First you get the Money, then you get the Power

www.bit-tech.net/column/51

 

LOL great article. I hate farming, and farmers. It was outrageous in Lineage2 and even worse than imaginable because its a PvP game. The farmers created a clan that then dominated the server, and you were killed the moment you walked into their camping spot.

This sort of stuff does ruin the game. It kills the economy, and SoE embracing it doesnt leave me with high hopes for for future MMORPG's. Thankfully, SoE is no longer the MMORPG king. Blizzard has, in my opinion, taken that crown and I believe it will be Blizzard who really defines the future of this aspect of gaming. The sad thing is, there is a market for purchasing virtual items with physical currency. As long as there are people willing to buy, there will be people willing to sell.

I have purchased virtual currency with physical currency in lineage 2, since it was the only way to keep up in the compeditive flow of a PvP MMORPG. It was a total waste of money, sped up my gaming experience and ultimately brought me to become bored with the game sooner than if I hadn't done so.

 

Well I don't play any MMOs but I did make a small fortune with a friend selling items for another game. If people are obsessed enough with the game to spend EVEN more of their real money (so $50 for the game, $15/mo, AND this for the MMOs), by all means let them. Just make it so these camped and horded items can come from more than one place...

 

Well I will admit playing Dark Age of Camelot for 3+ years. Ive bought platinum many times but it wasnt very expensive. Dont play Camelot anymore and playing World of Warcraft I looked into buying gold for it but prices for it at the moment are crazy high. As far as thinking its right or not? It is unfair to those who earn there money and items in game compared to those who buy them and I think it should be stopped. First time I saw this kind of thing happening was for Diablo 2 online. Thought people were crazy for paying RL money for weapons and armor. But there are alot of people who do it. And the only way to stop those who have the luxury of buying items online is to stop the sellers. And im not sure thats ever gonna happen.

 

To be honest, I see this as the future of MMORPG's. I dont really think of it as being fair or not. It ruins the game as of right now. Game mechanics will have to be changed in order for this type of game style to work.

If you look at Guild Wars, and how it creates an instance for each group going out adventuring. That would probably be a great way to prevent farmers holding down hunting areas for exclusivity to certain items/exp gain. I See more and more MMORPGs going toward this route.

I can also see in the future no more monthly fees. But the highest grade armor, or special weapons can only be purchased through the game company for cash. Sort of what you see with Gunbound. (www.gunbound.net). That way the actual game company monopolizes on this market spawned from their product instead of some 3rd party. The Game company could offer the items for less since they can just spawn the item at will.

It'll be interesting to see if it progresses this way.

 

Heh, good article. Personally I don't play MMORPGs, but I definitely think something like this would keep me away from them...

 

I've played quite a few MMORPGs and to be honest it annoys me that people can buy their way into what I would term the "high level game".

That being said I think that there are some very big issues most noticeably is that the games just do not support this concept. It breaks the fundamental assumption that the game is progressive and people learn how to act and react according to situations. I've played with some avatars whose controllers are obviously purchasers and to be honest it is annoying as they dont know how to play (sic!)

I do agree that the baseline gaming model needs changing if this is going to go ahead - but personally until issues such as the casual playability, farming fiends and players just learn to cooperate please remember...

... its just a game?"

 

great article, very very good