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8 months ago ::
Oct 10, 2012 - 12:27PM
#1
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I'm trying to explain the mtgo economy to someone who didnt even know what magic was, and the part they're having trouble with is why people pay money for digital objects if wotc doesn't give any kind of cash out option. I explained they can't for legal reasons(though I'm not sure they'd even want to if they could, haven't really thought about it enough). Anyway I went through how tickets work and how from a legal standpoint, their only use is to enter events even though we use them as a de facto currency, and how there are bots breaking them up into fractional credits etc, stuff we all know.
What I'm asking of you kind people, is while I'm sure there are people who would still pay to play the game if there was never any hope of getting cash back out of the game, is the fact that people believe it's possible what makes it possible?
I heard we're supposed to post in green if we don't like the new forums.
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8 months ago ::
Oct 10, 2012 - 12:30PM
#2
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Date Joined:
Jan 30, 2012
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MTGO does have a cash-out option. If you collect a full set, you can opt to trade it in for a set of real cards.
You fell victim to one of the classic blunders - The most famous of which is "never get involved in an thread with GM_Champion" - but only slightly less well-known is this: "Never go in against AzureShade when card design is on the line!
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8 months ago ::
Oct 10, 2012 - 12:31PM
#3
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OH yeah i forgot about that what a dummy I am haha.
I heard we're supposed to post in green if we don't like the new forums.
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8 months ago ::
Oct 10, 2012 - 12:40PM
#4
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- Volunteer Community Lead
- blame me for the weather
Date Joined:
Feb 27, 2002
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You could say the same about any fiat currency too, and people are still willing to be paid in dollars.
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"While a picture is worth a thousand words, each lolcat actually produces a negative wordcount." -Ith
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8 months ago ::
Oct 10, 2012 - 12:44PM
#5
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Date Joined:
Aug 31, 2004
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I'm trying to explain the mtgo economy to someone who didnt even know what magic was, and the part they're having trouble with is why people pay money for digital objects ...
Ask that same person if they really think their bank has every dollar (euro, whatever) their bank accounts say they do in hard currency. Then ask them if the world came to an economic end tomorrow, whether they think little printed pieces of paper could be traded for actual goods or services
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8 months ago ::
Oct 10, 2012 - 12:47PM
#6
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Right but the idea of money and banks has been around alot longer than anyone alive has been so it's alot more accepted to someone who's never heard of magic let alone magic online. It's fine though redemption is enough of a reason i think. I can't believe I forgot about redemption...barely play anymore 
I heard we're supposed to post in green if we don't like the new forums.
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8 months ago ::
Oct 10, 2012 - 12:54PM
#7
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Date Joined:
Jul 10, 2007
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Ask them how much they pay for a trip to the theater, or perhaps monthly cable, internet? Sometimes in life you pay for entertainment. How much you pay depends on how much you value the entertainment. The best part with mtgo is it is a pay as you go and even has a couple ways to recoup some of what you invest should you at some point desire to do so. ask them if the world came to an economic end tomorrow, whether they think little printed pieces of paper could be traded for actual goods or services
Oh Sig!
"They were civilized they even drank their blood from a cup"→James Silke/Frank Frazzeta "When the Cryptkeeper sticks 'em they tend to stay stuck"→Cryptkeeper "Do not blame the current developers if there is something you don't like about Magic Online. Chances are no one asked the developers for their opinion."→elf "They just look at me like I'm stupid and then I just say something like well you know WOTC does some dumb things sometimes."→wilmheath "Like just about everything I've experienced with MTGO and the Magic WotC website, I'm finding it difficult to..."→0rbit "the more general question is: at what point does an easily fixable interface issue become a defect?"→silentbobus "Imagine, only four years later and I almost have as much functionality as I used to."→Algona "WotC, you make an awesome game, why do you have to suck so bad at letting people have a fun time?"→MTGKaioshin "If you are all about playing as many games as possible as fast as possible and you KNOW you have me beat, then concede and move on"→Johnh2005 "Wow. You're a real pleasure to help. Good luck figuring it out by yourself."→tempesteye "2hg brokest of the broke"→Me, Myself & I "It's you against the shuffler."→jwark "this look like freeware that some kid down the street crafted up"→ProtossX "ask them if the world came to an economic end tomorrow, whether they think little printed pieces of paper could be traded for actual goods or services"→dangerlinto Server status→ http://www.wizards.com/magic/magiconlineserverstatus.asp
Love or hate me I was brought to you courtesy of V3!
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8 months ago ::
Oct 10, 2012 - 12:55PM
#8
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The fact that you can redeem full sets is basically the only thing propping up the value of cards on MTGO. Otherwise, there would be far more copies of each individual mythic and rare floating around than what is needed for people who are interested in playing wiht them.
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8 months ago ::
Oct 10, 2012 - 1:31PM
#9
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Date Joined:
Aug 28, 2009
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You pay for cards like they were a product, but in fact its a service. Its like any online game with a fremium system. You can play a lot for free (which is also the case in MTGO, minus 10 dollar entry fee) but to get access to the premium quality fun, you have to pay a bit more. MTGO in addition has a system that rewards better players by making things cheaper (or even free) because you get prizes that you can use to play more.
If you set a budget on how much you will spend, say 16 dollars a month, it works exactly like WoW!
Don't think of it as owning stuff, think of it as paying to play.
As far as practical considerations, yes, you also have the option to convert it to pieces of cardboard which have a symbolic meaning that is, by social norm, more easily acceptable as worth something than its equal representation in a server.
You can also use paypal to sell cards and decks, similar to how someone would use paypal to sell a high level character or some fancy equipment in an MMO.
For a great source of information on the Pauper format check out Pauper's Cage!
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8 months ago ::
Oct 10, 2012 - 1:40PM
#10
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Even not counting redemption, there definitely is a cash-out option. Over the years, I've had at least two friends stop playing and sell all of their collection for hard cash.
Really, it's all a matter of the concept of "digital objects" confusing people who are not used to it. Digital cards can provide you with the same amount of fun as their paper counterparts, and can be sold in pretty much the same way you'd sell your paper collection.
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