them or they are also visible to all without payment.

Alright, I guess I'll elaborate a bit. As I see it, the only real options are #1 (NPCs don't get store bought skins at all, only players) or #2 (They get store bought skins and everyone can see them). Option #3 though, where some players can see certain skins on NPCs and other players cannot, would be a huge problem for immersion.

Imagine voice chatting with another pilot ally during a fight, and asking him to concentrate fire on the Cobra with the Union Jack... only he replies that all the Cobras are plain orange.

That won't do. All or none, no in between please. Ships have to look the same way to everyone. Personally I favor all, though perhaps not letting NPCs have limited edition skins like the wireframe Cobra, since those are rather expensive and presumably meant to be rare. But the 'regular' store bought skins? Let them have them, and spice up the galaxy some (not to mention making the AIs look more like players, which is also a good thing).

 

[SystemiK]

do you think that npc ships should have different skins as well and if so, should we pay to see them or should they be visible to all in order to show you what you can buy?

Absolutely. In fact I think npc ships should not even be visible in game at all. At least not until a person has paid for the npc ship skin DLC. We should probably petition for the same treatment with stations. No stations shall be visible at all until after a player has paid extra to unlock the station skins, at which point the station will be visible (and usable) in its shiny new skin.

Hmmm...as long as we are on the subject I wonder if we could talk them into letting us pay to unlock certain certain ship controls, like the throttle for instance.

 

[Koen]

In my opinion, NPCs should have the default skins, specific NPC skins (for example police or military ships) and non-limited-edition skins from the shop (so no flags or wireframes).

 

[Sioux]

Or maybe they can just remove all textures and surfases from all ships, and return them to just wiremodels; you know, like in the first Elite. It would upset some people for sure, lol.

I wouldn't mind, as long as the gameplay is rocksolid I'd forget about those textures soon enough.

So yeah, I'd like to see all textures without paying. But if not; fine by me, I don't care. I'm not going to pay real money for a NPC to wear a custom skin, no way.

 

[Patrick_68000]

I think that the NPCs must have all the skins and all the players can see all the skins on the NPCs. It would make a good advertisement for the sale of skins in the store