What has gotten into this world and MMORPGs?!

^So are you advocating this form of escapism or decrying it?

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Originally Posted by Cellius

^So are you advocating this form of escapism or decrying it?

I made no indication of advocation or denouncement; that wasn't the purpose of my post. I was simpy offering a possible explanation for this behaviour and an answer to the (implied) question:

Quote:

I don't understand how you can just send off your money, and not have anything physical in return to show for it.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

I personally think that its a completely sane venture to sell items from MMORPGS. Your essentially doing the same thing when you purchase the game. Your spending money on something that will offer you a gaming experience. Then you spend more money to add to that experience.

Sure some people go overboard, but that happens with everything now days.

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

I've done it. In FFXI I am the thing that everyone hates. Except that I don't make it known that I have bought gil. I don't remember how much it was, but I did pay real cash for 8 million gil. 5 months later I'm down to 5 mil. The average gil buyer will buy anything at cost simply cause they have unlimited amounts of gil. If something that is worth 4000 but someone is selling the last one for 10000, they will buy it. Well..not me - my spending habits didn't change. Reason I did it because this is my 7th time going through the game from quitting - after deleting my level 70 character -.-. With not nearly as much as time as I had previously, I just wanted to get back to where I was as quick as possible. Farming takes ages. I fought the urge to buy gil for 2 years.

I wont ever do that anymore though and with PSU coming out I will surely be quitting FFXI for good and that 5 mil will be removed from circulation. In a way I am happy it is ruined because I got screwed over by people so much in that game. It is wrong for me to rag on my "bretheren" RMTers.. but 400$ for a character..that kind of money I will never spend online unless it's for a new computer.

Just a note that my life is anything but shitty. I must admit I feel a bit better confessing that. When I made the tranaction I felt as if I was betraying myself as a veteran player.

I was speaking idiomatically.

MMORPGs are successful because they combine two popular activities of the Internet and computing world, gaming and socializing. You see all sorts of wild stories everyday about the wild things that happen in gaming with kids playing themselves to death and socializing turning into e-stalking on MySpace. Is it any surprise that MMORPGs, which integrate both, would also have these problems?

Not slamming MMORPGs. I love WoW myself. But the vices that the OP is complaining about regarding MMORPGs can be found in just about any activity. For me personally, the amount of violence that occurs in countries over World Cup losses is more disturbing than what the OP is so outraged about.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

Yeah is a problem with some people...but I don't see why other make such a big deal about it though. I seen people spend money on plenty of other worthless things. Is spent for entertainment of some sorts....

I'm a FFXI player myself...though I might not have purchased any GIL myself I can see why some people would.

WinterStorm
Your not on Cerberus server are you? Your name seems very familiar...

FELIPE NO

I played on the cerberus server for 3 years. There was a thread in the multiplayer forum with an FFXI server directory - you probably saw my posts there. I updated it 2-3 times before stopping. Keep in mind I didn't do the "Sin of RMT" on cerb; I have another character on ragnarok.

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

Originally Posted by Winter Storm

I played on the cerberus server for 3 years. There was a thread in the multiplayer forum with an FFXI server directory - you probably saw my posts there. I updated it 2-3 times before stopping. Keep in mind I didn't do the "Sin of RMT" on cerb; I have another character on ragnarok.

Meh...don't worry about me. I care less about this whole buying gil issue people have. I personaly think is both good and bad in some ways but telling on people that buy/sell gil is more of a complete waste of time.

Well if you're ever back ok Cerberus send me a /tell or whatever, the ingame name is "Kittana" or "Desnia"....we'll go PT or some shit

How ya doing, buddy?

I have to admit I purchased virtual items before. Mainly because the little amount of time I have to play would be trying to farm for the items instead of enjoying the game. I don't think I would do it anymore but the way I saw it was I was paying real money to play in a virtual world so why not pay real money for a virtual item?

There's nowhere I can't reach.

Originally Posted by Cellius

WoWDetox.com is a pretty eye-opening site. It looks like it's just a large guestbook where people post their stories of World of Warcraft addiction. Some of them are just depressing to read.

Quote:

This game has completely taken over my life. I cannot and probably will not ever stop playing it.

It all began two years ago inncocently enough. I bought this game and it was my first MMORPG. I was making 80k a year had a wife, a 3 month old son, and a house. At first the game only took up a small amount of my time.

After about 3 months I was a full fledged addicted WoW gamer. I stopped changing my sons diapers, mowing the lawn, making love to my wife, bathing, and working out.

After 1 year I was on the brink of losing my house and family. I thought I could control the addiction and threw my computer into a dumpster. That same night, at 2am, I drove to the dumpster almost 20 miles from my home and rumuged through it for my PC.

I lost my job two weeks later and was forced to forclose on our brand new home 2 months after that.

A few weeks after losing the house my wife left me.

I have not seen her or my child in nearly six months. I now live with my parents and am still unemployed.

I have tried suicide several different times but failed miserably each time. I believe next time I will forgo the inconvience of failed suicide by using a remmington rifle and a bullet.

Well, I have to get my tier 3 gear first, then Ill probably commit suicide. Ill have to run it by the guildies first. Sorry this is so long.

Damn...... some of those REALLY ARE depressing to read. Throwing away your life like that..... I wish I could be making 80k a year.

Most amazing jew boots

People say they buy items because they don't have the time to build up their character. What's the point of even playing the game though? That's why MMORPGs are fun. You build up your character. To me it's like buying a game and using a code to start right at the end boss of a game with perfect stats and beating the entire game in a minute.

If someone doesn't have time to build up stats and train your character, then what is the point in even playing an MMORPG in the first place? That whole reason sounds a little odd to me. I'm not buying that the older ones are the ones buying these because they don't have time. I think it's strictly addictions of kids wanting things NOW, rather than training for them. I don't think it had anything to do with older people with jobs taking a shortcut to dominance, because they don't have the time to play it.

Again, if that were the case, there would be no real reason to even play the game. It's like buying a book and skipping to the last chapter right away because you don't have time to read the whole thing.

How ya doing, buddy?

Originally Posted by Greykin

Damn...... some of those REALLY ARE depressing to read. Throwing away your life like that..... I wish I could be making 80k a year.

Yeah, if there was a way to prove that those stories are actually real, and not just tales written poking fun at WoW players.

I was speaking idiomatically.

Quote:

People say they buy items because they don't have the time to build up their character. What's the point of even playing the game though? That's why MMORPGs are fun. You build up your character.

MMO's are online pissing contests, where groups of thirtysome players suffer from some clubhouse/ "greater internet !@#$wad" mentality, while pretentious 25-30 year olds troll over the importance of the "INGAME ECONOMY", when they'dprobablymakebtterstfllersforatalkshoworsomes htlolz

"GetafreakinlifeAGHAHHGAJJZZH1!1"

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

everyone has their own obsessions.. and I agree with the whole 'a fool and his money are quick to part ways' thing because the reality is, most of us have the common sense to NOT to do this and other responsibilities that our paychecks go to in order to keep that common sense in check.

FELIPE NO

I play Guild Wars, a game where real life money is traded for virtual money and items too, but at least trading in this game is nowhere near as problematic as World of warcraft.

In World of Warcraft, good items are hard to find by just raiding, this is why so many people turn to buying equipment from other players using real life money. In Guild Wars, it is easier to get the items you want, so real life money purchases are a lot rarer in GW than in WoW.

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?