July 1st 2009

OKAY, I’M CONFUSED. JUST WHAT EXACTLY IS THE REAL SCORE???

I’m not complaining, okay? I just want to know what the real score is.

Here’s a link sent by WGF lurker/reader "Canned Heat", showing the article…

Gold Farming May Not Be Banned In China

by Stephen Johnson - Wednesday, July 01, 2009    3:47 PM

It pains me to call TheFeed writer Jake Gaskill wrong, but he is wrong, wrong, wrong–and I’m not just talking about his moral failings. Jake was wrong when he told you China had official banned gold-farming in MMOs.

In fact, according to Blues News, the new Chinese law states that it is illegal to trade virtual money for real goods. Trading fake money for real things is the exact opposite of gold farming. The law exists to keep Chinese people from using PayPal like services to gamble and/or purchase real things. You can still pay actual money for fake gold, if you’re a Chinese idiot or something.

Oh, and if you’re running a sweatshop filled with 12 year-old Chinese kids grinding WoW gold for 56 hours a day, your business is safe.

Is is too soon to rejoice?

Waiting with bated breath here.

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June 30th 2009

WOW GOLD FACTS POLL!!! CAST YOUR VOTE!

Poll time, kids.

I’m still seething over the news about the Chinese government wanting to eradicate gold farming. Well, methinks if gold farmers and sellers were to be extinct, all hell would break loose. At least among WoW subscribers who depend on RMT sites to help them enjoy the game minus the grind. And I happen to know there are PLENTY of such subscribers. It would be interesting to know how these players will react to a hypothetical environment where gold sellers no longer exist. So go click on the little poll widget on the right side of the page and you tell Extreme Gold Fan how such a scenario would affect you as a player/subscriber:

• Keep my sub but probably not for long. Grinding is a pain.

• I don’t have time to grind! I’m canceling my subscription!

• Keep my sub. I’ll just beg for gold now and throw my dignity out the window.

• I already have all the gold I need so I don’t care.

Poll expires midnight of August 31, 2009 (EDT).

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June 29th 2009

WHOA, CHINA BANNING GOLD FARMING???

The news shocked the bejesus out of me:

From InformationWeek.com to cNet.com to WoW.com, the word is out: the Chinese government is bent on stamping out gold farming and even the trading of virtual goods.

Here are the excerpts:

From Xinhuanet.com:

China bars use of virtual money for trading in real goods:

China has unveiled the first official rule on the use of virtual currency in the trade of real goods and services to limit its possible impact on the real financial system.

The government also spelled out the definition of "virtual currency" for the first time, which includes prepaid cards of cyber-games, according to a joint circular from the Ministry of Culture and the Ministry of Commerce Friday.

"The virtual currency, which is converted into real money at a certain exchange rate, will only be allowed to trade in virtual goods and services provided by its issuer*, not real goods and services." it said.

(*The issuer meaning the game publisher, in this case. - EGF)

Under the new rules, using virtual money for gambling will be punished by public security authorities, and minors may not buy virtual money.

The Ministry of Culture also vowed to step up supervision on money laundering via virtual credits and other illegal online activities.

From news.cnet.com:

China bans online ‘gold farming’

The ban is primarily aimed at "gold farming," an Internet-age phenomenon in which players in less developed countries collect and sell virtual gold (common to games like World of Warcraft) to wealthier gamers in the developed world. This enables gamers who have the means to buy virtual gold to get ahead in the games without actually having to accomplish the grunt work.

And finally, from wow.com:

China bans gold farming:

This time, though, it looks like Blizzard may have an unlikely ally in, of all things, the Chinese government. They announced today that the trading of virtual goods for real money is now illegal in China. This ruling reaches farther than just gold farming, though. It also bans the sale of prepaid time cards for MMOs or other online games, as well as numerous technicalities we’re sure to hear about in the weeks to come.

And here’s my two cents in bullet points, in no particular order:

  • We’re talking about MANY people losing their jobs. Sure, I hate those in-game spammers (helloooo and gooood riddance, Susan Express) but the majority of people in this industry work behind the scenes, quietly farming away at their computer desks to meet the demand of gold-buying customers AND feed their families - all in a setting that is a lot more humane than working in one of China’s many, many, MANY deplorable factories.
  • If banning would mean getting rid of the thieving scammers who, instead of powerleveling your toon, end up power-stripping your account while you weren’t looking, then cheers to the Chinese government! The industry is plagued with hooligans, for sure. BUT….
  • The RMT industry also has its share of honest, ethical sellers. Let’s not forget that one. Their misfortune is that their good performances are overshadowed by the disgusting practices of those lying cheats — tragically considered more newsworthy material by writers who abide by the maxim that controversy sells.
  • The industry was founded on a need. There are players who are time-poor but want to continue their subscription without spending their free time grinding while their time-rich counterparts unleash hell in Naxx or Ulduar. Now in order to join them, you better have damn good gear (which you can get from quest rewards, drops or the AH). Damn good gear you can’t loot on your own is available at the AH, but the price tag leaves you screaming and invoking a higher power….and typing http-www-gold seller of your choice- dot com. Now take away dem gold sellers and what have you got? A time poor subscriber who can’t join the big leagues contemplating on canceling his subscription. Yeah, I believe that a total ban on gold sellers will impact MMO subscriptions. (Side note: Remus has already declared that if he loses the gold-buying option, he will cancel three of his four accounts, leaving the one account where his 80s are for keeping in touch with his closest guildies).
  • I read comments from rabid anti-RMT people stating that this move should bring balance to the game economy again.I wonder if they really know what they’re talking about. Take for instance one dude who said that gold buyers are the reason that prices in the AH are deplorably sky-high. He said, "Because the people selling the items at the AH know that there are players who can easily buy gold to buy their items, they don’t think twice about charging 1000g for an item whose real value is only 200g." Here’s a second interesting comment: "If you want something you must work for it" - a subtle attack on the perceived laziness behind every gold purchase. Oh, here’s another comment from an Anonymous dude: "If there weren’t gold farmers, you wouldn’t need the extra gold. End of story."

    My rebuttal? Dude, the fact is that there are two sets of rich toons in WoW:  1) the guys who buys gold; and 2) the guy who grinds for it. Even if you take away the gold buyer from the equation, there will always be greedy little jerks in the game who will overprice their sh*t in the AH! So happy effing grinding to all of us and in order to devote myself to this third (albeit unofficial) profession let me just complete the following steps:

1.  Quit my day job
2.  Stop dating my special girl
3.  Live with my parents
4.  Subsist on hot pockets and Mountain Dew
5. Start wearing adult diapers
6. Devote a huge chunk of my life EVERY SINGLE DAY doing the dailies
7. Forget going to a real barber. The little green dude in Org will take care of my grooming needs

Of course, I was being sarcastic.

"If you want something you must work for it." - Okay, dude, since you have such a strong work ethic and plenty of time on your hands , I challenge you to NEVER EVER pay someone to do anything for you. Mow your own lawn, wash your own clothes, babysit your own kids, make your own pizza, fix your own car, fix whatever you want to fix…bottom line is you want something you effing do it yourself.

And as for that line "if there weren’t gold farmers, you wouldn’t need the extra gold. End of story"?

Dude, if there were no gold farmers, we wouldn’t know where to find the time to grind gold. End of subscription !"

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June 29th 2009

NEW REVIEW ONCE REALMS ARE UP AND RUNNING AGAIN

Guys, I can’t work on a new review until Blizz finishes that extended maintenance. I saw the list of realms that will undergo additional service miantenance and three of my realms are included. Aaaarrghh.

And sadly, we ain’t yet gonna see patch 3.2.

Here are the servers that will be down for an extra two hours.

Agamaggan
Aggramar
Alexstrasza
Alleria
Argent Dawn
Arthas
Azgalor
Azshara
Baelgun
Balnazzar
Blackhand
Bleeding Hollow
Bloodhoof
Burning Blade
Burning Legion
Cho’gall
Dark Iron
Destromath
Dethecus
Detheroc
Drakkari
Durotan
Earthen Ring
Elune
Emerald Dream
Eonar
Eredar
Garona
Gilneas
Gorefiend
Gorgonnash
Greymane
Gul’dan
Hellscream
Illidan
Kael’thas
Kalecgos
Kargath
Kirin Tor
Laughing Skull
Lightninghoof
Lightning’s Blade
Llane
Lothar
Madoran
Maelstrom
Magtheridon
Malfurion
Malygos
Mannoroth
Medivh
Moonrunner
Nazjatar
Quel’Thalas
Ragnaros
Ravencrest
Sargeras
Shadowmoon
Shattered Hand
Skullcrusher
Spinebreaker
Staghelm
Stormrage
Stormreaver
Thunderhorn
Thunderlord
Trollbane
Twisting Nether
Ursin
Warsong
Whisperwind
WildHammer
Zul’jin

So postpone your gold-buying plans and take up an alternative hobby in the meantime.

Or go see a special someone.

I’m seeing her again tomorrow morning. Breakfast is becoming our favorite meal.

Later, kiddies.

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June 28th 2009

TWO DEATHS: SHAMELESS CHINESE GOLD SELLER EXPLOITS MICHAEL JACKSON While I Mourn My Late Ex-Nanny

While the world was busy gasping and exclaiming over the sudden death of Michael Jackson, I was busy helping another family arrange the funeral of my former nanny.

Surprised much? I had a nanny. I called her Nana Claire. She was my second mother until first grade and aptly enough, she and my mom shared the same name. She took care of my older siblings and I was her last - and favorite - ward in our family. She was of tough Irish stock  and incredibly loyal. I remember how she watched me like a hawk while I ran with the family dog at our summer place in Nantucket. "Not so fast!" she’d yell in that distinct brogue of hers. Then she’d run after me, scoop me up and take me to the porch where I had to "eat tea". She never used the words "eat your snack". It was always "eat your tea".

And she was fierce. Oh boy, I remember when this other nanny told me to stay away from her ward because I was a "bad influence" - Nana Claire stormed the playground and, with hands on hips, told her never to treat me that way again or she’ll have her deported. "I know you don’t have the proper papers to stay in this country, you smelly b*tch." FTW!

So anyway when I entered "big school" my folks shipped her off to care for my dad’s brother’s babies. Every Christmas my siblings and I got a card from her. I still have every single card she sent us.

She died of cardiac arrest, just like Michael Jackson. Nana Claire didn’t follow a healthy diet. She said she’d rather die young than give up red meat and oat cakes for "that tofu sh*t".  Sadly, she got her wish.

R.I.P. Nana Claire. I love you.

And heeeeeeeere’s something to hate…..

InGame Spam Michael Jackson

InGame Spam Michael Jackson-2

You sick Chinese jerks. You shameless piles of dung. "4 Commemorativing of Micheal Jackson"??? OMG, can you get any more callous and exploitative? You use a recently deceased celebrity just so you can call attention to your spammy in-game mail, you just can’t get any lower. Hell, you didn’t even spell his first name right! Because of this stupid, insensitive stunt, I am blacklisting your sites and declaring them bonafide f*cktards and telling my readers NOT TO BUY FROM THEM:

Game4power.com

Gold4power.com

itemstores.com

SHAME ON YOU PEOPLE!!!

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June 24th 2009

INTERLUDE POST: PvP IS NOT A LICENSE TO GANK

Why am I writing this? Because for the nth time in my life I got ganked by dem Allies.

Like 20 minutes ago.

I have many toons. More than half are on PvE servers. Leveling on PvE is a cinch. Try leveling on PvP where everyone - yes, including YOU and ME - is fair game and getting ganked is on the daily menu.

I play on PvP to get a taste of the Ally-Horde tension. I accept the fact that I will get attacked by the opposing faction.

But what I will never find acceptable is ganking and camping on the corpse of a toon that’s 20 levels below you.

Because it is unfair, cruel and pointless. It is akin to a seventh grader beating up a nursery school kid.

Where’s the honor in picking on someone that has absolutely no fighting chance against you and your additional 20 levels? What’s so great about beating up babies? What, can’t handle those at your own level? Ha! Loser! Gutless coward! Tropical-drink-with-the-little-umbrella-sipping SOB!

And these bullies get pissed when the nursery school toon’s level 80 buddies hunt them down and camp on their corpse? (Which is what happened when I called on Remus, Cletus, Alvin and a couple more guildies to save me. Picture five level 80 DKs with AoD raining vendetta on a lvl 68 Gnome Hunter, a 72 Human Pally, a 64 Human Rogue and a 63 Draenei  Priest. Not a pretty sight.)

Yes, you read that right. A 68 Gnome Hunter, a 72 Human Pally, a 64 Human Rogue and a 63 Draenei Priest ganked, abused, and corpse-camped my 49 Orc Warrior.

“Don’t take it so seriously, it’s only a game,” says the people who think that ganking victims are just a bunch of QQers.

I beg to differ. WoW may be a game where virtual beings kill and get killed, but that virtual world still  commands that we act with consideration for others. While I raid and kill and do the occasional BG, I would never attack an Ally toon that’s many, many levels below me and that’s minding its own business. Hell, I even “/wave” at it as I run past it. ‘Cause like I said, where’s the honor in killing a helpless foe?

Dear Mike Morhaime, if you happen to stumble on this post on a boring day when you’re just mindlessly surfing the web, please consider adding a severe penalty in the game to gankers. And I mean a really severe penalty. Think -500 honor points for every gank, -1000 if the toon is 20 levels lower AND you lose a purple or two. And if you could add a penalty for corpse-camping that would be awesome. Otherwise, the vicious cycle won’t end. Thanks for your time. - EGF

P.S. Got a message from good ol’ Alvin:

Dude, we’re ganking the Ally bastards that ganked you. Get back in here you’re missing the fun! Woot!

(@ Mike: see what I mean???)

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June 24th 2009

RPGTRADER.COM THE EPILOGUE: Welcome to the Honorable Mention Section (4/4)

Let’s all give a warm welcome to RPGTrader.com, our newest WoW Gold Facts Honorable Section member.

/greet

I must say I’m very impressed that you guys delivered all 6K gold in one go. I’m not sure if it’s because it’s a slow day in my realm and your delivery team was itching to leave the office early,but I’m still grateful. Most customers who order 5K and above see their orders delivered in partial batches, but I guess I got lucky with my order.

Would I have given RPGTrader the WGF nod if they had given me a partial amount? Well, if I got that partial amount within a few hours, I’d still be impressed. But if I got the remaining gold and 24 hours passed by, then it would be a slightly different story. As long as I got ‘em increments within the 24-hour ETA, I’m a happy camper.

I hear a certain flying mount calling my name just begging me to buy it. Later, kiddies.

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June 23rd 2009

RPGTRADER.COM: TWO HOURS LATER Plus Another Honorable Mention Awardee! (3/4)

An hour after placing my order at RPGTrader.com, THIS came in the (e)mail. My YM made the usual noise about a new message coming in and I ran back quickly to my desk to check.

RPGTrader Delivery Email

Holy.

And since there’s a one-hour delay in receiving mail from another WoW account, I fidgeted for the next 60 minutes till I was able to collect the golden goodies.

All 6000 of them. Yes, I confess to ordering 6K. My largest order to date. (Hey, I figured since Sis was paying I may as well up the ante!) :D

EXCELLENT WORK, RPGTRADER.COM . DING! GRATZ!

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June 22nd 2009

RPGTRADER.COM: FIRING UP LIVE CHAT Plus The Waiting Game Begins (2/4)

Yes! RPGTrader’s Live Chat is open!

As Wow Gold Facts tradition goes, EGF chats with customer support before making a purchase.  :D

Forget Travis Bickle. For this chat, I am Classy Joe.

(Note: chat transcript is available in text format for the benefit of those who can’t see the images properly)


RPGTrader Chat-1

The canned response spooked me as it was eerily similar to other canned responses I received in past reviews. I had to remind myself that a lot of the RMT companies use the same third party customer support center.

RPGTrader Chat-2

RPGTrader Chat-3

Okay, the pole remark was a little retarded but you all know how it’s part of tradition to test Live Support by acting like I underwent an unsuccessful brain transplant.

And BTW, I did work the ribbon pole in Org! You should’ve seen my Hunter in epic gear spin like a top. I’m ashamed to admit that I sucked at Torch Tossing., though. Cletus’ Blood Elf kicked ass at the Midsummer Fire Festival, juggling those torches like a madman.

In his underwear.

To the delight of the ladies and to my and Remus’ disgust.

RPGTrader Chat-4

Yup, I’m such a classy Joe. Okay, time to order.

RPGTrader Shopping Cart

If PayPal is the only payment method they accept, then what’s up with that Change Payment Type button ? Someone please remove that one if it serves no purpose other than to befuddle customers.

Sis gave me the password to her PayPal account earlier. God bless her. I promise not to abuse her generosity. *slams on halo*

http://www.WoWGoldFacts.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/rpgtrader-paypal.jpg

Same payment processing facility.

RPGTrader TY Order

Okay, mission accomplished. Now to wait for my gold as usual.

To be continued…

————————————————————————–


Our next available agent will be with you shortly. Thank you for your patience.
You have been connected to Grace .
Grace : Hello, thank you for contacting RPGTrader. For which game would you like to purchase currency?
Classy Joe: World of Warcraft. How are you, Grace?
Grace : I’m doing great, thank you for asking. :)
Grace : How may I help you?
Classy Joe: I want 3000 gold on Executus US, Horde. How soon can I get it if I place an order today?
Grace : I’m unable to give a precise time of delivery, due to the volumes we shift each day.
Grace : Typically, 90% of our orders get filled within a maximum of 24 hours. On some orders, we fill orders in a matter of minutes. I know that it’s not a very exact answer, but you can pretty much rely on not having to wait beyond 24 hours for your delivery.
Classy Joe: Well, how’s the volume on Executus?
Classy Joe: Why does your canned response look so familiar?
Grace : Unfortunately, I am not privy to the exact number of gold we have on a particular server.
Classy Joe: Oh boy.
Grace : Let me just assure that we can get the amount you need in a very short time.
Classy Joe: Like how "very short"?
Grace : Deliveries are usually completed within 24 hours, however I’ve seen deliveries made in a few minutes.
Grace : Would you like me to stay on chat while you place an order?
Classy Joe: A few minutes…hmm….lemme think…stay there, okay?
Classy Joe: Need to consult my Magic 8 ball first.
Grace : All right. :)
Classy Joe: Can you check the price of 3000K gold on that server?
Classy Joe: Holy, I mean, 3000. Not 3 million.
Grace : Sure.
Grace : Please give me 2 minutes to look it up. :)
Grace : Thank you for waiting.
Grace : 3000 gold on the server Executus US::Horde costs $ 37.29
Classy Joe: Hey you’re back. That was fast.
Grace : :)
Classy Joe: 37.29….don’t you have a coupon for this cheapskate?
Grace : Currently, we do not have on-going promos or discounts. These are usually given during holiday and special events.
Grace : Please check back often for new promotions. I can guarantee you that RPGTrader customers will always have something to look forward to!
Classy Joe: It’s the Midsummer Fire Festival…that’s a holiday as far as I’m concerned. You should see me work the Ribbon Pole like a dancer.
Classy Joe: I put that Elizabeth Berkeley to shame!!!
Classy Joe: I know it must be hard to imagine, given I’m a guy and all, but trust me, I work that pole like a pro!
Grace : I see.
Grace : Unfortunately, we really do not have any on-going promos at the moment.
Grace : I apologize.
Classy Joe: You should see me juggle dem torches.
Classy Joe: Sigh.
Grace : I’m sorry but I only deal with gaming currency-related concerns.
Classy Joe: Okay, fine. Just thought I’d try my luck.
Grace : I understand your point.
Classy Joe: I’ll go place an order in a few.
Grace : Okay.
Grace : Would you like me to stay online while you complete the order process at our site?
Classy Joe: BTW, Grace, do you play WoW?
Grace : No, I do not have time to do so.
Classy Joe: There’s always time to play WoW. You just have to cut back on sleeping and socializing.
Classy Joe: And shower only on Tuesdays.
Grace : :)
Grace : In the meantime, would there be anything else that I can assist you with?
Classy Joe: Thanks for your time. Nah, you’ve been helpful. Take care. Have a good one. Safe travels. Zug zug. For the Horde!
Grace : You’re most welcome.
Grace : You do the same. Thank you for dropping time.
Grace : *dropping by.
Your session has ended. You may now close this window.

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June 22nd 2009

RPGTRADER.COM: ANOTHER LOW-KEY PLAYER UNDER THE MICROSCOPE (1/4)

In the spotlight: RPGTrader.com.  Thanks to my guildie Alvin for recommending this site.

Okay, to be honest I’ve never heard of them until Alvin told me about his gf’s sister’s guildie’s (did you get that?) positive experience with a little gold seller named RPGTrader. "You might get lucky with this one," he said.

Well, lately I’ve been on a lucky streak with my reviews. I haven’t blown a gasket for quite a while. The RMT industry has no major issues as far as supply is concerned (only an abundance of scammers, but we all know that, right). So yeah, punk, I might just get lucky with this one.

(Click for a larger image)



Ah, you just gotta appreciate the home page. Simplicity at its best. And what’s this? No copyrighted images used. Amazing!

"Our live support is always ready to assist you with any questions and concerns. Whether you are a customer or a seller, it is our duty to provide you with excellent support. Please don’t hesitate to contact us. Our average wait time is approximately 1 minute, unlike most sites that makes you wait at least 15 minutes."

Really? 1 minute? Let’s put that claim to the test. :D

RPGTrader Chat Window

RPGTrader Chat Queue

Oh well……

Too early in the morning to kvetch about this.  I’ll check out their Live Chat again sometime today.

Let’s move on.

RPGTrader FAQ

Q: Which payment methods do you accept?

A: Payment is currently the only method we accept.

Direct to the point! They don’t give things free. Good businessmen, I tell ya.

Q: You used to sell accounts but what happened to them?

A: Due to the lack of fraud and scams we have currently disabled the buy / sell accounts feature.

Jeez, they like to live on the edge…

Okay, so they obviously haven’t been proofreading their work. Eh, there are worse crimes.

RPTrader has a blog too.

RPGTrader Blog

Rehash of news that’s fit to virtually print. No real personal anecdotes from the owner, though.

Their minimum gold block is 1000. A few random checks showed prices for that block ranging from $12.56 to $17.16. I’ve seen cheaper prices but hey, if they deliver fast then I can let the slightly higher price tag slide.

After all, I’m not paying for this order. Sweet older sister is! :D

To be continued…

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