It's time to reevaluate the idea of adding a PLEX/Chronoscroll-like system to FFXIV

[NolLacnala]

Exchangeable game time is actually one of the most effective means to combating RMT, as it sets a standard value to in-game currency based around it. Gil sellers would be forced to match the value or lose business to SE's legit trade.

[Shougun]

How are we defining combat? I always felt it was a weird word choice. Does it matter if third party RMT makes less money? I thought the issue was the ability to buy in game currency with real money, not that it was third party. If the issue is buying a currency that -can- buy you end game content (leading to p2w and possibly a localized bulge in the market creating /local/ inflation*), then PLEX promotes RMT. If the issue is third party RMT, PLEX may lower their income but it does not end them - why do we care how much they make if they are still there in the same amount of force? *It is similar to those who just play FFXIV without using the market ward to those who use it, you will find your income/pocket money will be drastically different - now imagine spheres of income and imagine a sphere for those willing to purchase with real money in large sums, people who have a lot of money are able to pay more for particular products (or make even more money at a greater ability - separating those spheres even more). It probably won't mean end of the world, but the change could be palpable.

Another way to look at it is that because (we assume) lowered the price for gil with real cash, there is higher competition in the market and a higher demand as well - a higher demand means a higher supply and that means more RMT. Now of course there is a distinction on who that money is going to, but who obtains the money doesn't change that it is RMT... I thought. Real Money Trade (RMT) I thought did not mean Real Money Trade Except When We Do It (RMTEWWDI).

Also while it is possible third party RMT will make less money it isn't automatically known, by increasing demand they could find a better pricing point (selling 100 gil for 100$ once a day vs 100 gil for $10 two hundred times a day). WoW's system does prevent some manipulation of the currency but it still doesn't stop RMT, since (imo...) the system in and of itself is RMT.

[Intaki]

Also while it is possible third party RMT will make less money it isn't automatically known, by increasing demand they could find a better pricing point (selling 100 gil for 100$ once a day vs 100 gil for $10 two hundred times a day).

How many people do you know that would be willing to risk losing their account forever just to get a marginally better deal than what is being legitimately offered?

[Shougun]

How many people do you know that would be willing to risk losing their account forever just to get a marginally better deal than what is being legitimately offered?

While I don't think it is a small group of people it is also important to recognize that it is probably a lot of big whale return customers, who were already comfortable being illegitimate. Then they are given the option to pick the better return on investment with some hazy possible punishment in the future, maybe. Numbers not known, it is not known or imo important if third party RMT makes less money as the point is the RMT, the real money trade, and not the fact that it is third party.

[Dante_V]

I'm impartial to it. Just want to say that it's fairly obvious people do not understand economics or the dynamics between Supply and Demand or even the basic premise of the demand curve. Some of the comments in here are extremely funny with their "logic" but I digress, please continue.

[AlexionSkylark]

Oh, c'mon, I still wanted to hear about how those damn liberals are about to send Eorzea into recession!

If i'd take a guess, I'd say you started playing in Ul'Dah, right? Send Lord Lolorito my compliments
But then again, I tought all Monetarists were Lalafells...

EDIT: Oh yeah, Godbert is human. Fair enough.

[Tiggy]

Oh, c'mon, I still wanted to hear about how those damn liberals are about to send Eorzea into recession!

If i'd take a guess, I'd say you started playing in Ul'Dah, right? Send Lord Lolorito my compliments
But then again, I tought all Monetarists were Lalafells...

EDIT: Oh yeah, Godbert is human. Fair enough.

Wow man. Turning to insults now? That work out often for you when you aren't making a good case?

I started in Gridania, still live in Gridania, have less than 1 mil to my name, don't have a house, and don't intend to buy a house. Stop making assumptions about people solely because they disagree with you.

[sydh]

No. A "EVE Plex" type system would never work in this game. It works for EVE because there is a massive economy that is a major part of the game. You can play this game and never open the market board to sell anything... ever! A Plex system is a wonderful idea as an alternative payment system but not for FFXIV:ARR. This is coming from playing EVE for 2 to 3 years and spend over half of that paid by Plex.

[NinjaTaru72]

Exchangeable game time is actually one of the most effective means to combating RMT, as it sets a standard value to in-game currency based around it. Gil sellers would be forced to match the value or lose business to SE's legit trade.

I'll quote myself for you

I worry this would promote rmt more actually.

Look at it this way.

(on my server)
Platinum wedding cost 25$.
People sell it for 2-3m(from what I've heard.)

Plex would be $15(just to make it easy)

So would sell for (assumably) around 800-1.5m

RMT sell 1m for like 5$.

*this would cause something like this next statement to happen*

"OK so I am poor. I can out 5$ to rmt for 1m and buy a month of game that would be 15$. Let's just do that every month."

This now rmt is now getting more money and putting more shouts/bits in our game.


So I say no thanks to Plex.

THIS is what would end up happening, could promise it.

[Linadae]

I'll quote myself for you


THIS is what would end up happening, could promise it.

Unless (and I am on neither side of the fence) SE goes with WoW's method where THEY decide how much their version of Plex goes for in gil. Players will supply it and reap the in game rewards but they have no direct control over the pricing.