ok, one thing I'd like to state... I'm not very happy with the way SE is handling this situation, and to me, I think it is fairly biased and rediculous.
Obviously the subject of gil selling/buying has become a big topic. Mainly for two reasons: 1) It's killing the economy as people can now set higher prices for items as gil is easier to obtain (basically, if a nation/country is in debt, they don't produce more currency to bail themselves out... that would just ruin things more) and 2) Gil sellers would use low down/dirty methods of obtaining the mobs and drops that earned them their gil. Methods included, but not limited MPK's and training mobs on fellow campers, botting, grabbing mobs to throw off other camper's targetting, etc...
It's to my understanding that SE has done something about those tactical gil sellers, but what about the others? Like IGN? or luckmoon? I'm sure by now everyone has read Frederz thread in regards to luckmoon and I have one opinion drawn off it.
Frederz was suspended for making a "deal" to purchase gil. Apparently you do not need to exchange cash/gil, it is already against the TOS when you CONSIDER or DISCUSS the buying/selling of gil. The way I see it, if Frederz was suspended for making a "deal" with Luckmoon, can someone explain why Luckmoon wasn't suspended for making a "deal" with Frederz... Consider this, and continue reading.
Now having said that, let's look at how SE can go about finding gil sellers/buyers.
1) Can ban anyone sending large suspicious sums of gil...
2) Monitor heavy gil trafficing for at least a week or so (to get an idea who's passing money to and from mule vs those selling the gil and sending to dozens of different people)
3) Setup a sting/undercover type operation... but then again, looking back on Frederz deal... wouldn't SE be in breach of their own TOS by making a "deal" with you?
4) Have a list of known gil sellers and keep an eye on who they send large amounts of gil to... then ban the buyer, but let the seller stick around to keep selling (so they can keep nailing buyers).
Either way, #3 and #4 are not just and fair... and personally, I would think gil sellers should be far more punished than the buyer... and here's why:
Back when I came in the game back in February, gil was expensive on the net... about $20 USD for 10k gil. This kept the economy right where it was and should be and gil selling/buying was never that big of a problem. However, as time passed, more people gain higher levels and become gil sellers themselves. Next thing they do is jack up the economy so people have to farm longer, or buy gil from them. Well, what about the newbies? The lvl 10 that wants to get that really cool item to have in the dunes? (IE: Rdm who wants astral rings)
They go on the web now and see that they can get 1mil for almost $50 USD, and all of a sudden, anything on the AH because sooo much more affordable to them. So of course they're tempted to buy from the seller. So to recap, it is the sellers using low down dirty methods... it is the sellers jacking up the economy... and it is the sellers that are making it sooo easy for a newbie to purchase gil.
As of right now, in the situation exampled above vs Frederz out come vs the methods SE could use to nail buyers and sellers, I draw the following outcome:
"Newbie player looses his/her account for gil buying. Now new user has wasted $50-$100 on the game, $13 on a Content ID and barely even gets to play before everything becomes a worthless $60-$110 doorstop/paperweight. Yes, they broke the TOS and should be subject to punishment, but so should the gil seller... and in the "deals" that resulted in the buyers being suspended/banned, I've seen no action taken on the sellers themselves."
Edited, Wed Dec 8 16:51:53 2004 by ElvaanKrem