Reading between the lines, the message seems to be saying:
'Jagex fought against bots and RWT for a long time. However, this ruined Jagex financially so they have been forced to make a few compromises. While reluctant to introduce micro-payments into the game, member payments are no longer enough to finance the continued development of RuneScape (the anti-bot and RWT measures have cost them many members and lots of money, and they need to recoup their losses somehow). So they have introduced what they believe are milder forms of micro-payments in the form of Solomon's General Store and the controversial buyable spins option of Squeal of Fortune'.
Maybe ... but that STILL does not excuse Squeal of Fortune's buyable spins and how they introduce GAMBLING (I capitalize that word because I cannot emphasize this enough) for pixels using real world money into the game. In a way, the buyable spins are WORSE than just selling the stuff outright -- people could spend tons of money on spins hoping to win the higher-valued stuff, but never succeed. In fact, some would say it's a sign of GREED on the part of those behind the buyable spins -- they can make more money by making people gamble for those items than they would if they just sold them outright.
To be brutally honest, I find this DISGUSTING. Gambling should NOT be encouraged, especially since some of the players are under 18. What's worse is, this is gambling for (and I cannot emphasize this enough) ITEMS THAT DO NOT REALLY EXIST. THEY ARE JUST PIXELS.
Repeat those last two sentences over and over. Say them out loud over and over again. Until you've been brought back firmly to reality and accept the truth of those sentences.
I am firmly against real world trading. Always have been, always will be. I believe those who spend real-world money on pixelated gold or armor need a serious reality check. But doing it in the form of a game of chance is, in some ways, worse.
06-Sep-2012 14:19:13
