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[Choose My Adventure: A male Dark Elf Fighter in Aden]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/14/choose-my-adventure-a-male-dark-elf-fighter-in-aden/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/14/choose-my-adventure-a-male-dark-elf-fighter-in-aden/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/12/14/choose-my-adventure-a-male-dark-elf-fighter-in-aden/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,

Lineage II screenshot
Last week in Choose My Adventure, you voted for what kind of character I should make. I dutifully rolled him up and set off for fantastical adventures in Lineage II. Today, I bring you a dungeon video, many screenshots, first impressions, and even a livestream. It's a multi-media extravaganza! And we're also on to the next round of voting for what direction my character takes.

Let's not get ahead of ourselves, though. I had to start out at the bottom of the barrel. For the first 20 levels, I called Talking Island Village home, until I was transported to the mainland and a little town called Gludio. I discovered, among other things, that there are many tantalizing spots to see in the game -- if you are willing to travel off the beaten path. These spots are well worth the layover, especially if you have a powerful-enough machine. As old as Lineage II is, it's strikingly gorgeous. I didn't dawdle for too long, as I had some leveling to do, and I made a few discoveries along the way.

Gallery: CMA: Lineage 2

Continue reading Choose My Adventure: A male Dark Elf Fighter in Aden

MassivelyChoose My Adventure: A male Dark Elf Fighter in Aden originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 14 Dec 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>choose-my-adventurecmadark-elfdungeonf2pfantasyfeaturedfighterfree-to-playgalleriesgallerygold-sellersjeremy-strattonl2l2trulyfreelevelinglineage-2Lineage-iilineage2lineageIIlivestreamlivestreamsncsoftpetpetspollpollsvideovideosWed, 14 Dec 2011 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Global Chat: Broke and richer for it edition]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/07/24/global-chat-broke-and-richer-for-it-edition/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/07/24/global-chat-broke-and-richer-for-it-edition/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/07/24/global-chat-broke-and-richer-for-it-edition/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Welcome to this week's Global Chat! We love hearing what you have to say at Massively, and we love it even more when we can share the best comments with all of our readers. Massively staffers will be contributing some of their favorite comments every week, so keep an eye out every Sunday for more Global Chat!

This week we're looking at all things money: Who has it, who doesn't, and why it makes the world go 'round. Naturally, Massively writers are richer than seven kings of Arabia combined and aren't concerned with such petty matters, but it seems to weigh heavily upon some of your heads. Hit the jump and let's see what the buzz was like in the comments section this past week!

Continue reading Global Chat: Broke and richer for it edition

MassivelyGlobal Chat: Broke and richer for it edition originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 24 Jul 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>commentscrypticglobal-chatgold-buyergold-buyersgold-buyinggold-farmergold-farmersgold-farminggold-sellergold-sellersgold-sellingmoneyopinionpre-orderrmtscott-hartsmanstar-trek-onlinestar-wars-the-old-republicstoswtorthe-old-republictorvisaSun, 24 Jul 2011 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Global Chat: Dollars and cents edition]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/10/global-chat-dollars-and-cents-edition/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/10/global-chat-dollars-and-cents-edition/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/10/global-chat-dollars-and-cents-edition/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Welcome to this week's Global Chat! We love hearing what you have to say at Massively, and we love it even more when we can share the best comments with all of our readers. Massively staffers will be contributing some of their favorite comments every week, so keep an eye out every Sunday for more Global Chat!

Global Chat this week is all about money. Be it real-world cash or piles of virtual gold, money is the foundation of much of our MMO experience. Ready to see what some of our best commenters had to say about all sorts of transactions this week? Follow along after the jump!

Continue reading Global Chat: Dollars and cents edition

MassivelyGlobal Chat: Dollars and cents edition originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 10 Apr 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>consumerismcurrencyf2pfeaturedfree-to-playftpglobal-chatgoldgold-farmersgold-sellershaldursonmoneyopinionpoordevilriftrmtsnakecobraSun, 10 Apr 2011 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Daily Grind: Are you in favor of alternative currency?]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/06/the-daily-grind-are-you-in-favor-of-alternative-currency/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/06/the-daily-grind-are-you-in-favor-of-alternative-currency/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/04/06/the-daily-grind-are-you-in-favor-of-alternative-currency/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

It seems to me that more and more MMO developers are utilizing alternative types of currency in our games. Whether they're tokens, barter scraps, or golden leaves, we're now having to chase down all manner of currencies to get the goodies we want.

Our subject for discussion today: Is this a good thing or not? On one hand, I can understand that alternative currency helps to limit the amount of damage that gold sellers and farmers can do, and it provides incentives for players to participate in certain zones or activities. On the other hand, it feels as though these alternative currencies are cluttering up our bags, confusing our minds, and devaluing the standard currency in the game.

So looking at your favorite games, are you in favor of barter systems and tokens as an alternative to gold, silver and copper? Should every game have a barter wallet if so? Or do you wish that devs would cut it out and stick with one type of money as the standard?

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!

MassivelyThe Daily Grind: Are you in favor of alternative currency? originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 06 Apr 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alternative-currencybarterbarter-systemcurrencygoldgold-farmergold-farmersgold-sellergold-sellersmoneyopiniontdgthe-daily-grindtokentokensWed, 06 Apr 2011 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Perfect Ten: The 10 people you meet in MMO hell]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/27/the-perfect-ten-the-10-people-you-meet-in-mmo-hell/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/27/the-perfect-ten-the-10-people-you-meet-in-mmo-hell/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/01/27/the-perfect-ten-the-10-people-you-meet-in-mmo-hell/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

"Hell is other people," the jaunty Jean-Paul Sartre wrote in No Exit. In this play, three characters are locked together in a small room, where they gradually realize that they are there to torment each other for all of eternity. Plus, there are no toilets, and that's going to get unpleasant fast.

It's fun for the whole family -- get your tickets today!

We've all met folks in game who leave an unpleasant taste in our mouths for a long time after. With the all of the good of social games comes the seedy underbelly (henceforth referred to as "Camden, New Jersey"), and for every stellar soul you connect with, there is another lying in wait to destroy your day. If MMO heaven is full of supportive guildies and grammatically correct chat channels, then think of MMO hell as a pick-up group gone horribly awry as you run a dungeon that never ends, a dungeon you can never quit.

While we'd never voluntarily go to MMO hell, it was inevitable that some of its denizens have escaped to walk amongst us in our games even today. Who are these nefarious devils? Hit the jump to find out!

Continue reading The Perfect Ten: The 10 people you meet in MMO hell

MassivelyThe Perfect Ten: The 10 people you meet in MMO hell originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 27 Jan 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>camdencamden-new-jerseychatclassclassesdramadrama-in-real-lifedrama-llamadrill-sergeantdungeondungeon-rungold-sellersgold-sellinggold-spamgold-spammerhellhell-is-other-peopleinstance-runjean-paul-satremarinemmo-hellno-exitperfect-10perfect-tenpower-tripracismreaders-digestthe-perfect-10the-perfect-tenvoice-chatyo-mamaThu, 27 Jan 2011 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Runes of Magic team implements account security improvements]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/28/runes-of-magic-team-implements-account-security-improvements/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/28/runes-of-magic-team-implements-account-security-improvements/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/07/28/runes-of-magic-team-implements-account-security-improvements/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Account security has been a concern for Runes of Magic players lately, and Frogster has been paying attention.

Community Manager Mike "Silberfuchs" Kiefer posted a fairly impressive list of improved security methods on the Runes of Magic forums, detailing some important changes. Players now have different options and methods for changing all usernames and passwords, and there are some new password requirements. Account and IP blocks will come into effect under certain circumstances as well.

Gold sellers also took a hit as a part of this new effort. Frogster has managed to obtain "an injunction against a number of goldsellers as well as companies and individuals offering leveling services," and those undesirables are being removed permanently.

Check out the forum post for all the details on how this will affect your account.

MassivelyRunes of Magic team implements account security improvements originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 28 Jul 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>account-blocksaccount-securityf2pfree-to-playfrogsterftpgold-sellersip-blocksmike-kieferpasswordromrunes-of-magicsecurityWed, 28 Jul 2010 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Masthead Studios discusses Earthrise economy]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/01/19/masthead-studios-discusses-earthrise-economy/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/01/19/masthead-studios-discusses-earthrise-economy/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/01/19/masthead-studios-discusses-earthrise-economy/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,


It's an immutable law: create an online game where virtual currency is used and it'll inevitably give rise to a black market for that currency, not to mention for the various items in the MMO. Earthrise will be no different, but developer Masthead Studios aims to be proactive about the problem of gold sellers, rather than reactive. They also feel that their game will be difficult to bot. "Most of Earthrise design has followed the paradigm of requiring player interaction and skill through every aspect of combat, crafting and logistic movement so we firmly believe the game will be, by design, very difficult to automate via known methods," Masthead explains in their latest Question of the Week.

Another factor that Masthead Studios feels will curb black market activities in Earthrise, at least in respect to items, is that every use of gear slowly degrades the item in question. Of course, where there's a will there's a way. So when Earthrise enters open beta Masthead Studios will keep a close eye on the various ways players find to exploit the economy.

Continue reading Masthead Studios discusses Earthrise economy

MassivelyMasthead Studios discusses Earthrise economy originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 19 Jan 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>betasblack-marketbottingearthriseeconomyexploitsgame-mechanicsgold-farminggold-sellersmacrosmasthead-studiosmollnew-titlespost-apocalypticqotwsci-fiTue, 19 Jan 2010 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[NCsoft sings a familiar tune with Aion security warnings]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/12/29/ncsoft-sings-a-familiar-tune-with-aion-security-warnings/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/12/29/ncsoft-sings-a-familiar-tune-with-aion-security-warnings/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/12/29/ncsoft-sings-a-familiar-tune-with-aion-security-warnings/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

If you've been watching the increasingly insistent security warnings from NCsoft in the Aion community, your first reaction is probably to assume that it's another round of hackings a la Guild Wars. Don't be so quick to jump to that conclusion however, because while the warnings are pretty familiar this is a bit of a different situation.

With Aion's recent huge (and sometimes hilarious) push to ban gold sellers, the RMT traders are looking for new ways to make a (dis)honest living. And they're starting with some pretty official-looking phishing attempts in-game. Aion Support Tweeted a warning a while back, and Andrew "Tamat" Beegle echoed the sentiment last night, pointing back to the security warnings on the main site.

Unfortunately, gold sellers are persistent. And while it's a relief not to have them hanging around in game anymore, they didn't decide to step away from their computers and find a different way to make a living, they just changed tactics. So let's be careful out there.



MassivelyNCsoft sings a familiar tune with Aion security warnings originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 29 Dec 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aionandrew-beeglegold-sellersgold-sellinghackingncsoftrmtTue, 29 Dec 2009 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Free Realms Introduces player-to-player real money transactions]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/12/18/free-realms-introduces-player-to-player-real-money-transactions/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/12/18/free-realms-introduces-player-to-player-real-money-transactions/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/12/18/free-realms-introduces-player-to-player-real-money-transactions/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,


Sony Online Entertainment is taking an interesting step to help cut down on fraud and gold farming: beating them at their own game. As of today, if you are a Free Realms player over the age of 18 you have the option to use Live Gamer Exchange (LGX), a RMT service set up to allow players to trade virtual goods in Free Realms for real world cash. "LGX for Free Realms allows SOE to make tremendous progress in reducing fraud by providing a secure platform for legitimate player-to-player transactions."

Live Gamer is an established provider of real money transaction platforms, and all LGX transactions in Free Realms will be authenticated through Live Gamer and done without extra fees. It's an unusual approach to the gold-seller problem, but may meld well with the new Free Realms pricing structures in the end as players find they can earn a few dollars in game to offset the cost of advancing in the game.

MassivelyFree Realms Introduces player-to-player real money transactions originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 18 Dec 2009 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>free-realmsgold-sellerslgxLive-Gamerlive-gamer-exchangermtSOEsony-online-entertainmentFri, 18 Dec 2009 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Aion's spam filter is bigger, stronger, faster]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/17/aions-spam-filter-is-bigger-stronger-faster/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/17/aions-spam-filter-is-bigger-stronger-faster/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/17/aions-spam-filter-is-bigger-stronger-faster/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Gold seller spam got you down; keeping you from purchasing Aion? Fret not, fair... uh, would be Aionites, because NCsoft is working towards fixing the solution through improvements and good will. We already know that essential 24/7 GM support is on its way, so the news that the recent 10.5.0.10 added an improved chat spam filter is delicious, vengeful frosting on our Crytek-powered cake.

By our observations, spam has been reduced to the occasional whisper or channel message from a character with an odd umlaut or whatnot in their name. Hopefully the update continues to hold water, and the gold sellers simply recede into the darkness from whence they came. Should the spammers ever return in force, we hope that NCsoft is ready to sweep an otherworldly banhammer of justice across their maw in a manner most pleasing to all of us in the community.

MassivelyAion's spam filter is bigger, stronger, faster originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 17 Oct 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aionaion-sourcechat-filtergold-sellersncsoftspamspam-filterspammerspammersSat, 17 Oct 2009 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Aion 24/7 GM support 'coming very soon']]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/14/aion-24-7-gm-support-coming-very-soon/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/14/aion-24-7-gm-support-coming-very-soon/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/10/14/aion-24-7-gm-support-coming-very-soon/#commentsFiled under: , ,


Aion has a lot of great qualities, although one of the biggest issues in-game towers above pretty much any others: 24/7 in-game GM support. Whether it's gold spammers, bugs or some issue that goes above and beyond asking for help in guild chat -- constant GM support is essential for happy customers.

So you'll be happy to know it's coming very soon! At least, according to recent Twitter activities by the community team. As the weeks continue to churn for this newly hatched (at least in the west) MMO, having a quality support team is going to make or break many potential players' opinions when their hesitant friends ask, Aion"Should I pick up Aion?" Thus, this is good news. Not as good as it actually happening, but very close!

[via TTH]

MassivelyAion 24/7 GM support 'coming very soon' originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 14 Oct 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aioncommunitygame-mastergmgm-supportgold-sellersgold-spammerncsoftrmttechnical-supporttwitterWed, 14 Oct 2009 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The fight against RMT in EVE Online]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/08/11/the-fight-against-rmt-in-eve-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/08/11/the-fight-against-rmt-in-eve-online/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/08/11/the-fight-against-rmt-in-eve-online/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


It's an unfortunate reality that most any massively multiplayer online game running has to cope with outside influences on an in-game economy because of real money trading (RMT). Game developers tackle the problem in different ways. For instance, Final Fantasy XI has an anti-RMT task force and Warhammer Online has a zero-tolerance name-and-shame approach to RMT. Other companies grab the bull by its horns and base their game around a virtual item trade they can regulate.

The problem of RMT has affected EVE Online just as it has other MMO titles, if not moreso given how its player-driven economy and the Interstellar Kredit (ISK) currency is central to the game. Beyond the potential revenue lost to the black market when players pay real cash for their ships and modules or buy huge sums of ISK outright, there are also issues with players getting their accounts cleaned out by the shady companies (ostensibly) selling the ISK. When that cleverly-named player "ajakdsk" links you to his ISK selling site in a chat channel, following that link could infect your computer with a keylogger, resulting in a fire sale on whatever they find in your account.

EVE Online's creators CCP Games have taken a two-prong approach to handling these issues.

Continue reading The fight against RMT in EVE Online

MassivelyThe fight against RMT in EVE Online originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 11 Aug 2009 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>account-hacksaccount-securitybanbanhammerbansccp-gamesdev-blogdev-blogseconomyeveeve-onlinegm-grimmigoldgold-farminggold-sellersgold-spammeriskmmo-industryplexreal-money-tradingreal-money-transactionsrmtsci-fiTue, 11 Aug 2009 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Reporting gold spammers in WAR now easier than ever]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/05/reporting-gold-spammers-in-war-now-easier-than-ever/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/05/reporting-gold-spammers-in-war-now-easier-than-ever/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/05/reporting-gold-spammers-in-war-now-easier-than-ever/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

The gold seller scourge has fallen upon Warhammer Online, as you've likely noticed. But Mythic Entertainment has taken some rather extreme measures to silence the incessant spamming. To help reach that goal, they're making it easier for players to report gold selling activity and harassment. In keeping with their zero-tolerance policy on gold spamming, Mythic states, "We are committed to making life as hard as we can for Gold Sellers in game and maximizing player enjoyment. To that end we have added a new tool to streamline the gold seller reporting process."

That tool is found within the Appeal Interface, as the stand-alone category "GOLD/PL SALES" -- and is not found within the Violation category (which is used for most other types of harassment) as you might expect. Submitting these appeals via the GOLD/PL SALES category is a straightforward matter, as shown below the cut:
Warhammer Online Coverage Did you enjoy this? Make sure to check out our Warhammer guides: Massively's Character Creation Guide and our WoW Player's Guide to Warhammer. Plus, don't miss any of our ongoing coverage as Massively goes to WAR!

Continue reading Reporting gold spammers in WAR now easier than ever

MassivelyReporting gold spammers in WAR now easier than ever originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 05 Oct 2008 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>appealbusiness-modelsea-mythicfantasygame-mechanicsgold-sellersgold-sellinggold-spammerharassmentmmo-industrymythic-entertainmentpetitionspamspammerswarwarhammer-onlinezero-toleranceSun, 05 Oct 2008 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[WAR's anti-gold-selling policy challenged]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/03/wars-anti-gold-selling-policy-challenged/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/03/wars-anti-gold-selling-policy-challenged/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/03/wars-anti-gold-selling-policy-challenged/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

We're well aware of Mark Jacobs' and Mythic's views on gold sellers in Warhammer Online, but what about the opposite side of the fence? Could gold sellers in a young, potentially top-selling MMO actually help the game develop and attract the adult working class? That's what Gigaom's Wagner James Au argues in a recent article.

"When launching a big-budget online game, it doesn't strike me as a very good idea to risk alienating nearly a quarter of your user base right out the gate. That, however, is likely to be the consequence of an extreme anti-gold selling policy at Mythic Entertainment," writes Au. He also cites research by Nick Yee, who is fast-becoming the most popular gaming-related research scientist, stating that gold-buying is done mostly by those ages 35 and older, who don't have the time to play as those younger gamers.

MassivelyWAR's anti-gold-selling policy challenged originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 03 Oct 2008 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>gigaomgold-sellersgold-sellingmark-jacobsmythicnick-yeewarwarhammer-onlineFri, 03 Oct 2008 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Warhammer mod automatically reports tell spammers]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/27/warhammer-mod-automatically-reports-tell-spammers/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/27/warhammer-mod-automatically-reports-tell-spammers/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/27/warhammer-mod-automatically-reports-tell-spammers/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

According to a ticker at the Warhammer Online Herald, Mythic has banned over 4,000 WAR users for gold farming and selling. Now to further the battle, its representatives at the Herald have suggested that players download a third party UI mod called "Spam Me Not" which not only automatically blocks incoming gold seller spam tells, but reports the sender of the tell.

We haven't used the app, so we don't know how well it works. It might block legitimate tells from friends. If you try it out, tell us how that works for you.

The post at the Herald says that the mod is not endorsed by Mythic, although one would think that mentioning it on the official site is at least a tacit endorsement. Mythic did go on to say that players should continue using the game's built-in spam reporting features as well.

MassivelyWarhammer mod automatically reports tell spammers originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 27 Sep 2008 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ea-mythicgold-farmersgold-sellersheraldmodmythicmythic-entertainmentspamspam-me-notthird-partyuiwarwarhammer-onlineSat, 27 Sep 2008 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[RMT company Live Gamer to work with virtual economist]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/24/rmt-company-live-gamer-to-work-with-virtual-economist/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/24/rmt-company-live-gamer-to-work-with-virtual-economist/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/24/rmt-company-live-gamer-to-work-with-virtual-economist/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Live Gamer, the legit Real Money Trading (RMT) company that handles all legal transactions for EverQuest II and other games, has brought on "noted virtual econonomist" Vili Lehdonvirta. Lehdonvirta is a former game designer who now researches virtual consumerism at the University of Helsinki and the Helsinki University of Technology TKK.

The prominence of economists and other financial experts in the MMO and virtual world industries has been steadily growing in recent years. For example, CCP's EVE Online hired a full-time economist to work on its staff and to put together quarterly economic reports, among other things.

Live Gamer's ambition is to transform an RMT black market that's causing the industry to bleed away potential profits and that's sending waves of instability and frustration through various MMO communities into a legitimate business that can be monitored and controlled by developers with their communities' and business' best interests in mind.

[Via MMORPG]

MassivelyRMT company Live Gamer to work with virtual economist originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 24 Jul 2008 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpeconomisteve-onlineeverquesteverquest-2everquest-iigold-sellersgold-sellinghelsinki-university-of-technologylive-gamerreal-money-transferrmtsoeuniversity-of-helsinkivili-lehdonvirtavirtual-consumerismThu, 24 Jul 2008 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Tabula Rasa Feedback Friday: Patch 1.4]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/07/tabula-rasa-feedback-friday-patch-1-4/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/07/tabula-rasa-feedback-friday-patch-1-4/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/01/07/tabula-rasa-feedback-friday-patch-1-4/#commentsFiled under: , ,


The Tabula Rasa team has given us a nice little preview of what to expect in the upcoming 1.4 patch for the start of 2008. Some of the new features include Hybrid aliens (!!!), a hide helmet option, an Ability and Attribute respec and some bug fixes. We're especially interested in the Hybrid stuff, as it sounds very interesting.

Another big fix will be focused on the issues Mires is having with performance, even with with the recent changes that were made to address this. The changes will be focused on creature count being a bit too high as well as many locations where enemy and friendly drop-ships have been appearing literally next to each other. Aside from the mires changes, the TR team is looking into the crackdown on RMT or "credit/gold" sellers. The large issue is the chat channel and their persistent adverts that keep popping up in the game. For now all we're told to do is use the /ignore command, but hopefully in the near future there will be better ways to deal with them.

The patch will be coming to the public test server soon, so hopefully we can report back on how those changes are coming along in the near future.

MassivelyTabula Rasa Feedback Friday: Patch 1.4 originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 07 Jan 2008 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>gold-sellersgold-sellinghybridhybrid-aliensmiresncsoftpatchpatch-1.4rmttabula-rasaMon, 07 Jan 2008 13:30:00 EST