What the flag?

[Phoenix]

I just saw this: https://www.facebook.com/EliteDangerousOfficial/posts/10155496668340564:0

AGAIN! I can't believe it! I thought we were over that. Could you just stop that, please? For good? The flag paint jobs were meant to be a exclusive one-time offer, I paid more than they cost now for an 'exclusive' item, and now you just put them on the store again.

Also, availability of the limited edition flag paint jobs will end this Monday so if you want to grab one before then, go to the store and add them to your basket.

This was written in Newsletter #40 (Source: http://us2.campaign-archive1.com/?u=dcbf6b86b4b0c7d1c21b73b1e&id=cbbe7b15e6) which was sent out 2014-09-12, so "this monday" where the flag pait jobs should be pulled off the store, was 2014-09-15.

You publicly announced that these items won't be available from that date on, and they are again available today. Honestly, from a legal point of view this is fraud, and I am extremely upset that you, Frontier, pull this off again. I am honestly thinking of calling my lawyer. I feel deceived and tricked into buying the "exclusive limited edition" paint jobs back then for more money, when I could have gottem them a) cheaper and b) non-exclusive now, which reduces the 'value' of these items even further.

You know I am a strong supporter of this game, but this is a no-go.

 

[Stigbob]

I am honestly thinking of calling my lawyer.

Go on then, ask them about a steam key at the same time.

 

[Daeron]

Are the same ships getting the same flags? That's the valid criteria for the complaint, as I see it. I would not know about it, just asking.

 

[DidierDrbois]

I am grateful for Frontier giving a second chance to grab the Union Jack, but I agree with this, no question.

 

[dayrth]

Some ships didn't get the option of a flag. Some didn't even exist back then. Seems only fair that owners of these should get a chance to have one. As long as they don't re-release the flags for the same ships again then it is still an 'exclusive'.

 

[xeixei]

well, will you pay the cost of their servers then? -.-

 

[Phoenix]

I don't have a right to claim a steam key. I have the game and I'm not entitled to get it again through another channel by legal means.

But I there was an item advertised as 'exclusive' and promoted as 'buy now, as long as it's available' - and I did buy it under the impression that I could show off "see, I already was on the game back when these flag paint jobs were available".

And now it's neither exclusive nor limited. And this means they completely lost the value of uniqueness that was strongly implied back then. And this means I am entitled for compensation. In other words: Frontier lied. And they are liable for that.

- - - Updated - - -

Are the same ships getting the same flags? That's the valid criteria for the complaint, as I see it. I would not know about it, just asking.

Yes. These paint jobs are only available for the Viper.

 

[knowles2]

nonsense.

 

[Daeron]

Some ships didn't get the option of a flag. Some didn't even exist back then. Seems only fair that owners of these should get a chance to have one. As long as they don't re-release the flags for the same ships again then it is still an 'exclusive'.

Quoted for truth. Heck, I don't even buy flags until they make Imperial ones. But this is where the line goes.

 

[Stigbob]

I don't have a right to claim a steam key. I have the game and I'm not entitled to get it again through another channel by legal means.

But I there was an item advertised as 'exclusive' and promoted as 'buy now, as long as it's available' - and I did buy it under the impression that I could show off "see, I already was on the game back when these flag paint jobs were available".

And now it's neither exclusive nor limited. And this means they completely lost the value of uniqueness that was strongly implied back then. And this means I am entitled for compensation. In other words: Frontier lied. And they are liable for that.

So call your lawyer then, providing he keeps his fee's under £5 you may receive a payout in the region of 50p. Please keep us updated.

 

[Sandmann]

hahaha yeah it's limited to every time they want to sell more!

Now if they had a flag skin for the asp... I still wouldn't buy it!

 

[Vasious]

Limited is limited
They aren't always available so hence limited.

No different from a sale that ends Monday, doesn't mean a sale for the same items cannot ever happen again.

Also this is third time they have been made available isn't?

 

[Brimstone]

The whole idea of creating the 'scarcity" of these paint jobs that are little more than bits of code seems utterly silly to me, and the fact that you're upset about it is even more sillier. This is a non-issue.

 

[Deleted member 38366]

Just keep in mind alot (alot!) of Players missed many limited/temp. Paintjob offers for various reasons or never had the chance to get them (i.e. later purchase date).

I for my part missed the Cobra Chrome Paint (didn't catch that it was a limited offer) - so when I purchased my first Paintjobs I was simply surprised I couldn't find it anymore.

Truly limited offers thus always come with some severe drawback :
- they usually take effort to create
- only a limited number of Players purchase them
- the income stream naturally dies when the offer ends

Thus it's a tough call to make and I am not against seeing limited offers being re-introduced (again, for a limited time only) once or twice a year.
I understand though, that Players specifically looking for Paintjobs they know only few people will own (and guaranteeing their Ships a unique look) can/will see that from in a different viewpoint and might (even strongly) oppose it.

 

[Wonton Freak]

I just saw this: https://www.facebook.com/EliteDangerousOfficial/posts/10155496668340564:0

AGAIN! I can't believe it! I thought we were over that. Could you just stop that, please? For good? The flag paint jobs were meant to be a exclusive one-time offer, I paid more than they cost now for an 'exclusive' item, and now you just put them on the store again.


This was written in Newsletter #40 (Source: http://us2.campaign-archive1.com/?u=dcbf6b86b4b0c7d1c21b73b1e&id=cbbe7b15e6) which was sent out 2014-09-12, so "this monday" where the flag pait jobs should be pulled off the store, was 2014-09-15.

You publicly announced that these items won't be available from that date on, and they are again available today. Honestly, from a legal point of view this is fraud, and I am extremely upset that you, Frontier, pull this off again. I am honestly thinking of calling my lawyer. I feel deceived and tricked into buying the "exclusive limited edition" paint jobs back then for more money, when I could have gottem them a) cheaper and b) non-exclusive now, which reduces the 'value' of these items even further.

You know I am a strong supporter of this game, but this is a no-go.

It's happened before and there's nothing you can do about it, RIOT games did the same thing with their limited edition skins like red card katarina and definately not blitzcrank to mention some. The reason was that the skins became so rare (because the game was so small when they were released) that you'd see the skins in 1 of 1 millon games on average. They re-released the skins and gave the players some unique profile icons and stuff to let them show they owned the skins when they were rare.

Honestly I don't really care, if I want an exclusive in a game, that no one else have. I'd rather have one physical, like my Alduin statue, Darth Malgus figure and all the blizzard game collector boxes.

I'm just happy that people can show their nationality flag like I can ONE FOR ALL! ALL FOR NORWAY!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8AJ1ozU7gc

¨~ Chris

 

[schurem]

 

[LOTGS]

Perhaps a little deception of flag-wavers shouldn't come as such a surprise considering patriotism is one huge exercise in deception.

 

[EddyRockSteady]

Hang on.....I have the whaaaambulance on speed-dial...........gonna be a busy morning it seems.

As an aside, bought.

Many thanx @OP for bringing availability to my attention - would have completely missed it otherwise.

 

[Titus Balls]

So... I got tweeted the link to this thread this morning.

Now on the whole matter of the limited flag stuff I won't get drawn back in to a threadnaught - we already had that over here: https://forums.frontier.co.uk/showthread.php?t=65881&highlight=

But...

Hi guys. I'm on the show floor of PAX right now so i can't answer this second, but I'm going to have a proper read through later and try to give you some actual insight. One thing I can say is that it shouldn't affect your trust in FD. The store side of things, marketing side of things and gameplay side of things are completely separately managed.

Of course we live and learn. Like anybody does, like any company does.

Thanks. I appreciate this a lot. We do take things to heart at FD because we care (translation - I care). Hard to please everyone. But yes, I'll look in to this and make sure we don't make the same error again. This could read 'no more limited editions' but I don't know if I can make that call. I know the issue is bigger than that... I'mma do my best (been in Texas too long).

So if they wanted to sell limited editions - why not once a year? Or with flags, why not be clever and sell them on specific weeks related to a country (i.e. US flag on the week of Independence Day). Instead they've now been sold three times in nine months, at three different price points - every time marked as "limited".

Once, being sold at half price in a sale, I could have put it down to an intern not knowing.

Now, I just know the marketing team don't care - I wonder if Frontier missed their sales quota for the quarter and are looking to bulk up the sales figures before the end of the month?

I'm not against buying skins - I bought the vibrant pack for my Vulture only the other day - but I'm pretty much done with Frontier's marketing.




- - - Updated - - -

Hang on.....I have the whaaaambulance on speed-dial...........gonna be a busy morning it seems.

As an aside, bought.

Many thanx @OP for bringing availability to my attention - would have completely missed it otherwise.

The only saving grace is at least you paid more than anyone else in the past for the privilege.

 

[Lupis]

I think this Flag sale was aimed at steam users. Because we can buy the skins and use steams money to buy them.