Comments on: Cherry Pies and Virtual Asset Sales http://forge.ironrealms.com/2006/08/11/cherry-pies-and-virtual-asset-sales/ A blog on virtual worlds, games, and digital content, from Matt Mihaly Thu, 20 Nov 2008 21:14:11 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.3 by: The Forge · The Traveling Merchant http://forge.ironrealms.com/2006/08/11/cherry-pies-and-virtual-asset-sales/#comment-685 Sun, 20 Aug 2006 08:12:34 +0000 http://forge.ironrealms.com/2006/08/11/cherry-pies-and-virtual-asset-sales/#comment-685 [...] In the second of a series of interviews with players (first one can be found here), I’ve interviewed a player who is one of Iron Realms’ biggest customers and famous for a rather unique playing style. The player’s character, Ottis, who lives in the world of Achaea, eschews combat for the most part, yet has an enviable selection of combat equipment. Instead, Ottis is interested largely in providing merchant services for other characters: engraving, tailoring, selling food, and so on. He’s one of the richest property owners and probably the most legendary merchant ever. [...] […] In the second of a series of interviews with players (first one can be found here), I’ve interviewed a player who is one of Iron Realms’ biggest customers and famous for a rather unique playing style. The player’s character, Ottis, who lives in the world of Achaea, eschews combat for the most part, yet has an enviable selection of combat equipment. Instead, Ottis is interested largely in providing merchant services for other characters: engraving, tailoring, selling food, and so on. He’s one of the richest property owners and probably the most legendary merchant ever. […]

]]> by: Ronald http://forge.ironrealms.com/2006/08/11/cherry-pies-and-virtual-asset-sales/#comment-605 Tue, 15 Aug 2006 14:33:16 +0000 http://forge.ironrealms.com/2006/08/11/cherry-pies-and-virtual-asset-sales/#comment-605 Well I guess it basicly is the same like for example a baseball signed by your favourite player. To most people its worth nothing, but its worth a small fortune to a fan. Or perhaps even more distinct.. ask a random person what he'd save first in case his hous ecaught fire and he/she might very well answer something like a photo album. Pure market value of the album is 0, but to that person its very precious. Its a persons point of view that gives it worth. I mean to me an artifact pie does nothing, but I did get my artefact scalemail customised so that it looks one of a kind. Why? well because with its new look it fits a lot better with the character. The same goes for an ingame weddingring that doesnt decay.. it gains me nothing ingame, but to me the virtual item has gained an emotional value. If only due to the fact that my achaean fiancee now is my real life fiancee as well. ;) Virtual items gather value the same way as real life items. If it has a practical purpose it will have a clear market value. But some items with no real visable purpose can still gain an emotional value. Well I guess it basicly is the same like for example a baseball signed by your favourite player. To most people its worth nothing, but its worth a small fortune to a fan. Or perhaps even more distinct.. ask a random person what he’d save first in case his hous ecaught fire and he/she might very well answer something like a photo album. Pure market value of the album is 0, but to that person its very precious.

Its a persons point of view that gives it worth.

I mean to me an artifact pie does nothing, but I did get my artefact scalemail customised so that it looks one of a kind. Why? well because with its new look it fits a lot better with the character.

The same goes for an ingame weddingring that doesnt decay.. it gains me nothing ingame, but to me the virtual item has gained an emotional value. If only due to the fact that my achaean fiancee now is my real life fiancee as well. ;)

Virtual items gather value the same way as real life items. If it has a practical purpose it will have a clear market value. But some items with no real visable purpose can still gain an emotional value.

]]> by: Matt http://forge.ironrealms.com/2006/08/11/cherry-pies-and-virtual-asset-sales/#comment-588 Mon, 14 Aug 2006 17:53:30 +0000 http://forge.ironrealms.com/2006/08/11/cherry-pies-and-virtual-asset-sales/#comment-588 Hah! Nice job, Sulka. ;) Tide wrote: <i> yeah, there should be a real market for “vanity” items opposed to functional objects that affect advancement. </i> But that's the whole point of this posting: "Vanity" items are functional and they do affect advancement. They function to help you advance along the social proof grind. --matt Hah! Nice job, Sulka. ;)

Tide wrote:

yeah, there should be a real market for “vanity” items opposed to functional objects that affect advancement.

But that’s the whole point of this posting: “Vanity” items are functional and they do affect advancement. They function to help you advance along the social proof grind.

–matt

]]> by: Tide http://forge.ironrealms.com/2006/08/11/cherry-pies-and-virtual-asset-sales/#comment-587 Mon, 14 Aug 2006 17:49:33 +0000 http://forge.ironrealms.com/2006/08/11/cherry-pies-and-virtual-asset-sales/#comment-587 yeah, there should be a real market for "vanity" items opposed to functional objects that affect advancement. If there's no impact to any PC's progression, why not sell it? There certainly are enough MMO's out there with crafting vanity items as an incentive, often in forms of player retention ("veteran") awards. yeah, there should be a real market for “vanity” items opposed to functional objects that affect advancement. If there’s no impact to any PC’s progression, why not sell it? There certainly are enough MMO’s out there with crafting vanity items as an incentive, often in forms of player retention (”veteran”) awards.

]]> by: Sulka Haro http://forge.ironrealms.com/2006/08/11/cherry-pies-and-virtual-asset-sales/#comment-582 Mon, 14 Aug 2006 16:36:33 +0000 http://forge.ironrealms.com/2006/08/11/cherry-pies-and-virtual-asset-sales/#comment-582 I hate to confess but you know what - this post made me finally register in Achaea. Looking good this far! Ah, all the old MUD memories are coming back to me now. :) I hate to confess but you know what - this post made me finally register in Achaea. Looking good this far! Ah, all the old MUD memories are coming back to me now. :)

]]> by: Chrissie http://forge.ironrealms.com/2006/08/11/cherry-pies-and-virtual-asset-sales/#comment-554 Sat, 12 Aug 2006 22:35:57 +0000 http://forge.ironrealms.com/2006/08/11/cherry-pies-and-virtual-asset-sales/#comment-554 All well and good, but stuffed ducks own cherry pies. All well and good, but stuffed ducks own cherry pies.

]]> by: Matt http://forge.ironrealms.com/2006/08/11/cherry-pies-and-virtual-asset-sales/#comment-550 Sat, 12 Aug 2006 19:30:19 +0000 http://forge.ironrealms.com/2006/08/11/cherry-pies-and-virtual-asset-sales/#comment-550 Ahh, I loved Illium. No, Wivylma can't change the custom messages on her pie, though for 50 credits Maya would likely do it for her. Ahh, I loved Illium.

No, Wivylma can’t change the custom messages on her pie, though for 50 credits Maya would likely do it for her.

]]> by: Toscho http://forge.ironrealms.com/2006/08/11/cherry-pies-and-virtual-asset-sales/#comment-546 Sat, 12 Aug 2006 15:13:47 +0000 http://forge.ironrealms.com/2006/08/11/cherry-pies-and-virtual-asset-sales/#comment-546 There's a small French game (with one international server) I like playing that has polls on these issues. Although the game is not all that big on rollplaying, the polls do suggest that people would pay for virtual options that allowed their character to "look and feel" more unique and special rather than on big swords. http://www1.dofus.com/community/infos/polls.php?lang=en&#38;id=75#75 It would be interesting to know how many people "found" Achaea through reading Illium (Dan Simmons) ... :-) Can Wivylma change the custom messages on the pie ? That would make for virtually :-) limitless possibilities. There’s a small French game (with one international server) I like playing that has polls on these issues. Although the game is not all that big on rollplaying, the polls do suggest that people would pay for virtual options that allowed their character to “look and feel” more unique and special rather than on big swords.

http://www1.dofus.com/community/infos/polls.php?lang=en&id=75#75

It would be interesting to know how many people “found” Achaea through reading Illium (Dan Simmons) … :-)

Can Wivylma change the custom messages on the pie ? That would make for virtually :-) limitless possibilities.

]]> by: Ronald Watts http://forge.ironrealms.com/2006/08/11/cherry-pies-and-virtual-asset-sales/#comment-542 Sat, 12 Aug 2006 02:44:20 +0000 http://forge.ironrealms.com/2006/08/11/cherry-pies-and-virtual-asset-sales/#comment-542 Now my tummy is growling. That picture looks so nice! Now my tummy is growling. That picture looks so nice!

]]> by: Psychochild http://forge.ironrealms.com/2006/08/11/cherry-pies-and-virtual-asset-sales/#comment-537 Fri, 11 Aug 2006 20:51:17 +0000 http://forge.ironrealms.com/2006/08/11/cherry-pies-and-virtual-asset-sales/#comment-537 <i>Gah, I feel like a jackass criticizing Mark Jacobs of all people.</i> Sometimes you just have to say you disagree with someone, even if they are a relatively big name like Mark. I still respect people even if they are occasionally wrong. ;) I would say that I think Mark is looking at things from a slightly different angle, though. Most of the large commercial games focus on item acquisition and power. As such, selling things that affect this is bad. Selling something that has no affect on direct power in the game is okay, even if it has deep personal meaning for the individual. In fact, I think that would be the goal to have items that have deep, personal meaning for people. So, selling this pie would probably be acceptable, because it doesn't affect the balance of power in the game. It's just "bling" as Mark so recently stated. Although, in the context of your game it helps make the character seem more real, gives her an interesting quirk to talk about, and provides a bit of fun for all involved; These first two reasons, in particular, are of greater focus in your games than in many others. Once again, your games are quite different than the DAoCs and WoWs of our industry. :) Gah, I feel like a jackass criticizing Mark Jacobs of all people.

Sometimes you just have to say you disagree with someone, even if they are a relatively big name like Mark. I still respect people even if they are occasionally wrong. ;)

I would say that I think Mark is looking at things from a slightly different angle, though. Most of the large commercial games focus on item acquisition and power. As such, selling things that affect this is bad. Selling something that has no affect on direct power in the game is okay, even if it has deep personal meaning for the individual. In fact, I think that would be the goal to have items that have deep, personal meaning for people. So, selling this pie would probably be acceptable, because it doesn’t affect the balance of power in the game. It’s just “bling” as Mark so recently stated. Although, in the context of your game it helps make the character seem more real, gives her an interesting quirk to talk about, and provides a bit of fun for all involved; These first two reasons, in particular, are of greater focus in your games than in many others.

Once again, your games are quite different than the DAoCs and WoWs of our industry. :)

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