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The GOOD News About Online Gaming @ eToychest
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Kalia
Eager Tradesman
Eager Tradesman




Joined: 07 Jan 2005
Posts: 30
Location: Arizona
The GOOD News About Online Gaming @ eToychest
   

Slashdot found an interesting article at eToychest extolling the benefits of online games and gaming communities. The study, published recently, was conducted over three years and found that there are many positives for those who experience online games. <blockquote><em>Our study shows that the online gaming communities are complex and highly developed, acting as 'training grounds' for the transition from school to work" Nic continues: "When playing, gamers are undergoing a complex process of 'work related learning' - learning how to cope with work scenarios - which is far removed from the traditionally held negative view of gaming. Put simply, these games have a central - and positive - role to play in the development and education of young people."</em></blockquote> Read the rest over at <a href="http://etoychest.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3568&Itemid=29" target="_blank">eToychest</a>.
Post Fri Feb 17, 2006 8:52 pm
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LittleBigBrother
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friends don't let friends miss phat lewt
   

They also aid the transition from school to work by helping millions of addicts drop out of school and find low paying shift work.
Post Fri Feb 17, 2006 8:53 pm
 
XVampireX
Keeper of the Gates
Keeper of the Gates




Joined: 30 Jun 2005
Posts: 100
Location: Beneath Heaven, But Above Earth.
   

Actually, I'm sure there are some people making good money from selling Virtual property, Playthroughs, etc...
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"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing" -Edmund Burke. Mentioned in Castlevania: Symphony of the Night.
Post Fri Feb 17, 2006 9:04 pm
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Kalia
Eager Tradesman
Eager Tradesman




Joined: 07 Jan 2005
Posts: 30
Location: Arizona
   

LOL for awhile there, my stepson was making about $300/month on Ebay selling his Everquest stuff and characters. He didn't live with us BTW. We found out about it by accident and his dad hit the roof. But, you're absolutely right: Some people are making scads of cash from virtual gaming.
Post Sat Feb 18, 2006 2:03 am
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Shimbatha
Village Leader
Village Leader




Joined: 15 Feb 2002
Posts: 78
Location: Jersey Shore
   

quote:
Originally posted by Kalia
LOL for awhile there, my stepson was making about $300/month on Ebay selling his Everquest stuff and characters. He didn't live with us BTW. We found out about it by accident and his dad hit the roof. But, you're absolutely right: Some people are making scads of cash from virtual gaming.


Why would he hit the roof? I'd be happy for him...and start demanding rent.

If someone is dumb enough to buy "fake" property and "fake" merchandise, then I say go for it. Your stepson rocked, period.
Post Sat Feb 18, 2006 4:54 am
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If that's true, then that says a lot about the state of today's corporations and workplaces...

No wonder everyone's so miserable in their lousy jobs..
Post Sat Feb 18, 2006 5:11 am
 
Kalia
Eager Tradesman
Eager Tradesman




Joined: 07 Jan 2005
Posts: 30
Location: Arizona
   

quote:
Originally posted by Shimbatha
quote:
Originally posted by Kalia
LOL for awhile there, my stepson was making about $300/month on Ebay selling his Everquest stuff and characters. He didn't live with us BTW. We found out about it by accident and his dad hit the roof. But, you're absolutely right: Some people are making scads of cash from virtual gaming.


Why would he hit the roof? I'd be happy for him...and start demanding rent.

If someone is dumb enough to buy "fake" property and "fake" merchandise, then I say go for it. Your stepson rocked, period.


I guess the way my husband looked at it was that it was not a terribly ethical practice. It's right on the edge of the EULA. I think that this is going to be an area that gaming companies are going to have to either begin to vigorously take legal action against, or they're going to have to explicitly state that 'it's OK to make real life money using our game'. The whole profit-making aspect of MMOGs is complex and mystical right now. When you see whole corporations set up in third world countries that are dedicated to 'farming' gold/items and then turning around and selling them, it's obvious that something has to be done.

I don't know. I usually come down on the side of the developers and publishers on this one. The EULA, while obviously not legally enforceable due to rather nebulous language, is something that people exploit and is something that needs to be cut off---especially since fat cats are making big bucks and paying their sweatshop laborers a paltry amount in return.
Post Sat Feb 18, 2006 12:25 pm
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abbaon
Head Merchant
Head Merchant




Joined: 05 Feb 2006
Posts: 64
   

Businesses compete with each other for workers. Each new business increases the demand for labour, which bids up its price. More businesses means higher wages, particularly - and this hardly needs saying - for people who previously had no jobs. You don't help people by shutting down their source of employment. Now, when union types advocate better pay and conditions for third world workers, they pretty clearly want to price their competition out of the market. I wonder what motivates you in this matter. Price control for your stepson, perhaps? Hmm?

Also, re. "sweatshops", can you name a less sweat-drenched line of work than sitting at a computer and clicking a mouse?

Maybe something to do with snow.
Post Sat Feb 18, 2006 1:17 pm
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Roqua
High Emperor
High Emperor




Joined: 02 Sep 2003
Posts: 897
Location: rump
   

quote:
Originally posted by Kalia
quote:
Originally posted by Shimbatha
quote:
Originally posted by Kalia
LOL for awhile there, my stepson was making about $300/month on Ebay selling his Everquest stuff and characters. He didn't live with us BTW. We found out about it by accident and his dad hit the roof. But, you're absolutely right: Some people are making scads of cash from virtual gaming.


Why would he hit the roof? I'd be happy for him...and start demanding rent.

If someone is dumb enough to buy "fake" property and "fake" merchandise, then I say go for it. Your stepson rocked, period.


I guess the way my husband looked at it was that it was not a terribly ethical practice. It's right on the edge of the EULA. I think that this is going to be an area that gaming companies are going to have to either begin to vigorously take legal action against, or they're going to have to explicitly state that 'it's OK to make real life money using our game'. The whole profit-making aspect of MMOGs is complex and mystical right now. When you see whole corporations set up in third world countries that are dedicated to 'farming' gold/items and then turning around and selling them, it's obvious that something has to be done.

I don't know. I usually come down on the side of the developers and publishers on this one. The EULA, while obviously not legally enforceable due to rather nebulous language, is something that people exploit and is something that needs to be cut off---especially since fat cats are making big bucks and paying their sweatshop laborers a paltry amount in return.


I think they love it the way it is. The more popular the game, the more rampant this is. The more popular the game, the less likely Joe Casual will be of competing with the kids that play 24/7. The less likely Joe Casual is of competing with the 24/7 kids, the more likely he has a job and disposable income. Money/item sales keep him semi-competitive. He can get pretty good crap without ruining his real life.

It keeps the power gamers and casual gamers happy. The between people hate it as they don’t play enough to make real money off it, and they can’t afford to benefit from it by being a buyer. So they make it against the EULA and occasional ban some idiot that is blatantly stupid from selling on Ebay.

As someone pointed out in another thread, you can’t afford to alienate segments of your market anymore. This is a way to cater to everyone, more people are happy than if it would be any other way.

They can’t go the PE route and sell items themselves, as that would make everyone angry besides the people that could afford it, and just looks like a scam. You stop the farmers and ban those that sell or buy you are wasting a lot of resources on other things, as well as making large portions of your player base be alienated and hate you, which will lead to a loud backlash on the boards, which wastes more resources and could result in more bannings. Its lose-lose for the devs and a lot of players (and drastic for the bottom line). The only ones that would be happy with that decision will play the game anyway, and really aren’t that vocal.

Why should anything change? This is the way that keeps the most people happy, or at least quieter. How’s that saying go?
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Post Sat Feb 18, 2006 1:30 pm
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