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: Player-owned structures]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/27/eve-evolved-player-owned-structures/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/27/eve-evolved-player-owned-structures/http://massively.joystiq.com/2011/11/27/eve-evolved-player-owned-structures/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , , , ,

EVE Evolved title image
For much of EVE Online's life, warfare has revolved around player-owned structures of one sort or another. When conquerable stations were released at the end of 2003, they became flashpoints for PvP and goals for corporate territorial warfare. This continued even after the release of player-owned starbases in late 2004, as even the most territorial alliance didn't have the manpower to take down a well-defended large starbase. Industrialists held all the cards, and nullsec alliances made deals with them to open their moons for exploitation.

Eventually, player-built outposts arrived on the scene, and starbases were adopted to fill a military role in system defense. Whichever side in a fight could control the most starbases in a system would win the outpost, and fearsome dreadnoughts were introduced to make starbase sieges possible. Today, starbases take a back seat to wars over infrastructure hubs, territorial claim units and sovereignty blockade units. The war will eventually extend to planets, but until now planetary interaction has been an entirely industrial affair without the slightest hint of EVE's typical conflict. With the coming Crucible expansion, the starbase and customs office systems are due to be overhauled in a way that should lead to more conflict and lay the ground work for DUST 514.

In this week's EVE Evolved, I look back at the history of starbases, the impact of the coming starbase revamp, and the possibility of additional conflict brought in by the new customs offices.

Continue reading EVE Evolved: Player-owned structures

MassivelyEVE Evolved: Player-owned structures originally appeared on Massively on Sun, 27 Nov 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccpccp-eveccp-gamesconflictcruciblecustomscustoms-officedustdust-514eveeve-ccpeve-evolvedeve-mmorpgeve-onlineexodusexpansionfeaturedfleetfleet-warfarefleetsfuelnewsnormadicowning-a-planetpatchplanetplanetary-interactionplanetsplayer-developersplayer-developmentplayer-housingplayer-owned-starbaseplayer-owned-stationpospos-fuelpvpred-moon-risingrmrstarbasestarbase-fueltaxterritorial-controlterritorial-warfareterritoryterritory-controlwormholeSun, 27 Nov 2011 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[The Virtual Whirl: Death and taxes]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/01/the-virtual-whirl-death-and-taxes/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/01/the-virtual-whirl-death-and-taxes/http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/05/01/the-virtual-whirl-death-and-taxes/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

"Nothing is certain but death and taxes"; a rather sardonic and bleak proverb, quoted and paraphrased by a number of famous figures over the years. The earliest on record was Daniel Defoe, in The Political History of the Devil in 1726.

Well, this week the death part doesn't concern us so much as the taxes.

Many Americans have spent this month scrambling to get their taxes filed, and for many of the rest of us our own turn comes due in just a couple of months. With that in mind, I thought I'd talk about the taxation status of virtual assets.

Continue reading The Virtual Whirl: Death and taxes

MassivelyThe Virtual Whirl: Death and taxes originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 01 May 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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When EVE Online developer CCP Soundwave isn't entertaining fans of internet spaceships with his wit during the EVE Alliance Tournament, he's apparently finding new ways to ... impose taxes on players? His dev blog today explains that CCP Games will tax the earnings of players in NPC corps and their reasons for introducing this taxes. This won't apply to those in EVE's player corporations or those enlisted with a militia for factional warfare. "Service guarantees citizenship and all that, so keep on trucking," he writes. (Note: For those less familiar with EVE Online, this deals entirely with in-game currency of course, InterStellar Kredits or ISK. No real world taxation is involved.)

After all these years, why impose taxes on players in NPC corps? CCP Soundwave explains it all in "I Bring Gifts! (By Gifts I Mean Taxes, Sorry)". NPC corps have a few advantages over player corps in that they cannot have wars declared against them by player corporations; immunity to wardecs is perhaps a key reason some players don't move on to player corps. In addition, members of NPC corporations don't have taxes subtracted from their NPC bounties and mission rewards, which most player corporations impose.

Continue reading EVE Online: The taxman cometh

MassivelyEVE Online: The taxman cometh originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 22 Sep 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Sweden is taking aim at online tax evasion and the estimated five billion Swedish krona (SEK) in annual undeclared income by the country's citizens. (This equates to roughly USD 645 million.) While much of this is revenue from "online marketplaces, porn, and astrology sites", undeclared income from games and virtual worlds are included in that figure. In fact, the Swedish Tax Agency (Skatteverket) looked at the sales of avatars and characters in 'computer games' over a 14 month period, with a collective advertised sum of 662 million SEK (USD 85 million). No income was declared on any of these transactions so it's a safe bet they'll be scrutinizing these sales moving forward.

Although the specific virtual worlds and games aren't named, GameCulture adds that the virtual property Skatteverket is looking at exchanged hands between 7000 gamers and residents. Also interesting is what GamePolitics turned up on the situation -- "even U.S. citizens could be subject to Swedish taxation on such virtual transactions, according to the Economics of Virtual Worlds blog."

MassivelySweden extending taxation into the virtual originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 21 Jul 2009 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>avataravatarseconomygameculturegamepoliticslegalmmo-industryskatteverketswedenswedish-tax-agencytaxtaxationtaxesvirtual-goodsvirtual-itemsvirtual-worldsTue, 21 Jul 2009 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[GDC09: How to avoid new legal pitfalls in virtual world design and policy]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/30/gdc09-how-to-avoid-new-legal-pitfalls-in-virtual-world-design-a/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/30/gdc09-how-to-avoid-new-legal-pitfalls-in-virtual-world-design-a/http://massively.joystiq.com/2009/03/30/gdc09-how-to-avoid-new-legal-pitfalls-in-virtual-world-design-a/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , ,

At last week's Game Developers Conference 2009, we got the chance to sit in on Mark Methenitis' talk on How to avoid new legal pitfalls in virtual world design and policy. You may have noticed the sheer quantity of legal cases, rulings and issues surrounding virtual environments and MMOGs that have direct impacts on users and players lately.

We found the talk to be an engaging and interesting one, which certainly went a long way towards clarifying some of the past, present and future problems and we've got a tasty summary of the highlights for you.

Continue reading GDC09: How to avoid new legal pitfalls in virtual world design and policy

MassivelyGDC09: How to avoid new legal pitfalls in virtual world design and policy originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 30 Mar 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>featuredgamblinggame-mechanicsgdcgdc-2009glidergovernmenthernandez-vs-igeigeirslegallinden-labmark-methenitismarvel-vs-ncsoftmoo-industryncsoftopinionregulationsatanasecond-lifetaxuigeavirtual-worldsworld-of-warcraftworlds.comworlds.com-vs-ncsoftMon, 30 Mar 2009 10:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Final Fantasy XI's development team sits down for a round table discussion]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/26/final-fantasy-xis-development-team-sits-down-for-a-round-table/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/26/final-fantasy-xis-development-team-sits-down-for-a-round-table/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/12/26/final-fantasy-xis-development-team-sits-down-for-a-round-table/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


The development team of Final Fantasy XI, everyone's favorite notoriously hard MMO, recently sat down with Carolyn Koh of MMORPG.com during their annual fan festival for an in-depth look at why the team made some of their decisions in the game's design and what we can look forward to in the future.

The roundtable is being introduced in a three part discussion, which covers topics like the campaign system of the latest expansion, questions about the items and jobs, and questions regarding PvP and the future of Final Fantasy XI. With the game recently making headlines with a controversial server transfer policy, it's good to see a bit of positive coverage paired with some insight into the 6 year old game -- especially with new features like Moblin Maze Mongers just appearing. Plus, our favorite addition to the game with the December update: No more sales tax in Jeuno! Can't forget about that. We think it's about time for us to clean our equipment chests.

MassivelyFinal Fantasy XI's development team sits down for a round table discussion originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 26 Dec 2008 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The writing is on the wall. Legislation of the virtual space is increasingly becoming the norm. Just look at the ways in which Sweden, South Korea, and China are looking into implementing virtual taxation. It stands to reason that this is only the beginning, and regulatory bodies in other countries will begin to take a closer look at what's happening, economically, on the virtual plane. The economic turbulence felt in the United States (and beyond) and the numerous problems this creates has more people eager to turn a buck, somehow, and eyeing the unregulated economies of massively multiplayer online games and virtual worlds... and their potential for unchecked exploitation. At least, this is the view of Mark Methenitis, who writes the Law of the Game on Joystiq column, which focuses on legal issues as they relate to video games.

Methenitis looks at the possibility of insider trading being applied to a virtual economy, wherein a developer has advance knowledge of a price fluctuation and takes advantage of this fact. The situation becomes far more complex, and serious, when an individual within a game company has control over the trade between real currency and the virtual currency in question, or has the ability to duplicate digital products. Methenitis doesn't cite any specific examples of this kind of financial manipulation, but explores the potential for exploitation on this level. More than anything, his observations are of a 'what if?' nature, but every scenario Methenitis outlines is certainly within the realm of possibility.

MassivelyWhen white collar crime goes virtual originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 13 Dec 2008 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Is taxation of commerce in the virtual space inevitable? We've been hearing more and more about this coming out of China, South Korea, and Sweden, but a recent piece on BBC News -- "Slapping a tax on playtime" -- hits a bit closer to home for many of us. Flora Graham, a technology reporter for BBC News, spoke with Professor Edward Castronova of Indiana University, well-known for his research and commentary on virtual economies over the years, and game researcher Dr. Richard Bartle about the impact of taxation on games and virtual worlds.

Castronova points out the idea of taxation of virtual goods exchanged for virtual money, saying, "... it's an extraordinarily dangerous development... It's as if every time I played soccer in my backyard and scored a goal, I would have to pay the government three euros. It takes away from the game's contribution to human happiness."

Continue reading The slow demise of virtual tax havens

MassivelyThe slow demise of virtual tax havens originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 29 Nov 2008 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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China's State Administration of Taxation recently imposed a 20 percent income tax rate on profits made from virtual currency and virtual items, sparking price increases for virtual goods. While this tax rate (if actually enforced) clearly impacts the virtual space, it also affects transactions happening outside of MMO servers and virtual world grids. The taxation policy could ultimately extend to the virtual currencies linked to the largest IM providers in China such as Tencent, drastically increasing the percentage of the population affected by the new laws. Despite this, the positive benefits of eliminating gray and black markets for virtual items and currency may outweigh the drawbacks for gamers and users of the various digital services in China.

Questions remain about what will and will not be taxed in the virtual space, but it's clear that individuals who gain virtual income are expected to declare their profits and pay taxes on this, and do so within seven days of having earned the profit, according to Shanghai Daily.Taxpayers who can provide proof of the value of this property or the value of the transaction are taxed at 20 percent on their profits, while those who cannot provide sufficient verification are taxed at three percent of the total transaction value. But how many people are affected by this new system?

Continue reading China's virtual goods taxation sparks price increases and controversy

MassivelyChina's virtual goods taxation sparks price increases and controversy originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 19 Nov 2008 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>asiablack-marketchinacontroversyeconomicseconomygoldgray-marketlawlegalmmo-industryrmtshanghaishanghai-dailytaxtaxestencentvirtual-currencyvirtual-goodsvirtual-itemsvirtual-taxationvirtual-worldszhu-shenshenWed, 19 Nov 2008 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[China legislates 20% tax rate on virtual currency profits]]>http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/11/03/china-legislates-20-tax-rate-on-virtual-currency-profits/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/11/03/china-legislates-20-tax-rate-on-virtual-currency-profits/http://massively.joystiq.com/2008/11/03/china-legislates-20-tax-rate-on-virtual-currency-profits/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

While much of the world's gold farming activity is based in mainland China, the black market industry operates in violation of the law. Despite this, a large part of the problem in curbing illegal activities in China is that there's a substantial divide between what the law states is illegal and the actual enforcement of those laws. This may well be the case with the law passed last week by China's State Administration of Taxation, which will impose a personal income tax rate of 20% on profits made from virtual currency.

Juliet Ye at The Wall Street Journal's "China Journal" blog reports: "The policy would cover China's legions of online gamers, who can use online virtual currency to buy better equipment and new powers for their online warriors. But it also affects millions of others who use virtual currencies on instant-messaging services and Web portals." The widespread use of virtual currencies in China spurred last year's restrictions on exchanging virtual currency into RMB. If the new law becomes a reality rather than a technicality in the lives of China's internet users, it will be a substantial change in virtual economics in the country.

MassivelyChina legislates 20% tax rate on virtual currency profits originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 03 Nov 2008 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filefront's Gaming Today is reporting on a story that recently appeared on Madison, Wisconsin's WISC-TV. It looks as though video games are once again bearing the brunt of society's ills. This time state Senator Jon Erpenbach wants to add an extra sales tax to electronics and video games. Why? You wouldn't guess the answer even if I gave you 1,000 tries and a page full of hints.

Senator Erpenbach thinks the money raised from such a [absurd] tax will help cover costs to move some 30,000 (you read that right) 17-year-olds, who are currently treated as adults when convicted of non-violent crimes, back into the juvenile system. Excuse me? Why are video games being targeted for this exactly? Erpenbach says the tax isn't to dissuade gamers though. His reasoning? "The idea being that this is kind of a kids-kids thing, in other words, if we're going to do this for kids maybe this would be a good way to go about it."

And this guy is state Senator? I'm getting increasingly angry at what amounts to blind shots in the dark aimed at the video game industry. I hope you are too. Sooner or later we're going to have to fight back against the stupidity running rampant through this country as people try to lay blame on someone or something other than themselves. For the whole illogical blow by blow, check out the entire report on Gaming Today.

MassivelyGaming takes it in the shorts again from yet another ill-informed politician originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 27 Dec 2007 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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