<!-- MHonArc v2.4.4 --> <!--X-Subject: Re: [MUD-Dev] banning the sale of items --> <!--X-From-R13: "Dlna Bnynpvb" <ecnynpvbNirenag.pbz> --> <!--X-Date: Sat, 15 Apr 2000 23:16:23 -0700 --> <!--X-Message-Id: 0e2e01bfa718$2d729180$ba9713ce@verant.com --> <!--X-Content-Type: text/plain --> <!--X-Reference: Pine.LNX.4.10.10004140455560.2467-100000@achaea.mudservices.com --> <!--X-Head-End--> <!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 3.2//EN"> <html> <head> <title>MUD-Dev message, Re: [MUD-Dev] banning the sale of items</title> <!-- meta name="robots" content="noindex,nofollow" --> <link rev="made" href="mailto:rpalacio@verant.com"> </head> <body background="/backgrounds/paperback.gif" bgcolor="#ffffff" text="#000000" link="#0000FF" alink="#FF0000" vlink="#006000"> <font size="+4" color="#804040"> <strong><em>MUD-Dev<br>mailing list archive</em></strong> </font> <br> [ <a href="../">Other Periods</a> | <a href="../../">Other mailing lists</a> | <a href="/search.php3">Search</a> ] <br clear=all><hr> <!--X-Body-Begin--> <!--X-User-Header--> <!--X-User-Header-End--> <!--X-TopPNI--> Date: [ <a href="msg00274.html">Previous</a> | <a href="msg00281.html">Next</a> ] Thread: [ <a href="msg00254.html">Previous</a> | <a href="msg00286.html">Next</a> ] Index: [ <A HREF="author.html#00277">Author</A> | <A HREF="#00277">Date</A> | <A HREF="thread.html#00277">Thread</A> ] <!--X-TopPNI-End--> <!--X-MsgBody--> <!--X-Subject-Header-Begin--> <H1>Re: [MUD-Dev] banning the sale of items</H1> <HR> <!--X-Subject-Header-End--> <!--X-Head-of-Message--> <UL> <LI><em>To</em>: <<A HREF="mailto:mud-dev#kanga,nu">mud-dev#kanga,nu</A>></LI> <LI><em>Subject</em>: Re: [MUD-Dev] banning the sale of items</LI> <LI><em>From</em>: "Ryan Palacio" <<A HREF="mailto:rpalacio#verant,com">rpalacio#verant,com</A>></LI> <LI><em>Date</em>: Sat, 15 Apr 2000 13:21:26 -0700</LI> <LI><em>Reply-To</em>: <A HREF="mailto:mud-dev#kanga,nu">mud-dev#kanga,nu</A></LI> <LI><em>Sender</em>: <A HREF="mailto:mud-dev-admin#kanga,nu">mud-dev-admin#kanga,nu</A></LI> </UL> <!--X-Head-of-Message-End--> <!--X-Head-Body-Sep-Begin--> <HR> <!--X-Head-Body-Sep-End--> <!--X-Body-of-Message--> <PRE> Matthew Mihaly wrote: > Unethical, unschmethical. A lot of people consider it unethical to charge > for muds. So what. They are a fairly poor customer base, as they're cheap. > > If the RPG environment and game should be a level playing field devoid of > RL influence, then why has Verant set up its game so that your success in > it is dominated by an RL factor: time. Time is a resource, and it is > one that must be spent to play Everquest. However, because of bandwidth > concerns, player time has negative value to you. You don't WANT them to > spend that resource on EQ if you can help it. > > Money is also an rl resource. It is, however, one which you want players > to give you, and as much as possible per player. A player who gives you > $1000 at once for something is worth more than 100 players paying you one > month subscription fee, because that single player isn't going to use > anywhere near the bandwidth. > > Again, I'm not saying that selling items IS the way to go, but I AM saying > that all the arguments I've heard against it are pretty ill-thought-out. Bottom line (for me) comes to this: I find it completely distasteful and would myself _NOT_ play a game that allowed anything similar to "selling items". Despite the potential financial reward for the developer, it is my belief that the "average" player would also find it distasteful. Unpalatable to the extent of also not playing. In this belief, the SHORT term benefit lies in selling items. As it would most likely generate a large sum of cash in a relatively short time frame. However, the loss of the additional subscribers would hurt the LONG term aspect of the game and since money in the commercial MMORPG arena is made off the back end in the form of subscriptions (not the sale of the box), I see it being a long term loss. Personally I would rather bank on long term aspect and bring as many subscribers into the fold as possible (specifically for long term COMPANY and TITLE loyalty). The items are purchased once. Breakage or loss of a purchased item would really piss someone off to the extent of potentially not buying ever again. So contrary to the "disposable" / "expendable" theory of business that has made toilet tissue, razorblade manufacturers, grocery stores, make-up manufacturers, MMORPGs and numerous other large, stable companies, you have chosen to forgo long term revenue for short term burst in profit. The attempt to integrate the two diametrically opposed business concepts looks like a vial of oil and water. Shake them together enough and you get a seemingly homogenous mixture. However, wait long enough, and the two will naturely seperate, leaving you with two layers that want nothing to do with the other. As for the time issue vs money issue, everyone acrues time (as a resource) at the same rate. Time is also a "free" resource: it does not have to be worked for or effort exerted to acquire it - one must merely exist. Not everyone acrues RL liquid assets (such as cash) at the same rate. With time being a level playing field and everyone potentially having the same amount at any moment, it is not a matter of how much you have - but rather how you spend it. If the game is in-part based on time investment, we have started on a level field for all to begin with. Noone has been alienated to RL financial misfortune. Assuming you were poor, would you like to be reminded constantly as you attempted to enjoy yourself that you were poor and without many comforts or luxuries? Assuming you a child, would you like to be reminded that others are excelling beyond your in-game capability because you have a child who expends your earnings? Any decent person would obviously choose their own offspring, but that doesnt deny that in some way you might feel disadvantaged or slighted. This scenario pits the game vs family. Obvious decision, and the subscription is lost. Replace "child" and "family" with _ANY_ RL obligation or priority and the net result is negative feelings and/or a lost subscription. I personally do not like a game where I have no potential to "win" or at least a chance to be competitive. If I don't have that chance, I don't play. It's as simple as I don't like losing, and if I will always lose, nothing but frustration, anger, and disappointment will be gained. So why play? I guess the solution for me, as a compromise between the two sides, would be a server config that enables in-game purchase of items. I would not play on that type of server, but there would still be options for me in a "no-sell" server. But then the "black market" arises on "no-sell" servers and we are back to square one... I apologize for the erradic nature of the post in advance. It is hard for me to express "feelings" in textual context, itself completely devoid of emotion, inflection, body language, and facial expression. ~Ryan Palacio _______________________________________________ MUD-Dev mailing list MUD-Dev#kanga,nu <A HREF="http://www.kanga.nu/lists/listinfo/mud-dev">http://www.kanga.nu/lists/listinfo/mud-dev</A> </PRE> <!--X-Body-of-Message-End--> <!--X-MsgBody-End--> <!--X-Follow-Ups--> <HR> <ul compact><li><strong>Follow-Ups</strong>: <ul> <li><strong><A NAME="00286" HREF="msg00286.html">Re: [MUD-Dev] banning the sale of items</A></strong> <ul compact><li><em>From:</em> Matthew Mihaly <the_logos@achaea.com></li></ul> </UL></LI></UL> <!--X-Follow-Ups-End--> <!--X-References--> <UL><LI><STRONG>References</STRONG>: <UL> <LI><STRONG><A NAME="00254" HREF="msg00254.html">Re: [MUD-Dev] banning the sale of items</A></STRONG> <UL><LI><EM>From:</EM> Matthew Mihaly <the_logos@achaea.com></LI></UL></LI> </UL></LI></UL> <!--X-References-End--> <!--X-BotPNI--> <UL> <LI>Prev by Date: <STRONG><A HREF="msg00274.html">RE: [MUD-Dev] Spawning and quests (was Sony ban)</A></STRONG> </LI> <LI>Next by Date: <STRONG><A HREF="msg00281.html">[MUD-Dev] Declaration of the Rights of Avatars</A></STRONG> </LI> <LI>Prev by thread: <STRONG><A HREF="msg00254.html">Re: [MUD-Dev] banning the sale of items</A></STRONG> </LI> <LI>Next by thread: <STRONG><A HREF="msg00286.html">Re: [MUD-Dev] banning the sale of items</A></STRONG> </LI> <LI>Index(es): <UL> <LI><A HREF="index.html#00277"><STRONG>Date</STRONG></A></LI> <LI><A HREF="thread.html#00277"><STRONG>Thread</STRONG></A></LI> </UL> </LI> </UL> <!--X-BotPNI-End--> <!--X-User-Footer--> <!--X-User-Footer-End--> <ul><li>Thread context: <BLOCKQUOTE><UL> <LI><STRONG>Re: [MUD-Dev] banning the sale of items</STRONG>, <EM>(continued)</EM> <ul compact> <LI><strong><A NAME="00213" HREF="msg00213.html">Re: [MUD-Dev] banning the sale of items</A></strong>, Frank Crowell <a href="mailto:maddog@maddog.com">maddog@maddog.com</a>, Wed 12 Apr 2000, 05:50 GMT </LI> <LI><strong><A NAME="00240" HREF="msg00240.html">Re: [MUD-Dev] banning the sale of items</A></strong>, Ryan Palacio <a href="mailto:rpalacio@verant.com">rpalacio@verant.com</a>, Fri 14 Apr 2000, 02:51 GMT <UL> <LI><strong><A NAME="00259" HREF="msg00259.html">Re: [MUD-Dev] banning the sale of items</A></strong>, Wes Connell <a href="mailto:wconnell@skotos.net">wconnell@skotos.net</a>, Sat 15 Apr 2000, 05:10 GMT </LI> <LI><strong><A NAME="00254" HREF="msg00254.html">Re: [MUD-Dev] banning the sale of items</A></strong>, Matthew Mihaly <a href="mailto:the_logos@achaea.com">the_logos@achaea.com</a>, Sat 15 Apr 2000, 05:11 GMT <UL> <LI><strong><A NAME="00277" HREF="msg00277.html">Re: [MUD-Dev] banning the sale of items</A></strong>, Ryan Palacio <a href="mailto:rpalacio@verant.com">rpalacio@verant.com</a>, Sun 16 Apr 2000, 06:16 GMT <UL> <LI><strong><A NAME="00286" HREF="msg00286.html">Re: [MUD-Dev] banning the sale of items</A></strong>, Matthew Mihaly <a href="mailto:the_logos@achaea.com">the_logos@achaea.com</a>, Sun 16 Apr 2000, 15:59 GMT <UL> <LI><strong><A NAME="00297" HREF="msg00297.html">Re: [MUD-Dev] banning the sale of items</A></strong>, Ryan Palacio <a href="mailto:rpalacio@verant.com">rpalacio@verant.com</a>, Sun 16 Apr 2000, 22:29 GMT <UL> <LI><strong><A NAME="00300" HREF="msg00300.html">Re: [MUD-Dev] banning the sale of items</A></strong>, Tess Lowe <a href="mailto:tess@havensong.com">tess@havensong.com</a>, Sun 16 Apr 2000, 22:59 GMT <UL> <LI><strong><A NAME="00303" HREF="msg00303.html">Re: [MUD-Dev] banning the sale of items</A></strong>, Par Winzell <a href="mailto:zell@alyx.com">zell@alyx.com</a>, Mon 17 Apr 2000, 00:28 GMT </LI> </UL> </LI> </UL> </LI> </UL> </LI> </UL> </LI> </UL> </LI> </UL> </LI> </ul> </LI> </UL></BLOCKQUOTE> </ul> <hr> <center> [ <a href="../">Other Periods</a> | <a href="../../">Other mailing lists</a> | <a href="/search.php3">Search</a> ] </center> <hr> </body> </html>