Why not just buy a plex and donate the money yourself?

Why not just buy a plex and donate the money yourself?

Would you pay a bit more for a PLEX if you knew CCP would donate the extra amount to space exploration research?

I was lucky enough to get one of CCP's four free tickets to the Starship Congress, currently going on in Dallas, TX. Being here has made me wish there was a more concrete way for me to actively contribute to the research going on in space propulsion, closed-loop habitats, and other related topics.

So I was thinking: if CCP introduced a sort of 'premium' PLEX, which would cost $25 instead of $20, with $5 for each one bought going to an organization such as Icarus Intersteller (or some other group dedicated to space exploration research), would you buy one? They would likely sell for more isk in-game, but I, for one, would gladly pay 650 mil isk or more to PLEX my account if I knew some money was going to research. Hell, if that were the case I'd gladly PLEX all my friends accounts too.

Exactly, why force other people to donate to research they may care nothing about just to buy PLEX?

No one is going to start buying PLEX simply because now NASA gets some extra money when they could just donate without needing to buy PLEX.

The only effect this would have is lowering the amount of PLEX sold, thus less money for CCP for no reason.

I think OP wants to donate ISK to fund space exploration research

OP pays 200m more for a PLEX+ ingame

Somone pays -ú5 more for PLEX+ from CCP

CCP gives -ú5 to X

they trade and OP has indirectly donated -ú5.



This is essentially the same mechanic as PLEX For Good in principle.

Exactly, why force other people to donate to research they may care nothing about just to buy PLEX?

No one is going to start buying PLEX simply because now NASA gets some extra money when they could just donate without needing to buy PLEX.

The only effect this would have is lowering the amount of PLEX sold, thus less money for CCP for no reason.

The idea wouldn't be to replace PLEX, but to offer another option for players wanting to make advanced space exploration a reality. After all, CCP is all about advancing this kind of research.

For those only concerned with the cheapest PLEX (the vast majority of players, I am sure - and there is nothing wrong with that), they can buy a normal PLEX. But for people like me, with a bit more isk than we need, which we'd love to use for a good cause, the new PLEX would be an option.

That's odd though... why use plex at all? Just make a donation with your name on it directly.

If you think you're going to buy 4 plex in the next 6 months, just give the foundation $20.

(using isk would come straight out of ccp's coffers which I'm sure they have already earmarked for specific donations etc).

Again, this would be for people who don't have much money but have enough isk to pay for the game using PLEX. And it wouldn't take any money out of CCP's coffers since for every PLEX bought on the market by me, someone somewhere paid CCP real money for it.

This is essentially the same mechanic as PLEX For Good in principle.

Edit: It really doesn't matter how you spin it.
CCP loses money

If the cash was going to a private company and not Nasa, then yes I would.

So, how much would you pay (Proceeds going to NASA) for that? $5.00 (U.S.) for one item of your choice, $10.00 (U.S.), for two items of your choice, $15.00 (U.S.) for all three items in the package?

I like the rest of the idea though... Since (in this case) NASA would be advertising this way,

That'd be a great idea. NASA is also researching a warp drive. Seeing if one is possible, that is.

Plex for Good is the easiest way to handle the support of external projects. It might be relabelled as "PLEX For Space" so Vaerah's fund doesn't end up sending charity money off to rich Americans ;)