Real Money Trade: Difference between revisions

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* A side charcter in the GU games has a hacked weapon that was bought via real money tradeing.
* A side charcter in the GU games has a hacked weapon that was bought via real money tradeing.
* The [[Cory Doctorow]] short story "Anda's Game" is entirely dedicated to the titular character's interaction with a bunch of gold farmers in an imaginary MMORPG.
* The [[Cory Doctorow]] short story "Anda's Game" is entirely dedicated to the titular character's interaction with a bunch of gold farmers in an imaginary MMORPG.
* Also by [[Cory Doctorow]], an attempt to unionize illegal gold farmers forms much of the plot of ''[[For the Win (Literature)|For the Win]]''.
* Also by [[Cory Doctorow]], an attempt to unionize illegal gold farmers forms much of the plot of ''[[For the Win]]''.
* One character of [[Walter Jon Williams]]' ''This Is Not a Game'' makes most of his income by gold farming and ganking -- while at his official phone support job.
* One character of [[Walter Jon Williams]]' ''This Is Not a Game'' makes most of his income by gold farming and ganking -- while at his official phone support job.
* ''[[Ctrl Alt Del]]'' made a comic (and now a poster) describing "MMO Hell" with major offenders being punished [[Divine Comedy]] style. Gold farmers and gold buyers are lumped together in the 4th circle; farmers are punished by being submerged in putrid soil and have to dig for gold coins that always slip just a little bit deeper into the muck, while gold buyers are weighed down by countless thousands of gold coins and have to crawl to buy their salvation from a vendor that is always out of reach.
* ''[[Ctrl+Alt+Del]]'' made a comic (and now a poster) describing "MMO Hell" with major offenders being punished [[Divine Comedy]] style. Gold farmers and gold buyers are lumped together in the 4th circle; farmers are punished by being submerged in putrid soil and have to dig for gold coins that always slip just a little bit deeper into the muck, while gold buyers are weighed down by countless thousands of gold coins and have to crawl to buy their salvation from a vendor that is always out of reach.
* In the [[Live Action TV]] series ''[[Noob (TV)|Noob]]'', one character has been bumped down to level 1 as a punishment for buying in-game stuff on a website called ''farmerchinois.com'' ("Chinese farmer").
* In the [[Live Action TV]] series ''[[Noob (TV series)|Noob]]'', one character has been bumped down to level 1 as a punishment for buying in-game stuff on a website called ''farmerchinois.com'' ("Chinese farmer").
* Neal Stephenson's ''[[Reamde (Literature)|Reamde]]'' centers around gold farming and RMT. The dominant MMORPG, T'Rain, got that way by legitimizing the practice, and thereby unseating World of Warcraft.
* Neal Stephenson's ''[[Reamde]]'' centers around gold farming and RMT. The dominant MMORPG, T'Rain, got that way by legitimizing the practice, and thereby unseating World of Warcraft.
* [[Real Life]] example: [http://www.juliandibbell.com/ Julian Dibbell] famously spent a year trying to make a living primarily as a Real Money Trader in World of Warcraft; he wrote a [http://www.juliandibbell.com/playmoney/index.html blog, and later a book], about the experience.
* [[Real Life]] example: [http://www.juliandibbell.com/ Julian Dibbell] famously spent a year trying to make a living primarily as a Real Money Trader in World of Warcraft; he wrote a [http://www.juliandibbell.com/playmoney/index.html blog, and later a book], about the experience.


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** Now that players can turn off the e-mail system altogether, or only allow e-mails from friends/Super Group members, even if the spam isn't decreasing, it can be given the appearance of having disappeared.
** Now that players can turn off the e-mail system altogether, or only allow e-mails from friends/Super Group members, even if the spam isn't decreasing, it can be given the appearance of having disappeared.
* In 2005, a man was stabbed to death in China after he sold a sword someone had lent him in ''The Legend of Mir 3''. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/4486823.stm Source].
* In 2005, a man was stabbed to death in China after he sold a sword someone had lent him in ''The Legend of Mir 3''. [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/4486823.stm Source].
* ''[[Final Fantasy XI]]'' has its share of this problem, and [[Square Enix]] is very much against it. [[RM Ts]] tell-spam with impunity using disposable free trial characters, and just about every ad you find on any FFXI-related site is for gilsellers. RMT frequently abuse the fishing system with "fishbots" (turning fishing into a simple minigame didn't deter them for long; in fact, it opened up a new exploit that expedited the system), use [[Game Mod|cheats]] to complete quests more quickly than should be possible, exploit high NPC resale prices, and monopolize Notorious Monsters with saleable goods. To combat them, SE created the Special Task Force <s>[[Fun With Acronyms|Unit]]</s>, which has successfully reduced the severity of the problem. However, SE is also so paranoid on the matter that probably the best way an unscrupulous person could eliminate someone they don't like from the game would be to devise a plausible way to accuse them of RMT... especially as one is not allowed to defend one's own case. It's also gotten to the point that the RMT are actually ''hijacking player accounts'' in order to get the gil to sell, usually destroying ''years'' of work. It happened before the anti-RMT levels became so dramatic, but it's incredibly common now.
* ''[[Final Fantasy XI]]'' has its share of this problem, and [[Square Enix]] is very much against it. [[RM Ts]] tell-spam with impunity using disposable free trial characters, and just about every ad you find on any FFXI-related site is for gilsellers. RMT frequently abuse the fishing system with "fishbots" (turning fishing into a simple minigame didn't deter them for long; in fact, it opened up a new exploit that expedited the system), use [[Game Mod|cheats]] to complete quests more quickly than should be possible, exploit high NPC resale prices, and monopolize Notorious Monsters with saleable goods. To combat them, SE created the Special Task Force <s>[[Fun with Acronyms|Unit]]</s>, which has successfully reduced the severity of the problem. However, SE is also so paranoid on the matter that probably the best way an unscrupulous person could eliminate someone they don't like from the game would be to devise a plausible way to accuse them of RMT... especially as one is not allowed to defend one's own case. It's also gotten to the point that the RMT are actually ''hijacking player accounts'' in order to get the gil to sell, usually destroying ''years'' of work. It happened before the anti-RMT levels became so dramatic, but it's incredibly common now.
** The problem was abated somewhat when [[Square Enix]] put out a Security Token that generates one-time numeric passwords based off of an algorithm. Sadly, the Security Token came with an in-game item called a "Mog Satchel", an additional inventory system that can be accessed anywhere- people bought the Security Token for the additional inventory, then deactivated it afterward making themselves no more protected from RMT hi-jacking than they were before.
** The problem was abated somewhat when [[Square Enix]] put out a Security Token that generates one-time numeric passwords based off of an algorithm. Sadly, the Security Token came with an in-game item called a "Mog Satchel", an additional inventory system that can be accessed anywhere- people bought the Security Token for the additional inventory, then deactivated it afterward making themselves no more protected from RMT hi-jacking than they were before.
* ''[[Runescape]]'' had this problem during 2007 where it has become an obvious issue to the folks at Jagex. They tried to combat it with Trade Limits, death drops and making it so it will be difficult for gold farmers to use types of gold selling which require a heavy deal of trust. However, the crowd was rather angry to learn of this after. This was removed in February 2011.
* ''[[Runescape]]'' had this problem during 2007 where it has become an obvious issue to the folks at Jagex. They tried to combat it with Trade Limits, death drops and making it so it will be difficult for gold farmers to use types of gold selling which require a heavy deal of trust. However, the crowd was rather angry to learn of this after. This was removed in February 2011.
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* Three Rings Design's games have a separate currency is used for all the things players would normally have to buy a subscription for. Naturally, this currency is bought with real money, but can be traded afterwards.
* Three Rings Design's games have a separate currency is used for all the things players would normally have to buy a subscription for. Naturally, this currency is bought with real money, but can be traded afterwards.
* [[Achaea|Iron Realms Entertainment]] games use "credits", which can be bought with real money but not sold for it (similarly to EVE, IRE games have theft as a prominent feature). Credits are traded for gold and items in-game at a varying exchange rate, but the credits-to-real-money rate remains constant.
* [[Achaea|Iron Realms Entertainment]] games use "credits", which can be bought with real money but not sold for it (similarly to EVE, IRE games have theft as a prominent feature). Credits are traded for gold and items in-game at a varying exchange rate, but the credits-to-real-money rate remains constant.
* ''[[Battlefield Heroes]]'' is a game in the ''[[Battlefield (Video Game)|Battlefield]]'' series which has been announced to be free to play, and is made to be easy to play and include [[RPG Elements]] via character customization. It has been also said there will be character clothing available to all players, but some must be bought. However, the developers have stated the clothing will not have an effect on gameplay, and that they will be entirely ok with players not ever spending a penny on the game.
* ''[[Battlefield Heroes]]'' is a game in the ''[[Battlefield (series)|Battlefield]]'' series which has been announced to be free to play, and is made to be easy to play and include [[RPG Elements]] via character customization. It has been also said there will be character clothing available to all players, but some must be bought. However, the developers have stated the clothing will not have an effect on gameplay, and that they will be entirely ok with players not ever spending a penny on the game.
* ''[[Kingdom of Loathing]]'' doesn't allow RMT between players, but there is an accessory you receive by donating $10 to the game. It is generally valued at about the amount of meat (in-game currency) that a reasonably well-equipped character could expect to make in a month's worth of farming for it. Because it is very easy to sell the accessory at the current market price, said price works as a very practical real-money-to-meat exchange rate, albeit a one-way one (the accessory's price also serves as a key indicator of the in-game economy.)
* ''[[Kingdom of Loathing]]'' doesn't allow RMT between players, but there is an accessory you receive by donating $10 to the game. It is generally valued at about the amount of meat (in-game currency) that a reasonably well-equipped character could expect to make in a month's worth of farming for it. Because it is very easy to sell the accessory at the current market price, said price works as a very practical real-money-to-meat exchange rate, albeit a one-way one (the accessory's price also serves as a key indicator of the in-game economy.)
** The accessory is also used to purchase [[Bribing Your Way to Victory]] items, which can lead to canny investors making a meat profit via the market when the next Item of the Month is out and the old one becomes a limited commodity. This is also perfectly acceptable, as there's still no way to trade meat for cash.
** The accessory is also used to purchase [[Bribing Your Way to Victory]] items, which can lead to canny investors making a meat profit via the market when the next Item of the Month is out and the old one becomes a limited commodity. This is also perfectly acceptable, as there's still no way to trade meat for cash.
* Check the banners on this particular page. Right there.
* Check the banners on this particular page. Right there.
* [[Maple Story]] on occasion sells Money Sacks, which is exactly what it says on the tin. The downside? The illegal market for such things is at a better rate.
* [[Maple Story]] on occasion sells Money Sacks, which is exactly what it says on the tin. The downside? The illegal market for such things is at a better rate.
* Although ''[[Magic the Gathering]] Online'' encourages one to use their in-game trading and auction sites, they don't come down heavy on players who sell Online cards through outside sources, mainly because in-game trading and auctions don't give real money back (rather, they use game tickets, which are used to enter tournaments). In effect, using Ebay to sell MTGO cards is pretty much exactly like using Ebay to sell real Magic cards.
* Although ''[[Magic: The Gathering]] Online'' encourages one to use their in-game trading and auction sites, they don't come down heavy on players who sell Online cards through outside sources, mainly because in-game trading and auctions don't give real money back (rather, they use game tickets, which are used to enter tournaments). In effect, using Ebay to sell MTGO cards is pretty much exactly like using Ebay to sell real Magic cards.
* Valve preempted this by including the Mann Co. store in ''[[Team Fortress 2 (Video Game)|Team Fortress 2]]'' alongside trading. The in game store has just about every item in the game, all of which can be obtained through the random drop system. There is still a small market in Unusual hats, something of a status symbol amongst players.
* Valve preempted this by including the Mann Co. store in ''[[Team Fortress 2]]'' alongside trading. The in game store has just about every item in the game, all of which can be obtained through the random drop system. There is still a small market in Unusual hats, something of a status symbol amongst players.
** The Unusual Hats created an inverse of RMT, specifically in that several in-game items were given pricings similar to real world dollars. A Mann.Co Key is worth 2.50 dollars in real life, and could be traded for 2.5 refined metal in-game. Therefore many players considered 1 refined metal to be the same as a dollar, resulting in wild prices based around the refined metal and it's lesser forms. Entire spreadsheets, auctions and guides are made on "how to trade" in-game, which has leaked into other Steam-related games after the advent of the gift system and Steam Trading (you can even buy other games with Team Fortress 2 Metals).
** The Unusual Hats created an inverse of RMT, specifically in that several in-game items were given pricings similar to real world dollars. A Mann.Co Key is worth 2.50 dollars in real life, and could be traded for 2.5 refined metal in-game. Therefore many players considered 1 refined metal to be the same as a dollar, resulting in wild prices based around the refined metal and it's lesser forms. Entire spreadsheets, auctions and guides are made on "how to trade" in-game, which has leaked into other Steam-related games after the advent of the gift system and Steam Trading (you can even buy other games with Team Fortress 2 Metals).
* In a decision which has proved quite... divisive so far, Blizzard, the makers of the above-mentioned ''[[World of Warcraft]]'', have announced that the in-game auction house in [[Diablo|Diablo III]] will allow players to buy and sell items in real-world money as well as in in-game gold. How this will play out is yet to be seen.
* In a decision which has proved quite... divisive so far, Blizzard, the makers of the above-mentioned ''[[World of Warcraft]]'', have announced that the in-game auction house in [[Diablo|Diablo III]] will allow players to buy and sell items in real-world money as well as in in-game gold. How this will play out is yet to be seen.
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