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Fharron · 01-15-2004, 02:58 PM

I’ve always been confused by the statement ‘commercial but free’. At best it is a deceitful header akin to ‘we want to have our cake and eat it’. At worst it is paradoxical statement that does little but compound the logical ignorance of those that purport its value. I mean what would people make of advertisements that include phrases such as black but white, or small but large.

Such a statement is a sound bite account of games operational mandate, an indicator of what players can expect of the game. It has been pointed out before that games involving a financial element offer an entirely different framework for game-play than purely free games. And that the financial dependency such a business model imparts is so deeply interwoven into the fabric of the games that it refutes any claims to being free to play that such a game may make.

In relation to the often quoted ‘money and time resources argument’ can we please put this nonsensical wet fish to bed instead of hauling it out of the larder with disturbing frequency.

If player A spends more time actively playing then they may surpass player B who spends less time.

If player A spends money and more time playing than player B who just spends money playing then player A will surpass player B.

Introducing money into the game does not redress the time imbalance because it is still present within the game. Time and money are independent resources that have no direct bearing upon each other. One does not cancel out the other irrevocably. The only thing that introducing money does to a game is add fuel to the fire of game imbalance, by introducing a method of progression that is entirely unrelated to game-play.

The Logos
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On a separate note, I thought you had left these boards Logos, amidst a big hoorah (with the exception of the promotions board). Over the past week the posts to the board had begun to increase in quality and interest, in my opinion the last thing we need is a return of your troll baiting and flame fanning input. Please be a man of your word and demonstrate the courage of your convictions, disappear back into oblivion.

01-15-2004, 02:58 PM	#17
Fharron New Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Posts: 26	I’ve always been confused by the statement ‘commercial but free’. At best it is a deceitful header akin to ‘we want to have our cake and eat it’. At worst it is paradoxical statement that does little but compound the logical ignorance of those that purport its value. I mean what would people make of advertisements that include phrases such as black but white, or small but large. Such a statement is a sound bite account of games operational mandate, an indicator of what players can expect of the game. It has been pointed out before that games involving a financial element offer an entirely different framework for game-play than purely free games. And that the financial dependency such a business model imparts is so deeply interwoven into the fabric of the games that it refutes any claims to being free to play that such a game may make. In relation to the often quoted ‘money and time resources argument’ can we please put this nonsensical wet fish to bed instead of hauling it out of the larder with disturbing frequency. If player A spends more time actively playing then they may surpass player B who spends less time. If player A spends money and more time playing than player B who just spends money playing then player A will surpass player B. Introducing money into the game does not redress the time imbalance because it is still present within the game. Time and money are independent resources that have no direct bearing upon each other. One does not cancel out the other irrevocably. The only thing that introducing money does to a game is add fuel to the fire of game imbalance, by introducing a method of progression that is entirely unrelated to game-play. The Logos ------------- On a separate note, I thought you had left these boards Logos, amidst a big hoorah (with the exception of the promotions board). Over the past week the posts to the board had begun to increase in quality and interest, in my opinion the last thing we need is a return of your troll baiting and flame fanning input. Please be a man of your word and demonstrate the courage of your convictions, disappear back into oblivion.