What is your view on microtransactions for credits?

[CMDR Cheknov]

It's pay to win because these players will have the best ship possible, allowing them to destory everything.

And agiain this is not a heavily PVP oriented game and Also there is no "WINNING" the game either. and if thats the case its not P2W its more like pay to progress

 

[Taimaru]

If they bought in Microtransactions for Credit I would stop playing. I immensely hate pay-to-win games.

Also, if we had microtransactions for credit, then this forum would be full of posts saying - "So, I lost my Anaconda and I didn't have any money for re-buy / insurance and I've spent all my real life money so I can't even buy credits to buy another Anaconda. Now I'm back in a Sidewinder. I'm not playing this game any more. I''m quitting!".

 

[Chazzie]

To be honest I don't have a problem with 'buying' credits, but I do have concerns to where it might lead.

I don't for one minute think that Frontier are like EA - but I can't help but think that if you can buy credits, it might suddenly become a lot more difficult to earn credits in game to 'encourage' the purchase of credits with real money.

In my opinion - cosmetics and expansions should be the only things you can buy.

 

[Kitiara]

It's pay to win because these players will have the best ship possible, allowing them to destory everything.

Define "best ship possible"

What ship is best depends on what you're doing.

That's why I own a Type 7, a Cobra, a Viper, an Adder and an Eagle.

 

[Marsman]

a Frontier shareholder looking for ideas how to make a profit?

isn´t it worse enough yet that visual ship customization is a cash-shop only feature ?

 

[Kitiara]

To be honest I don't have a problem with 'buying' credits, but I do have concerns to where it might lead.

I don't for one minute think that Frontier are like EA - but I can't help but think that if you can buy credits, it might suddenly become a lot more difficult to earn credits in game to 'encourage' the purchase of credits with real money.

In my opinion - cosmetics and expansions should be the only things you can buy.

I see your concern and it's a reasonable one. I'm happy to trust that Frontier are not thinking down that route. Others may not be. It's a decision I can make only for myself, as others can make it for themselves.

 

[CMDR Cheknov]

sigh, I suppose it had to happen once in my lifetime.

I have to agree with Cheknov on this one.

Credits in this game are basically a function of invested time. They are not hard to obtain, simply time consuming. Let me take a few examples

1. Someone who can only play for a couple of hours a week due to other commitments

This person will never have a great deal of credits. They will be essentially limited to the cheaper ships. For many this will not be a problem. They will enjoy the game play and the journey and be happy. Now look at those in this category that WOULD like to try out the larger ships. If they were able to compensate for their lack of time by purchasing credits, it really doesn't affect my game at all. Not one iota. It improves their happiness while not diminishing anyone elses. They don't have anything that can't be obtained in the game.

2. Someone that plays a lot but is careless with ships and loses them often, but doesn't like grinding credits to rebuy them

The ability to buy credits would enable this category of player to continue to enjoy playing, without forcing them to engage in activities in game they don't like. Once again, it's a win in that it makes someone happier playing, without negative consequences to anyone else's game.


The ability to buy credits would create a credit disparity among the game population. However, we already have that disparity. We have people that are making 3-4 million credits an hour in the largest ships, and players that can't afford a hauler. And it doesn't matter. The game is not competitive. The game is all about the journey, the experience.

Should someone be able to purchase credits to recover from a moment's stupidity when they ram their asp/python/type 9 into a station and blow it up without funds to cover the rebuy? I know many will say no. From my own PoV, it doesn't matter in the least if they can.

Would I buy credits myself? Almost certainly not.
Would I object to someone else doing so? Certainly not.

Read this people this explains it all.

 

[Space]

Define "best ship possible"

What ship is best depends on what you're doing.

That's why I own a Type 7, a Cobra, a Viper, an Adder and an Eagle.

I meant a ship with the most firepower, like a Annaconda with maxed out power plant, distributor and class A weapons. Players like that could terrorize others, and NPC combat would be very boring for them as they could just annihilate everything. Then they will complain how boring the game is.

 

[Kitiara]

a Frontier shareholder looking for ideas how to make a profit?

isn´t it worse enough yet that ship customization is a cash-shop only feature ?

Not at all - you don't pay a monthly subscription. It's unreasonable to expect Frontier to support servers on an ongoing basis without an ongoing revenue stream. The concept of microtransactions was present in the original kickstarter design as a means to fund the ongoing existance of the game.

 

[Peaveywolf]

Next people with be asking for pay for rep. What is wrong with earning in game. People always want the fast easy route

 

[CMDR Cheknov]

Next people with be asking for pay for rep. What is wrong with earning in game. People always want the fast easy route

Not everyone will be able to make this game thier life, so paying to progress is esential to keep people playing who would normal move on to another game that caters to their lack of time for gameplay.

 

[Kitiara]

I meant a ship with the most firepower, like a Annaconda with maxed out power plant, distributor and class A weapons. Players like that could terrorize others, and NPC combat would be very boring for them as they could just annihilate everything. Then they will complain how boring the game is.

Sure, someone could buy and combat fit an anaconda with credits bought with real world money. That will not convey to them the piloting skills to make the most of it. I would expect to see some posts about how upset some were that they spend money to buy one only to find out it's not a big "kill everything" ship. I can see people who go that route finding themselves having to buy more credits to afford the rebuy costs having lost the ship.

You know - I don't have a problem with that. IT comes down to choices and sometimes people make bad ones.

I can say that had I been able to buy a few credits to replace my asp when I lost it to a crash without rebuy funds in my account, I probably would have.

 

[MegaJohnny]

Read this people this explains it all.

You've yet to justify charging real money to avoid the grind over a button that awards credits for free, or some kind of income multiplier.

This is a game you've already paid £40 for the privilege of paying. And then you're told that, just because you have little free time, you have to get your wallet out to access the end-game content. I really can't see any justification in it.

Before you say "but that's ridiculous, they can't just give you credits for free" - why not? FD lose nothing by making an 'int' go up somewhere in their database.

 

[RedWizzard]

I can say that had I been able to buy a few credits to replace my asp when I lost it to a crash without rebuy funds in my account, I probably would have.

How about only being able to buy credits to pay for an insurance shortfall when you lose your ship? Would that be more acceptable to those who are opposed?

 

[Kitiara]

You've yet to justify charging real money to avoid the grind over a button that awards credits for free, or some kind of income multiplier.

This is a game you've already paid £40 for the privilege of paying. And then you're told that, just because you have little free time, you have to get your wallet out to access the end-game content. I really can't see any justification in it.

Before you say "but that's ridiculous, they can't just give you credits for free" - why not? FD lose nothing by making an 'int' go up somewhere in their database.

There isn't an end game in Elite

 

[Dorf Lundgren]

...Thiere is no "WIN" to this game

I agree, but having a system where someone can simply purchase any ship and equipment they wish 2 minutes after installing the game removes the fact that we all start on a level playing field that rewards actual play over having more real world money than the next commander. It's not only immersion-breaking, but would be a disappointing direction for frontier to go down.

Frontier would have to change this...

Start with a small starship and a few credits, and do whatever it takes to get the skill, knowledge, wealth and power to stand among the ranks of the Elite.

to this...

Start with a small starship and a few credits, (unless you have lots of real-world cash to buy whatever you want) and do whatever it costs to get the skill, knowledge, and power to stand among the ranks of the Elite.

John

 

[Kitiara]

How about only being able to buy credits to pay for an insurance shortfall when you lose your ship? Would that be more acceptable to those who are opposed?

I can't speak for those opposed. Given that I don't percieve a difference between someone buying 10 million credits from Frontier, or a friend of mine that's currently making 4 million an hour giving 10 million worth of cargo to that same person, you can expect I'd have no problem with allowing purchase of credits at that point.

 

[Spook]

This, to my mind is the real problem. The following games all have cash for credits, so in some respects you play one of these, than you already play a game with Cash For Credits. (Sorry...)

The difference being - in some the developer gets the cash for improving the game, in others the money goes to the Gold Spammers, The Account Hackers, The Farmers. You know the kind of people who will definitely destroy the game.

List lifted from the first site google directed me too.

4Story
9Dragons
Age of Conan
Age of Conan (EU)
Age of Wushu
Aion
Aion (EU)
All Points Bulletin
Allods Online
Anarchy Online
ArchAge
ArchAge (EU)
Atlantica Online
Cabal Online
Dark Age Of Camelot
Darkfall Online
DC Universe Online
Defiance
Diablo 3
Dofus
Dragon Nest
Dragon Fighter Online
Dungeons and Dragons Online
Eden Eternal
Elder Scrolls Online
Eve Online
Everquest
Everquest 2
Everquest Next
Fiesta Online
Fifa 14
Fifa 15
Final Fantasy XI
Final Fantasy XIV
Guild Wars
Guild Wars 2
Guild Wars 2 (EU)
KAL Online
King of Kings 3
Knight Online
Last Chaos
Lineage
Lord Of The Rings Online
Mabinogi
Maple Story
Metin 2
Neverwinter
Perfect World
Raiderz
RF Online
Rift
Rift (EU)
Rohan Online
Rose Online
Runes of Magic
Runescape
Runescape 3
Shaiya
Silk Road Online
Star Trek Online (US)
Star Wars the Old Republic
Star Wars the Old Republic (EU)
Tales of Pirates
Terra Online
Terra Online (EU)
The Secret World
Tibia
Vindictus
Wildstar Online
Wildstar Online (EU)
World Of Warcraft
World Of Warcraft (EU)

So what's the solution, how far or how much are you prepared to give up to ensure the game stays free?

(And yeah it took bleedin ages to type that lot out.)

 

[Kitiara]

I agree, but having a system where someone can simply purchase any ship and equipment they wish 2 minutes after installing the game removes the fact that we all start on a level playing field that rewards actual play over having more real world money than the next commander. It's not only immersion-breaking, but would be a disappointing direction for frontier to go down.

As opposed to rewarding having more time to play over less.

Time and Money are both resources. Why favour one over the other.

 

[RedWizzard]

Like ive said befor what does it matter if it dosnt give somone somthing that someone else couldnt have through in game progress?

Can you please explain how you square your position on paying for credits with your position on solo mode? I don't remember exactly what your objection to solo mode was but the most common one is that it allows people to grind in safety and then transfer those assets to open. Paying for credits effectively lets people grind in safety (for real money via a job) and then transfer those assets to open. It looks like the exact same thing to me and I can't see how anyone could be opposed to solo for that reason but in support of paying for credits.

I don't want to derail this thread with another debate on solo mode, I'd just like to hear your explanation for opposing solo mode given your support for paying for credits. In particular can you explain how statements you made about solo mode like the following don't apply to paying for credits:

its cheating everyone who plays open play, as there is "NO" risk to anything involved in the game

So noone thinks its cheating to be able to change the balance of a game with out the risk that everyone else takes?

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removes the fact that we all start on a level playing field

What ever gave you the idea that we start on a level playing field?