Account sellers as student employment

[Lorien_the_First_One]

Well I was stuck on public transit yesterday but overheard a really interesting conversation relating to DDO. Two kids, young enough that their previous conversation included the phrase “recess” were talking about how they made money to their friends.

The first said that he paid for a WoW account for a month or two, would level a character, get good stuff on it, and then sell the account for about $400.

His buddy said he used to do that too, but over Christmas he found something better…DDO. He said since the accounts were free, he would open 3 at a time. Load one on each of his computer, his brother’s computer, and his parents’ computer. He’d then run through dungeons with one toon while the others were sitting at the door, and when the quest was done, run them through for the chests as well. The “only thing that suxs is there is no follow command like in WoW”. He said this way without paying anything he can get 3 accounts ready to sell in a month and gets about $200 each.

Both commented on how great it was to get paid to play a game.

I think I now understand all those unguilded L16-20s that suck…someone is buying accounts lol

[asphodeli]

ah that explains.

i smell another drama coming up :D

[Sir_Chonas]

Darn kids . . . GET OFF MY LAWN. . erm excuse me . . GET OFF MY MMORPG.

*grumble rabble rabble*

probably using the money for drugs. . .

*grumble*

what's the world coming to.

[arminius]

I think the most amazing thing about the story is that you ran into a random person in real life that plays DDO.

A year ago that was statistically unthinkable, so it's a bit of progress, I guess.

I don't know what I think about the other aspects. Where would they buy the accounts from? Craigslist? I could just never conceive of spending that kind of money to get to play a game that I just AVOIDED playing by paying the money. Seems outrageously pointless.

[Sir_Chonas]

I think the most amazing thing about the story is that you ran into a random person in real life that plays DDO.

A year ago that was statistically unthinkable, so it's a bit of progress, I guess.

I don't know what I think about the other aspects. Where would they buy the accounts from? Craigslist? I could just never conceive of spending that kind of money to get to play a game that I just AVOIDED playing by paying the money. Seems outrageously pointless.

Most of the people I knew in this situation (younger entrepreneurs) were selling Runescape accounts at school. I don't exactly understand why you'd want to purchase a level 16 account with no access to the higher level content of a game that less people your age play than 2 of the other MMORPGS out there though (I've run into far fewer youngsters on DDO than I've heard about on WOW and seen on Runescape), and most of the ones I've seen here are playing with their parents or siblings usually.

There were also accounts being sold on Ebay for a while before the developers caught wind and would ban any accounts they saw up for sale.

[Lorien_the_First_One]

probably using the money for drugs. . .

Well actually that's where the conversation started... One of the kids was handing over a bag of um...well it was green...maybe chopped up broccoli.


I think the most amazing thing about the story is that you ran into a random person in real life that plays DDO.

A year ago that was statistically unthinkable, so it's a bit of progress, I guess.

I don't know what I think about the other aspects. Where would they buy the accounts from? Craigslist? I could just never conceive of spending that kind of money to get to play a game that I just AVOIDED playing by paying the money. Seems outrageously pointless.

You know I thought about engaging them, but an old guy walking up and starting conversations with a bunch of grade 6ish kids on a subway might not come off right.

I understand why someone would pay for powerlevelling on WoW to avoid the grind, I was shocked to hear anyone would bother here. I wonder if the buyers are ex-WoW types who just assume its a long painful grind to level here and that the only "real game" is endgame here too?

And yes, it is encouraging to hear people say they are playing the "dungeons and dragons mmo".

I have to say, that kid gets points for future capitalist in my books lol

[Bladecutter563]

Seems money makes the world go 'round even at a young age.

And smoking chopped-up broccoli? It's even worse than I thought!

[Odium]

When i was in Highschool, Diablo 2 was huge. I would sell the items though. Back then (when mod 1.09 came out and before the great duplicating item trick was discovered) some items, particually a windforce bow would sell on ebay for 400-500 bucks. Granted it was a super rare item to pull but other items sold well. I was making like 250 to 500 bucks a week playing a video game, which, when in highschool, is huge money. The the Foreign farmers came in and it all went downhill. But an awesome run none the less as it paid around 80% the cost of my first car.

[grodon9999]

**** - now I don't feel nearly as cheezy spending $15 GRing a toon :)

[Gol]

Reminds me of the good old days of Asheron's Call. I was making $1200-$1500 a month just for selling excess loot I got while macroing my characters.

[Woody00]

Yeah I would be pretty upset if I paid 200$ for a level 14ish toon on an F2P account nd realized I could not access hardly any of the at level or above areas or quests. Oh well. Buyer beware in that situtation I guess.

Speaking of that I think I ran into an account buyer last night in the vale. Guy had absoulty no clue.

[blitzschlag]

Yeah I would be pretty upset if I paid 200$ for a level 14ish toon on an F2P account nd realized I could not access hardly any of the at level or above areas or quests. Oh well. Buyer beware in that situtation I guess.


i rather think you would be really ashamed of your own stupidity...

[Woody00]

When i was in Highschool, Diablo 2 was huge. I would sell the items though. Back then (when mod 1.09 came out and before the great duplicating item trick was discovered) some items, particually a windforce bow would sell on ebay for 400-500 bucks. Granted it was a super rare item to pull but other items sold well. I was making like 250 to 500 bucks a week playing a video game, which, when in highschool, is huge money. The the Foreign farmers came in and it all went downhill. But an awesome run none the less as it paid around 80% the cost of my first car.

I did and still believe that SOE did one of the smartest things when they released EQ2 and established an acution site for toons, plat, and items. It allows players to sell ingame items and accounts( which after EQ1 SOE knew they were going to do anyway) and lets them dip thier hand in the cookie jar.

[Woody00]

i rather think you would be really ashamed of your own stupidity...

/agreed.
And if they think that buying a high level toon just to get an "edge" in a game with this complex of a character building system they deserve all the bad and shamfull feeling they recieve.

[Sir_Chonas]

i rather think you would be really ashamed of your own stupidity...

Thomas Tusser says: "A fool and his money are soon parted."

[Lilliana]

I did and still believe that SOE did one of the smartest things when they released EQ2 and established an acution site for toons, plat, and items. It allows players to sell ingame items and accounts( which after EQ1 SOE knew they were going to do anyway) and lets them dip thier hand in the cookie jar.

Minor nit, that was only allowed on a few servers, not all of them. Those servers had very low pop and were often regarded as 'the cheaters servers'.

But you are right, SoE did earn extra from those servers by 'having their hand in the cookie jar'. One can of course always argue if it was better for the game, but that is perhaps a discussion for another place and another time :)

[Woody00]

Thomas Tusser says: "A fool and his money are soon parted."

P.T. Barnum: "There's a sucker born every minute."

[Gol]

P.T. Barnum: "There's a sucker born every minute."
Me: All your plat are belong to Gol.

[Tarrant]

Me: All your plat are belong to Gol.

Tarrant: All your account are banned when we catch you buying or selling an account or item with real money.