RMT for future games is pure speculation, I agree. The problem it seems to me is that people have gone and asked. "What are the current problems, How do we fix them with MONEY" instead of "How do we fix them with GAMEPLAY"
This is commercially driven more than any mistake in approach I think - companies (publishers probably more than the devs) have realised some people will pay extra and are manipulating developers (though there are likely some devs wanting a slice) to approach it from a monetary perspective. ('An elf, barely equipped. We can rebuild you, We have the technology' - The six million dollar elf)
I am with your ideas on Permeability. But there's money to be made somewhere here so that's all the greedy noses can smell.
EQII *added* the exchange model in *after* the game had been completed. So no wonder it has been a moderate success. The lack of permeable gameplay was flawed enough to promote extra spending by players. I think people have missed that point a bit, so i'll say it again. EQII *added* the exchange model in *afterwards.* This is entirely different to adding it in from the beggining. RMT is the solution to existing problems, that can be avoided in the 'next generation' by modifying gameplay.
If a max level character in Warcraft or Everquest or Vanguard or any other MMO could change to a different class or move to a different server, for FREE, sales in characters would go down. This sort of gameplay extension could easily be achieved if designed in from the start.
I'm still not decided on how item/gold sales would fare, but no doubt there's similiar FREE solutions that could enable people to enjoy the game without having to become salespeople.
I hate to think of the numerous "scammers" that might appear and destroy the gameplay, or the 'cult-like' guilds who charge their own subscription fees so the leader's can buy equipment.
P.S. Thanks for your 'hat tip' to my comments the other day.
Rise of the Twinks
RMT for future games is pure speculation, I agree. The problem it seems to me is that people have gone and asked. "What are the current problems, How do we fix them with MONEY" instead of "How do we fix them with GAMEPLAY"
This is commercially driven more than any mistake in approach I think - companies (publishers probably more than the devs) have realised some people will pay extra and are manipulating developers (though there are likely some devs wanting a slice) to approach it from a monetary perspective. ('An elf, barely equipped. We can rebuild you, We have the technology' - The six million dollar elf)
I am with your ideas on Permeability. But there's money to be made somewhere here so that's all the greedy noses can smell.
EQII *added* the exchange model in *after* the game had been completed. So no wonder it has been a moderate success. The lack of permeable gameplay was flawed enough to promote extra spending by players. I think people have missed that point a bit, so i'll say it again. EQII *added* the exchange model in *afterwards.* This is entirely different to adding it in from the beggining. RMT is the solution to existing problems, that can be avoided in the 'next generation' by modifying gameplay.
If a max level character in Warcraft or Everquest or Vanguard or any other MMO could change to a different class or move to a different server, for FREE, sales in characters would go down. This sort of gameplay extension could easily be achieved if designed in from the start.
I'm still not decided on how item/gold sales would fare, but no doubt there's similiar FREE solutions that could enable people to enjoy the game without having to become salespeople.
I hate to think of the numerous "scammers" that might appear and destroy the gameplay, or the 'cult-like' guilds who charge their own subscription fees so the leader's can buy equipment.
P.S. Thanks for your 'hat tip' to my comments the other day.