GameBanshee Forums

I read an article about virtual currency in RPGs (the example uses platinum pieces in EQ which I haven't played), and people who trade them to real thing. After reading through three times, I decided to post this to here for your opinion. Have any of you seen or been involved in the trade? How and why it works? How serious the issue is?

The article can be found in The Guardian. It's long and serious, but I thought it was worth a look.

Any opinion is welcomed.

You havn't played diablo... In there you can buy any item on eBuy. I have even seen sites which list what the prices are usually and what is worth buying at different times.. I have never been involved myself, but I know people who have.

People actually do this?

Buying items for a computer game. I heard about the eBay thing for Diablo 2 but dismissed it for juvenile rumour trash. Why would you trade actual hard earned cash for an item.

I'm with Minerva on this one, to those involved, why do you do it?

They aren't just selling items, they sell characters too. I've heard some people did actually earn their living by developing their Ultima Online characters as fast they could, and then sold them on Internet auctions. I'm kind of jealous for them, since they actually made money by playing computer games...

But for the question, why anybody actually pays real money for such characters/items, I have no idea.

Originally posted by Moleman
I'm kind of jealous for them, since they actually made money by playing computer games...

I think that get REALLY boring after a while. Besides, no real life contact at your work with poeple and all, they sound lonely...

Originally posted by Moleman

But for the question, why anybody actually pays real money for such characters/items, I have no idea.

They are missing things in there real life and try to fill this up with beiing as good as they can be in a online game. In other words, in ultima online, they are who they want to be.

Originally posted by Moleman
They aren't just selling items, they sell characters too. I've heard some people did actually earn their living by developing their Ultima Online characters as fast they could, and then sold them on Internet auctions. I'm kind of jealous for them, since they actually made money by playing computer games...

I've seen it happen, time and again. Sega's late HEAT service, for example, allowed you to offer literally any object in any of their online multiplayer games up on their forums for either realworld money, or for swap with anything in any other game--including avatars, your "person."

Another instance: when one of the longtimers in Simutronics' GemStone III got disgusted with the hordes of newbies who arrived soon after the game moved to the web, he offered his mage's workshop for sale. Now, all mages who get to a certain high level in that game (it's much easier, these days) can enchant ordinary items, in a pretty elaborate procedure that involves purchasing expensive in-game potions, etc. And they had to do it at a site where "mana" was very strong; but the public places for this would lose their concentration of mana quickly, after just a few mages. There were a few private workshops, built early in the game's history, which essentially gave one mage, the owner, a source of enchanting energy.

This particular player sold his workshop to another longtime mage for $2,000 realworld. Everybody was talking about it, at the time. It seemed, somehow...dirty, to some folks. And then, there was a guy who'd played a good while, and got fed up with things. He didn't simply leave; he sold his character. This, too, got a lot of consternation. It was rather like walking down a street to see a friend's body, inhabited by an alien who didn't recognize you.

Part of the delight of the game is the sense of making it entirely on your own; but when the realworld interferes, and items or avatars that take a long time to gain are available to the person who has the best realworld salary, that joy is removed. I suspect that's why so many people are disenchanted these days with multiplayer "environments" (as opposed to action titles): because there's a great deal of mercenary, everything's-available mentality, firmly tied to real life. Would MiddleEarth still hold its joys for people if they discovered the Galadriel they met tomorrow was actually a rich 12-year-old who bought the character with dad's credit card?

This is very interesting, because at one point last year there was a group of gamers who was sueing the makers of Ultima over something like this. Apparently, the developers had placed a law/rule about auctioning off a character over things like ebay, saying that it wasn't their's to sell. But that sparked quite a fuss here, and several issues came up, such as they spent the time to develop it, so why isn't it theirs, and such. Anyway, I think it's just idiocy to do stuff like that.

The example I gave from those professional UO gamers was from years back, and I'm glad to hear that it's not possible anymore. IMO it ruines the gaming experience from both parties. Gaming should be fun and not be done professionally in order to make money. And big part of playing RPG's is developing your character. I don't see the point in *buying* one that is made by someone else...

I think it was a good thing from the UO developer's/publisher's to do. Though I doubt the reason behind it were nothing but selfish. Especially if they claim the characters are not owned by players.

A bit off topic of but important enough.

There was this boy in Japan or something who called himself "the wizzard" in Ultima online.
He killed the chief of an in game clan, after a while a couple of guys came into the internet cafe where he was playing and asked for him. (more to the story then this, but lets keep it at that he new why they were there)
He stood up, "Yeah I killed that weak ............. *kuch* of a chief and I'd do it again!!" (I think he still thought he was in game ) so they took him to the toilet and beat the living hell out of him...

That people go so far for "just" a game...

Originally posted by Rob-hin
A bit off topic of but important enough.

There was this boy in Japan or something who called himself "the wizzard" in Ultima online.
He killed the chief of an in game clan, after a while a couple of guys came into the internet cafe where he was playing and asked for him. (more to the story then this, but lets keep it at that he new why they were there)
He stood up, "Yeah I killed that weak ............. *kuch* of a chief and I'd do it again!!" (I think he still thought he was in game ) so they took him to the toilet and beat the living hell out of him...

That people go so far for "just" a game...

Well considering how many people there are in the world, I don't think it's surprising such things happen. It's still sad though .

Originally posted by Moleman
The example I gave from those professional UO gamers was from years back, and I'm glad to hear that it's not possible anymore.

Exactly how do you prevent users from selling items for large, realworld dollars? If you're a DM or a GM in an online game, all you can see are the interactions online. You can't hear what's happening elsewhere. Lord Magey gives a wonderful +25 cloak to his good pal, Lady Spendthrift. Wonderful! But you can't see that Lord Magey's player got a nice, fat check in the mail from Lady Spendthrift's player.

I hace seen itemas and characters for sale on ebay from everquest running as much as 3-4 thousand dollars. My wonder doesn't come from the people doing the seling, but who would want to buy a game and then buy their way to hi levels? isn't the fun in getting there yourself? Oh well, maybe I will go into business for myself.

Originally posted by Bloodstalker
I hace seen itemas and characters for sale on ebay from everquest running as much as 3-4 thousand dollars. My wonder doesn't come from the people doing the seling, but who would want to buy a game and then buy their way to hi levels? isn't the fun in getting there yourself?

Powerplaying. The powerplayer doesn't enjoy building a character: they usually want nothing but the glory of being on top.

Originally posted by Aegis
This is very interesting, because at one point last year there was a group of gamers who was sueing the makers of Ultima over something like this. Apparently, the developers had placed a law/rule about auctioning off a character over things like ebay, saying that it wasn't their's to sell.

I believe it's in the "End User's Agreement" and the selling of said stuff was considered a violation.


IMHO I say let the "fools" blow their money (Or their parents) because in the end they will miss IMO the best part of the game.


"Who do you fight when you have become a god?" Quoted by Weasel about the Expansion Pack for BG2.

Originally posted by Weasel


I believe it's in the "End User's Agreement" and the selling of said stuff was considered a violation.


IMHO I say let the "fools" blow their money (Or their parents) because in the end they will miss IMO the best part of the game.


"Who do you fight when you have become a god?" Quoted by Weasel about the Expansion Pack for BG2.

Exactly. I agree with that. If people want to waste money go for it, but if they're gonna do it, at least make so other people have to deal with it too.

Didn't realise how serious this was until I visited eBay.

Check this link

There is over 120 pages of this stuff.

Originally posted by Tamerlane
There is over 120 pages of this stuff.

Yeah, it's capitalism at its worst. The problem is how it affects the gaming experience for those who choose not to go this route. A lot of people are complaining. It remains to be seen whether the sudden skyrocket of online multiplayer games turns into a meteorite, and crash lands. I'm guessing it won't, but I do think the idea of truly roleplaying in an online game my be gone from the big MMOs, and switch to the smaller text-based MUDs, MUCKs, etc.

How I hope NWN does not go down the same path. As for whether roleplaying has gone from MMO's. I blame the powergamers. Thankfully LAN is still a popular concept. And like you said, the MUD's and MUCK's will always be around.