4 ms·

I've never really played a lot of MMOs (though I had friends who were very into SWG and still lament its changes and eventual demise) but the crazy stuff that g

by withad 15y ago

I've never really played a lot of MMOs (though I had friends who were very into SWG and still lament its changes and eventual demise) but the crazy stuff that goes on in virtual economies like this has always interested me. Reminds me of Julian Dibbell's "Play Money" [1], where he spends a year trying to make Ultima Online his main source of income. [1]http://www.amazon.co.uk/Play-Money-Millions-Trading-Virtual/dp/0465015360/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1331120748&sr=1-1 http://www.amazon.co.uk/Play-Money-Millions-Trading-Virtual/...

masklinn 15y ago
> the crazy stuff that goes on in virtual economies like this has always interested me. If you want crazy, you should check Eve Online's economy, it's on a wholly different level and scale. Especially as CCP (the game developer) takes a cut of real-world to in-game money conversions: you can buy PLEX (1-month account extension) with real money, and it's an in-game item which you can exchange for virtual currency (by selling it to other players).
- shearn89 15y ago
  EVE is ridiculous - I remember reading about a guy who spent months setting up an in game bank, and then stole all the funds and made about $100,000 of real money.
  - SkyMarshal 15y ago
    EVE had at least one other great story from the early days, the Nightfreeze scam: http://www.wirm.net/nightfreeze/part1.html http://www.wirm.net/nightfreeze/part1.html
    - FlightOfGrey 15y ago
      This makes me feel so sorry for HardHat and the others, I don't think I could ever pull something like this off. One good reason to stay away from EVE in my opinion.
- yvdriess 15y ago
  CCP has an economist on their payroll. http://www.wired.com/gamelife/2008/02/eve-online-econ/ http://www.wired.com/gamelife/2008/02/eve-online-econ/
- Splines 15y ago
  I remember a story where some guy/clan had a bunch of PLEX in a freighter, and they lost the whole lot when it was blown up. The real value of that PLEX was not insignificant.

by withad 15y ago

masklinn 15y ago

> the crazy stuff that goes on in virtual economies like this has always interested me. If you want crazy, you should check Eve Online's economy, it's on a wholly different level and scale. Especially as CCP (the game developer) takes a cut of real-world to in-game money conversions: you can buy PLEX (1-month account extension) with real money, and it's an in-game item which you can exchange for virtual currency (by selling it to other players).

shearn89 15y ago
EVE is ridiculous - I remember reading about a guy who spent months setting up an in game bank, and then stole all the funds and made about $100,000 of real money.
- SkyMarshal 15y ago
  EVE had at least one other great story from the early days, the Nightfreeze scam: http://www.wirm.net/nightfreeze/part1.html http://www.wirm.net/nightfreeze/part1.html
  - FlightOfGrey 15y ago
    This makes me feel so sorry for HardHat and the others, I don't think I could ever pull something like this off. One good reason to stay away from EVE in my opinion.
yvdriess 15y ago
CCP has an economist on their payroll. http://www.wired.com/gamelife/2008/02/eve-online-econ/ http://www.wired.com/gamelife/2008/02/eve-online-econ/
Splines 15y ago
I remember a story where some guy/clan had a bunch of PLEX in a freighter, and they lost the whole lot when it was blown up. The real value of that PLEX was not insignificant.