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[EVE Evolved: Having a fire sale]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/14/eve-evolved-having-a-fire-sale/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/14/eve-evolved-having-a-fire-sale/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/11/14/eve-evolved-having-a-fire-sale/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

One of those strange rituals all EVE Online players go through at one time or another is the fire sale. Over the course of normal play, we buy, loot or otherwise acquire assets all over New Eden. After a time, our asset windows become a mess of long lost items and treasures hidden away in the cargoholds of ships we forgot we had. We all eventually reach breaking point and need to sell off our distributed stockpiles of odds and ends.

Maybe it will happen when you run out of ships to PvP in, or perhaps when your subscription is about to lapse and you need to buy a 30-day PLEX. With the recent five-day reactivation offer on many expired accounts, I imagine a lot of EVE players are currently scrambling through their assets in an attempt to raise enough ISK for a PLEX. Whatever the reason behind it, that dreaded day when you need to have a fire sale on your assets will inevitably arrive. A monumental logistical task now lies ahead of you, but it doesn't have to be the headache you'd expect it to be. Having been through countless cycles of accumulating bits and bobs and then selling them to buy PLEX, I've picked up a few tips to make the process as painless as possible.

In this week's EVE Evolved, I look at the tools and strategies you can employ to squeeze every last drop of ISK from your misplaced treasure troves, and how to complete the task with a minimum of effort.

Continue reading EVE Evolved: Having a fire sale

MassivelyEVE Evolved: Having a fire sale originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 14 Nov 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpccp-eveccp-gameseveeve-asset-managereve-ccpeve-evolvedeve-mmorpgeve-onlineevehqfeaturedfire-salefreightermaking-moneyorcaplexsalesellingtrade-hubtradingSun, 14 Nov 2010 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Unintended source of passive income to be removed from EVE Online]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/23/unintended-source-of-passive-income-to-be-removed-from-eve-onlin/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/23/unintended-source-of-passive-income-to-be-removed-from-eve-onlin/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/23/unintended-source-of-passive-income-to-be-removed-from-eve-onlin/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

There are many of ways to make ISK in EVE Online, from mission-running and ratting to trading and research. Some methods, like mission-running, are very active processes in which the amount of ISK made is directly proportional to the amount of time spent playing. Other processes, such as trading or moon-mining, are largely passive endeavours in which ISK is made even while the pilot is offline. One such source of passive income, which has been around since the tech 2 invention system came in, is datacore collection. Players with high enough standings and the right skills trained in the science field can sign up to do research with various R&D agents throughout EVE. The agents automatically give players research points every day for free, which can later be redeemed for datacores to be sold on the market.

Datacore collection itself is an intended game mechanic, and this system for supplying datacores doesn't look like it will be changing any time soon. The issue is that characters on expired accounts will still accrue research points every day. Using this so-called "ghost research" loophole, some players have been farming datacores with an unfair advantage over active pilots. Abusers typically set up accounts with three research characters each, then let those accounts expire. Several months later, each account will be re-activated to harvest the datacores. In a recent devblog, CCP Soundwave explained that this issue came from a list of important player-voted issues that was presented to CCP by the Council of Stellar Management. The unintended loophole will be closed in a hotfix in the near future.

MassivelyUnintended source of passive income to be removed from EVE Online originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 23 Aug 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bugccpccp-eveccp-gameseveeve-ccpeve-mmorpgeve-onlineexploitghost-researchiskmaking-moneyresearchresearch-and-developmenttech-2Mon, 23 Aug 2010 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The most efficient way to make money in MMOs]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/12/13/the-most-efficient-way-to-make-money-in-mmos/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/12/13/the-most-efficient-way-to-make-money-in-mmos/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/12/13/the-most-efficient-way-to-make-money-in-mmos/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Cash flow in many games is almost as big a problem as it can be in real life. We've recently had our resident EVE Online column running a series on the best ways to make ISK in the game, and you can barely throw a stone without hitting a site offering a guide to make X ludicrous amount of gold per hour in World of Warcraft. But we may have reached the end of all this maneuvering, as We Fly Spitfires has recently posted the most efficient way to make money in every game, ever. Go ahead and take a look right now, but fair warning -- it requires some out-of-game work. And your credit card.

Now, before you start sending angry letters, take a moment to consider the point. It's not that the author is condoning RMT, simply that he's pointing out how much we seem to want to streamline the process of playing the game when, really, we already know the absolute fastest way to increase our virtual coffers. That doesn't make it commendable or ethical, but if we're so keen on speeding ourselves up, we might do well to remember that the journey, not the destination, is more frequently our reason for playing.

MassivelyThe most efficient way to make money in MMOs originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 13 Dec 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>buying-goldbuying-moneyefficiencygoldin-game-economymaking-moneyopinionrmtwe-fly-spitfiresSun, 13 Dec 2009 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Still more details on Final Fantasy XI's coming update]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/11/07/still-more-details-on-final-fantasy-xis-coming-update/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/11/07/still-more-details-on-final-fantasy-xis-coming-update/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/11/07/still-more-details-on-final-fantasy-xis-coming-update/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

At the rate we're getting swamped with information about the upcoming Final Fantasy XI version update, we'll soon be finding out that the update is also adding two new jobs and a level cap increase. Well, maybe not, but Square-Enix has released yet more news about the upcoming November version update. Already we've heard about new gear enhancements, new crafting, job updates, and a reward for content-minded players. The most recent information involves some of the more miscellaneous activities of Vana'diel's inhabitants, including chocobo racing and fishing.

Chocobo races are being changed over to a new schedule system that keeps races running on a consistent real-world schedule to make coordination easier for players. The system is also adding new purchasable items that will have a variety of bonuses for the devoted race enthusiast. Of course, the new items won't be cheap -- nothing in Final Fantasy XI is -- but first through third-place winners in each race will be receiving a much larger amount of chocobucks for their placing, which should make affording things much more fesable. On top of that, there's a promise of more fish to turn in for the popular "In the Belly" quest, with the hint of new equipment. Keep your eyes peeled, as we might well have not seen the last of the additions to this now-massive update.

MassivelyStill more details on Final Fantasy XI's coming update originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 07 Nov 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>chocobo-racingffxifinal-fantasy-xifishinggame-mechanicsmaking-moneynovember-2009-version-updatepatchessquaresquare-enixSat, 07 Nov 2009 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Five more quick tips for Aion (p2)]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/09/28/five-more-quick-tips-for-aion-p2/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/09/28/five-more-quick-tips-for-aion-p2/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/09/28/five-more-quick-tips-for-aion-p2/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Continue reading Five more quick tips for Aion (p2)

MassivelyFive more quick tips for Aion (p2) originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 28 Sep 2009 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aioncraftinggrindingguidesmaking-moneyncsoftquestingtips-and-tricksMon, 28 Sep 2009 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Five more quick tips for Aion]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/09/28/five-more-quick-tips-for-aion/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/09/28/five-more-quick-tips-for-aion/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/09/28/five-more-quick-tips-for-aion/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

We spent a lot of time playing Aion last weekend and have another round of quick tips to share with you. Check out last week's list in case you missed it. Enjoy!

1. Cheaply level your craft

This tip assumes you know the basics of crafting. The fastest and cheapest way to raise your crafting skill is to complete work orders given out by your crafting trainer in the Artisan district in your capital city. Crafting costs kinah (money), but there are three important things you should bear in mind to maximize your savings.

First, only grind up your skill on work orders 10-15 levels below your current crafting level. For instance, if your Tailoring is at 40, only do work orders that require a 30 Tailoring until you reach 50 skill points. Each work order will give you around 1-1.5 skill points, will complete more quickly with a higher level of success, and your extra ingredient(s) cost will be lower from the crafting vendor.

Second, only make as many items as needed to complete your work order. Each work order only requires that you create 6 items but the trainer gives you enough basic ingredients for 8. Too many people click "Craft All," which ends up wasting additional resources (i.e., money). Manually type in "6" and then press your craft button.

Continue reading Five more quick tips for Aion

MassivelyFive more quick tips for Aion originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 28 Sep 2009 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>aionaion-tipscraftingfeaturedgrindingguidesmaking-moneyncsoftquestingtips-and-tricksMon, 28 Sep 2009 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Online player run bank 1.2 trillion ISK in the red, freezes all accounts]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/08/26/eve-online-player-run-bank-1-2-trillion-isk-in-the-red-freezes/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/08/26/eve-online-player-run-bank-1-2-trillion-isk-in-the-red-freezes/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/08/26/eve-online-player-run-bank-1-2-trillion-isk-in-the-red-freezes/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,


Players of the sci-fi game EVE Online experienced another parallel yesterday between what happens in the game's virtual economy and the real-world financial woes that have hit the banking industry. EBANK -- the game's largest player-run financial entity, disclosed that they are 1.2 trillion ISK (InterStellar Kredits) in the red, and froze the accounts of all players and player organizations which had invested with the bank.

EVE Online has one of the most developed virtual economies to be found in any massively multiplayer online game. Given that EVE is a 'sandbox', or an open world where gamers can do as they choose within that setting, the title's economy is player-driven, which creates many opportunities for a clever gamer. EVE Online players can make (or lose) their virtual fortunes as traders, industrialists, market manipulators, and a whole range of other playstyles -- which are all peripheral to the core gameplay of establishing and toppling empires through force or political machinations.

Continue reading EVE Online player run bank 1.2 trillion ISK in the red, freezes all accounts

MassivelyEVE Online player run bank 1.2 trillion ISK in the red, freezes all accounts originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 26 Aug 2009 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>banksbreakingccp-gamescultureebankeconomyeve-onlinemaking-moneymmo-industrynew-edenplayer-run-venturesray-mccormacksci-fiWed, 26 Aug 2009 09:30:00 EST<![CDATA[E-ON offers 100 million ISK reward for your best EVE Online screenshots]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/14/e-on-offers-100-million-isk-reward-for-your-best-eve-online-scre/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/14/e-on-offers-100-million-isk-reward-for-your-best-eve-online-scre/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/14/e-on-offers-100-million-isk-reward-for-your-best-eve-online-scre/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,


E-ON, the official magazine of EVE Online, is running a contest where your best screenshots could net you 100 million ISK for each shot they publish in the April issue. E-ON editor Zapatero, who we interviewed in November, said what he's looking for on the E-ON blog, 'Postings from the Edge':

"What we're after are your screenshots. They can be of ships mining, travelling or fighting. They can be pilots tending to starbases, searching for wormholes or epic battles against Sleeper ships. In fact they can be of anything from inside New Eden, they just have to be good-looking images. The very best that we receive will be published in the edition of EON that's out next month."

Continue reading E-ON offers 100 million ISK reward for your best EVE Online screenshots

MassivelyE-ON offers 100 million ISK reward for your best EVE Online screenshots originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 14 Mar 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>apocryphaccp-gamescontestse-oneveeve-onlineiskmaking-moneypostings-from-the-edgepremium-graphicsrichie-shoemakersci-fiscreenshotszapateroSat, 14 Mar 2009 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Saving for that horse: a mid-level guide to making money in LotRO]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/08/saving-for-that-horse-a-mid-level-guide-to-making-money-in-lotr/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/08/saving-for-that-horse-a-mid-level-guide-to-making-money-in-lotr/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/08/saving-for-that-horse-a-mid-level-guide-to-making-money-in-lotr/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Over at MMORPG.com, their Lord of the Rings Online correspondent Jim Braner has written a comprehensive guide to finding riches in LotRO entitled "Lord of the Rings Online: Making and Keeping Silver in your 20s." This is a great little guide, as it explains many of the common-sense nuances of the game that can be used to your pocketbook's advantage. For example, instead of paying for a ride from the Forsaken Inn to Ost Garuth, why not just run there? Sure it will take some extra time, but think of the drops and resources you'll be able to gather along the way.

One of the most underrated points of this guide is one that I firmly believe, yet can rarely convince others to trust. Keeping up with new armor every 5-6 levels will actually help you save money. Of course this only applies if you are a Tailor or Metalsmith, or know one fondly, as buying armor from a merchant is a complete waste. As stated in this guide, that new armor is more durable, and with a higher armor rating, you'll die less. This will cut down significantly on your item repair bills, and ultimately keep more money in your pocket.

While these suggestions are all great, I couldn't help but add a few more to the list. Check out some of my own tips on making and saving money in mid-level LotRO just after the cut below.

Continue reading Saving for that horse: a mid-level guide to making money in LotRO

MassivelySaving for that horse: a mid-level guide to making money in LotRO originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 08 Dec 2008 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>featuredgoldguidelord-of-the-rings-onlinelotromaking-moneymid-levelmines-of-moriammorpg.comsilverMon, 08 Dec 2008 15:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Making/Money: Auctioneer Wishlist]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/13/making-money-auctioneer-wishlist/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/13/making-money-auctioneer-wishlist/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/10/13/making-money-auctioneer-wishlist/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

WARNING - MATH AHEAD!

A few weeks ago, a reader e-mailed me with questions about some Auctioneer data that they have been collecting. Though the question was regarding trying to determine inflation patterns on their server, it got me to thinking about what Auctioneer actually captures. And what other data points would be most helpful in making evaluations of item pricing or looking into economic trending.

While I'm not about to go through all of Auctioneer's algorithm rules, I would recommend that anyone who uses this mod check them out on Norganna's Wiki. They explain where the recommended prices come from. Basically, it's a comparison of the historical data accumulated from all of your auction house scans and the most recent snapshot data. The market value ends up being either the median of historical or recent data, flavored with the user-set preferences for markup or markdown.

Continue reading Making/Money: Auctioneer Wishlist

MassivelyMaking/Money: Auctioneer Wishlist originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 13 Oct 2008 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Have you ever wondered how so many of today's newer MMOs can go with the free-to-play business model? With the mega bank that Blizzard is making off of World of Warcraft, wouldn't the obvious plan be to make any new game subscription-based? Well, not exactly.

According to an amazingly-extensive research post over at Matt Mihaly's The Forge blog, the decision for an MMO to choose between a subscription-based or free-to-play (with microtransactions) business model is not simply black and white. There's so much gray area in there based on more than just trying to reach the largest audience and making the most money. It's about developing a game that players will enjoy for many years. Market trends and long-term player interest is a difficult thing to predict, so new MMO developers find themselves experimenting with many different plans. Will these plans eventually evolve into the holy grail of online gaming payment, or will we eventually find that the best solution has been under our noses the entire time?

MassivelyThe future of MMOs: Subscription vs. Free-to-Play originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 06 Oct 2008 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>business-modelsf2pfree-to-playmaking-moneymicrotransactionssubscriptionsMon, 06 Oct 2008 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Making/Money: Conservation of Mass - Part 3]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/26/making-money-conservation-of-mass-part-3/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/26/making-money-conservation-of-mass-part-3/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/26/making-money-conservation-of-mass-part-3/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Once more with feeling!

Welcome to the third and final (planned) installment of our series on closed-resource economies in MMOs. So far, we've laid the foundation of the system and discussed how starting out, leveling up, and gaining loot could work. Today we will be exploring how crafting professions could still be possible even when the law of Conservation of Mass applies and how banking might function.

There's been a lot covered so far so if you haven't already, i recommend reading the first two posts. But since I know that gets into the TLDR length, here's a very quick recap.

In order to maintain a constant level of stuff in the game, new items could only generate once old items leave the game. Money would function in the same way, except that it would flow from NPCs to monsters (meaning any monies collected by NPCs would spawn as loot) in order to recirculate. There would need to be additional gold sinks (some of which we will get to in just a minute) and limits on the number of characters per server. Each server would then "age" as the average level of characters on it increased.

Continue reading Making/Money: Conservation of Mass - Part 3

MassivelyMaking/Money: Conservation of Mass - Part 3 originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 26 Sep 2008 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>age-of-conanaocbankingconservation-of-masscraftingeconomicseconomyfeaturedhousingin-game-bankingjoystiqfeatureslord-of-the-rings-onlinelotromaking-moneyplayer-housingprofessionsresourcesstorageultima-onlineuoworld-of-warcraftwowFri, 26 Sep 2008 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Making/Money: Conservation of Mass - Part 2]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/14/making-money-conservation-of-mass-part-2/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/14/making-money-conservation-of-mass-part-2/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/09/14/making-money-conservation-of-mass-part-2/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Welcome back for Part 2 in our series on closed-resource economies in MMOs. Last week we discussed how starting out in this *completely hypothetical* system might work, what some of the basic rules of operation might be, and what it would take to keep money available to players. Today, we continue on our chosen path to talk about how loot and gear could be distributed so that raiding, quests, and all the other content we enjoy would still be available even through endgame.

First, a quick recap of the groundwork we already laid out.

Rule #1: Server character limits. Yes, this would create the need for more servers in the game. But it would also enable the developers to determine a starting point for the goods, resources and money available at server start.

Rule #2: Items and money must leave the game in order to come back in as loot or gathered materials. That means that they must be consumed in some way, either by being dropped and deleted, or by being given to an NPC. Consumed items could return as they had left the game, as the resources used in their creation, or as another item entirely.

Rule #3: More gold sinks. In order to keep the loot flowing, there would need to be additional, enticing or mandatory ways for the gold to leave the game. An example might be to have service-oriented NPCs, such as the Work Orders in Lord of the Rings Online or the Saw Mill in RuneScape. Mounts or housing are always popular ways to get money back from players to NPCs as well.

Still with me so far? Excellent. On we go!

Continue reading Making/Money: Conservation of Mass - Part 2

MassivelyMaking/Money: Conservation of Mass - Part 2 originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 14 Sep 2008 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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How to make money in your MMO of choice; this is probably one of the most popular topics among players who want the best gear. Should you raid for rare boss drops? Should you buy low and sell high in the auction house? Should you farm for crafting supplies? Of course, each game's economy is different, but personal preference should dictate what you ultimately decide and how you wish to spend your time.

Over at Kill Ten Rats, they've written a great article on the phenomenon of item pricing in MMOs. The example is centered around the economy of Lord of the Rings Online and how you can allow certain people to inflate auction house prices beyond belief, to ultimately lower the item's price for others. It's an interesting take on an MMOs version of supply and demand, which isn't really even based on supply or demand, but the perceived version of either.

MassivelyThe science of farming nodes and playing the market originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 26 Aug 2008 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>economyfarmingkill-ten-ratslord-of-the-rings-onlinelotromaking-moneysupply-and-demandturbineTue, 26 Aug 2008 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Making/Money: Economic Equilibrium is MIA]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/08/24/making-money-economic-equilibrium-is-mia/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/08/24/making-money-economic-equilibrium-is-mia/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/08/24/making-money-economic-equilibrium-is-mia/#commentsFiled under: , ,

When I first started playing MMOs I was in college. I'd bounced from major to major but ultimately settled on Economics (from a starting point of Medieval and Renaissance Studies - how'd that happen?). Like other economists in games like EverQuest and Ultima Online, I was thrilled to find a lively economy and interested to apply classical economic models in the study of it. The most basic of these models is the typical supply and demand curve.

Any economic model starts with price and quantity. The higher the price, the more suppliers want to sell but the less consumers want to buy. As the price decreases, more consumers are interested in purchasing, but fewer suppliers are able to produce profitably. In theory, there is a magical level in the middle where supply and demand meet. That is equilibrium (see graph).

What I have since found, which is furiously debated by other economists in the field, is that the typical supply and demand curves do not fit well with the economies of most MMORPGs these days. Depending on the game, add-ons used, and availability of additional market data, there may be sort of invisible caps to the price, and thereby the quantities, of goods traded. Furthermore, auction house fees and vendor sales act much in the same way as taxes or subsidies in real world economies.

Continue reading Making/Money: Economic Equilibrium is MIA

MassivelyMaking/Money: Economic Equilibrium is MIA originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 24 Aug 2008 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Veteran EVE Online blogger CrazyKinux is on top of his game. He's put together a collection of resources geared towards new players of EVE, or for those who are curious about what the game entails. He culled roughly three years of his own content to select ten of his most useful posts, out of the hundreds he's written.

The list hits topics ranging from the simple -- acronyms, mission running, and finding the right corporation to join -- to the more complex, such as exploration tips and faction standings. He strikes a good balance between content for new players and info for veteran players who could use a refresher on these aspects of the game. Also of interest there is the ever-growing EVE Online Blog Pack, which provides an easy way to keep up to date with what the EVE blogging community is up to. Check out "10 Posts for the EVE Online Newbie" and its related discussion on the EVE Online forums.

MassivelyResources galore for new EVE Online players originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 20 Aug 2008 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpccp-gamescrazykinuxeveeve-onlinegame-mechanicsguidesmaking-moneyquestssci-fitips-and-tricksWed, 20 Aug 2008 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Making/Money: Unlocking More Money]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/08/17/making-money-unlocking-more-money/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/08/17/making-money-unlocking-more-money/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/08/17/making-money-unlocking-more-money/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Picture this, if you will - You are in Lord of the Rings Online and have amassed just enough coinage to purchase your first house, a minimum of 950 silver. You have looked through the various neighborhood maps for each of the races to determine where you want to be, taking into consideration the proximity of the housing to a town, the proximity of the house you chose to the gate and the water feature within the neighborhood (for safe fishing right outside your door), and the amount you will have to pay in upkeep. You head to the housing broker of your choice, find a neighborhood that has that house available and purchase it.

Ahh, your first property. A place to call your very own in the middle of a bustling game life. You put some nice carpets down, paint the walls, and put some locally-caught fish up as trophies. You might even put a bed in one of the rooms as an homage to real life - not that anyone sleeps in LotRO... at least on purpose. You pay a couple of additional weeks' upkeep in advance to ensure that the house remains yours. Eventually, you unlock the storage container within the house and put some of the items in that would not fit in the bank and you haven't quite decided what to do with. All is going swimmingly.

Then, a few short weeks later, real life calls you away on vacation to somewhere with limited internet access (may it never be so!). You get back to heaps of work and do not have time to log in for a little while. When you finally do, there is a box on the left-hand side of your screen informing you that maintenance is now overdue on your house and you have been locked out until such time as you pay it.

"Oh noes!!!" you cry, "Whatever shall I do now? I cannot get to the things in my storage container to sell them and I do not have the money to pay this outright. My house is doomed!"

Ah, not so, Grasshopper. There are ways to save your house and today we explore my favorite - the crafting method.

Continue reading Making/Money: Unlocking More Money

MassivelyMaking/Money: Unlocking More Money originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 17 Aug 2008 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>craftingfeaturedhousingjoystiqfeatureslord-of-the-rings-onlinelotromaking-moneyplayer-housingprofessionstrade-skillsunlockvocationSun, 17 Aug 2008 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[A beginner's guide to the EverQuest 2 economy]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/13/a-beginners-guide-to-the-everquest-2-economy/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/13/a-beginners-guide-to-the-everquest-2-economy/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/07/13/a-beginners-guide-to-the-everquest-2-economy/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

The official EverQuest 2 site has put up a quickie guide to the Norrathian economy, for folks who may have just hopped back into the game. It can be a challenge to make enough cash, especially at low levels. The easy, common-sense suggestion they offer is to always check a broker before selling an item to a merchant - even a quest reward. Rewards in EQ2 aren't always immediately bound to your character. It's easy to do a price check, too - just head to a broker NPC, put the item into the broker window, and hit the 'search broker' button. A listing will pop up with all the other current auctions for that item. If the price other players are asking is even slightly higher than the merchant sale cost, it's probably worth it to put it up.

Other suggestions from the EQ2 team include selling harvested items, especially low-level ones. Lots of higher level players have need of lower-level items, but have no interest in going back to the Commonlands or Antonica to gather them. They're saleable on the broker, the same as any other item, for a neat profit. Tradeskilling also offers a lucrative way to make some coin. We suggest the Sage profession; they're the fine scribes that sell Cleric and Mage spells, always high demand and high price items. There are several other options outlined in the guide, including breaking down unwanted gear, snagging collectibles while you adventure, and even goblin gambling. Go check out the site for the full rundown.

MassivelyA beginner's guide to the EverQuest 2 economy originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 13 Jul 2008 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>economyeq2everquest-2guidemaking-moneysoesony-online-entertainmentSun, 13 Jul 2008 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Rogue Signal: The wonderful world of alts]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/29/rogue-signal-the-wonderful-world-of-alts/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/29/rogue-signal-the-wonderful-world-of-alts/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/29/rogue-signal-the-wonderful-world-of-alts/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

With EVE Online's time-based skill system of character progression, multiple accounts are pretty commonplace amongst the hardcore and even semi-casual player. CCP even occasionally holds special discounts for the opening of new accounts, called the Power of Two program. EVE is unique in the way that it handles alts, in many ways. Since only one character can be training at a time, and, unlike other MMOs, there is no real end to the training a character will do, if you want to start something new from the ground up, you're going to need to either scrap your existing character, or open up a new account. Today, we'll take a look at how to go about creating an alt.

Continue reading Rogue Signal: The wonderful world of alts

MassivelyRogue Signal: The wonderful world of alts originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 29 Jun 2008 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>altscarebearingdual-boxingeve-onlinefeaturediskmaking-moneymanufacturingminingmissionsSun, 29 Jun 2008 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Making/Money: MUDflation IG vs. IRL]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/13/making-money-mudflation-ig-vs-irl/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/13/making-money-mudflation-ig-vs-irl/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/06/13/making-money-mudflation-ig-vs-irl/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

We have tackled the subject of mudflation tangentially a few times of late. It seems to have suddenly become the economic buzzword of MMOs. We have all experienced it. We have come to expect, if not accept, it as part of the games we love to play. And though Wikipedia, in its infinite wisdom, has dubbed it an in-game only phenomenon, I posit a different approach to looking at this occurrence.

Mudflation is an immediate devaluation of previously owned items due to the gain or release of newly available items. This is not unlike technological advance in that the release of the latest new toy makes all others somewhat obsolete. The differences here are the perceived need for the item, the amount of devaluation, and the time frame in which this occurs.

Continue reading Making/Money: MUDflation IG vs. IRL

MassivelyMaking/Money: MUDflation IG vs. IRL originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 13 Jun 2008 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>advancesbleeding-edgedeflationeconomicsexpansionsfeaturedgearinflationitemsjoystiqfeatureslootmaking-moneymudflationpvepvppvp-gearshinytechnologyFri, 13 Jun 2008 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Making/Money: The Diminishing Need for NPC Vendors]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/25/making-money-the-diminishing-need-for-npc-vendors/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/25/making-money-the-diminishing-need-for-npc-vendors/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/25/making-money-the-diminishing-need-for-npc-vendors/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

An interesting post was put up on our sister site WoW Insider a few months ago now which told the tale of the NPC merchant at Imported Boomsticks in Orgrimmar. Though my home base in World of Warcraft is usually this bustling city, and I have visited that shop many times for repairs and the unloading of grey/white items, it was eye-opening to note that I was one of the people referenced who did not remember the name of that NPC.

None of my characters have used guns (not a moral thing - just a convenience one), so I never had a compelling reason to see what was offered for sale or pay much attention to this little shop. I just knew it was there for me whenever I needed to stop by the auction house and take care of some repairs and bag-cleaning at the same time.

It then occurred to me that, other than trade goods and recipes, I really hadn't purchased much of anything from the NPCs on any character. It never seemed worth it. There always seemed to be better items to be gleaned from questing or selling goods that other players would pay for. Why, then, are there still NPC vendors selling their wares around Azeroth?

Continue reading Making/Money: The Diminishing Need for NPC Vendors

MassivelyMaking/Money: The Diminishing Need for NPC Vendors originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 25 May 2008 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>buyingeconomicseconomyeve-onlinefeaturedmaking-moneynpcssellingvendorsworld-of-warcraftSun, 25 May 2008 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Making/Money: Flawed by Design]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/18/making-money-flawed-by-design/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/18/making-money-flawed-by-design/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/18/making-money-flawed-by-design/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Last week your intrepid blogger was caught up in the other kind of beta testing - a Statistics final. Yeah, that was a bad pun. Oh well. Back to the money talk!

In the last column, we discussed value chains and how, in World of Warcraft, they work when dealing with NPCs but not the auction house. Today we are looking at another game and how it deals with value chains to ensure that they do not work when crafting by NPC purchases/sales alone.

Lord of the Rings Online offers players vocations - sets of three linked professions that cannot be chosen by themselves. In any given vocation, there is usually one "useful" gathering profession which supports one of the craft professions in the set and another, unsupported, profession. In other words, vocations are structured to enforce cooperation and trade between players by ensuring that no one can gather all the raw materials they will require to level their craft. But that doesn't mean that the supported profession is good to go from the start.

Continue reading Making/Money: Flawed by Design

MassivelyMaking/Money: Flawed by Design originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 18 May 2008 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>craftingcraftseconomyfeaturedgatheringhousingingredientslord-of-the-rings-onlinelossmaking-moneynpcsprofessionsprofitrecipesvendorsvocationSun, 18 May 2008 09:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Gameplay Wishlist: WotLK travel guide]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/17/gameplay-wishlist-wotlk-travel-guide/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/17/gameplay-wishlist-wotlk-travel-guide/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/17/gameplay-wishlist-wotlk-travel-guide/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Our recent in-depth look at the flood of information concerning World of Warcraft's Wrath of the Lich King expansion gave us some cause for speculation. Specifically, the news about the multiple-rider mounts has given us an intriguing idea for a new way to make money in-game.

There are two levels to this idea, and they both revolve around players who don't have access to high-speed mounts of their own. One briefly wonders why this change in transportation was implemented, but only briefly. Once the possibilities become clear, there will undoubtedly arise new uses for the piggyback functionality that are still somewhat nebulous at this stage. With no further ado, our ideas after the jump.

Continue reading Gameplay Wishlist: WotLK travel guide

MassivelyGameplay Wishlist: WotLK travel guide originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 17 May 2008 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>azerothblizzardbusinessfeaturedferry-serviceflight-pathsjournalistlow-levelmaking-moneymultiple-rider-mountspower-levelsecond-life-insidersynthravelstravel-guideupdated-graphicsvistaswishlistworld-of-warcraftwotlkwowwrath-of-the-lich-kingSat, 17 May 2008 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Timing virtual world launches]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/09/timing-virtual-world-launches/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/09/timing-virtual-world-launches/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/05/09/timing-virtual-world-launches/#commentsFiled under: , ,

When's the perfect time to launch your brand new virtual world? The one that will send kids hunting through their parent's wallets for money for new outfits for their virtual puppy. The one that will have people busily importing their five thousand-strong MySpace friends list into your Scooby-Doo-themed social networking site, The Haunted Amusement Park. Your Shiny Whiter Teeth virtual world that will launch aside your new toothpaste. It all depends on your target audience, says Electric Sheep's Giff Constable.

If you're going after the coveted pre-teen dollar, best to launch it just as the kids are getting out of school. Their parents will likely have their guard down and be more permissive. Though that won't work with college kids. Get them just after exams, but before the new semester. They'll be playing and getting their friends to play so when the new semester starts, your foot is in the door.

Adults aren't likely to play during the Summer (when their kids are hogging the computer, no doubt) -- grab them in the Spring or the Fall when the pressure of summer or the holiday season aren't on their minds. But if you're tying your virtual world to a toy or other consumer item, then the holiday season is your strong season, and you should launch in the Fall in order to make a big splash.

You can spend all the time you need on your virtual world, polish it to a high sheen, but if your intended audience is off doing something else ... you won't have the launch you want.

MassivelyTiming virtual world launches originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 09 May 2008 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>electric-sheepelectric-sheep-companygiff-constablelaunchmaking-moneymarketingschedulingvirtual-worldsFri, 09 May 2008 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Making/Money: The Wisdom of MMO Banking]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/20/making-money-the-wisdom-of-mmo-banking/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/20/making-money-the-wisdom-of-mmo-banking/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/20/making-money-the-wisdom-of-mmo-banking/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Does it seem strange to save up to buy a house in a game? We are in an era where the real world economies of some nations are paralyzed by debts incurred from home purchases. Yet in games where there is player housing there is a surprising lack of player debt. MMOGs offer a simplified financial system seemingly impervious to the ills of modern society. What could we as a gaming society learn about real-world finance and money management from the way we act in game?

Continue reading Making/Money: The Wisdom of MMO Banking

MassivelyMaking/Money: The Wisdom of MMO Banking originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 20 Apr 2008 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>bankingcrediteconomyepic-mountfeaturedfinal-fantasy-xifinancelendinglord-of-the-rings-onlinemaking-moneymoneyplayer-economyplayer-housingrunescapesavingself-selection-biasspendingultima-onlinewisdomworld-of-warcraftSun, 20 Apr 2008 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Making/Money: Newbs at Auction]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/13/making-money-newbs-at-auction/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/13/making-money-newbs-at-auction/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/04/13/making-money-newbs-at-auction/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

... And we're not talking about selling accounts on eBay.

One of the most frustrating aspects of being a new player in an established game, to my mind, is the cost of start-up crafting materials. Hit up any public market area, auction house, trade square or similar as a newbie and you will see what I mean. Even low-level items of any use (i.e. not vendor trash) are sold for seemingly absurd amounts given the time that would be required at early levels in order to generate the money. It can make the start of a new character infuriating and the game too taxing (pun fully intended) to continue. Why does this happen? What makes these things so costly? Why can't we all just get along...? (Oh wait, that's another column entirely)

Continue reading Making/Money: Newbs at Auction

MassivelyMaking/Money: Newbs at Auction originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 13 Apr 2008 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>altsauctionauction-houseauctionscomponentscrafted-itemscraftingeconomicseconomyfeaturedinflationlord-of-the-rings-onlinelow-levellowbiemaking-moneymaterialsmoneyrmtstartingtradeskilltradeskillsworld-of-warcraftSun, 13 Apr 2008 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[A booming economy (and a lack of PvP) in the PotBS beta]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/04/economy-and-pvp-in-potbs/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/04/economy-and-pvp-in-potbs/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/12/04/economy-and-pvp-in-potbs/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

The Pirates of the Burning Sea NDA lifted the other day when the beta went open, and so lots of bloggers are posting their own impressions of the game (we at Massively got to post ours a while back, but hey, we're cool like that). Tobold, though, has an interesting post up about a favorite subject of mine in the game: the economy and crafting system. Once again, you can read my thoughts in the crafting writeup from a while back, but Tobold says something I hadn't considered-- that it is extremely easy to raise a fortune in PotBS.

Or is it? Tobold says you can make a lot of money just by using your stored labor (which stores up in real-time-- my favorite innovation in the game), and right now, that's true. But having played the beta for a while, my prediction is that prices in starter and close-to-starter ports will drop pretty sharply after the game comes out. Right now, PvP is still in its infancy in the game (either because people are still learning how to do it, or because pirates haven't geared up yet to the point where they can really crush newbies). I was able to sail around the world to trade without any trouble at all. But in the live game, it'll become that much more dangerous to travel across the seas, and that will push the system to where FLS wants it: with PvP and the economy as two sides of the same paper.

Right now, it's easy to make a ton of money because money is moving fast around the world. When the game comes out, and the real pirates make their way to the open seas, the economy will fall much more into the pattern that FLS is trying to get it in: goods at home will be bought and sold cheaply, and to make the real production and trading money, you'll have to travel through dangerous waters and survive to sell at the other side.

MassivelyA booming economy (and a lack of PvP) in the PotBS beta originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 04 Dec 2007 23:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>craftingeconomyflsmaking-moneypirates-of-the-burning-seapvpstored-labortoboldTue, 04 Dec 2007 23:03:00 EST<![CDATA[The itemization bug bites Tabula Rasa]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/28/the-itemization-bug-bites-tabula-rasa/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/28/the-itemization-bug-bites-tabula-rasa/http://massively.joystiq.com/2007/11/28/the-itemization-bug-bites-tabula-rasa/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,


As you should already well know, Destination Games is hard at work on patching up some common complaints in their new sci-fi epic Tabula Rasa. Though the most significant part of the patch for most players was Rage getting whacked with the nerf bat and the promise of a free respec, that wasn't all that Paul Sage and crew had in mind. An easily overlooked part of the patch notes says, and here I quote, "We have also fixed another problem where item rarity was not affecting damage bonuses on the items. Now green weapons will do more damage than their white counterparts of the same level. Blues will do more than greens." Itemization is getting tweaked, and it's going to have huge ramifications.

As things of this nature usually do, the change has spawned a heated discussion within the TR community, with some feeling that the difference in itemization (which, if you'll note, is called a "fix" not a "change") is going to have profound implications for the way players approach equipment and the game in general. As the game exists now, damage is entirely independent of item quality, and the only advantages conferred by rare items (which follows the popular rarity scheme of white < green < blue < purple) are that they have their mod slots filled. In most cases an item bought at a vendor is basically equal to a purple of the same level that you can get either as a rare drop or as a quest reward. Why is that a problem?

Continue reading The itemization bug bites Tabula Rasa

MassivelyThe itemization bug bites Tabula Rasa originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 28 Nov 2007 11:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>damage-bonusesdestination-gameseconomyend-gamefeatureditemizationitemsmaking-moneypatchpaul-sagepurplespvprgtrsurplus-storestabula-rasaWed, 28 Nov 2007 11:59:00 EST