Where's the freeplay mode?

[DarthMunkee]

So Arena Commander is setup as a sim within a sim to let you fly around and get your desire for the pews out of your system without detriment to your standing or bank account, which makes sense. You can even earn REC from it so that you can go rent other weapons or ships if you are patient enough. Ok, so that's all good and stuff and makes sense, but why isn't there a way to just try out any ship that is flight ready?

It shouldn't be hard to do since it is that way for PTU and of course, you wouldn't want to have it this way in every game mode in AC, but there should be a way for you to go in and check out ships before you buy them without having to grind for it first. Sure if you have a Super Hornet it won't take you that long to do, but what about New Player over there that just has an Aurora or Mustang in their hangar? It's going to take an eternity.

So, has anyone heard of a good reason there isn't a game mode like this?

 

[Sirus7264]

you can actually race to get alot more REC than if you played arena commander which can really be done with almost any ship. After that you can work your way to other ships you want to try. This is done primarily as a marketing strategy and a way to get players involved in the community. you log into the PTU and yell out hey does anyone have this ship. This forces communication if you truely want to try it or people can try to pirate and steal one. The only other option leaves the player to just buy the ship if they do not want to get involved.

 

[Takeiteasy]

I was thinking of a "Showroom" feature so you can basically see and interact with any ship you wanted and decide if you want to buy it.

Maybe you're interested in the Terrapin but YouTube's videos don't cut it and other people's ships don't give you enough time or control over it. So load it in Showroom and spend half an hour looking at it, jump in the seat and fly in a AC type virtual flight. Then you can decide if it's for you or not.

Plus this would be a fun relaxing way to try it other ships you don't own instead of relying on REC and other people.

Surely this would sell ships and reduce melting and CCUs.

 

[DarthMunkee]

I was thinking of a "Showroom" feature so you can basically see and interact with any ship you wanted and decide if you want to buy it.

Maybe you're interested in the Terrapin but YouTube's videos don't cut it and other people's ships don't give you enough time or control over it. So load it in Showroom and spend half an hour looking at it, jump in the seat and fly in a AC type virtual flight. Then you can decide if it's for you or not.

Plus this would be a fun relaxing way to try it other ships you don't own instead of relying on REC and other people.

Surely this would sell ships and reduce melting and CCUs.

Hopefully we'll get something like eventually. I mean, when I'm buying stuff with in game money I'm going to want to be able to take ships for a test drive before I drop credits.

 

[supitza]

why isn't there a way to just try out any ship that is flight ready?

Because they want you to pay for it. You can't even rent all the ships that are flyable right now.
Imagine you went to a car dealership:

Salesperson: nono, you can't test drive the car; you have to pay for it first.
Me: but I want to test it before I pay a sh*tload of money for it
Salesperson: k bye

And this ties to the bigger problem that's been recently resurfaced by Noobifier and other streamers: artificial scarcity.
I have $300 to spare at this exact moment. I want to buy a Starfarer. Is it flyable? Yes. Can I buy it? No.
Okay, can I at least rent it with REC, so I know if I'll set my money aside? No.
Either pay for it or ask somebody else in the PU to let you touch theirs (that's if you manage to log into the PU).
CIG marketing is the one thing I dislike the most about Star Citizen. I'm not a marketing expert, but I'm a customer / backer / close follower of the project and their marketing and business plans (however good or bad they might be) aren't successful in getting money from me.

</rant>

 

[NaffNaffBobFace]

Because they want you to pay for it. You can't even rent all the ships that are flyable right now.
Imagine you went to a car dealership:

Salesperson: nono, you can't test drive the car; you have to pay for it first.
Me: but I want to test it before I pay a sh*tload of money for it
Salesperson: k bye

And this ties to the bigger problem that's been recently resurfaced by Noobifier and other streamers: artificial scarcity.
I have $300 to spare at this exact moment. I want to buy a Starfarer. Is it flyable? Yes. Can I buy it? No.
Okay, can I at least rent it with REC, so I know if I'll set my money aside? No.
Either pay for it or ask somebody else in the PU to let you touch theirs (that's if you manage to log into the PU).
CIG marketing is the one thing I dislike the most about Star Citizen. I'm not a marketing expert, but I'm a customer / backer / close follower of the project and their marketing and business plans (however good or bad they might be) aren't successful in getting money from me.

</rant>

I waited an eternity to get my 350r, just kept renewing the REC on the rental ship it until came on sale again.

As far as artificial scarcity goes, in particular with the 350 it's actually lore that only one in 10 300 series made are 350's. I can only assume its the reason it's nearly never on sale anymore. The fewer 300 series sales the less likely we are going to get to the point where there are enough to put on general non-numbers-limited sale.

 

[Takeiteasy]

I actually like the artificial scarcity they are doing. If every ship is always available then that would be boring.

I want to see a rare ship and know that whoever owns it is lucky and is a treat to see for a short time.

This should especially be the case when talking about ships solely obtainable from in-game and not by simply plowing more money at the developers.

In fact that brings up a point, are there any ships apart from capital ships that aren't currently or have been at some point buyable?

 

[DarthMunkee]

I actually like the artificial scarcity they are doing. If every ship is always available then that would be boring.

As far as artificial scarcity goes, in particular with the 350 it's actually lore that only one in 10 300 series made are 350's. I can only assume its the reason it's nearly never on sale anymore. The fewer 300 series sales the less likely we are going to get to the point where there are enough to put on general non-numbers-limited sale.

Very much agree with this. There should be somethings that go on rarely to fit the lore, like the 350r

 

[Bambooza]

Very much agree with this. There should be somethings that go on rarely to fit the lore, like the 350r

Still to bring it back to the OP, I agree with @DarthMunkee that they should be a way to take the ships on a virtual test drive before you purchase it in the PU. And why not leverage Arena Command as some sort of VR with in the PU you can load up at the dealership?

 

[Printimus]

Because fidelity.

 

[NaffNaffBobFace]

Still to bring it back to the OP, I agree with @DarthMunkee that they should be a way to take the ships on a virtual test drive before you purchase it in the PU. And why not leverage Arena Command as some sort of VR with in the PU you can load up at the dealership?

You can. I REC'd my 350R for weeks before being able to buy it. Also tried the Saber out with REC before CCUing to it.

That said, we have not had a "Free Fly" event for ages now, they used to happen and you were given every ship in the game in your hangar. It was annoying when every man and his dog flew a saber for a weekend, but it was cool as you could really try something out before buying it.

 

[NaffNaffBobFace]

That said, we have not had a "Free Fly" event for ages now, they used to happen and you were given every ship in the game in your hangar. It was annoying when every man and his dog flew a saber for a weekend, but it was cool as you could really try something out before buying it.

Well count me corrected there is one on right now. What have you been able to try out?