Massively http://massively.joystiq.com Massively http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://massively.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Massively http://massively.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[GDC09: Applied RMT Design with GoPets and Live Gamer]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/28/gdc09-applied-rmt-design-with-gopets-and-live-gamer/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/28/gdc09-applied-rmt-design-with-gopets-and-live-gamer/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/28/gdc09-applied-rmt-design-with-gopets-and-live-gamer/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

Massively sat in on a GDC 2009 session this week titled Applied RMT Design which was part of the Worlds in Motion Summit. Andrew Schneider, Founder and President of Live Gamer and Erik Bethke, CEO of GoPets, Ltd. presented a case study on balancing a game's primary and secondary markets, using GoPets as an example of how it can be done.

The market for virtual goods in massively multiplayer online games and virtual worlds is worth billions. Not all of this is grey market, and more games are now being designed with microtransactions in mind. Live Gamer aims to bring greater legitimacy to microtransactions through a regulated secondary market providing benefits to companies as well as the players themselves. Thus far they've worked with EverQuest II, Vanguard, and GoPets, with Acclaim's 9 Dragons on the way.

Bethke and Schneider kick off their talk by explaining the fact that RMT in MMOs is inevitable, explaining how developers can be proactive about incorporating RMT into their titles rather than having it exist outside of the game. Live Gamer works with developers to create a legitimate system for trading virtual items for real money, one that's safe and secure. Of course, legitimizing RMT can also stir up controversy.

Gallery: GDC09: RMT Design panel

Continue reading GDC09: Applied RMT Design with GoPets and Live Gamer

MassivelyGDC09: Applied RMT Design with GoPets and Live Gamer originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 28 Mar 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>7-11andrew-schneiderbusiness-modelscase-studycasualeconomyerik-bethkeeventsfree-to-playgame-designgdcgdc-2009gopetslive-gamermicrotransactionsmmo-industryprimary-marketreal-money-tradingreal-money-transactionsrmtsecondary-marketvirtual-goodsvirtual-itemsworlds-in-motionworlds-in-motion-summitSat, 28 Mar 2009 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Linden Lab/IBM case-study on virtual-environment meetings]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/02/27/linden-lab-ibm-case-study-on-virtual-environment-meetings/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/02/27/linden-lab-ibm-case-study-on-virtual-environment-meetings/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/02/27/linden-lab-ibm-case-study-on-virtual-environment-meetings/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Linden Lab have published a case-study based on their strategic technology partner IBM's use of Second Life to save money on meetings and conferences. IBM's experience is quite unlike Australian Bank Westpac, which did not find such a compelling case, but the details of Westpac's findings are a bit vague.

In this case-study, IBM staffers talk about their experience with running a Conference and their Annual General Meeting in Second Life , though what seems a bit odd is that it is hard to shake the feeling that we've seen this particular case-study before. Nevertheless, feel free to take in the report, bearing in mind that it seems to be targeted towards those who have the least familiarity with virtual environments, only very carefully introducing concepts and tropes like presence, for those new to the notion.

Are you a part of the most widely-known collaborative virtual environment or keeping a close eye on it? Massively's Second Life coverage keeps you in the loop.

MassivelyLinden Lab/IBM case-study on virtual-environment meetings originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 27 Feb 2009 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>business-modelscase-studyibmlinden-labsecond-lifevirtual-worldswestpacFri, 27 Feb 2009 21:00:00 EST