Originally Posted by
Stompa
There are lots of ways to play videogames at a high standard of skill, without requiring RMT gil input, and without requiring high-value inflated prices on goods you sell just so you can play. I very rarely sell high-price inflated items, most of my income is just farming regular junk and also fishing. I am still able to seriously enjoy the game, have immense amounts of fun and excitement in low-man runs with my friends. Having fun is not expensive. Having the best gear in the game often is. But even in those cases you can farm it, just much slower than if you were surfing the inflated RMT wave.
I've been a gamer for 33 years, I'm not especially proud of it because being old really sucks. But for over three decades I been mashing these buttons and I've always felt that Gaming is no different to other high-skill sports. For example in the Olympics, top athletes compete, and victory is based on skill, stamina, practice, luck, etc. These factors are no different to Videogaming. When an athlete uses steroids to win, that is the same as a Gamer buying gil, or using hacks and cheatmodes. It is cheating, it places an unfair advantage on the person cheating. And it is considered a big sin in all Sports, and many Gamers consider it to be a big sin in Videogames too.
The best times I have had in FFXI in 9 years have been exciting low-man battles where me and my friends were almost dying but somehow managed to survive, by skill and stamina. That doesn't cost gil. And those are the best times I've had. Also obtaining ra-ex stuff from caskets or NM's, really gave me a thrill when the item dropped after so much effort. And again it is an entirely gil-free situation.
I don't have a problem with catching fish and NPCing them or selling them at low AH prices, or farming/making my own threads for clothcraft. The money is enough to support my game. It just takes longer than the 'buy everything with gil' route, but tbh man I'm not in a hurry.