The financial argument for free, universal ship names
- Thread starter ElectricZ
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I'm in the same boat. I'm okay with paying something small since the important functionality of identifying same class ships is technically free. Showing other people the name of your ship is vanity.
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As for the argument presented by OP... I don't really agree that the "market penetration" tactic will actually work in this specific scenario.
The market is too small and stagnant compared to real life commodity/product markets. The amount of MTX purchases per day is relatively small for a company that can hit 10,000+ concurrent active players. (which is normal)
I've played various different MMOs with MTX (some B2P with MTX which is what Elite
angerous is and some P2P with MTX) (A good example is Guild Wars 2 for a B2P with MTX)If you look at it by dividing the market demand population for these B2P with MTX games, then you realize that the potential money and customers Frontier gains from this tactic isn't really that much.
Micro transaction consumers for B2P games are usually divided into these types:
1. Buys micro transactions items at a whim and doesn't care: They will buy name tags no matter what. Std. Deviation is probably 3-4 name tag purchases, but it doesn't matter too much since they buy tons of micro transactions anyway and name tag purchases won't compare to the other micro transaction purchases. Frontier makes the majority of micro transaction profits from this group. This group is small but not negligible and certainly is not proportionate to the amount of revenue they generate for Frontier. Relatively unaffected by the tactic.
2. On the edge, buys one or two micro transactions items (maybe for their favorite ship): Will probably buy one or two name tags, they would prefer it to be a free feature but will probably buy one or two anyway. Std. Deviation is probably within 1-2 name tag purchases. This group won't spend as much as group one, but they will contribute a small slice of micro transaction profits. A large portion of the community falls within this group. This group will be somewhat affected the tactic but still will have a ceiling that will prevent them from reaching group 1. This ceiling is what ultimately foils the penetration tactic goal for this group.
3. Will probably only buy a name tag: They will probably only buy one name tag, but they strongly prefer if it was a free feature. Std. Deviation is probably within 1 name tag. This group is comparable to group 2 but larger than group 1. They will probably generate very little revenue. This group is also the main target of the market penetration tactic. This group will also be more affected by the tactic, but the amount of revenue generated by the tactic is incomparable to group 1 and will either rival or be slightly less than revenue from group 2.
4. Does not buy microtransactions: They want it as a free feature. This group won't really buy microtransactions, even if they were given the name tags for free. This is a very large portion of the population. From comparable buy to play games, this population is usually around half or more of the active population. This group is relatively unaffected by the market penetration tactic.
If the majority of the player population falls within groups 2 and 4 and the majority of MTX revenue is made in group 1, a tactic that mainly targets group 3 is not very effective and Frontier probably won't care to use it.
Anyway, this is how I see it after years of playing similar games and also seeing similar debates and analysis of problems very similar to this name tag problem. This is also not 100% refuted by results and statistics and is based on experience and comparing similar game models. Take it with a pinch of salt, I simply wanted to put what I was thinking.
Never underestimate miserly bean-counters terrified of their investors.
+1 rep and I for one won't make any more purchases if we don't get a basic function nameplate for free .
It's not going to be 'just cosmetic' when the npc all have them and will look weird for only some players to be showing them.
It's not going to be 'just cosmetic' when the npc all have them and will look weird for only some players to be showing them.
Brillant!
Company makes product.
Company sells product.
Company invests profits in making a new product.
Customer gets off and refuses to buy any more prodcuts.
Where is the EPIC FACEPALM meme when you need it?
Well they don't have 3.0 to market and make money off from this year. Because of this Frontier has to make money somehow. This is why Frontier is wanting people to buy extra store items this year more than ever. They want people to buy extra copies of the game to take advantage of the extra PIPs with multi-crew...they want people to buy cosmetics for their avatar, and they want people to buy ship nameplates. It seems 2.3 is designed to make money through the store purchases instead of releasing a patch that would make new people buy the game. It is a business at the end of the day for Frontier. They need to make money this year from something!!
And just to add to my earlier comment.
How is it that the transponder on my ship is able to broadcast my name to all and sundry and not my ship name?
How is it that the transponder on my ship is able to broadcast my name to all and sundry and not my ship name?
Fascinating.
There are companies selling ships for hundreds of dollars for a spacegame that's still in alpha and people are fine with it.
Then there are companies making all ships in their spacegame available for free and sell nameplates people can slap onto them if they like to for a few dollars, and people are mad about it.
There are companies selling ships for hundreds of dollars for a spacegame that's still in alpha and people are fine with it.
Then there are companies making all ships in their spacegame available for free and sell nameplates people can slap onto them if they like to for a few dollars, and people are mad about it.
One of the reasons I think FD have gone the right way because, unfortunately Dread Pirate Roberts is actually called Cmdr 1987y4hbdkoi8.LULZ and his ship is imaginatively called Squibble McSquibbleface, because it's free so why not. That bit of extra investment in a name, I think will prove better for the 3303 reality in game.
Plus, what does that other Cmdr call his free ship? .. I don't care.
Oh? He/she registered an interest? OK I don't mind listening now.
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Got a question on this.
If I buy an Asp paint job, I can use it on all my ASP's.
If I buy a name plate for my Asp, can I use it on all my Asp's? And if not, what happens to the nameplate when I sell that specific Asp?
If I buy an Asp paint job, I can use it on all my ASP's.
If I buy a name plate for my Asp, can I use it on all my Asp's? And if not, what happens to the nameplate when I sell that specific Asp?
Apparently every Item that is purchasable in store is not supposed to give the player a tactical advantages. But it has occurred to me that skins do. Can anyone think what that might be.
Actually, maybe I did misunderstand.
Go back and re-read your original post that I responded to - did I misinterpret your comments as someone who is *really* unhappy about FDev charging for something optional, and cosmetic, which doesn't affect the functionality of the game in any way?
If so, how was I supposed to interpret your post?
(Genuine question)
A quick, polite note to Frontier:
I'm not planning on buying any "Ship Nameplate" if that purchase is required for other players' HUDs to show my ship's name. That's not what I call a cosmetic item. The nameplate itself, fixed on the ship, is a cosmetic item.
I will buy a "Ship Nameplate" or two if and when its purchase is no longer linked to the display of my ship name on other players' HUDs.
My nameplate purchase, or lack thereof, doesn't make any notable difference in the great scheme of things... but there you go. [up]
I'm not planning on buying any "Ship Nameplate" if that purchase is required for other players' HUDs to show my ship's name. That's not what I call a cosmetic item. The nameplate itself, fixed on the ship, is a cosmetic item.
I will buy a "Ship Nameplate" or two if and when its purchase is no longer linked to the display of my ship name on other players' HUDs.
My nameplate purchase, or lack thereof, doesn't make any notable difference in the great scheme of things... but there you go.
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The way this is going, you probably have to pay per letter.
Long name, higher price.
A quick, polite note to Frontier:
I'm not planning on buying any "Ship Nameplate" if that purchase is required for other players' HUDs to show my ship's name. That's not what I call a cosmetic item. The nameplate itself, fixed on the ship, is a cosmetic item.
I will buy a "Ship Nameplate" or two if and when its purchase is no longer linked to the display of my ship name on other players' HUDs.
My nameplate purchase, or lack thereof, doesn't make any notable difference in the great scheme of things... but there you go.
I may just buy the nameplate and name all my ships, "I paid 5GBP for you to see this"
Or name the ships "www.frontierstore.net"
Pretty sure this, I mean the nameplate is basicly a decal where you can type in text. And that for some reason affects hudinformation.
This makes a certain amount of sense, until that is you reference the NPC names already in game;
Mrs. Trellis of North Wales - sort of Ok.
Gopher A'Slash - perhaps not so much.
(Both real, both seen by me).
I may just buy the nameplate and name all my ships, "I paid 5GBP for you to see this"
Actually, it would show "I paid 5GBP for you to"
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Well OP your idea certainly would seem to make sense. If players had free nameplates they would be more likely to buy skins. Sounds good.
However, again it seems, like a lot of ED "main features" in these releases I, as a Solo player, could care less.
I have bought ship skins in the past but if only I see my ship name that is fine. Don't think the NPC's care one way or another.
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I may just buy the nameplate and name all my ships, "I paid 5GBP for you to see this"
Or name the ships "www.frontierstore.net"
Hehe. Or maybe "If you can read this your too close."
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