So the developers of Runescape have shot themselves in the foot, or maybe it's more like a shot in the face. Today they announced new sweeping changes that are designed to combat the selling of in game items and currency. They feel this "problem" is important enough to combat, even if it means making their game a lot less fun in the process. They are even crazy enough to refer to selling of in game items in terms like these "In some cases, though, it's essentially organised crime."

The specific change that is really damaging to Runescape is the removal of "unbalanced" trade. Now in the game it will be impossible to transfer items in a way that is highly beneficial to one character. You won't be able to pay someone $100 cash IRL and then have them hand you an amazing sword in the game. You will be required to trade them an item of approximately equal value to get that sword from their character onto yours. Way to go totally and completely overboard and decapitate your own game! Under this system for example it will be impossible for me to offer services in game in exchange for items. Want me to run you through a quest? Want me to join your guild? Want me to do some crafting for you? You won't be able to hand me in game items like you used to be able to do in any of these situations. You will virtually be alone in terms of getting gear, where before you were part of a vibrant social community. The stifling effect this will have on in game trading and socialization is going to be apocalyptic.

What the hell is wrong with selling in game items and currency for real money? I farmed for hours to get that equipment, I should be free to choose what I do with it. It makes an MMO so much more appealing to know when you are finished playing it you can cash out and get a nice ammount of dough for your time spent. Imagine hunting in game and finding an item, then being offered 200 dollars in real life for that item. It's an amazing feeling to know you are capable of making cash playing your online game of choice. It certainly does not DETRACT from the game in any way. the negative effect of someone else buying gold is nill to me. The positive effect of enjoying hunting for loot far outweighs the problems.

Consider this situation. If I have a job which pays 3x as much as you then the new "requirement" that I grind in game for an equal ammount of time is patently unfair. It is effectively costing me triple the real life cash to get the exact same ammount of in game gold. That is what is ludacris about trying to curb real life transactions for game items. The only thing it accomplishes when you ban this practice is to widen the gap between people who obey the rules and people who do not. Now instead of selling in game items people will be forced to instead accept real world money and then farm on the other players character for them. This will result in WAY more accounts getting hacked and cause untold pain for the community over time.