The future of micro transactions in ED? The next Pay-to-Win game model?

Susanna

Susanna
While FDev have thankfully never tried to go down the EA road of Wilson Loot boxes, I'm concerned with the proliferation of micro transactions for every conceivable Quality of Life (QoL) element within ED, name plates, weapon colours and ship skins to name but a few. These are monetizing game elements that while not dipping into the Play-to-Win pool (yet), are definitely dipping into the QoL pool...

Personally, I'm not that amused and I don't like this trend... It's the next Pay-to-Win money maker. Will future QoL improvements all be pay-to-obtain in future? If so, be careful what you are promoting with your next MTX buy from the FDev store... You could be promoting the next unhealthy business model.

You may think this unlikely. If so, I suggest you watch this...

[video=youtube_share;PTLFNlu2N_M]https://youtu.be/PTLFNlu2N_M[/video]
 
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-VR- Max Factor

-VR- Max Factor
Susanna said:
While FDev have thankfully never tried to go down the EA road of Wilson Loot boxes, I'm concerned with the proliferation of micro transactions for every conceivable QoL element within ED, name plates, weapon colours and ship skins to name but a few. These are monetizing game elements that while not dipping into the Play-to-Win pool (yet), are definitely dipping into the QoL pool...

Personally, I'm not that amused and I don't like this trend... It's the next Pay-to-Win money maker. Will future QoL improvements all be pay-to-obtain in future? If so, be careful what you are promoting with your next MTX buy from the FDev store... You could be promoting the next unhealthy business model.

You may think this unlikely. If so, I suggest you watch this...

https://youtu.be/PTLFNlu2N_M
Click to expand...

They are cosmetics, I wouldn't even call them QoL updates as they don't actually improve your quality of life in the game do they. FDev have said numerous times they are not going down the pay to win route.

Eagerly awaits for the new cosmetic to come up on the store.
 

Barking_Mad

Barking_Mad
Susanna said:
While FDev have thankfully never tried to go down the EA road of Wilson Loot boxes, I'm concerned with the proliferation of micro transactions for every conceivable Quality of Life (QoL) element within ED, name plates, weapon colours and ship skins to name but a few. These are monetizing game elements that while not dipping into the Play-to-Win pool (yet), are definitely dipping into the QoL pool...

Personally, I'm not that amused and I don't like this trend... It's the next Pay-to-Win money maker. Will future QoL improvements all be pay-to-obtain in future? If so, be careful what you are promoting with your next MTX buy from the FDev store... You could be promoting the next unhealthy business model.

You may think this unlikely. If so, I suggest you watch this...

https://youtu.be/PTLFNlu2N_M
Click to expand...

Just looking at that guys face makes me want to smack it.
 

the100thmonkey

the100thmonkey
Cosmetics are not QoL items; they're vanity items.

QoL would be enhancements to the galaxy and system maps for explorers, being able to make batch commodity market transactions, or see system pending states or market prices from another system.
 

Conch

Conch
If frontier goes pay to win, i leave.. and probably not just me.

i dont see frontier sell ships for real money or upgrade cards..

people that buy into pay to win should be shunned or burned at the stake..
 

Susanna

Susanna
Max Factor said:
They are cosmetics, I wouldn't even call them QoL updates as they don't actually improve your quality of life in the game do they. FDev have said numerous times they are not going down the pay to win route.

Eagerly awaits for the new cosmetic to come up on the store.
Click to expand...

Depends upon your point of view.

I personally purchased a couple of different skins for my two condas so that I could easily tell them apart (an unarmed JumpaConda and a CombatConda... You wouldn't want to get these mixed up when it kicks off...). The different skins are a clear reminder to me which ship I'm flying (especially between game sessions and multiple accounts, I have two). That's more than just cosmetic to me because it helps my game play. Yet I have to pay for that 'convenience'.
 

-VR- Max Factor

-VR- Max Factor
Susanna said:
Depends upon your point of view.

I personally purchased a couple of different skins for my two condas so that I could easily tell them apart (an unarmed JumpaConda and a CombatConda... You wouldn't want to get these mixed up when it kicks off...). The different skins are a clear reminder to me which ship I'm flying (especially between game sessions and multiple accounts, I have two). That's more than just cosmetic to me because it helps my game play. Yet I have to pay for that 'convenience'.
Click to expand...

Well, thats great that you found another use for the skins, but that is not what their primary purpose is. You have found a way to utilise them in a different way. Thumbs up for you. See it as money well spent then.

They are still not a QoL update though.
 

Susanna

Susanna
This thread is about the future path of MTX and it's potential impact upon the game.

Please stay on subject...
 

rootsrat

Volunteer Moderator
rootsrat
I also disagree they are QoL items. QoL is stuff like material storage, module storage, ship transfer, better inbox etc. What you have in store is just cosmetics or customisation items. They don't improve the game mechanics.
 

Sir.Tj

The Moderator who shall not be Blamed....
Volunteer Moderator
Sir.Tj
Yep, FD have stated that P2W isn't on the scanner.

Now...If I can get some go faster stripes and furry dice.....
 

Navigare Necesse Est

Navigare Necesse Est
The engineers would be a perfect mechanism to sell those MTs. All the juicy RNG. Obscure mechanics. "God" rolls. Dangle it before players in reach and make them crave for the power creep. And for a small buck you can shortcut your way. It's your "choice". Choice is good, no?
 

Susanna

Susanna
Navigare Necesse Est said:
The engineers would be a perfect mechanism to sell those MTs. All the juicy RNG. Obscure mechanics. "God" rolls. Dangle it before players in reach and make them crave for the power creep. And for a small buck you can shortcut your way. It's your "choice". Choice is good, no?
Click to expand...

Ummm... Sits back and watches the MTX creep...

This will not get answered now obviously... Perhaps necro this thread in a year. I'll set a reminder on my calendar ok :rolleyes:
 
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StiTch

StiTch
rootsrat said:
I also disagree they are QoL items. QoL is stuff like material storage, module storage, ship transfer, better inbox etc. What you have in store is just cosmetics or customisation items. They don't improve the game mechanics.
Click to expand...

I've always known QoL to be an improvement that has no actual impact on gameplay but makes something more clear, convenient etc. For example, displaying modifications a module has when viewed in the modules panel, rather than only in outfitting. Might be quite an extreme view of it mind.

As it happens I'm quietly confident FD know this would be a stupid move. They aren't dealing with a homogeneous crowd of teenagers that spent £50 on yet another installment of a regurgitated title; the ED crowd varies from players that already kickstarted this and have already paid their bit, to players that would go into outrage about giving PvPers bought advantages (duelist and gank victim alike).

And given their track record of thin releases, they're not on particularly solid ground. They've already had to commit to an entire season of core improvements for free. If they start dedicating dev time to P2W content this forum would go wild with indignation, and rightfully so.

Nah, I reckon FD's cash farming of this crowd will be kept discrete: dedicating minimum resources plausible to the game itself while continuously releasing cosmetic only purchases.
 
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