What about if in game money was equal to real money value?  So if  player earned enough they could cash out some or spend it in game to like NPC and repairs goes to the game makers.

Originally posted by Reklaw

If I can gain everything ingame while merly playing I have nothing against them.

But I would like to know how we can counter them in future released games.

My first ever idea when I started to get anoyed by goldscam spammers/adds/ingamemails was why don't developer offer such services as there seems to be a demand for it else nobody would do it. So obviously I wasn't the only one thinking that way. I'm sure someone or some gaming company already thought of that even before it crossed my mind. But regardless of that, I do believe that made the start for ingame cashshops.

But it's growing out of hand in my opinion, where it use to be illegal to aquire certain ingame items for real life cash which was something most people even if they had the desire wouldn't go for due to the to penalty's if caught.

Let's face it most people will take the easy route if presented regardless their excuses.

But lets stick to the topic,

How do you think you could eliminate cashshops and 3rd party gold/item website's?

 

 

 

Even in GW2, where they have their own regulated gold market, you still get gold scammers. I saw them spamming away in the two event zones yesterday.

The only way to get rid of them will be to remove in game currency and have everything soulbound / earnt by the player.

Personally I would like that, I don't like the idea of selling items earnt by someone else in these types of games (although I have been guilty of selling items myself in the past).  

I don't have a problem with cash shops.

 

What do you mean by 3rd party gold sites?  Goldsellers?  That's a whole nothr subject.

Have a closed economy.

 

If there is only a finite amount of currency / resources available in the game, then it can all be tracked and managed.

 

Though the time and expertise required to develop something like that is far beyond the scope of most development studios.

No gold doesn't mean no black market, I've seen sites selling PoE orbs for real money.

Originally posted by XAPGames

I don't think it's possible to do both.  A game with no or limited cash shop will drive up player demand for 3rd party gold sellers.  If WoW couldn't stop it, I really don't see how any developer publisher would be able to.

 

The only approach I see to removing 3rd party gold selling completely, is to eliminate player trading entirely in a full subscription game.  You loot it, you own it, when time comes to gid rid of it, you vendor it.  I'm doubtful on how well that would work.

 

 

Of course you cannot stop gold sellers when you design your game retardedly which can be "farmed". When money/currency comes into the world from thin air by kiling snakes and beetles which spawn infinitely, you god damn sure farmers are going to sell gold.

If you create a solid economy system where gold is actually finite and owned by the city. No NPC should drop gold especially wild animals and uncivilized NPCs. Then you get a real economy which you can even track if gold was duped and these gold-farmers won't be able to "farm" gold because it's unfarmable.

That system is too different that needs pages of explanation but the developers are too lazy to make a better world economy in MMORPGs which leads to Gold Farmers easily selling gold whether by duping it, playing the auction house game or farming it.

 

Originally posted by LauraFrost

Originally posted by XAPGames

I don't think it's possible to do both.  A game with no or limited cash shop will drive up player demand for 3rd party gold sellers.  If WoW couldn't stop it, I really don't see how any developer publisher would be able to.

 

The only approach I see to removing 3rd party gold selling completely, is to eliminate player trading entirely in a full subscription game.  You loot it, you own it, when time comes to gid rid of it, you vendor it.  I'm doubtful on how well that would work.

 

 

Of course you cannot stop gold sellers when you design your game retardedly which can be "farmed". When money/currency comes into the world from thin air by kiling snakes and beetles which spawn infinitely, you god damn sure farmers are going to sell gold.

If you create a solid economy system where gold is actually finite and owned by the city. No NPC should drop gold especially wild animals and uncivilized NPCs. Then you get a real economy which you can even track if gold was duped and these gold-farmers won't be able to "farm" gold because it's unfarmable.

That system is too different that needs pages of explanation but the developers are too lazy to make a better world economy in MMORPGs which leads to Gold Farmers easily selling gold whether by duping it, playing the auction house game or farming it.

 

 

 

*old professor's voice *   "And this is what we define as the Pinata Economy:"

 

I'm not really concerned about eliminating either of them. Gold seller spam in chat channels, or companies that hack accounts to steal peoples stuff, now those I do think are an issue and companies can do more to combat each.

Remove the economy, all items BoP.

While pixels have a value there will always be someone there to sell it, and someone willing to buy.

By not using them.

But there's always idiots that use them, so they're here to stay.

Originally posted by VengeSunsoar

There was no gold in CoH either and there were farmers still.

Whether it's gold, influence or materials.  If there is something that is a grind to get and has a value, if a farmer believes there will be a customer there is a farmer.  You cannot have the ability to trade without also having the possibility of a farmer.

That sums it up. As long as there are customers, someone will be selling.  It's really that simple.

We are not you.

 

 

Originally posted by XAPGames

I don't think it's possible to do both.  A game with no or limited cash shop will drive up player demand for 3rd party gold sellers.  If WoW couldn't stop it, I really don't see how any developer publisher would be able to.

Gold falling from the sky (i.e. Monty Haul). Critters drop cash at enormous rates. No one feels the need to visit our nefarious friends.

Rampant inflation makes the currency valueless (eventually) but [High Score Big Numbers = Fun] requirement is satisfied.

Wonder how old the game has to be before the average gamer even notices he's been had.  "My 1E+9 gold won't even by a donut! WTH!"

Time for a new currency! Platinum in the next patch! [Bait and Switch]

 

Why has no modern MMO ever instituted bank robbers?

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Originally posted by LauraFrost

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Originally posted by XAPGames I don't think it's possible to do both.  A game with no or limited cash shop will drive up player demand for 3rd party gold sellers.  If WoW couldn't stop it, I really don't see how any developer publisher would be able to.   The only approach I see to removing 3rd party gold selling completely, is to eliminate player trading entirely in a full subscription game.  You loot it, you own it, when time comes to gid rid of it, you vendor it.  I'm doubtful on how well that would work.  

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Of course you cannot stop gold sellers when you design your game retardedly which can be "farmed". When money/currency comes into the world from thin air by kiling snakes and beetles which spawn infinitely, you god damn sure farmers are going to sell gold.

If you create a solid economy system where gold is actually finite and owned by the city. No NPC should drop gold especially wild animals and uncivilized NPCs. Then you get a real economy which you can even track if gold was duped and these gold-farmers won't be able to "farm" gold because it's unfarmable.

That system is too different that needs pages of explanation but the developers are too lazy to make a better world economy in MMORPGs which leads to Gold Farmers easily selling gold whether by duping it, playing the auction house game or farming it.

 

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Your equation is missing one link, if "gold" is that "limited", raw materials get sold by "farmers". After all you can't craft an Armour out of Gold doublets.

For "farmers" there is only one keypoint, and that is "tradeable". If it is, you can sell it for real money. I don't believe in game design that limits or prevents farmers, all it does is also limiting the game - for some trading is an important part of the social aspect of a MMO.

I believe the only thing that is able to remove thos,e is to remove the progression focus from ITEMS to the character itself (item's provide 1% of stats, character does 99%). And of course, active GMs scouting the game.

Originally posted by sea.shell

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For "farmers" there is only one keypoint, and that is "tradeable". If it is, you can sell it for real money. I don't believe in game design that limits or prevents farmers, all it does is also limiting the game - for some trading is an important part of the social aspect of a MMO.

THIS ^^ I love hawking wares and dealing. Let's not thow out the baby with the bathwater.

Originally posted by Scottgun

THIS ^^ I love hawking wares and dealing. Let's not thow out the baby with the bathwater.

But...but...message boards love pyrrhic solutions...

Originally posted by sea.shell

 

I believe the only thing that is able to remove thos,e is to remove the progression focus from ITEMS to the character itself (item's provide 1% of stats, character does 99%). And of course, active GMs scouting the game.

Then they will sell power leveling. Not like they are not already doing it. And you can also buy and sell characters.

There is a clear demand for progression (gear, character, level, ....), there will be a market for it.

Its not something you can get around anymore sadly. Even if you add those things into your own cash shop you will just be labled Pay 2 Win anyways. TSW seems to be the best middle ground ive seen, Even with its recent addition of starter gear (annoying but its not endgame gear) For Lifetime players that is purchaseable by anyone piece by piece for funcom points.