[chaosprime]

Some of the difficulty there is that we're addressing another axis of variation -- whether it's possible to have as complete a game experience without paying. For instance, if there's only one perk you have to pay for, and that's leveling, that technically falls under "a few", but, y'know, what the ****?

The litmus test in this area would probably be whether the character of a non-paying player can theoretically equal, given enough playing time or RP contribution or whatever, the character of a paying player. My understanding from people's explanations is that that would be a tough one for IRE. Justifying saying "yes" in terms of someone else paying and credits winding up transferred to the non-paying player... that's kinda weak.

Not real easy to check on, that one. If you have to pay to level, that's easy to see, but more subtle issues would pretty much be on the usual combination of the honor system and the public pillory system.