Sounds like to me that the good majority of game players out there MMO or otherwise are lazy and want the ez-mode and everything handed to them without working for it even though they get dozens of ezmode MMOs out there that even the mentally challenged could play these people , will take the easy way and cheat by buying gold, power leveling services, game items , etc ,etc cause its too much of a inconvience to actually play the game and earn it.... and more than that its these type of players are part of the problem to the current discussions of the MMO industry , they are as much to fault and blame for MMOs going downhill cause of their incompetence to learn how to play a game instead of whining about instant gratification.....
I'm a firm believer that anyone who has to buy items/gold/powerups/etc., regardless if from an item shop or a farmer, are the same dullards who can't even play solitaire without the help of a cheat code.
I'd... play it anyway? It's not a big deal, 99% of cash shops are just a way to get things easier, or offer just things you might want just for the sake of it.(look at how much people spend in maple story for statless clothes that can be made in 40 minutes in photoshop).
If the games fun to play, then there we go, that's all that's important. I don't need a way to escape my life, and all these features bring about the realization that it's just a game and i'm not a better person for playing it.
Originally posted by Abrahmm Did you read anything I posted? I don't care what the cash shops are selling. I want a living breathing world free of real world influence I don't care if it is just fluff, if it helps you level faster, or if it helps you travel faster. If it is available, it should be solely available through what I do in game. You should really learn to read.
"Living breathing world" are words generally used in direct reference to the game Saga of Ryzom. For many reasons, the game never showed any apparent form of RMT. I have never seen a RMT spammer there in an entire year. And God, I'm so glad for it. Give it a try if you want, (if you haven't already) it is free until at least the end of December, then it should revert to P2P by monthly sub.
There is a consumable, in the game, that makes you gain the double of your XP. To obtain it, you must either possess an outpost (obtainable through massive PvP siege battles) or trade with someone that has an outpost. You heard me right... you don't spend a dime more to get them, they are available directly through ingame accomplishment.
Crazy stuff, isn't it ? I just hope that my post doesn't attract chinese mat farmers...
--------- Sherkalyn Crazy Marshmallow Lady Guild Leader of The Exodus Syndicate in Ryzom "Experience Perfection :: Unharness Your Power" www.exodusgs.com
Well Darkfall has no plans for microtransactions and I feel I will be entertained for years to come in Darkfall. But hypothetically, if every MMOG in the marketplace employed microtransactions in their virtual worlds, I would quit MMOGs altogether.
no not this. they do that, less people playing the end. there goes the profit. they can go buy of chinese websites and crap for gold/powerleveling. that is different illegal and perm ban.
There are game companies out there who see that other people are making money off of their work. They don't like that and they sure as hell can't stop them even though gamers think they can. The amount of money and time that game companies spend in order to police their games must really cut into anything of real importance. Especially when we are talking about thousands of players banned and more coming down the pike...
So I imagine that the game companies are thinking "ok, we can't stop them one way, perhaps we can divert the players so that they purchase items that take the negative stink (or perceived negative sting) of leveling off a bit and allow our company to actually profit instead of some second party.
People also have to remember that month by month payment is not the only way to go as their are games out there that never were month by month and did make money off of their cash shops.
I personally prefer the month by month as I've yet to see a great game that uses cash shops, but then again I get the feeling that these cash shop games are more about getting players to spend money and less about making a great game.
Still, I can conceive of a Triple A title incorporating a cash shop for cosmetic items and pets and things for the in game house.
Especially as it takes man hours to make all that stuff. What I personally don't like are items that give more xp or special buffs because it's as if the game companies know that these are things that players hate (leveling and finding groups for buffs etc).
It's as if they see the flaws in their game and can see a way to profit off of it. That's a little star chamber and I don't completely buy that but it does make one wonder.
Like Skyrim? Need more content? Try my Skyrim mod "Godfred's Tomb."
I'll keep playing, i'm not one in mmo's to have the top of anything anyways so it won't bother me either way if people buy their way to the top. As long as i'm having fun with friends that's all that matters.
"The great thing about human language is that it prevents us from sticking to the matter at hand." - Lewis Thomas
I'll be done with mmorpgs if they all go to rmt. One fee covers all keeps things even, for the most part. When having more money than someone else means you get further than someone else, then forget it. Real life is already based on a financial heirarchy. I don't need it in my games also.
MMORPG's have been "financial heirarchies" since the first time some yahoo sold something for UO on ebay back in the day.
I can ignore ebay, I can't ignore "the daily special" blasted across my games loading page.
That may be true but the end result is the same.
All I know is that games that go micro, I'm simply not going to play. Solves the problem for me. The downside is I'm gonna be stuck playing all older games unless they all pull an SOE and insert a cash shop on top of my monthly fee....
WTF is going on lately? /sigh
I've been saying this was gonna happen for the last 2 years and everyone ignored me, now here we are on the brink of this "revolution" of business models...and Im like WTF?
Look, my son and his girlfriend (in their early 20's) spend about $25 or so a month EACH buying pixel clothes for their gaia online avatars, plus some other amount they've spent on things like skill reset scrolls for Asda Story. My husband (who plays EQ1 as his main game) played Voyage Century for a while too and hit the item mall a couple of times, to the tune of about $25 each time. He figured that people who don't pay are just there as better-than-average NPCs for people who do.
You live in a world where people will pay real money for virtual clothes that don't actually do anything other than change the look of your character. In what way is RMT not a gold mine for online game companies? It's going to disappoint and disillusion a lot of current MMORPG fans, but the next generation won't know any better.
It's just business.
... This is where I draw the line: __________________.
If it really starts to carch on I'll either quit playing MMOs all together or only play the ones that refuse to change to micro transactions. Kind of sad that the only developer who has said that they will stick to the subscription model is Blizzard.
------------------- If ever there was a time to rise if ever there was a time to join hands with our brothers that time is now. At this exact junction in history we have within our grasp the means to loosen our tormentors hold and win freedom for our kin. Opportunities are there to be taken.
If it really starts to carch on I'll either quit playing MMOs all together or only play the ones that refuse to change to micro transactions. Kind of sad that the only developer who has said that they will stick to the subscription model is Blizzard.
You're kidding right? Blizzard already announced they'll introduce MT for WoW, adding hairstyles, clothing, pets and the like to an item-mall. As far as has been said, they won't be "items" as in, weapons or armor, but it will be a MT model.
*smirk* Blizzard passing up an opportunity to milk a cash-cow? Unlikely.
If it really starts to carch on I'll either quit playing MMOs all together or only play the ones that refuse to change to micro transactions. Kind of sad that the only developer who has said that they will stick to the subscription model is Blizzard.
WOW looking stronger and better every time, this is how things are.
If it really starts to carch on I'll either quit playing MMOs all together or only play the ones that refuse to change to micro transactions. Kind of sad that the only developer who has said that they will stick to the subscription model is Blizzard.
Yeah, right before they added a "Paid Character Customization" button to WoW and then said there would be a "non-subscription based model" used for Diablo 3.
Blizzard has their hands in this nonsense, too. The only question now is "how deep" and "will they go through with it?"
WTF is going on lately? /sigh I've been saying this was gonna happen for the last 2 years and everyone ignored me, now here we are on the brink of this "revolution" of business models...and Im like WTF?
I think it's a few things.
One of the problems is that though there are people who are coming to forums and expressing their displeasure there are many players who are purchasing gold/power leveling, etc from secondary companies.
They don't really come to forums to say how much better their game play is they just do it.
Yet, game companies are spending innordinate amounts of time and money trying to fight these guys and they don't go away.
And, as games become more and more expensive to make the the liability is even greater if it fails, they are trying to come up with ways not to be ruined.
It's so easy for people to say that game companies should be making games for game's sake but the reality is that all of these people want steady jobs, job security, paychecks etc. No one is going to go in a business if the chances of success are abyssmally low and that their company can go under at the drop of a hat.
So game companies are looking at what is going on and seeing that no matter what they do, no matter how much time, effort and money they spend, the secondary market is not going away.
So should they continue the way they are going, possibly even increasing the money and effort to fight this when it's possible that the only people who really care are a possible vocal minority?
That is why they are looking at different business models. If there are millions upon millions to be made then of course they are going to want to profit from their own work.
What they are probably thinking is that it gives people choice. And that people are going to vote with their wallets.
You can go to Atlantic City or Las Vegas and play one slot machine or you can get caught up in "all of it" and spend a bit of money.
It seems that this could be part of their reasoning.
Like Skyrim? Need more content? Try my Skyrim mod "Godfred's Tomb."
I'll be done with mmorpgs if they all go to rmt. One fee covers all keeps things even, for the most part. When having more money than someone else means you get further than someone else, then forget it. Real life is already based on a financial heirarchy. I don't need it in my games also.
MMORPG's have been "financial heirarchies" since the first time some yahoo sold something for UO on ebay back in the day.
I can ignore ebay, I can't ignore "the daily special" blasted across my games loading page.
That may be true but the end result is the same.
All I know is that games that go micro, I'm simply not going to play. Solves the problem for me. The downside is I'm gonna be stuck playing all older games unless they all pull an SOE and insert a cash shop on top of my monthly fee....
WTF is going on lately? /sigh
I've been saying this was gonna happen for the last 2 years and everyone ignored me, now here we are on the brink of this "revolution" of business models...and Im like WTF?
Yup, people who think this is a new trend on not simply building on what has been going on for the past couple of years have their head in the sand (or worse). It's a natural evolution starting back in the days when you paid per hour to play games like nwn and soy. Some people racked up hundreds of dollars in fees every month. The next step was a simple monthly fee which the industry adopted. Now rtm is the more flexible position.
WoW also has that Recruit-a-friend thing that provides, I think, 3x xp gain, which people are de facto using to powerlevel their own alts via multi-boxxing.
Oh yeah, and multi-boxxing is itself a form of spending money to improve game experience.
There is a BIG difference between RMT and microtransactions. With the former everyone is still free to work for anything ingame, the latter limits certain items to those who can afford it. I dont care about RMT but I passionately hate the concept of funding a game via microtransactions. My position on the entire topic of making real money to ingame value is over the fence. I dont believe into extremes in this question.
On the one hand, the sheer MASS of people buying money to buy ingame goods is IMO VAST, really, really vast, and from that point of view its a matter of logic to formally introduce what as a matter of fact just exists and is going to stay, no matter what you try. RMT is like prohibition of alcohol. As the latter never was to enforce because ppl just WANTED to drink, so it is with RMT in games.
What I want to make sure however is, that I am at the same time vividly against basing a game income on microtransactions instead of a monthly fee. A monthly fee guarantees that EVERYONE can achieve everything by mere ingame work. There are no things exclusive to people who are rich enough. I just dont want to be in a game where I can see the RL social situation of a person by his character, lets say because he has that $99 robe or what.
On the other hand, allowing people to buy gold or wares in MMOs is just going to stay. Now you can legalize and control it or not, but no effort whatsoever will ever remove it, simply because there are WAY too many people doing it.
I assume many wont realize the fine but important line I am drawing here. Maybe you re-read before posting. Twice.
People don't ask questions to get answers - they ask questions to show how smart they are. - Dogbert
People need to remember that micro transactioins can cover just about anything. yes, it could be game breaking items or items that give an edge to leveling. It can also be stuff like cosmetic touches, clothing, pets for pets sake, etc. I have no problem with the latter. It's the former that would concern me. However, RMT has already caught on. There seems to be a secondary market for just about every popular game out there. People ARE paying real money for items or money in game. As well as power leveling. it's just a matter of time before game companies figure out how to work it so that only they and not others are solely profiting off of their work.
for a hair pin or a pet that cant fight or a dress without stats im fine with item shops but if it gives players an advantage over non buying players im agains it.
Games played:AC1-Darktide'99-2000-AC2-Darktide/dawnsong2003-2005,Lineage2-2005-2006 and now Darkfall-2009..... In between WoW few months AoC few months and some f2p also all very short few weeks.
All the no-lifers who can play 20 hours a day because they don't have a job might actually have to go out and get one in order to keep up with the levelling curve.
Oh yes, and the students that only have to attend 4 hours of lectures a week.
What do you mean IF it catches on? The largest MMO's in the world are Microtrans based. Subscription is a minority now.
---------- "Anyone posting on this forum is not an average user, and there for any opinions about the game are going to be overly critical compared to an average users opinions." - Me
"Hello person posting on a site specifically for MMO's in a thread on a sub forum specifically for a particular game talking about meta features and making comparisons to other titles in the genre, and their meta features.
A game where you constantly have to spend extra money in order to keep up is not worth playing.
When the only regular fee is the monthly registration, MMOs are great value for money, but let's face it they aren't real so the idea of spending hundreds of dollars a month on a virtual character is just plain daft.
The moment a game starts allowing RMT to influence actual game play, it becomes a game where the biggest factor is money rather than ability or even effort.
SOE might think that their latest move falls short of that in EQ & EQ2, but selling two hour duration 50% XP potions already creates game imbalance & is just the thin end of the wedge. I am fairly certain that as time goes on the range of RMT goods will expand until it becomes a 'Cheaters Paradise' for those players with far more money than common sense.
I previously played EQ2 for several years but took a break earlier this year to try new things. I might have considered resubscribing in the future as it was a great game, but definitely not any more.
Just my opinion.
If you can't "Have your cake & eat it too", then how can "The proof of the pudding be in the eating"?
Either I can play a F2P game then or better, I will play Guildwars 2. Jeff Strain quited from being the head programmer of Wow because he said that monthly fees are ripping your customers off. I don't see him as the greedy type, I think he would rather die than make a cash shop.
However there are certain things that are ok to sell, that is adventure packs, you know small mini expansions. I can live with that.
Otherwise, I am already upset enough that the companies takes out outragously high fees every month now, what are Blizzards true running costs for a player? $1? MMO companies are getting more and more greedy all the time, where will all this end?
Comments
Too late...
The CEO's have already caught the smell of money flow that RMT's will give.
Futilez - Mature MMORPG Community
Correcting people since birth.
I'm a firm believer that anyone who has to buy items/gold/powerups/etc., regardless if from an item shop or a farmer, are the same dullards who can't even play solitaire without the help of a cheat code.
I'd... play it anyway? It's not a big deal, 99% of cash shops are just a way to get things easier, or offer just things you might want just for the sake of it.(look at how much people spend in maple story for statless clothes that can be made in 40 minutes in photoshop).
If the games fun to play, then there we go, that's all that's important. I don't need a way to escape my life, and all these features bring about the realization that it's just a game and i'm not a better person for playing it.
"Living breathing world" are words generally used in direct reference to the game Saga of Ryzom. For many reasons, the game never showed any apparent form of RMT. I have never seen a RMT spammer there in an entire year. And God, I'm so glad for it. Give it a try if you want, (if you haven't already) it is free until at least the end of December, then it should revert to P2P by monthly sub.
There is a consumable, in the game, that makes you gain the double of your XP. To obtain it, you must either possess an outpost (obtainable through massive PvP siege battles) or trade with someone that has an outpost. You heard me right... you don't spend a dime more to get them, they are available directly through ingame accomplishment.
Crazy stuff, isn't it ? I just hope that my post doesn't attract chinese mat farmers...
---------
Sherkalyn
Crazy Marshmallow Lady
Guild Leader of The Exodus Syndicate in Ryzom
"Experience Perfection :: Unharness Your Power"
www.exodusgs.com
Well Darkfall has no plans for microtransactions and I feel I will be entertained for years to come in Darkfall. But hypothetically, if every MMOG in the marketplace employed microtransactions in their virtual worlds, I would quit MMOGs altogether.
There are game companies out there who see that other people are making money off of their work. They don't like that and they sure as hell can't stop them even though gamers think they can. The amount of money and time that game companies spend in order to police their games must really cut into anything of real importance. Especially when we are talking about thousands of players banned and more coming down the pike...
So I imagine that the game companies are thinking "ok, we can't stop them one way, perhaps we can divert the players so that they purchase items that take the negative stink (or perceived negative sting) of leveling off a bit and allow our company to actually profit instead of some second party.
People also have to remember that month by month payment is not the only way to go as their are games out there that never were month by month and did make money off of their cash shops.
I personally prefer the month by month as I've yet to see a great game that uses cash shops, but then again I get the feeling that these cash shop games are more about getting players to spend money and less about making a great game.
Still, I can conceive of a Triple A title incorporating a cash shop for cosmetic items and pets and things for the in game house.
Especially as it takes man hours to make all that stuff. What I personally don't like are items that give more xp or special buffs because it's as if the game companies know that these are things that players hate (leveling and finding groups for buffs etc).
It's as if they see the flaws in their game and can see a way to profit off of it. That's a little star chamber and I don't completely buy that but it does make one wonder.
Godfred's Tomb Trailer: https://youtu.be/-nsXGddj_4w
Original Skyrim: https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/109547
Serph toze kindly has started a walk-through. https://youtu.be/UIelCK-lldo
I'll keep playing, i'm not one in mmo's to have the top of anything anyways so it won't bother me either way if people buy their way to the top. As long as i'm having fun with friends that's all that matters.
"The great thing about human language is that it prevents us from sticking to the matter at hand."
- Lewis Thomas
MMORPG's have been "financial heirarchies" since the first time some yahoo sold something for UO on ebay back in the day.
I can ignore ebay, I can't ignore "the daily special" blasted across my games loading page.
That may be true but the end result is the same.
All I know is that games that go micro, I'm simply not going to play. Solves the problem for me. The downside is I'm gonna be stuck playing all older games unless they all pull an SOE and insert a cash shop on top of my monthly fee....
WTF is going on lately? /sigh
I've been saying this was gonna happen for the last 2 years and everyone ignored me, now here we are on the brink of this "revolution" of business models...and Im like WTF?
Look, my son and his girlfriend (in their early 20's) spend about $25 or so a month EACH buying pixel clothes for their gaia online avatars, plus some other amount they've spent on things like skill reset scrolls for Asda Story. My husband (who plays EQ1 as his main game) played Voyage Century for a while too and hit the item mall a couple of times, to the tune of about $25 each time. He figured that people who don't pay are just there as better-than-average NPCs for people who do.
You live in a world where people will pay real money for virtual clothes that don't actually do anything other than change the look of your character. In what way is RMT not a gold mine for online game companies? It's going to disappoint and disillusion a lot of current MMORPG fans, but the next generation won't know any better.
It's just business.
...
This is where I draw the line: __________________.
If it really starts to carch on I'll either quit playing MMOs all together or only play the ones that refuse to change to micro transactions. Kind of sad that the only developer who has said that they will stick to the subscription model is Blizzard.
-------------------
If ever there was a time to rise if ever there was a time to join hands with our brothers that time is now. At this exact junction in history we have within our grasp the means to loosen our tormentors hold and win freedom for our kin. Opportunities are there to be taken.
Brothers, we must rise.
-Malaetu Shakor
I will never play micro transaction games. Not going to happen. If they all go this route, I"ll stick to single player games.
You're kidding right? Blizzard already announced they'll introduce MT for WoW, adding hairstyles, clothing, pets and the like to an item-mall. As far as has been said, they won't be "items" as in, weapons or armor, but it will be a MT model.
*smirk* Blizzard passing up an opportunity to milk a cash-cow? Unlikely.
Which Final Fantasy Character Are You?
Final Fantasy 7
WOW looking stronger and better every time, this is how things are.
Yeah, right before they added a "Paid Character Customization" button to WoW and then said there would be a "non-subscription based model" used for Diablo 3.
Blizzard has their hands in this nonsense, too. The only question now is "how deep" and "will they go through with it?"
I think it's a few things.
One of the problems is that though there are people who are coming to forums and expressing their displeasure there are many players who are purchasing gold/power leveling, etc from secondary companies.
They don't really come to forums to say how much better their game play is they just do it.
Yet, game companies are spending innordinate amounts of time and money trying to fight these guys and they don't go away.
And, as games become more and more expensive to make the the liability is even greater if it fails, they are trying to come up with ways not to be ruined.
It's so easy for people to say that game companies should be making games for game's sake but the reality is that all of these people want steady jobs, job security, paychecks etc. No one is going to go in a business if the chances of success are abyssmally low and that their company can go under at the drop of a hat.
So game companies are looking at what is going on and seeing that no matter what they do, no matter how much time, effort and money they spend, the secondary market is not going away.
So should they continue the way they are going, possibly even increasing the money and effort to fight this when it's possible that the only people who really care are a possible vocal minority?
That is why they are looking at different business models. If there are millions upon millions to be made then of course they are going to want to profit from their own work.
What they are probably thinking is that it gives people choice. And that people are going to vote with their wallets.
You can go to Atlantic City or Las Vegas and play one slot machine or you can get caught up in "all of it" and spend a bit of money.
It seems that this could be part of their reasoning.
Godfred's Tomb Trailer: https://youtu.be/-nsXGddj_4w
Original Skyrim: https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/109547
Serph toze kindly has started a walk-through. https://youtu.be/UIelCK-lldo
MMORPG's have been "financial heirarchies" since the first time some yahoo sold something for UO on ebay back in the day.
I can ignore ebay, I can't ignore "the daily special" blasted across my games loading page.
That may be true but the end result is the same.
All I know is that games that go micro, I'm simply not going to play. Solves the problem for me. The downside is I'm gonna be stuck playing all older games unless they all pull an SOE and insert a cash shop on top of my monthly fee....
WTF is going on lately? /sigh
I've been saying this was gonna happen for the last 2 years and everyone ignored me, now here we are on the brink of this "revolution" of business models...and Im like WTF?
Yup, people who think this is a new trend on not simply building on what has been going on for the past couple of years have their head in the sand (or worse). It's a natural evolution starting back in the days when you paid per hour to play games like nwn and soy. Some people racked up hundreds of dollars in fees every month. The next step was a simple monthly fee which the industry adopted. Now rtm is the more flexible position.
I will quit mmos.
There are plenty of great single player games out there, rpgs or not.
Start a militia and takeover the major headquarters of game publishers.
And quit MMOs.
The Official God FAQ
WoW also has that Recruit-a-friend thing that provides, I think, 3x xp gain, which people are de facto using to powerlevel their own alts via multi-boxxing.
Oh yeah, and multi-boxxing is itself a form of spending money to improve game experience.
There is a BIG difference between RMT and microtransactions. With the former everyone is still free to work for anything ingame, the latter limits certain items to those who can afford it. I dont care about RMT but I passionately hate the concept of funding a game via microtransactions. My position on the entire topic of making real money to ingame value is over the fence. I dont believe into extremes in this question.
On the one hand, the sheer MASS of people buying money to buy ingame goods is IMO VAST, really, really vast, and from that point of view its a matter of logic to formally introduce what as a matter of fact just exists and is going to stay, no matter what you try. RMT is like prohibition of alcohol. As the latter never was to enforce because ppl just WANTED to drink, so it is with RMT in games.
What I want to make sure however is, that I am at the same time vividly against basing a game income on microtransactions instead of a monthly fee. A monthly fee guarantees that EVERYONE can achieve everything by mere ingame work. There are no things exclusive to people who are rich enough. I just dont want to be in a game where I can see the RL social situation of a person by his character, lets say because he has that $99 robe or what.
On the other hand, allowing people to buy gold or wares in MMOs is just going to stay. Now you can legalize and control it or not, but no effort whatsoever will ever remove it, simply because there are WAY too many people doing it.
I assume many wont realize the fine but important line I am drawing here. Maybe you re-read before posting. Twice.
People don't ask questions to get answers - they ask questions to show how smart they are. - Dogbert
for a hair pin or a pet that cant fight or a dress without stats im fine with item shops but if it gives players an advantage over non buying players im agains it.
Games played:AC1-Darktide'99-2000-AC2-Darktide/dawnsong2003-2005,Lineage2-2005-2006 and now Darkfall-2009.....
In between WoW few months AoC few months and some f2p also all very short few weeks.
Look on the plus side.
All the no-lifers who can play 20 hours a day because they don't have a job might actually have to go out and get one in order to keep up with the levelling curve.
Oh yes, and the students that only have to attend 4 hours of lectures a week.
It might even help out society as a whole.
What do you mean IF it catches on? The largest MMO's in the world are Microtrans based. Subscription is a minority now.
----------
"Anyone posting on this forum is not an average user, and there for any opinions about the game are going to be overly critical compared to an average users opinions." - Me
"No, your wrong.." - Random user #123
"Hello person posting on a site specifically for MMO's in a thread on a sub forum specifically for a particular game talking about meta features and making comparisons to other titles in the genre, and their meta features.
How are you?" -Me
A game where you constantly have to spend extra money in order to keep up is not worth playing.
When the only regular fee is the monthly registration, MMOs are great value for money, but let's face it they aren't real so the idea of spending hundreds of dollars a month on a virtual character is just plain daft.
The moment a game starts allowing RMT to influence actual game play, it becomes a game where the biggest factor is money rather than ability or even effort.
SOE might think that their latest move falls short of that in EQ & EQ2, but selling two hour duration 50% XP potions already creates game imbalance & is just the thin end of the wedge. I am fairly certain that as time goes on the range of RMT goods will expand until it becomes a 'Cheaters Paradise' for those players with far more money than common sense.
I previously played EQ2 for several years but took a break earlier this year to try new things. I might have considered resubscribing in the future as it was a great game, but definitely not any more.
Just my opinion.
If you can't "Have your cake & eat it too", then how can "The proof of the pudding be in the eating"?
Take the Hecatomb? TCG What Is Your Doom? quiz.
Well, if this catches on I will do 1 of 2 things:
Either I can play a F2P game then or better, I will play Guildwars 2. Jeff Strain quited from being the head programmer of Wow because he said that monthly fees are ripping your customers off. I don't see him as the greedy type, I think he would rather die than make a cash shop.
However there are certain things that are ok to sell, that is adventure packs, you know small mini expansions. I can live with that.
Otherwise, I am already upset enough that the companies takes out outragously high fees every month now, what are Blizzards true running costs for a player? $1? MMO companies are getting more and more greedy all the time, where will all this end?