Sub tokens in Trade

[Undefined]

I'm happy to buy sub tokens and use them as trade in game. My time is worth more to me than my money is and I'm pleased that money goes to fund the game when I do.

Not really the right forum for yet again moaning about it?

[Ysh]

I disagree with the sentiment that real money trades would take place anyways. I mentioned it before but previous to the existence of sub tokens, real money trades weren't allowed to be advertised on the forum.

So if you had a guy saying "I'm selling X quality pick for 6 pearls" and then when you add him on skype that guy says "actually I'll also take $10 from you for it" then that guy comes off as a big piece of shit and you probably aren't going to trade with him again if all he wants is real money out of the arrangement.

Yes, real money trades did and do happen but certainly not on any grandiose scale except when some players would occasionally buy a character or two, which is still technically account sharing and still not recommended by the devs as its something they look poorly upon.

This game has the means for players to enact their own item for item or item for coin trade systems so having a buyable in-game currency entirely defeats the purpose of these mechanics.

You are not wrong. As with all undesirable behavior in world (e.g. drug use, prostitution, etc.), question is do we try to mitigate it or profit from it? You suggest mitigate. Current system is profit. I am not sure if there is way to establish a right answer here, just some pros and cons. And I think these pros and cons have been well discussed already. And I also think that best way to get sub token remove is to somehow give jorb and loftar luxury to remove income stream from game.

[Kaios]

I'm happy to buy sub tokens and use them as trade in game. My time is worth more to me than my money is and I'm pleased that money goes to fund the game when I do.

Not really the right forum for yet again moaning about it?

I've bought them before too and traded with them. Fortunately though I can be the bigger person to admit that something I have gained an advantage from myself is a poor scenario for the game in the long term.

[Undefined]

It has no real impact on the long term of the game though does it?
It's mearly a re-distribution of assets with the added advantage of generating a small amount of income for the game's development.
If items exist in the game world what difference does it make who has possession of them?

I can see it maybe has impact on the fact that some people won't trade for items other than sub tokens but this isn't the case in the majority of trades I've conducted. That's like moaning that some people want to be paid only in fingernails on Gumtree.

[Kaios]

It has no real impact on the long term of the game though does it?

But it does and it's why someone would rather buy/accept a sub token instead of grinding out those pearls. Pearl trading used to be a much bigger thing, too bad it isn't now but I also blame that partially on the pearl botters (of whom are more often than not the same people buying tokens).

[Undefined]

Give me actual examples of how sub token trade has a negative impact on the game other than the fact some people prefer to trade with/for them as we've already established (something I think isn't really a big deal). I'm genuinely open to changing my mind, but I can't think of anything else that is hurt by this option being here, yet can see the positives of generating cash monies via the store.

Perhaps there's an argument for it damaging the heart and soul progressive development experience of the game but honestly if someone wants to break that for themselves then I think it's totally up to them.

[azrid]

Pearl trading used to be a much bigger thing

Pearls got more common from mussels at the end of world 9.

[Kaios]

Give me actual examples of how sub token trade has a negative impact on the game

Dis bots up all their infrastructure, begins selling sets of high quality equipment for sub tokens, progression for many players is sped up, time before world becomes stale is significantly decreased, any rewarding feeling of accomplishment over a challenge/exertion of effort is removed, players get bored and quit.

[Granger]

Before I trade for tokens (both ways) I would set my hair on fire and then extinguish with a sledgehammer.

Everyone just do that and the token trade is dead and the problem is solved.

[Undefined]

This would all happen anyway?
The fact they can do that is the root problem, not the fact that they do that and redistribute it in exchange for paying for their gametime.
If they didn't redistribute it via sub token trade the situation would be just as bleak, a select few would buy via paypal and this overpowered and excessively botted/scripted/whatever resource/character base would all be owned by a single entity in the game world.