money-sinks
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Wings Over Atreia: Too much of a good thing
Seriously NCsoft, enough is enough! Now, I know that in the not-even-too-distant past, I openly admitted how much I liked the shiny surveys that popped up occasionally in Aion. Whether they were during events or just out of the blue, the surveys were like a random present just because. And who doesn't like presents? Sometimes you would know what you were getting; other times it would be a complete surprise. I love clicking that little icon and being rewarded with dyes, pets, emotion cards, and other assorted relatively harmless fluff. Yes, I also hoarded the platinum medals and ancient crowns that sprang up infrequently with a near maniacal glee. But there reaches a point when you really can have too much of a good thing (sadly, much like decadent cheesecake) and actually encounter negative repercussions. Last week I mentioned that the leveling rewards, at least under level 25, got to be a little much. But that doesn't compare to the glut of goods available to every player who logged in during the month of October. I was initially appreciative of getting a few of the "October Special" (stacks of multiple scrolls and power shards). However, the surveys got out of hand before long. Click past the cut for (no, not a free gift!) Wings over Atreia's look at how over-gifting can actually be damaging to Aion.
The Daily Grind: Do you mix up game mechanics?
The other day I was chatting with an EverQuest II guildmate who was looking to mail some resources to my crafting character. Save your coin, I told her, and I'll just come pick up the stacks of mats since they numbered close to 200. She raised a quizzical eyebrow and asked me in no uncertain terms what the heck I was talking about, as EQII charges a flat 50 copper per mail no matter how many items are attached. I've played so many fantasy games over the years -- a fair few of which up the postal charges depending on the quantity and rarity of your attachments -- that I had forgotten how user-friendly EQII's implementation really was. Today's Daily Grind is all about similar senior moments. Do you or have you played a lot of similar MMORPGs, and do you occasionally mix up their mechanics? Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!
The Daily Grind: Does game currency matter?
They say that money makes the world go 'round, and this used to always be true in RPGs. Without solid bank, your character would be swinging a cardboard sword at enemy dragons and weeping from the humiliation. But once you performed enough virtual muggings, you'd be rolling in dough and able to equip the very best gear and weapons. It struck me the other day that MMOs used to be more like this as well -- that the acquisition of gold, platinum or credits was a necessity to fund your character's gear. Older titles, like Anarchy Online, still function under this premise. However, it seems to me that with the rise of usable dropped loot, the value of money has decreased to the point where vendors are, in fact, a joke. Even stranger is the rise of alternative currencies in MMOs for decent gear that are gained through specific tasks instead of just picking it up off any old mob. So does game currency matter to you? Is it there merely for a few pricey items (i.e., money sinks like mounts) or do you feel it has more purpose? Do you see some MMOs that give more worth to currency over others? Do you focus your time on building up wealth, or is money merely for travel costs and repair bills? Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!
Buying your way through raid content
There's a new game in town, and Artirius of the Aerie Peak server has noticed it, and admittedly, so have I. With attunements gone, it is now possible for any level 70 to go in and see tier 5 and 6 content whenever they want. Of course, they don't generally have a prayer of actually downing bosses unless they have 20-24 well geared people to help them out. That's where gold comes in. With a few thousand gold, you can buy your way into a tier 6 group that doesn't need the tier 6 armor and go along for the ride. A few hours later, you come out on the other end with Illidan dead and a few shiny new drops, even if you've never set foot in Karazhan. It's not just people trying to buy these slots in the trade channel either. As Artirius observes, many raid groups are actively soliciting for buyers for their raid slots. On my own server, one Horde group is trading tier 6 runs for large quantities of certain herbs, promising that all but a few select drops will go to the people who buy their slots with stacks of Netherbloom and Ghost Mushrooms. So what's causing this?
