Comments on: The Traveling Merchant http://forge.ironrealms.com/2006/08/20/the-traveling-merchant/ A blog on virtual worlds, games, and digital content, from Matt Mihaly Thu, 20 Nov 2008 22:51:40 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.3 by: Svatopluk http://forge.ironrealms.com/2006/08/20/the-traveling-merchant/#comment-27616 Mon, 13 Aug 2007 11:15:40 +0000 http://forge.ironrealms.com/2006/08/20/the-traveling-merchant/#comment-27616 He forgot to mention legal theft tricks, like selling 10 bloodroot at some ridiculous price because some people go from shop to shop attempting to buy, without even checking how much they'd pay. Clever anyway. He forgot to mention legal theft tricks, like selling 10 bloodroot at some ridiculous price because some people go from shop to shop attempting to buy, without even checking how much they’d pay. Clever anyway.

]]> by: Ronald Watts http://forge.ironrealms.com/2006/08/20/the-traveling-merchant/#comment-734 Thu, 24 Aug 2006 04:58:33 +0000 http://forge.ironrealms.com/2006/08/20/the-traveling-merchant/#comment-734 Wow. Frogg was the most successful merchant in Achaea the last I had heard. Shows how out of the loop I am. Wow. Frogg was the most successful merchant in Achaea the last I had heard. Shows how out of the loop I am.

]]> by: Jamie (Mendax) http://forge.ironrealms.com/2006/08/20/the-traveling-merchant/#comment-724 Wed, 23 Aug 2006 16:39:53 +0000 http://forge.ironrealms.com/2006/08/20/the-traveling-merchant/#comment-724 I actual remember Ottis from when I first started playing Achaea at around the same time he did. I recall paying him a pittance to do tattoos for me. One of the great things about the persistence of online gaming is seeing the progression of the characters that surround you, even if not close to them in such a small world you remain aware of them, and to see Ottis go from a wandering merchant monk making a meager amount to a mogul atop a vast business empire is one of those little things I love about Achaea. Although it interests me, and even warms the cockles of the heart, that his motives appear to be primarily personal and social, rather than a microcosm of real business. I actual remember Ottis from when I first started playing Achaea at around the same time he did. I recall paying him a pittance to do tattoos for me. One of the great things about the persistence of online gaming is seeing the progression of the characters that surround you, even if not close to them in such a small world you remain aware of them, and to see Ottis go from a wandering merchant monk making a meager amount to a mogul atop a vast business empire is one of those little things I love about Achaea. Although it interests me, and even warms the cockles of the heart, that his motives appear to be primarily personal and social, rather than a microcosm of real business.

]]> by: Akiba http://forge.ironrealms.com/2006/08/20/the-traveling-merchant/#comment-709 Tue, 22 Aug 2006 17:42:42 +0000 http://forge.ironrealms.com/2006/08/20/the-traveling-merchant/#comment-709 Interestingly, I don't play anymore (just login once in a while for nostalgia) and the reason is time. I found I could not afford (haha) to spend so much time on the game. If I spend less time it's frustrating and if I spend more time it's satisfying but takes too much out of my real life. There lies the difference with DVDs. I can go sell my second hand DVDs (at a large loss). As a player I wish we could pay an NPC a large tax in credits to transfer an artifact to someone else. Unfortunately I think it would be bad for IRE to provide that kind of flexibility. Imagine the situation: a player would save lots of real money if he can convince someone to sell him his stuff. What is the best way to do that? Make him hate the game to the point of quitting. So you have several people who want your best customers to leave! Don't do it Matt. Interestingly, I don’t play anymore (just login once in a while for nostalgia) and the reason is time. I found I could not afford (haha) to spend so much time on the game. If I spend less time it’s frustrating and if I spend more time it’s satisfying but takes too much out of my real life.

There lies the difference with DVDs. I can go sell my second hand DVDs (at a large loss). As a player I wish we could pay an NPC a large tax in credits to transfer an artifact to someone else. Unfortunately I think it would be bad for IRE to provide that kind of flexibility. Imagine the situation: a player would save lots of real money if he can convince someone to sell him his stuff. What is the best way to do that? Make him hate the game to the point of quitting. So you have several people who want your best customers to leave! Don’t do it Matt.

]]> by: Akiba http://forge.ironrealms.com/2006/08/20/the-traveling-merchant/#comment-708 Tue, 22 Aug 2006 17:25:47 +0000 http://forge.ironrealms.com/2006/08/20/the-traveling-merchant/#comment-708 I've spent thousands of dollars on credits and my goal was not to be a super fighter. I'm sure there are several like us. I've also spent thousands of dollars on a DVD movie collection. It's not that different. A movie is a very "virtual" thing. You can pop it in an watch it like you can log in and use your artifacts. I can watch movies on TV. I can record movies from TV. I can download movies from the net. If I'm not going to watch a movie that many times I could rent it instead of buying it. But I like to own movies and I like to own artifacts. I could play for free (or for a reasonable price just to get good skills). There are other MUDs that are free or cheaper. But I choose not to. One very cool artifact is the flower pot. I don't even sell flowers but I like the fact that I can always get a beautiful flower when I want one and that they are not always the same ones popping up. And yes I could just go picking them out in the wild but the flower pot provides such virtual luxury. I’ve spent thousands of dollars on credits and my goal was not to be a super fighter. I’m sure there are several like us. I’ve also spent thousands of dollars on a DVD movie collection. It’s not that different. A movie is a very “virtual” thing. You can pop it in an watch it like you can log in and use your artifacts. I can watch movies on TV. I can record movies from TV. I can download movies from the net. If I’m not going to watch a movie that many times I could rent it instead of buying it. But I like to own movies and I like to own artifacts. I could play for free (or for a reasonable price just to get good skills). There are other MUDs that are free or cheaper. But I choose not to.

One very cool artifact is the flower pot. I don’t even sell flowers but I like the fact that I can always get a beautiful flower when I want one and that they are not always the same ones popping up. And yes I could just go picking them out in the wild but the flower pot provides such virtual luxury.

]]> by: Amranu http://forge.ironrealms.com/2006/08/20/the-traveling-merchant/#comment-706 Tue, 22 Aug 2006 15:16:33 +0000 http://forge.ironrealms.com/2006/08/20/the-traveling-merchant/#comment-706 I use that -exact- same analogy David, except I've spent only around 92 days(around 2100 hours) and have spent about $300 USD. Either way it works out to less than 18 cents an hour or something, compared to well over a dollar for most console gamer per hour. People still don't get it, ah well. I use that -exact- same analogy David, except I’ve spent only around 92 days(around 2100 hours) and have spent about $300 USD. Either way it works out to less than 18 cents an hour or something, compared to well over a dollar for most console gamer per hour.

People still don’t get it, ah well.

]]> by: Prospero http://forge.ironrealms.com/2006/08/20/the-traveling-merchant/#comment-702 Tue, 22 Aug 2006 11:38:49 +0000 http://forge.ironrealms.com/2006/08/20/the-traveling-merchant/#comment-702 Join My Order already, Ottis! Prospero Join My Order already, Ottis!

Prospero

]]> by: Richter http://forge.ironrealms.com/2006/08/20/the-traveling-merchant/#comment-698 Tue, 22 Aug 2006 03:29:29 +0000 http://forge.ironrealms.com/2006/08/20/the-traveling-merchant/#comment-698 Heh, thanks for doing that interview, it makes me feel better about the purchases I've made myself. I think I have many similarities to this fellow, including the non-combat, master-merchant type person, but every so often, I lament at the fact that I've spent a large amount of money on virtual goods. Now I know I'm not alone! Heh, thanks for doing that interview, it makes me feel better about the purchases I’ve made myself. I think I have many similarities to this fellow, including the non-combat, master-merchant type person, but every so often, I lament at the fact that I’ve spent a large amount of money on virtual goods. Now I know I’m not alone!

]]> by: David http://forge.ironrealms.com/2006/08/20/the-traveling-merchant/#comment-697 Tue, 22 Aug 2006 03:14:07 +0000 http://forge.ironrealms.com/2006/08/20/the-traveling-merchant/#comment-697 The common analogy I use is another video game. For example, console games cost(typically) around $50 USD, and are worth at most 40 playing hours. All told I have at -least- 200 days worth of playing time just from Aetolia. That's 4,800 hours, a good portion of that was put in before I bought my only credit purchase, for $200 USD. So comparatively, it seems ridiculously cheap. The common analogy I use is another video game.

For example, console games cost(typically) around $50 USD, and are worth at most 40 playing hours. All told I have at -least- 200 days worth of playing time just from Aetolia. That’s 4,800 hours, a good portion of that was put in before I bought my only credit purchase, for $200 USD. So comparatively, it seems ridiculously cheap.

]]> by: Riashain http://forge.ironrealms.com/2006/08/20/the-traveling-merchant/#comment-694 Mon, 21 Aug 2006 13:39:32 +0000 http://forge.ironrealms.com/2006/08/20/the-traveling-merchant/#comment-694 Ottis, Ottis. What a guy. The only stuff he wears is arties... I saw him this morning. Ottis, Ottis. What a guy. The only stuff he wears is arties… I saw him this morning.

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