An idea to combat RMT...

[Laerune]

So someone can buy a big mansion, expensive glamours, expensive mounts and be rich ingame, by trading (buy token, sell it for gil) money ----> gil via SE? Isnt this a form of P2W?

[Krotoan]

So someone can buy a big mansion, expensive glamours, expensive mounts and be rich ingame, by trading (buy token, sell it for gil) money ----> gil via SE? Isnt this a form of P2W?

Not really. Someone can trade a token used for buying gametime that costs a fixed price to another player for an amount of Gil. Using gil you CAN acquire a house (if there's one available), glamours, mounts and gear. None of which affect another gamers experience negatively. YOu might argue you can buy crafted gear that's better than anothers, but as high tier gear is not required for any endgame content and all can be acquired through investing in gameplay, there really is no limitation you're surpassing with money.

[Zarabeth]

So someone can buy a big mansion, expensive glamours, expensive mounts and be rich ingame, by trading (buy token, sell it for gil) money ----> gil via SE? Isnt this a form of P2W?

Yes, it's the definition of pay to win!!! Right now the best gear in the game is crafted and must be bought on the marketboard for non crafters. Food is the same, as are certain potions, many gears, etc. So, being able to buy gil (or tokens to sell for gil) is most definitely pay to win. Paying for gil means pretty much anything on the marketboard is yours for real money instead of having to earn it.

[Krotoan]

Yes, it's the definition of pay to win!!! Right now the best gear in the game is crafted and must be bought on the marketboard for non crafters. Food is the same, as are certain potions, many gears, etc. So, being able to buy gil (or tokens to sell for gil) is most definitely pay to win. Paying for gil means pretty much anything on the marketboard is yours for real money instead of having to earn it.

.. so where do you get real money for free?.. Cause I gotta put in hours for mine.

And no, that is NOT the definition. You get no advantage to "beat" other players. Someone with the time to put in the game can make just as much currency and purchase the same upgrades. "Pay to win" is about having an unfair advantage (usually PVP, such as having weapons you can use against people that are ONLY available for real money) or having a "paywall" that cannot be surmounted without paying real money, not about paying money INSTEAD of putting in time.

[kikix12]

And no, that is NOT the definition. You get no advantage to "beat" other players. Someone with the time to put in the game can make just as much currency and purchase the same upgrades. "Pay to win" is about having an unfair advantage (usually PVP, such as having weapons you can use against people that are ONLY available for real money) or having a "paywall" that cannot be surmounted without paying real money, not about paying money INSTEAD of putting in time.

Actually, "P2W" is as it sounds. A game where a person can literally buy their way into the top tiers. It's not like it's necessary for them to be strictly superior to the long-playing, elite gamers. That is simply an extreme version of it. It's enough that they can become elite entirely based on their real-life purchases. If the top-end gear, pots, food and what not were all sold for real life money, even though you can get them in game, it still would be technically a "pay to win" game. Cause you "bought" your superiority over majority of the population.

That being said, it would NOT be the case in Final Fantasy XIV. The effort required to get the gear that can be bought is "manageable", while it is significantly inferior to things that are gotten only in game. It's entirely possible to NEVER spend a single gil or level ANY of the crafter classes. Never to touch any gear that can be sold. And still end up with the best character in the game. On the contrary, a person could have unlimited supply of gil and still be sub-par, just because there's an unbreakable wall. The best gear cannot be bought with gil.

[Krotoan]

Actually, "P2W" is as it sounds. A game where a person can literally buy their way into the top tiers. It's not like it's necessary for them to be strictly superior to the long-playing, elite gamers. That is simply an extreme version of it. It's enough that they can become elite entirely based on their real-life purchases. If the top-end gear, pots, food and what not were all sold for real life money, even though you can get them in game, it still would be technically a "pay to win" game. Cause you "bought" your superiority over majority of the population.

did you.. just..



arguably "P2W" be will subjective to the individual you ask. As I experienced it as it was developing it was used almost exclusively when referring to games you HAD to spend money on and slowly started to involve being "better" than others quickly. .. but as I've said it's subjective.

people will argue with you that the best gear IS the crafted stuff currently, fully overmelded (till raid release at least). BUT, as you have said, there is no wall to surmount . Gil is freely available to all players at an accessible rate.