Lunce
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Posted - 2011.06.29 10:43:00 -
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Originally by: Fuamnach Edited by: Fuamnach on 29/06/2011 02:37:10 Edited by: Fuamnach on 29/06/2011 02:36:28 The horse was out of the barn with PLEX. Why scream to close the barn doors now?
True, the precise value of PLEX in ISK floats on the ISK market. Nevertheless, once there is PLEX, real world money buys in-game items, "unearned" in-game advantage. (Not going to argue merits of PLEX-scheme here or the delusion of a "sandbox" economy utterly separate from "real world" economics.)
Similarly, so long as goods sold for AURUM, regardless whether vanity or consequential, can be bought and sold, at some point, on the ISK market AND so long as ISK can buy PLEX which can buy AURUM, little has changed except to make clear to all the change that already took place with PLEX.
Despite what we might call CCP's "currency manipulation" scheme to put upward pressure on the ISK price of PLEX, the value of even NeX items to the player community will still be reflected in and ultimately settled by the in-game price of any such objects on the ISK market. The value of PLEX, used to buy AURUM, still floats on the ISK market. ISK can be exchanged, albeit indirectly, for AURUM. Thus, the EVE "sandbox" economy still arbitrates the values of the EVE virtual world.
Bear in mind that it is not even clear that CCP can produce NeX vanity items of sufficient attraction to sell them or continue to sell them to the EVE community at prices CCP determines. If people tire of the novelty of NeX items, they will sell them for what they can get. ISK market prices will fall, and CCP will sell fewer of the same for AURUM, unless they respond by lowering AURUM prices.
Nothing seriously untoward has happened here. If people want to set their alarms for something, set them for NeX items for sale for AURUM (or dollars or yen) "bound" to avatar or account, and so not available on the ISK market. That would be an unprecedented breach of the EVE "sandbox."
Despite so many protestations pretending to outrage of high principle, a great deal of screaming here really just boils down to AURUM sticker shock.
CCP likely erred by introducing the novel concept of vanity items at such extremely vain prices. More sensible would have been to rollout modestly price items now and extravagantly priced luxury items only after opening the inner Captain's Quarters doors to public areas. There's only so much a mirror can do to stroke vanity; the full flowering of the Deadly Sin requires reflection in the eyes of others.
Thanks Fuamnach for providing this. You are spot on.
I see nothing detrimental to the game in adding 'Micro Transactions'.... As long as it remains exclusively vanity items and ship skins.
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