I’m proposing that faction SKINS, should always be available for LP in the faction’s LP store.
I understand, as a vanity item, the exclusivity of SKINS has a value to some players (And I would concede special event SKINS are another matter entirely). But given that CCP real world time and resources are put into these, and they essentially exist as 0s and 1s, and are vanity items, they should if themed around a faction (and would be far better justified in initial expense in making) be made available as a loyalty point with ISK purchasable item in LP stores. I feel the collector mentality of a limited time item, in the case of faction SKINS, is far more out weighed by the larger group of players that would appreciate reasonable access* to such SKINS to show in game identifying with their chosen faction. It comes down to an immersion issue and gain for a larger group of players, versus that of a smaller group.
I have not read a sound technological reason put forward on why this is not doable for CCP. But if such exist, I’d be interested to hear it.
*(Hundred million plus ISK SKINS is not reasonable access, especially when that price is based on artificial limited supply)
As others have said, there are a number of NPC corp and minor faction themed SKINs already out there, and to have them available via their respective LP stores would be great.
Additionally, the recent CSM minutes (I think, correct me if I’m wrong) talked briefly about people’s frustrations around some of the older SKINs being discontinued. My understanding is that there are limitations on the sheer volume of SKINs out there that prevent all of them being available all of the time.
I think hundred million plus is perfectly reasonable for something that’s pure vanity. These skins have no effect on your gameplay whatsoever, so there is no problem at all if your ship doesn’t have a skin.
If you do want to get a skin, why not pay the price they are? For the few ships I fly I like getting a nice skin or two, even if it’s a few hundred million plus ISK. A few hundred million ISK isn’t much for something you cannot lose in space when you die so I’d rather put this than bling on my ship.
If skins were a few million ISK at most, I’d probably buy them all and never look at them again (see exoplanet skins). I’m still pretty new to the game and a few hundred million ISK is a lot of money for me too, but if you’re going to make them much cheaper they’re practically free and meaningless.
How is making certain SKINS, that represent in game groups the players look for standing with (Corps, pirates, etc) more available by seeding the market, and using loyalty points, lead to them being meaningless? They would very much still have a meaning to the people who did the missions to earn the LP to acquire them.
As for price point, and it being in the hundreds of millions, that is a value judgement on which side I fall saying that if CCP resources went into making them, and they are as you point out a non game mechanic impacting vanity item, then the ability to be acquired by an increased and seeded supply and a lower price is worth it as an immersion benefit for a broader amount of players. As a vanity item, of near zero utility, they are more so t-shirts of a band sold at a concert, then they are modern art pieces.
Skins should be permanently on sale in the NES Imo.
As others have said it is just a vanity item that has no impact on gameplay so why limit them in this way.
Also seems like bad business sense limits the amount of revenue made through sales and inflates prices in game.
Give me a reason to buy plex to spend in the store ccp. As it stands I pay for my accounts and make isk in game not by selling plex etc.
If you kept the skins in store I would no doubt collect the ones I want over time thus earning you just a tad more than the big fat 0 I would be currently willing to spend in the NES.