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Finally, someone's listening to player input about RMT
ArcAngel3
Member Posts: 2,931
I actually found a game company that spells out RMT clearly, and deals with customers fairly. What I mean is that there is no illusion that you are "purchasing" virtual goods for real money. You're clearly renting the use of a virtual item. AND if the virtual item you paid for becomes unavailable, you can get a replacement or a refund. Yup, it's true. This isn't like other games where you can purchase something and the company can eliminate it anytime they see fit, leaving you with nothing. Here's a quote from the EULA I'm referring to, with a link to its source. /tiphat to the game company, a refreshing change.
"4.8. Within a Game world, gamigo may provide the User with a Service which allows him to purchase virtual goods with the simulated currency in that Game world or, as a Premium Feature, with real money. These virtual goods, which may be purchased within the Game worlds, are not “goods” or “property” in a legal sense. Where the User “buys” virtual goods from gamigo, the User does not become their owner. gamigo solely grants the User a limited licence to the goods which is specified in detail by gamigo, even where the terminology used is such that a different relationship may be inferred. Irrespective of any other agreements and rights, such a licence shall lapse where the Contract between the User and gamigo ends, and in particular where such Contract is terminated. Purchased items and non-existent Games currency shall also expire, unless otherwise expressly stated.
Where the User has already paid for Premium Features for a future period and cannot use them because they are no longer available and/or are also available in the free test or basic version, gamigo shall, at the discretion of the User, offer alternative Premium Features and/or refund the amount paid by the User pro rata temporis."
http://pirate-galaxy.gamigo.com/agb/
Now this, in my opinion, is how all RMT should be handled in MMOs. You purchase the use of the item for a specified time, and if it becomes unavailable you get a replacement item or a refund on the time remaining. Nice job gamigo!
Comments
But how is the game play? How is the payment structure?
Do I need to buy every piece of nonsense to get a game going? How much fun is there without paying extra real dollars? How much does the extra dollar contribute.
I am under no illusion that games should be free. But without full details about the game, just that segment of ToA means nothing. A monthly is ok for me, optional payment is ok so long as it does not degenerate into extortion. But first show me the game. Is it even worth playing in the first place?
I didn't know item malls normally don't do that when puchasing an allotment of time for a feature or service (not to be confused with paying for an item). Thanks for the heads up!
- RPG Quiz - can you get all 25 right?
- FPS Quiz - how well do you know your shooters?
RMT is just another cash grab no matter how you spell it. UO and EQ didn't have RMT and they were considered highly successful games in their day. So why all of a sudden to players have to pay to get items/content? It's B.S. Expansions, I'll pay for, but having to pay extra on top of a monthly fee is a rip off.
You're welcome ^_^. Some of the free to play games with RMT options are very specific that you can "purchase" an item, but they reserve the right to modify it or eliminate it at any time, and you get no compensation. This was a real change, and a welcome one.
Hopefully other service providers will take notice and follow suit. If they don't, I hope they get left behind, where they belong.
Frankly, I prefer the subscription model, if the company is honest about game features and content that people pay for in advance.
If there's going to be RMT in a free to play game though, I like the way this was done. Inferring that people are "purchasing" items has always struck me as misleading, yet we see this all the time. Reserving the right to delete an item I just purchased has always struck me as unfair. I, and many others, have highlighted these issues repeatedly on various sites. It seems like someone is finally listening.
Tbh, now that I've seen that this can be done, I'm not willing to settle for anything less. Any companies that want to pretend to sell me something and then delete or devalue it the next day without offering compensation can try pushing their junk on someone else. I'm not interested.
All good thoughts, and I share them. I'm just excited that someone is finally being clear about the nature of virtual items, the time you get to use them, and that they're offering compensation if the items are removed before that time has elapsed. To me this is simple honesty and fairness--qualities that seem to be lacking in other free to play MMOs with RMT.
The wording there is pretty bizarre. Why are they continuing to use the word "good" while prefacing their statement that they don't mean "good" in the legal sense - in the middle of a legal statement?
A virtual object is just a variation in a service agreement. It's like paying money to turn on jumping for your character. There is no spoon.
The wording there is pretty bizarre. Why are they continuing to use the word "good" while prefacing their statement that they don't mean "good" in the legal sense - in the middle of a legal statement?
A virtual object is just a variation in a service agreement. It's like paying money to turn on jumping for your character. There is no spoon.
I agree. I think that they should do away with language that suggests actual purchases altogether. In fact, I think that all MMO service providers should be mandated to use accurate language.
Having said that, many don't even provide this kind of disclaimer clarifying the actual nature of the transaction. In my mind, this is a small and very welcome step in the right direction.
Consumers should be told, in my view, that they are licencing the use of a virtual item for a specified amount of time. If they licence the items for 6 months, and it becomes unavailable, they should then be entitled to a partial refund. This game company operates this way, which seems fairly unique, and encouraging. I wish them success.
Of course UO and EQ had RMT, just not sanctioned RMT. Most stuff was bought and sold via ebay.
Good change to the eula, and one that should apply to every game. To say that a player cannot sell a virtual item is senseless, and nearly criminal imo. The item is a direct result of the time and effort of the player who obtained it, and I firmly believe that if properly evaluated in a court of law that the gaming company couldn't claim ownership of the item (but would still be absolved of any responsibility in the event of loss or theft of the item in question). Keep in mind that cases that have been ruled of in favor or the dev have been cases where they could somehow prove harm to the company by RMT, ownership has never been properly clarified.
So that being said, now we need a good p2p game to setup their own ebayesque service (ala soe's station exchange), and only allow player to player trades. Anything that you can buy from the dev completely devalues the game imo, although I'm willing to sway a bit on "fluff" items that have little to no impact on the player. RMT should be strictly player to player, controlled by the developer to prevent cheats and catch dupers. This is the only method that can maintain in-game economies properly and prevent the dupers from making an illegitimate fortune. As an additional bonus side-effect, when a company maintains control of the RMT market, all gold-seller spam will disappear because you will never need to go to an outside site to participate in rmt.
Of course, my final cavaet is that if the dev will satisfy me and others like me with legitimate RMT, they should also use part of the revenues from RMT to satisfy the other crowd who would prefer a "pure" game without RMT. Just as I firmly believe RMT should be allowed for those who want it, I believe just as much that those who want a pure game deserve that as well.
Of course UO and EQ had RMT, just not sanctioned RMT. Most stuff was bought and sold via ebay.
They also said how bad RMT activities were for the game world, economy and players.
Of course UO and EQ had RMT, just not sanctioned RMT. Most stuff was bought and sold via ebay.
They also said how bad RMT activities were for the game world, economy and players.
And on the 7th day, the dev said RMT is bad. Thus, the sheep believe RMT is bad.
Think for yourself. Don't blindly follow the mantra of other players or developers.