Originally posted by Scot Have you ever bought anything virtual online in a MMORPG? I am not counting things like a server transfer or selling on your account here. This is to test the half of all gamers have bought virtual stuff article in another thread.
You're going to test an article by conducting an entirely different survey?
Gee, I wonder if you'll get different results. /rolleyes
"What is truly revealing is his implication that believing something to be true is the same as it being true. [continue]" -John Oliver
I doubt the other survey included buying an account, server transfers may have been on their list though. Try as I might I could not find the other thread to compare.
We are on only on one quarter buying items that actually effect the game so far. Fluff items only bother me as being a precursor to introducing actual game effecting items. If you include those a third of us have bought an online item. Had I used the wording “Do you regularly buy…” I am sure that figure would be a lot less. Why a poll here is not representative of gamers escapes me. The only draw back a poll has here is the small sample, but I admit that is a severe problem. The statistics you see in all the internet articles on MMO’s are based on the lies MMO companies perpetuate about their customer base. They all hype the figures, it is in their business interest to do so. At least here we are honest about what we are and are not playing and paying.
Very simple. Only people with strong opinions go to forums and post. Most people don't. Thus, it is not a representative sample of the MMO playing population.
On the basis that logic you would never accept the results of any survey.
People were stopped in the street? Well only those with strong opinions would stop and be interviewed. You were asked to take part in a poll sent to you by the MMO you are playing? Well only those with strong opinions would bother to send a reply.
You are correct in so far as it only those who can be bothered who will reply. But surveys do successfully indicate trends so the fact they sample a subset only indicates they could be more representative, not that they are invalid.
Comments
You're going to test an article by conducting an entirely different survey?
Gee, I wonder if you'll get different results. /rolleyes
"What is truly revealing is his implication that believing something to be true is the same as it being true. [continue]" -John Oliver
I doubt the other survey included buying an account, server transfers may have been on their list though. Try as I might I could not find the other thread to compare.
Does transferring charachters to other realms count?
Or transferring off one account to another?
Very simple. Only people with strong opinions go to forums and post. Most people don't. Thus, it is not a representative sample of the MMO playing population.
On the basis that logic you would never accept the results of any survey.
People were stopped in the street? Well only those with strong opinions would stop and be interviewed. You were asked to take part in a poll sent to you by the MMO you are playing? Well only those with strong opinions would bother to send a reply.
You are correct in so far as it only those who can be bothered who will reply. But surveys do successfully indicate trends so the fact they sample a subset only indicates they could be more representative, not that they are invalid.