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A Mild-Mannered Reporter: Positive charge

Eliot Lefebvre — Wed, 11 Apr 2012 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Super-hero, City of Heroes, Business models, Opinion, Free-to-play, A Mild-Mannered Reporter

PAX East this past weekend was indeed filled with revelations, but none of them had to do with City of Heroes or any other NCsoft game, really, so I can't even complain about one getting all the love while the others were ignored. And while I could probably try to spin a thousand words out of wanting to insert a Rock Band Blitz-style minigame into the game under discussion, I have the feeling I'd get some odd looks and a rejected column.

What I did have opportunity to consider, however, is how pretty much the only thing I've brought up in regard to the Paragon Market has been the many, many choices made regarding it that I consider debatable. The Super Pack and the numerous power sets both have been targets for negativity, and I honestly haven't said anything corresponding about the positives. This seems unfair on many levels. Sure, I think the implementation is sometimes dicey, but there are a lot of parts of the market that are great, and I happily doff my hat to the team for them. So instead of burying the shop, let's praise it.

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A Mild-Mannered Reporter: Positive charge originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 11 Apr 2012 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EVE Evolved: Having a fire sale

Brendan Drain — Sun, 14 Nov 2010 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Culture, Economy, Hands-on, EVE Evolved

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

EVE 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.

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The Daily Grind: Do you like playing the merchant?

Eliot Lefebvre — Sat, 23 Oct 2010 08:00:00 EST

Filed under: Economy, Game mechanics, Opinion, The Daily Grind

It's hard to deny that there's a certain appeal in playing the market in a game. While the stakes are certainly lower than in real life -- a failed investment deprives you of only in-game currency, with rare exceptions -- the successes feel just as visceral. Certainly it's something that EVE Online has capitalized on, to the point where some of the game's detractors complain that it's all-consuming. And of course, therein lies the problem -- some players log in to get away from the economic concerns of the real world.

More recent games have veered away from having players act as merchants, instead choosing to make buying and selling almost wholly reliant upon auction houses. Of course, games like Recettear prove that there's still some appeal in playing a virtual tradesman for some. What do you think? Do you like having the option of carving out your particular niche in a virtual world as a crafter and salesman? Or would you rather have games focus on grand adventure, and leave the mundane tasks of shopkeeping to the NPCs?

Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of our 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 The Daily Grind!

The Daily Grind: Do you like playing the merchant? originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 23 Oct 2010 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Changes incoming for the markets of Final Fantasy XIV

Eliot Lefebvre — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 21:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Economy, Game mechanics, News items, Consoles, Final Fantasy XIV

Even if you're a fan of Final Fantasy XIV, you're probably not enamored of the way that selling items among players is currently handled. It's not that the market wards aren't useful, they're just a really slow way of finding items in a game where nearly every single item is crafted by players rather than found or purchased. So it's good news for the game that the development team is aware of the issue, and adjustments are incoming within the relatively near future.

The first slated update will sort the market districts by items sold, thereby allowing players to zero in on exactly what they're looking for rather than the current ambling search. There are also plans for further refinement and specialization to the wards, along with plans to better facilitate hiring and employing multiple retainers at once. Whether or not the system will ever be replaced or supplemented with the often-requested auction house has not been stated, although there are no hints that such a system is incoming for Final Fantasy XIV. Even so, the promised updates should make finding items a good sight easier.

Changes incoming for the markets of Final Fantasy XIV originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 29 Sep 2010 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Mog Log: Can't hardly wait edition

Eliot Lefebvre — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Fantasy, Game mechanics, Opinion, Consoles, Final Fantasy XIV, The Mog Log

While our column last week was all about Final Fantasy XI, we're turning this week to Final Fantasy XIV and the release date that is approaching oh so quickly. But not quickly enough. Somehow knowing that it's just around the corner in September just makes the interim that much harder. I mean, we have to go through how many more weeks of the agonizing anticipation? At least it gets released after PAX, so I won't have to worry about the timing of that with traveling out to Seattle, but holy wow guys the game is coming out in two months.

If it weren't already wholly obvious, I'm pretty excited. The game is shaping up to be amazing by every standard I care to use, and the fact that it's this close to release is unexpectedly wonderful news. But while I would have happily discussed some of the release details last week, there were other events that needed attention first. Now that I can sit back down and take a closer look, however, there were a couple parts that really stood out to me. I mean, even beyond the squealing joy of its oncoming release.

Continue reading The Mog Log: Can't hardly wait edition

The Mog Log: Can't hardly wait edition originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 10 Jul 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EVE Evolved: Trading: Tips and tricks, part 2

Brendan Drain — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 18:00:00 EST

Continue reading EVE Evolved: Trading: Tips and tricks, part 2

EVE Evolved: Trading: Tips and tricks, part 2 originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 29 Nov 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EVE Evolved: Trading: Tips and tricks

Brendan Drain — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Culture, Economy, Game mechanics, Guides, Professions, PvP, Making money, Tips and tricks, PvE, Opinion, Hands-on, EVE Evolved

So far in this guide to trading in EVE Online, I've covered the jobs best suited to new players and some of the more advanced trading techniques like margin trading, market speculation and price manipulation. This is by no means the entirety of what can happen in EVE's marketplaces, but serves as a good foundation for those trying to break into the trading game. In the hyper-capitalistic world of New Eden, the markets are hugely competitive and any edge you can get will help. With that in mind, this final part of the guide will cover a few of the tips and tricks I've learned over the years that have given me an edge in the marketplace. Some are common sense rules that most traders will learn eventually and will be invaluable to newer players. Others are more closely-guarded secrets that I've gleaned from years of gameplay.

What is a cyclic product and what do you do when you spot a price manipulation? In this final part of the trading guide, I dish out some of my personal top tips for budding marketeers.

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EVE Evolved: Trading: Tips and tricks originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 29 Nov 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EVE Evolved: Trading: Advanced trading, part 2

Brendan Drain — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 18:00:00 EST

Continue reading EVE Evolved: Trading: Advanced trading, part 2

EVE Evolved: Trading: Advanced trading, part 2 originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 22 Nov 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EVE Evolved: Trading: Advanced trading

Brendan Drain — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Culture, Economy, Forums, Game mechanics, Guides, Professions, PvP, Making money, Tips and tricks, PvE, Hands-on, EVE Evolved

In the first part of this guide I covered the basics of trading in EVE Online and some of the jobs best suited to newer players. There's a lot more to trading than buying low and selling high and in this week's installment, I'll cover some of the more advanced trading and marketeering tactics that have proven themselves effective in EVE. From margin trading on the market to making a living off the contracts page, anyone with enough dedication can learn to rake in hundreds of millions of ISK per day without even leaving the station. For the gamblers and risk-takers among you, market speculation and price manipulation can produce incredible short-term profit but with significant risks attached.

In this second part of my concise guide on trading, I look at margin trading on the market, playing the contract pages, market speculation around patches and the dirty art of market manipulation.

Continue reading EVE Evolved: Trading: Advanced trading

EVE Evolved: Trading: Advanced trading originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 22 Nov 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EVE Evolved: Trading: The basics, page 2

Brendan Drain — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 18:00:00 EST

Continue reading EVE Evolved: Trading: The basics, page 2

EVE Evolved: Trading: The basics, page 2 originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 15 Nov 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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EVE Evolved: Trading: The basics

Brendan Drain — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-fi, EVE Online, Culture, Economy, Game mechanics, Guides, Professions, Making money, Tips and tricks, PvE, Hands-on, EVE Evolved

Of all the moneymaking endeavours you can take in EVE Online, trading is perhaps the one with the highest potential for profit. While mission-running profit tops out at a few tens of millions per hour and the profit margin from production isn't that big, trading is limited only by the amount of effort you're willing to put in and is much improved by inherent business talent. At the low end of the trading spectrum, beginners can make a healthy income ferrying items from A to B. At the other extreme, a market-savvy individual can pull billions per week out of the players in EVE's great conglomerated marketplaces.

In this first guide in a short series on trading, I look at the different types of trading options available to newer EVE players.

Continue reading EVE Evolved: Trading: The basics

EVE Evolved: Trading: The basics originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 15 Nov 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Starting out in Vana'diel: The auction house

Seraphina Brennan — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Final Fantasy XI, Economy, Guides, Making money, Tips and tricks, Consoles

Hello adventurers! It's been a while, hasn't it? We've been put off track thanks to an anime convention and a certain holiday, but we're back and better than ever! Last time I said we were going to talk about the auction gouse, and that's exactly what we're going to learn about today!

Final Fantasy XI's auction house isn't your standard ebay-esque system. While there is bidding, there is no such thing as a buyout, and you can't actually buy from a specific person. Items are put into the auction house, you can see if there are any of a certain item in-stock, and you can choose to place an amount of gil for that item. This type of auction is a variant on the silent auction, where there is no auctioneer and rising bidding price. Interested? Keep on reading and we'll get into the specifics of how this system works -- it's a little tricky at first.

Continue reading Starting out in Vana'diel: The auction house

Starting out in Vana'diel: The auction house originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 17 Apr 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Making/Money: Virtual Red Paperclips

Alexis Kassan — Fri, 20 Jun 2008 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: City of Heroes, Game mechanics, Making money, Tips and tricks, Making/Money

A few years ago now, I heard a news story about a man who traded one red paperclip for a house. There were several intermediate trades, but the basic gist of it was that he started with a paperclip and traded up from there until, eventually, he was offered a house in Saskatchewan in exchange for a movie role.

I remember thinking then what an interesting concept it was (and wishing I had thought of it first). He really did not need any particular skills except maybe negotiation. He did not need any money. In the early stages, he probably didn't even need a lot of buzz. Just some connections and a dream.

In more recent times, I have seen similar things done in games. Using the auction house and connections with guildies, friends, or just willing participants in the streets, it is entirely possible to trade your way to fame and fortune without ever picking up a trade or completing a quest.

Continue reading Making/Money: Virtual Red Paperclips

Making/Money: Virtual Red Paperclips originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 20 Jun 2008 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Making/Money: The Diminishing Need for NPC Vendors

Alexis Kassan — Sun, 25 May 2008 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: World of Warcraft, Fantasy, Sci-fi, EVE Online, Economy, Making/Money

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

Making/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.

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Age of Conan economics 101

William Dobson — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Age of Conan, Economy, Game mechanics, New titles, Crafting

You'll be spending a lot of time chopping peope in half in Age of Conan, and will likely get very good at it, but at some point you might want to learn a thing or two about making and spending money as well. Thankfully, the official site has provided a guide that is sure to help Hyboria's budding economists in their quest for coin.

In truth, for the most part it's a fairly basic look at some familiar systems that are in the game. The currency will consist of gold, silver, copper and tin, and you'll be able to buy/sell/trade with both NPC merchants and other players. A crafting system is mentioned but no details are given. The most interesting aspect of the guide is the Tradeposts. These will be similar to the Auction House seen in so many other MMOs, but with key differences. It will combine marketplace, mailbox and bank in the one interface, and items can be listed for sale straight from your bank. It is stressed that this is not an auction -- there is a set price, with no bidding involved. Tradeposts will be available in both regular cities and player cities as well, which is great for anyone with a dream of a self-sufficient outpost. Check out the full guide for the rest of the economy details.

Age of Conan economics 101 originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 18 Mar 2008 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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