So Devs...Are we going to rule with an iron fist this time around?

[IndigoDarkwolf]

Because of how progression in WoW worked, you could not buy success with gold. Which then equates to a weaker market for RMT due to a decreased demand. The fact the game was designed in such a way that there wasn't much they could truly exploit really helped.

I understand what you're trying to say about how an MMO's design can contribute to or discourage RMTs. It's hardly fair to criticize FFXI for having support reps on hand to identify RMTs, though, since WoW most definitely has the same kind of people. So does EVE Online, Lineage II, and basically any MMO where the developers actually care at all.

If the game has a way of trading currency for something of value, then it will have an RMT problem. If WoW's gold was really worthless, there wouldn't be an auction house.

Really, what developers can do well to help themselves is make it easy for players to report RMTs including a trustworthy chat log, and to record market and trade activity. Really, the more time they spend on tools to help players participate in policing and to help their reps investigate reports, the more success they're going to have fighting RMTs. I suspect WoW has very good tools these days, so RMTs get shut down quickly, making it more lucrative for them to go exploit other games.

[Duelle]

I understand what you're trying to say about how an MMO's design can contribute to or discourage RMTs. It's hardly fair to criticize FFXI for having support reps on hand to identify RMTs, though, since WoW most definitely has the same kind of people. So does EVE Online, Lineage II, and basically any MMO where the developers actually care at all.

Indeed, but the most RMT ever interacted with you in WoW was when they would sent you tells with the url to their website or if they started spamming adds in trade chat. And as I said, everyone would just report them for spam and move on.

I used to get PK'd by gangs of RMT in the days of Lineage II, because the moment you weren't convenient to have around they would log on in droves and greatly outnumber you (fighting off Wolves1-12, Lions1-12 and so on). FFXI had instances of MPKing from RMT (much like players MPKd RMT as well). I already mentioned NM camps and crafting supplies.

As I said earlier, XI's developers (this was back under Tanaka) refused to see that their "difficulty" (read: tediousness and timesinks gallore) made it easier for RMT to thrive between time available, manpower, and the community's pressure on the average player that didn't want to spend ten hours farming beehive chips to buy the overpriced gear he was expected to have for exp parties. Rather than say "well, our system is fucked up and is encouraging and letting RMT thrive. Maybe we should change some stuff so that RMT becomes trivial and looses their stranglehold on the game", they said "let's pay someone just to monitor game transactions and change nothing!". Even now I get annoyed at thinking about it because they glossed over the problem entirely. And as I said, I'm not a fan of witch hunts.

[valetarkus]

And as I said, I'm not a fan of witch hunts.

Dude i love burning witches. it's my favorite past time.

[xXHalloweenTrixXx]

Indeed, but the most RMT ever interacted with you in WoW was when they would sent you tells with the url to their website or if they started spamming adds in trade chat. And as I said, everyone would just report them for spam and move on.

I used to get PK'd by gangs of RMT in the days of Lineage II, because the moment you weren't convenient to have around they would log on in droves and greatly outnumber you (fighting off Wolves1-12, Lions1-12 and so on). FFXI had instances of MPKing from RMT (much like players MPKd RMT as well). I already mentioned NM camps and crafting supplies.

As I said earlier, XI's developers (this was back under Tanaka) refused to see that their "difficulty" (read: tediousness and timesinks gallore) made it easier for RMT to thrive between time available, manpower, and the community's pressure on the average player that didn't want to spend ten hours farming beehive chips to buy the overpriced gear he was expected to have for exp parties. Rather than say "well, our system is fucked up and is encouraging and letting RMT thrive. Maybe we should change some stuff so that RMT becomes trivial and looses their stranglehold on the game", they said "let's pay someone just to monitor game transactions and change nothing!". Even now I get annoyed at thinking about it because they glossed over the problem entirely. And as I said, I'm not a fan of witch hunts.

And you know what... I prefer them providing something than -nothing- at all.

They provided a team to specifically deal with RMTs, sure it may not be the exact fix to your problem but it was something to help thwart the plague of bots.

People tend to not be grateful for the little things. I guess you preferred nothing.

[Scarletyoshi]

And you know what... I prefer them providing something than -nothing- at all.

They provided a team to specifically deal with RMTs, sure it may not be the exact fix to your problem but it was something to help thwart the plague of bots.

People tend to not be grateful for the little things. I guess you preferred nothing.

That's an unfortunate trap that some people allow themselves to be caught in. Just doing something is not always better than doing nothing at all, especially when that something distracts from taking actual effective action, or even makes the situation worse.

If you cut your hand and someone gives you a wet tissue declaring "Problem solved!" should you be thankful for the "little things," or would you reject that something in favor of fighting for a solution that actually helped your situation?

Don't be too quick to accept the notion that the only two options are "nothing at all" and "something so ineffectual it might as well be nothing."