[MUD-Dev2] [DESIGN] *Starting* Real Currency Based Worlds

[William Leader]

ghovs at plex.nl wrote:
> Nick Koranda wrote:
>> I can see a real currency world existing pretty easily if all players 
>> paid a fee, I think it just gets tougher when you allow players to 
>> play for free as well and still let them earn money.
> Project Entropia is theoretically playable without putting any money 
> in at all. However, it's a very painful way of starting out, and the 
> attrition to your funds while using armor and/or weapons is pretty 
> steep, so you'll have to be a bit lucky to get anywhere without 
> investing any money.
Consider this, When playing a game with real currency, then players have 
the choice of investing two things into the game instead of just one. 
Normally you just have time, but this allows time and money to be put 
into a game. This will create a disparity between haves and have-nots. 
Whether or not that is a problem depends on the game design. If 
socialization and interaction are a big part of the game, then it could 
cause a problem, if game play is more solo play friendly then it might 
be OK. Consider a casino if you will, Players in a casino with loads of 
money (or a willing to loose loads of money) play high stakes games 
where the table might have a minimum bet of $100. Other players who are 
less willing to loose money might instead choose to play at $1 minimum 
bet table. As a result these two sets of players are far less likely to 
interact.

One other thing I might mention is that I suspect that many games that 
allow some sort of free play versus subscriber play, is that they use it 
as a way to get people in the door (to try the game). Once in the real 
goal is to turn them into subscribers. I know that in Second Life many 
players who started as free players after a time do turn into 
subscribers simply because of the social pressure to own some land, 
which is vital to displaying your creations and acquisitions. There 
seems to be a strong sense of 'Keeping up with the Jones's'.

-Will