[MUD-Dev] Selling training

[the_logos at www.achaea.com]

On Thu, 8 Mar 2001 Daniel.Harman at barclayscapital.com wrote:

> on 07 March 2001 11:22, the_logos at www.achaea.com wrote:
 
>> I, obviously, am a big fan of selling virtual objects. I was just
>> surprised to see people paying for training. I guess I really
>> shouldn't have been surprised though. One of Achaea's Gods owns a
>> chain of martial arts studios. People pay him for combat
>> training. Not any different really from paying the uber-combatant
>> in Achaea for combat training.

> I actually think selling items to players is a pretty horrible thing
> to do in an online world as it means that financially well off end
> up with all the toys. I guess it stems from the fact that I'd never
> pay money for these things, but it puts me off a game when I know
> that people will have an advantage if they are *foolish* (my
> perspective!) enough to spend substantial amounts of real money on a
> virtual item. I don't have a problem with the guy offering real
> world training in the game if thats what they want, but to actually
> sell in game currency for real money just seems wrong.

Shrug. It's no more foolish than paying Verant $10/month to play
Everquest. You get something you want either way, in return for
money. It happens every day and it's called commerce. You sound like
one of those people from Usenet in 1993 talking about how charging for
muds was evil, because "Muds were meant to be free man. People who
charge for anything on the internet are the devil! Peace out." 
(Nevermind that they weren't, or that what they were meant to be is
entirely irrelevant.)

> People play online games so that they can be the 'Ferrari owner' in
> the game. It undermines it if the road to success is actually still
> being the 'Ferrari owner' out of game.

No. One type of person plays games to be the Ferrari owner in the
game. I, personally, can't stand games where the point is to be the
Ferrari owner. I expect to be able to buy a Ferrari in real life
anyway at some point.

Some people play games to roleplay, some people play games simply for
the thrill of winning (those people spend a lot of money on virtual
combat aids), some people play games to explore. Some play games to
socialize.

 
> I can relate to it from a business perspective. I just don't like
> the inequity of it all and can't help but feel that it adds a
> slightly nasty aspect to online gaming.

Shrug. Less nasty then refusing people entry to a game who don't pay
your entry fee. Hey, you can play Achaea for free. What's better for
the player with no money? The opportunity to play the game for free,
even if at a reduced efficiency, or no opportunity at all?

Clearly, I am of the people and for the people. I am a populist. I
believe in equal rights for all. I believe that no man has the right
to tell me I can't buy a virtual item if I darn well please! Virtual
items are soothing to the soul. They are islands of sanity in times
that lack it. In today's hurly burly world, can we really afford to
deny people the simple pleasure of purchasing a magical flowerpot and
tending to your tiger lilies, or Scorpion's Tail and stinging the
living hell out of your enemies?

I don't think so, and those who deny the Rightness of selling virtual
items will suffer the same eternal fate that awaits mimes, communists,
and that banal idiot who writes Family Circus.

--matt

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