How would you like to see cosmetics be implemented into Starbase? And how do you feel about micro transactions?
seems like i have to spread the FAQ here too.
Will cosmetics be sold as microtransactions?
LauriFB (5/30/19): we plan to fully live forever with the one-time payments, but we are prepared to sell some cheap, one-time, cosmetic only in-apps also. but if we ever add cosmetic in-apps, we will make sure best cosmetics are obtained only via playing. there's a great paper by subnautica devs how you can sustain one-time purchase model but still run it as a service forever, I think they call the model something like purchase as a service or similar. ... Also it helps that we have already done some 10 games, out of which some are pretty popular (like Trine series), and we still earns nicely from those games
Will cosmetics be sold as microtransactions?
LauriFB (5/30/19): we plan to fully live forever with the one-time payments, but we are prepared to sell some cheap, one-time, cosmetic only in-apps also. but if we ever add cosmetic in-apps, we will make sure best cosmetics are obtained only via playing. there's a great paper by subnautica devs how you can sustain one-time purchase model but still run it as a service forever, I think they call the model something like purchase as a service or similar. ... Also it helps that we have already done some 10 games, out of which some are pretty popular (like Trine series), and we still earns nicely from those games
- Joined
- Aug 9, 2019
- Messages
- 67
I would definetly love cosmetics for my robot and guns. May be even complete custom look available. Various apparel, endoskeletons + armor/body parts, may be even cultist hoods, gloves and robes - thats what I would love to see in the game. Some of them may be originally purchased for real money - and thrown into the game market, its okay with me. Golden monocles would be awesomingly funny also.
And may be some decals, textures and stuff like that - for the building parts. Some premium textures can be amuzing, that what the premium is for. I would love to see stuff like camos in PlanetSide2 and/or skins in EVE Online. I actually want to be able to pain my ship the way I want, even if it is a pink theme with fur and decals from 'Hello, kitty'.
I also WILL definetely want to get rid of those stupid cartoonish-like engine trails from the very beginning, lol. Cmon, make them customizable, let us choose the distinctive color of our exaust.
But the bottom idea of all that - there mush be NO UNFAIR ADVANTAGE for the players, why buy them. The idea of extensive tuning of everyone and everything in the game - is something that will definetely like. But no cheat-mods and no unfair advantage for the premium stuff users please.
And may be some decals, textures and stuff like that - for the building parts. Some premium textures can be amuzing, that what the premium is for. I would love to see stuff like camos in PlanetSide2 and/or skins in EVE Online. I actually want to be able to pain my ship the way I want, even if it is a pink theme with fur and decals from 'Hello, kitty'.
I also WILL definetely want to get rid of those stupid cartoonish-like engine trails from the very beginning, lol. Cmon, make them customizable, let us choose the distinctive color of our exaust.
But the bottom idea of all that - there mush be NO UNFAIR ADVANTAGE for the players, why buy them. The idea of extensive tuning of everyone and everything in the game - is something that will definetely like. But no cheat-mods and no unfair advantage for the premium stuff users please.
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building parts is something else entirely, some ideas from lauri are a decal maker and the like. as the cosmetics will just be endoskeletons and weaponry, i just realised how to view the newer messages, fourms are rather hard to use for me. also thanks kane ill update that as well lol
ill get the one about cat ears later..
ill get the one about cat ears later..
If I do properly recall, there was a statement saying that the best cosmetics would always be earnable, and if they had to they would put other, not as good skins as purchasable options.
If they had to.
at any rate, Jimi said if there are cosmetics they would come AFTER the EA period, so we've got awhile to go still...
If they had to.
at any rate, Jimi said if there are cosmetics they would come AFTER the EA period, so we've got awhile to go still...
Heres how you sell cosmetic MTX in SB -
Buy unlocks for the ability to craft cosmetic items for ships and stations. Stuff like cool lighting, fake plants, sculptures, decals, etc. No actual items sold, just the ability to make them. Also, all of these cosmetics are very weak to all damage types. so they cant be used as pseudo armor to provide benefit in any way.
Also possible would be certain paint patterns or colors or gradients to paint parts of your robot body.
Provide some of these options to all players ingame, but MTX just gives more variety of them.
Buy unlocks for the ability to craft cosmetic items for ships and stations. Stuff like cool lighting, fake plants, sculptures, decals, etc. No actual items sold, just the ability to make them. Also, all of these cosmetics are very weak to all damage types. so they cant be used as pseudo armor to provide benefit in any way.
Also possible would be certain paint patterns or colors or gradients to paint parts of your robot body.
Provide some of these options to all players ingame, but MTX just gives more variety of them.
To elaborate further, cosmetics will definitely be a thing, ie. cool gear/skins which doesn't affect gameplay. Also a lot of that stuff is earner by exclusively playing the game, especially best items. I've also imagined that the coolest items would be for example a special badge for veterans of certain battle or war, or a commemorative sniper rifle with a personal inscription and a serial number. It's definitely cool to have a sniper rifle which says "For your sacrifices in the great Outpost War from the ever grateful Empire".
Some cosmetics may also be decals and paint buckets for ships/stations. Paint, once added, will most likely work in a way that it covers a certain area but has infinite uses, ie. you can re-use the paint if removed from the previous painted thing.
Microtransactions are option for selling some of the cosmetics, but definitely not all of it. I'd say there's four main tiers of cosmetics: regular stuff found in every hardware store for ingame credits, rare stuff found only outskirts of the universe for ingame credits, rare stuff handed out by factions/other players, and finally stuff which can be bought with real money.
We haven't made any decisions when or if the real money cosmetics are coming, but even if they do, they would be fair, ie. one-time purchases. I'd imagine one real money purchase which would hold value in the universe is a developer support item, and those can change bi-monthly or so, so they would have certain rarity as they are available only for a limited time. Such items could also have serial numbering to further increase the rarity.
Some cosmetics may also be decals and paint buckets for ships/stations. Paint, once added, will most likely work in a way that it covers a certain area but has infinite uses, ie. you can re-use the paint if removed from the previous painted thing.
Microtransactions are option for selling some of the cosmetics, but definitely not all of it. I'd say there's four main tiers of cosmetics: regular stuff found in every hardware store for ingame credits, rare stuff found only outskirts of the universe for ingame credits, rare stuff handed out by factions/other players, and finally stuff which can be bought with real money.
We haven't made any decisions when or if the real money cosmetics are coming, but even if they do, they would be fair, ie. one-time purchases. I'd imagine one real money purchase which would hold value in the universe is a developer support item, and those can change bi-monthly or so, so they would have certain rarity as they are available only for a limited time. Such items could also have serial numbering to further increase the rarity.
I think that if all cosmetics can eventually be earned through dilligence and hard work then it's completely acceptable, with a few exclusive paid skins / cosmetics hats / capes then it means that there would be a way to support the creators of starbsae even after release. Maybe a trade system similar to Csgo
- Joined
- Aug 10, 2019
- Messages
- 7
Of course i want the game to flourish and be a hit, but i also have a bit of a bias against micro-transactions. Specially since my history with them has been spotty at best. Maybe go the way some companies are doing it now where they are part of a larger DLC package, but even then i find it hard to imagine what kind of DLC a game like Starbase could have apart from cosmetics.
Wouldn't mind cosmetics to be plentiful and available to acquire through gameplay, with varying degrees of difficulty to obtain ranging from being obtainable through casual gameplay taking some serious dedication and tenacity to get.
Wouldn't mind cosmetics to be plentiful and available to acquire through gameplay, with varying degrees of difficulty to obtain ranging from being obtainable through casual gameplay taking some serious dedication and tenacity to get.
I'm of the opinion that cosmetic MTX are fine for the most part these days. MMO's are evolving, many players are disillusioned with paying ongoing monthly subscriptions but servers still cost money to run so developers need a sustainable source of revenue. Microtransactions are the obvious "go to" at this point.
For me it depends on the game, for instance in wow, and blizzard being the greedy gits they are (and the people buying having no concept of moneys worth) make you pay monthly and then have a shed ton of cosmetics that ONLY get via real life money. this is BS apart from their charity one.
For a game like Starbase with no monthly fee (I really hope it works for them) I would be happy to see paid cosmetics anywhere and everywhere, guns bots, equipment. But i would like to see at least a good selection in the base game.
I think Space engineers has semi gone the right way with loot spawns so you can obtain them in game for free but will take a while. if we had the same idea but implemented in a non lazy way, not just spawning a box in, maybe a random reward at a small chance with every mission as a bonus this would be good as well and doesnt paywall everything.
I can see a robot head with cat ears doing particularly well with a certain group of people too here .
Kenetor
For a game like Starbase with no monthly fee (I really hope it works for them) I would be happy to see paid cosmetics anywhere and everywhere, guns bots, equipment. But i would like to see at least a good selection in the base game.
I think Space engineers has semi gone the right way with loot spawns so you can obtain them in game for free but will take a while. if we had the same idea but implemented in a non lazy way, not just spawning a box in, maybe a random reward at a small chance with every mission as a bonus this would be good as well and doesnt paywall everything.
I can see a robot head with cat ears doing particularly well with a certain group of people too here .
Kenetor
- Joined
- Aug 9, 2019
- Messages
- 29
Personally, I am a huge fan of cosmetic Micro-transactions. They support the game and keep it going long after the single purchase model could. I really enjoy seen a game I enjoy getting update that gives me reason to go back and play it again. Games only get updates when they are making money and the best way to keep money flowing while avoiding pay to win or subscriptions is micro-transactions. Micro-transactions do not have to be a bad thing they can just be cosmetic and not effect game play at all. I would note that it is polite to have some cosmetics customization available without any micro-transactions.