Top Mud Sites Forum - View Single Post

Jazuela · 08-25-2004, 01:36 PM

When you pay to play a mud-type game online, you are paying for time on their server. You aren't paying for anything else. The company has the right to reject your request to "rent time" on their server, and you have the right to cease payment if you find your time is better spent elsewhere.

You aren't paying for a "thing." You aren't paying for copyright rights, you aren't paying for the privilege of having a level 99 warrior character. You're not even paying for your account. It isn't YOUR account. It is owned by the company that allows you to use it in exchange for money. Once the money stops coming, you no longer have access to it. All data contained in the hard drive/server of the company that owns the game, belongs to the company.

The only thing that is your "right" to "own" is the payment information, including your name, address, phone number, credit card number, bank account number if you choose to use check transfers, etc. etc. etc. Your "fantasy life" is not owned by you, nor do you have any "rights" to it. You have only the "right" to use it during the length of your subscription.

In a pay-for-perks-optional game, what you are paying for, again, is time. You are letting them adjust your character's data on your behalf so that you don't have to use your own time doing so yourself. Once that data is adjusted, it is up to you to decide whether or not your character will maintain that adjustment. Whether it's "possessing" a +5 steel katana, or a boost to your strength stat, or a "magnificently crafted steel and adamantum blessed broadsword with a hilt so black it absorbs all light within a 20-league radius." You don't own that - you don't have the "right" to keep it. You can't take it with you, you can't remove it from their database. All you have - is the opportunity to have your character's pfile adjusted to reflect the impression that the character has this thing. Then once he has it - someone can steal it, the character could break it, he could decide never to use it and let it collect dust in a locker, or you as a player could disobey the rules of the game and end up sitebanned as a result, with no refund - because your character DID get this adjustment made to its file, as promised and paid for.

08-25-2004, 01:36 PM	#79
Jazuela Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: New England Posts: 849	When you pay to play a mud-type game online, you are paying for time on their server. You aren't paying for anything else. The company has the right to reject your request to "rent time" on their server, and you have the right to cease payment if you find your time is better spent elsewhere. You aren't paying for a "thing." You aren't paying for copyright rights, you aren't paying for the privilege of having a level 99 warrior character. You're not even paying for your account. It isn't YOUR account. It is owned by the company that allows you to use it in exchange for money. Once the money stops coming, you no longer have access to it. All data contained in the hard drive/server of the company that owns the game, belongs to the company. The only thing that is your "right" to "own" is the payment information, including your name, address, phone number, credit card number, bank account number if you choose to use check transfers, etc. etc. etc. Your "fantasy life" is not owned by you, nor do you have any "rights" to it. You have only the "right" to use it during the length of your subscription. In a pay-for-perks-optional game, what you are paying for, again, is time. You are letting them adjust your character's data on your behalf so that you don't have to use your own time doing so yourself. Once that data is adjusted, it is up to you to decide whether or not your character will maintain that adjustment. Whether it's "possessing" a +5 steel katana, or a boost to your strength stat, or a "magnificently crafted steel and adamantum blessed broadsword with a hilt so black it absorbs all light within a 20-league radius." You don't own that - you don't have the "right" to keep it. You can't take it with you, you can't remove it from their database. All you have - is the opportunity to have your character's pfile adjusted to reflect the impression that the character has this thing. Then once he has it - someone can steal it, the character could break it, he could decide never to use it and let it collect dust in a locker, or you as a player could disobey the rules of the game and end up sitebanned as a result, with no refund - because your character DID get this adjustment made to its file, as promised and paid for.