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Threshold · 05-13-2008, 12:13 AM

The person who paid the $1000 for in game perks (a highly unusual and extreme example, but I'll go ahead and stick with it) already got $1000 of in game perks. The person who bought the tshirt (or ten tshirts) got nothing in game. Yeah, they got a shirt, but most games that sell merchandise (or take donations) expressly ask people to buy them to help the mud. So a significant reason for the purchase is to help the mud, not just to have a tshirt (or other merchandise). That's where the expectation of a quid pro quo comes from.

But I do agree with you on one point: it doesn't matter what you sell. As soon as money changes hands, it is a commercial operation and it carries with it all the risks and possibilities for abuse therein. Though I do feel an explicit system of directly paying for perks at least means everyone knows exactly what is for sale, and how much it costs, and can decide IN ADVANCE if that is acceptable to them. Merchandise sales, donations, etc. hide things a bit more and do not give the player the information they need to make an informed playing choice. And that is what makes that a little less "fair" in my view.

05-13-2008, 12:13 AM	#57
Threshold Legend Join Date: Apr 2002 Home MUD: Threshold RPG Posts: 1,260	Re: What Does "Fair" Mean? The person who paid the $1000 for in game perks (a highly unusual and extreme example, but I'll go ahead and stick with it) already got $1000 of in game perks. The person who bought the tshirt (or ten tshirts) got nothing *in game. Yeah, they got a shirt, but most games that sell merchandise (or take donations) expressly ask people to buy them to help the mud. So a significant reason for the purchase is to help the mud, not just to have a tshirt (or other merchandise). That's where the expectation of a quid pro quo* comes from. But I do agree with you on one point: it doesn't matter what you sell. As soon as money changes hands, it is a commercial operation and it carries with it all the risks and possibilities for abuse therein. Though I do feel an explicit system of directly paying for perks at least means everyone knows exactly what is for sale, and how much it costs, and can decide IN ADVANCE if that is acceptable to them. Merchandise sales, donations, etc. hide things a bit more and do not give the player the information they need to make an informed playing choice. And that is what makes that a little less "fair" in my view.