Gaming for Money: Trading Game Assets
One of the most interesting and unexpected things to arise from online gaming is the birth of real-world economies based on the value of persistent world game characters and items. When Ultima Online and EverQuest characters started appearing on eBay, a lot of people found it hard to believe that anyone was willing to exchange actual money for game items that are, after all, largely imaginary. Nevertheless, trade in these digital goods continues to grow, and it has already gone from being a pastime pursued only by a handful of hard-core gamers to being a fledgling industry in its own right.
Time is Money
We've all heard it said that time is money. This is no less true when it comes to persistent world online games. Under normal circumstances, it can take months or even years to work a character into the upper ranks of a game like EverQuest, or acquire some rare item that only drops on, say, the Plane of Complete Annihilation.
I guess it should come as no surprize that many people are willing to spend a little extra to get there faster. In fact, since you're paying by the month to play in most cases anyway, purchasing what you need to get straight to the end game may even be cost effective for some people.
Enter eBay
For those who are serious about trading in game economies, the epicenter of activity is Category 1654, Internet Games, on eBay. While not every item in the category is a game item (lately I've noticed quite a few manuals on how to make big money trading game items), it remains the most popular auction for virtual marketeers. Dr. Edward Castronova, an economics professor at California State University, has been compiling statistics related to the category, and in 2004 it racked up over $22 million in total sales. Several entrepeneurs have taken notice of this and started other auctions and currency exchanges that specialize in virtual game property.
Players and Publishers React
To be sure, not all online game publishers, or players, for that matter, are happy with the real-world trade in game assets. Sony has been quite firm on this issue, and they've successfully had SOE game items removed from eBay. Blizzard has sternly reminded World of Warcraft players that it is against their policy as well, and that anyone caught doing it will be banned. Naturally, the trade in gear for these games continues through other auctions, and it seems unlikely that either company has the power to eradicate it completely. Other game companies have taken a more hands-off approach, condoning and sometimes even facilitating the exchange of cyber goods.
One can easily imagine the assortment of potential problems this trend creates for game developers and gamers alike. Many people equate it with cheating, and consider it unfair that a player can buy their way into game status that would otherwise take many game hours to achieve. For the developer, it can escalate into a customer service nightmare. Support staff will find themselves on the receiving end of complaints about bad transactions and rip-offs, while cheaters are provided with an economic incentive to hack and exploit the game.
Free Online Games
Enjoying an Internet game does not have to cost a lot of money. Free online games come in various forms. Some can be played right through a browser window, while others require a client that can be downloaded free of charge.
America's Army
America's Army is a free FPS game published by the U.S. Army, and it uses the Unreal graphics engine to create a remarkably authentic military simulation. Intended as a recruitment tool, it has seen a number of updates which have added new positions and maps to the game.
Wolfenstein: Enemy Territory
SplashDamage and Activision released Wolfenstein: Enemy Territory as a free game right from the start, with no strings attached. This is an excellent multiplayer first-person shooter built on the Quake 3 engine, with solid objective-oriented gameplay and a rudimentary experience system. Get the details and download locations in this article.
SmallBall Basics
Whether you are a baseball fan or not, there is a good chance you will enjoy SmallBall, which is a free online game that makes you feel like a big league sports team manager. Batter up!
Advanced Strategic Command
Inspired by Battle Isle for the Amiga, Advanced Strategic Command is a turn-based strategy game played on hexboard maps. The graphics aren't much to look at but the gameplay is solid.
Battle for Wesnoth
The Battle for Wesnoth is a free, open-source, turn-based strategy game with a fantasy theme. There are several gameplay modes, including multiplayer and hotseat, as well as a scenario editor.
Bontago
In this very unusual strategy game you place blocks on a disk which is balanced on fulcrum in the middle. The physics are wonderful and it supports up to 8 players.
Bridge Base Online Tournaments
Free online bridge tournaments using Bridge Base Online in the Total Points Tournament club. Tournaments 3 times daily for all skill levels.
Carom3D
A game like pool except that, instead of pockets, the table's cushions are used to score points. Features player rankings and team competitions.
Chrysler World Tours
An excellent free golf simulator sponsored by Chrysler. Features realistic courses and tournaments in which you can compete with other players worldwide. (52.2 MB)
Clusterball
This unique 3D action game where you use a flying ship to pull a chain of balls through a goal in the game arena. Good fast-paced fun without the gore.
Command & Conquer
You can now download ISO images of the original Command & Conquer Gold GDI and Nod disks. There are instructions on how to install it on the site, but the word is that they broke multiplayer when they patched it to run in XP.
Dominate
No one to play Risk with? Try this free online strategy game with a very similar feel.
Gammon Empire
Play backgammon online for free or for cash prizes. This stand-alone software is your ticket to a very large community of backgammon players.
Ground Control (FilePlanet)
Vivendi and IGN/GameSpy have made the original Ground Control available as a free download through FilePlanet. Set in the future, this fully 3D RTS game puts you in a high-tech battle over a distant planet with up to 8 players. (670 MB)
Gunbound
Cute and competitive, Gunbound is a multiplayer 2D shooting game. You choose a weapons platform, or "mobile," which can then grow more powerful by battling with other players. The quick, turn-based action has a lot of people hooked.
Kingdoms of War
Diplomacy, espionage, economics, and combat are all part of this real-time multiplayer strategy game set in a fantasy world. You take control of a Province and attempt to lead it to greatness.
Liquid War
This unusual game has you trying to manipulate a blob of digital "liquid" with a magnetic cursor in such a way as to surround your enemy's blob. A simple concept that is easy to learn, will run on almost any system, and is remarkably entertaining.
Little Fighter 2
Cute little characters beating the crap out of each other by whatever means is at their disposal, including baseball bats and beer bottles. It's a quick download, supports up to 8 players, and can even be played with multiple controllers on a single PC.
PlayChess.com
One of the world's most popular chess servers. Uses a game client designed specifically for chess and features a very robust ranking system. Guests can play for free.
Scorched 3D
A 3D remake of the famous Scorched Earth computer game featuring turn-based ballistic combat. You can invest your winnings in additional weapons and accessories. It has nice graphics, supports up to 24 players, and it's available for Mac and Linux as well as Windows.
Shot-Online
Hit the course in this free 3D online golf game, which combines solid golf simulation with roleplaying elements. There are competitions, tournaments, and rankings. Shot-Online is supported through the sale of game perks and items.
SmallBall
Download a small, free client (1 MB) that lets you manage and train your own unique team to compete in these graphical online sports games.
Soldat
Soldat is a free side-scrolling multiplayer action game with some great features like team play and capture the flag mode, although the controls take some getting used to.
Starport: Galactic Empires
A 2D massively multiplayer space conquest game played in 2 week cycles. It has an imaginative mix of strategy and RPG elements, it's a relatively small download (61 MB), and you can play for free.
Steel Panthers - World at War
An old-school hex board style game that is now available as a free download (435 MB). Great turn-based strategy set in World War II complete with a scenario editor and play-by-email capabilities.
The Universal
This free, massively multiplayer galaxy is populated with worlds that are owned and operated by other players. It's an online sandbox of sorts where you can explore a variety of different themes and gameplay styles.
