Renaming astronauts/flight engineers

[Deadmeat1471]

Will this be implimented? It was one of the Charms of BARIS having your friends enter the Mercury program and burn up die
I think its a very simple thing that makes a game so much more fun, just wondering if its even planned? I hope so!

[Nacho84]

No, sorry about this. The idea is that those players who get the Apollo tier will get their names and pictures featured in the game.

Cheers,

[Deadmeat1471]

fail

[RobertJPowell]

It's a nice way to thank those who have paid so much. Any plans to allow those of us who bought the basic or boxed pack to upgrade to the Apollo package, or will we have to buy another copy. I'm fine either way.

[Deadmeat1471]

There are many ways to thank people, using a feature which is a much loved part of BARIS, removing any chance of it ever being used, is about as shitty as it gets.

I don't even want my name in the game, I would have liked to rename all the astronauts to friends/family like in BARIS, but i'm sorry, this is rejected in favor of putting random peoples names and faces as astronauts for a little added cash instead -.-

Even people who bought the tier, can't rename anything now.

It's not going to put me off the game, but one of the core fun things to do in games where you have people as factors, is to rename them. X-Com, BARIS etc that's a feature that made them all endlessly fun.

[RobertJPowell]

Thing is, it quite clearly states on the information page regarding the tiers what each would give you and low and behold, under Apollo it states quite clearly that those who purchase the Apollo package will be able to have their name and photo in the game as a member of mission control, SET or an astronaut.

I see no problem with this. Yes, it was a nice feature in BARIS but, this *is not* BARIS, it's a spiritual successor and the developers have decided to go the route that they have. If renaming astronauts is a big caveat for you, considering everything all ready in the game/planned for it then perhaps this isn't the game for you, which is a shame because as it stands, BASPM has shown a lot of potential and I'm glad I've bought into it.

[Deadmeat1471]

If the apollo tier allowed me to rename astronauts, i'd buy it. But I don't feel the need to have my face in it, or pay for the privilege....
Yes, it is clearly stated, but something clearly stated does not make it a good idea.

The problem is not that renaming is beyond the capability's of the game designers, that I could understand. It's that its been eliminated in favor of sticking random people in the game no one gives a crap about.

And yes, this isn't BARIS but when an obvious successor comes along, while not having a duty to continue its predecessors lineage, it will suffer negatively from lack of features in a predecessor made 10? years ago.

I really like this game, but I had assumed that simple stuff like renaming(clearly prevalent in the game they designed this based on) would be taken for granted, and not dismissed in favor of poorly thought out tier bonuses.
They could have had say peoples pictures and names in Apollo tier, but have the names renamable(leaving the pictures there). Pleasing everyone. Or CK2 route, a 'astronaut designer' DLC. Just a couple of many superior possible schemes.

Honestly, it won't stop me enjoying the game, but it will reduce the enjoyment and long term replayability. Maybe I'm alone in this? It will send me back to BARIS rather than this, to send Barrack Obama up as a Mercury astronaut I'n my opinion any game that makes you want to go back to an older cruder game for the additional features well known, is a wasted opportunity which could have been very easily avoided.

I understand you couldn't change this now even if you wanted to due to legal and/or backlash from people who did buy the Apollo tier, so I'll drop it.

Anyway, I'm loving the game so far, this is probably going to be my only gripe for a long time.

[Nacho84]

It's a nice way to thank those who have paid so much. Any plans to allow those of us who bought the basic or boxed pack to upgrade to the Apollo package, or will we have to buy another copy. I'm fine either way.

I believe you should be able to upgrade your tier, without having to repurchase the game. I'm going to point customer support to this thread so that they can help you out.

Cheers,

[Italianfan88]

I'm sorry to hear that the lack of this feature is such a problem to you. And I can understand it, to a point; it can be fun.

Still, I played BARIS for years, and I never felt the need to rename directors or astronauts like that. Other than a few times, I always went with the historic model, because it made me feel somewhat more connected to the atmosphere I was looking for playing the game. It made me appreciate success in my own way. So, I don't personally feel like this is such a problem, just to say.
True, this is going to be different, since it is not about the Space Race; but frankly, the last thing I watch (if I watch it at all) in the stats are the names. So, are those fictional names, or names of people who paid for the Apollo tier? Everything works fine for me, proven that they get me what I want from them in the different projects.

Thus, I don't personally feel like this is going to spoil me of my fun. I have fun by reaching my objectives, by avoiding failure and by immersing in the game. Renaming the researchers, the flight controllers and the astronauts the way I'd feel like is not an issue with me.

[Deadmeat1471]

As I said, it doesn't spoil the fun, and maybe I'm alone in thinking the ability of renaming people is a good way of drawing people into the game. But it does REDUCE the fun, even if only slightly, and for what?

Currently I don't give a flying **** who pilots missions in BASPM, but I should and BARIS made you care. The Astronauts are the hero of the game, and currently they're irrelevant. Though I expect this to be improved, I hope they get the Mission patches, the prestige scores they got for the program as in BARIS and a 'hall of fame screen like in BARIS' All of which make the game more fun and 'scares the shit out of you' when someone gets in a capsule, like it should. It makes a success gratifying, like a game should reward success.
Disclaimer: Game is unfinished, I expect these to be in the game, but I expected renaming too so.... one 'hook' down.

BARIS also had historical astronauts, so you were already attached to certain members and drawn in, Buzz Aldrin for one, Lovell for another or Gus Grissom, so it's an unfair comparison in my opinion.

You are mistaking a quibble, with 'i'm not playing the game now'. I will play the game, I will tell my friends about the game.
I'm currently waiting for Gemini to be implemented(soon) and the Mars lander missions to be fixed (I love Mars).

[NASAIsAwesome]

Will this be implimented? It was one of the Charms of BARIS having your friends enter the Mercury program and burn up die
I think its a very simple thing that makes a game so much more fun, just wondering if its even planned? I hope so!

What I support is the additon of famous astronauts (Including those in Mercury Seven), and having them fly the first few missions, but as the race goes on and on, the Apollo Tier fellows will come in as astronauts to replace those retiring and those who have been killed, and in the later episodes, it will be enterily based off Apollo Tier buyers from all games (For example, the Mars Mission will be crewed by Apollo Tier Buyers, and so will the STS and ISS)

But anyways, once I buy Apollo Tier (Soon), I hope I won't retire. Last thing I need is a bunch of infurated players that hate me for "jumping ship" and leaving their agency. Can't blame them either

[sevensterre]

I think adding real names to the game is hard because the people whose name you use have to sign off on it. The names of all the NASA hardware is in public domain so that problem does not exist with Hardware.

[nascgi]

Do they have to get clearance to use astronauts names? They're like celebrities, aren't they, and you can do whatever you want with celebrities

[NASAIsAwesome]

I believe not. Many astronauts are already featured in many novels, stories, games, amd movies, sometimes without their permission. They're treated as historical figures, not celebrities...and you don't need to send money to George Washingtons grave everytime you feature him in a game, do you?

[IainMcNeil]

Hi guys

unfortunately there is currently no way to upgrade your tier.

If there is enough demand it can be done but it does take time away from other tasks.

Cheers

Iain

[Sergeiev]

Well, you could use real astronauts/Engineers names and on top of that the names from the peoples who bought the Apollo pack. Everyone would be happy that way.
Not having real names and pictures is an other big issue IMHO.

Edit : That way the Appolo tier guys would even more stand out instead of being lost in the anonymous crowd of made up names.

[RobertJPowell]

Hi guys

unfortunately there is currently no way to upgrade your tier.

If there is enough demand it can be done but it does take time away from other tasks.

Cheers

Iain

I'm sorry, that's just not good enough. I know i said i would happily pay again but, and this is a big but. All other early access programs with tiered levels, (excluding kickstarters.. and the ilk - as I think that tracks your donation level automatically) have an upgrade option. You either need to implement one, or do one of the following: 1) refund the previous package cost of the donator, 2) clearly state on the purchase page that there is no upgrade function. I have a sneaking feeling that since you are such a small development crew (can't remember if it's 3 or 4 of you off hand), both options would probably be the easiest way to go to avoid taking any of you away from updating the game. (This game is looking good, but I have no need for a second copy since none of my friends want it.)

[IainMcNeil]

Hi Robert

I understand you'd like to upgrade but it would take a significant amount of time for us to allow you to do those. The cost would be in the thousands of dollars so unless hundreds of thousands of people are going to make use of it we'd be losing money on it. We'd like to offer that option but I don't think you realize how much work it involves. It would require 6 new versions of the app to be created in our store system to allow all the possible upgrades, all of these would need supporting contracts in Plimus, and corresponding art work, installers, all of which need to be tested. The store integration then needs to be tested. Whenever we update a master we have to update it in these 6 additional places. Then we need to find some way to offer these special upgrade options to the user without confusing users who don't have the game which requires website redevelopment and redesign. We're talking weeks or months of work just to allow this.

We can add a note to the page to let people know they can't upgrade if you think it helps.