Tip.It Times Presents: The Greed Factor

This week's Tip.It Times has been released. Feel free to discuss the article or post any comments. If you have any criticism, please make sure it's constructive! :D

 

 

 

The Greed Factor

 

 

 

The Editor

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As many veteran players have noticed and lately commented, it seems that more and more players, some new and some old, are revoltingly consumed with insatiable greed. While players may think this overwhelmingly common attitude has little effect in the game, perhaps...

 

 

 

Click here to read the rest of this article.

thread cleaned- ~jaklumen

I like how The Editor used Runecrafting as a way to make money. That's how I'm currently supporting myself. Some of my friends merchant, one of my friends has scammed a couple people, but it's overall the fault of the victim for falling for such trickery.

The article is truthful, though: Runescape players are being stricken with greed and it doesn't seem to be slowing down.

Player-Killing isn't a form of greed in my opinion. To make money by PKing, the person you kill must have good items with them. That person chooses to bring those specific items (say, an abyssal whip) with them into the wildy. The prospect of rune miners getting ambushed or abyss-crafters being killed unawares is, however, the result of greed.

I was just PKed yesterday while abyss running from getting poisoned. As far as I know, the PKer didn't get my items because I died inside the abyss while getting hit by poison plus getting attacked by monsters.

It didn't bother me much. I already made enough money to buy several extra glory amulets and sets of blue dragonhide, and I still have over 2,000 natures in the bank to sell.

Greed in today's players is getting to the point where it's more annoying than harmful.

One thing not discussed about the greed factor, was how greed causes scamming as well. Notice how few higher level people scam compared to lower levels or newer people. this is becuase most (and i say MOST) with average levels do not have much money between the lvl 20-30 range.

You also need to remember that greed is not always for money. People who have just obtained 40 def are wanting a new set of rune armor, and most will go to great lengths to get a set, or for some, even just one peice. Most of these people don't realize that scamming or fast-gaining small amounts is not a good way to make money.

Here is what I'm leading up to: Money takes patience. Think about it, you could have spent htat hour trying to trick that newbie fishing lobbys or mining coal, and get almost 10x the profit!

Just my humble opinion,

Shinyblade99

If there's one thing I find hard in the game, it's making money. I just don't have the right method to make decent amounts of cash in the game. But unlike other people I don't spend ages trying to scam others or get easy cash through rulebreaking, I just gather money in my own slow manner over time and when I get enough to buy that item I always wanted, I just sit back and say "Well done, you made it in the end." I find that you get more satisfaction from the game when you can't make millions of coins a day, but when you need to save up for something and can get the satisfaction of reaching one of your short term goals.

But it's overall the fault of the victim for falling for such trickery.

What? I'm guessing you've never been scammed if you say that. Here was the scenario when I got scammed off 810k.

It was back when mauls were still 800k. Someone traded me a Zamorak Plateskirt for one that I had gotten for 600k (no scam, just a guy desperate for money). I then had the great pleasure of selling something hardly anyone wants. Finally, I had a guy make an offer of exactly what I wanted, 900k. I was so exited to finally sell it (after an hour and a half). Then this guy did the extra item, a rune long. I didn't care, jsut thought he was desperate for one. We traded, bam, 90k. So you'd say its your fualt if you got scammed? Even if its a harder to beat scam than that.

shiny blade you should have watched the second trade screen.

so few people do however.

well people call me greedy when some annoying noob comes up and tries to buy my full rune for 1k saying he's "rich" and i say that doesn't even come close to the price that the price is more 200k, then other noobs say the armor is worth only 500gp and i'm a scammer. and yes i get called a scammer alot because when people beg me to sell my stuf at a fraction of the cost i say that i will sell it to them at normally 10x the actual price otherwise they follow me for 10-15 minutes begging (some guy followed me for 2 hours once). but yes people are greedy now. some high lv guy tried selling me a anti dragon shield when i was lv 30 for 50k which he probably got for free (i sell them once in awhile for 50gp). i think people should try to be less greedy and annoying

We've all been scammed once before, whether it's a small margin or a large loss. I myself bought 500 willows for 500k after reading, "Selling mage logs"

If you haven't been scammed at all good for you, but don't be the one doing the scamming either.

By the way Tip.it crew, loving the periodical articles. They always seem to stress what I'm thinking at the right moment. Keep it up.

 

But it's overall the fault of the victim for falling for such trickery.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What? I'm guessing you've never been scammed if you say that. Here was the scenario when I got scammed off 810k.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was back when mauls were still 800k. Someone traded me a Zamorak Plateskirt for one that I had gotten for 600k (no scam, just a guy desperate for money). I then had the great pleasure of selling something hardly anyone wants. Finally, I had a guy make an offer of exactly what I wanted, 900k. I was so exited to finally sell it (after an hour and a half). Then this guy did the extra item, a rune long. I didn't care, jsut thought he was desperate for one. We traded, bam, 90k. So you'd say its your fualt if you got scammed? Even if its a harder to beat scam than that.

shiny blade you should have watched the second trade screen.

Exactly.

And you're right, I've never gotten scammed. I'm not saying people have never tried. I take precautions such as setting up trades in towns, or making sure that if the person wants to meet somewhere specific, it isn't in the wild or somewhere I might die. I check both trade screens. I look for changes in the deal, I use Google's calculator to make sure the price is fair and I'm getting the overall price the items should be.

Like I said, it's at the fault of the victim, but that doesn't mean it wasn't wrong of the scammer. I'm not flaming anybody for not taking precautions, I'm just saying maybe people should be more careful.

If I ever get scammed, it won't change my thinking on the subject. I'll call myself stupid for falling for it and take it as a lesson and reminder to be more careful.

I like how The Editor used Runecrafting as a way to make money. That's how I'm currently supporting myself.

I as well feel runecrafting to be the most profitable skill in runescape. It has its costs (such as getting pked and having to have lots of glories), but I am in no way complaining. Runecrafting is a solid way of making cash. At higher levels, one can even make his own death runes, a fact I exploit daily in game. With level 75, and thus the giant pouch, soon to be mine, I am highly motivated to work ever-harder for my goal.

If a person chooses to sell an item to you for a low price is it your fault for not saying 'Go check the forums! You will get more!'. Its not our fault. Merchanting requires knowledge and smarts to be successful. Greed? about as greedy as someone mining coal for money. We all have different methods for making money and none of them should be looked down on.

PKing, and staking. It's not someone jumping out at you with an axe and smacking it in your back You go to the wild full knowingly that someone can easily kill you. Staking, you can accept r decline, stake or not stake. Again no reason as to why this is considered greedy to those who win. Pkers train the skills they need, as do stakers. Merchanted have to gain knowledge on the current market.

This issn't a quick way for money, or an easy task. All money making skills require knowledge or skills. Whcih take time to have.

The only methos looked down upon by me is cheating in anyway.

i see nothing wrong with mercanting BUT it seems that more and more mercanters are starting to scamm and flame skillers ,like me i personlly get about maby 150k an hour if im lucky but i dont get often that much im a fisher ,(im level 86) anyway mercanters are pulling in alot more then that an hour ,but i think its good because mercanting is a kind of skill and you need to know the price of things to be able to get the best deal from the toher player,as for scammers i dont think jagex is doing all they can to stop them from taking over ,as with password scammers and website advertising

One of the reasons I enjoy Runescape so much is that it is an interesting little social experiment.

In fact, I find it more amusing than annoying that there are people trying to resort to "criminal" tactics to obtain wealth in Runescape because it essentially acts as a mirror to our real society, but in a way that no-one needs to be truly hurt physically or financially (while some consider losing RS gold as being hurt financially, I would ask them to compare their computer game money to the real money lost by real victims of extortion, fraud and armed assault).

In real life, there may be a few thugs who generate wealth by peddling illegal substances or subverting the laws of the country or locality they live in, but the vast majority of middle-class to wealthy people make their money while obeying the rules of the land. Yet, there's never a shortage of people willing to try getting rich by theft, fraud or extortion, even when the success rate is not nearly as high and the risk of incarceration looms.

The same applies in this virtual world. Even though it likely takes much longer and is harder to scam people out of a few GP - couple that with the risk of the ever-present "Report" button - there's no shortage of kids/immature adults willing to try.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying I like having those people participate in this game. I just take comfort in the fact that the damage they do is only virtual.

Love it or loathe it - running ess for laws has to be one of the easiest ways for a low level to gain a decent amount of "start up" money.

It certainly didn't take me that long for my non-combat pure to earn enough for a glory, a set of pickaxes, & some spare to sell to the (very wierd!) ppl who buy one off laws for 1k.

One of the reasons I enjoy Runescape so much is that it is an interesting little social experiment.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In fact, I find it more amusing than annoying that there are people trying to resort to "criminal" tactics to obtain wealth in Runescape because it essentially acts as a mirror to our real society, but in a way that no-one needs to be truly hurt physically or financially (while some consider losing RS gold as being hurt financially, I would ask them to compare their computer game money to the real money lost by real victims of extortion, fraud and armed assault).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In real life, there may be a few thugs who generate wealth by peddling illegal substances or subverting the laws of the country or locality they live in, but the vast majority of middle-class to wealthy people make their money while obeying the rules of the land. Yet, there's never a shortage of people willing to try getting rich by theft, fraud or extortion, even when the success rate is not nearly as high and the risk of incarceration looms.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The same applies in this virtual world. Even though it likely takes much longer and is harder to scam people out of a few GP - couple that with the risk of the ever-present "Report" button - there's no shortage of kids/immature adults willing to try.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Don't get me wrong. I'm not saying I like having those people participate in this game. I just take comfort in the fact that the damage they do is only virtual.

Let's try this little "experiment", shalle we. Just humor me for a few virtual seconds. :lol:

You go to your real life job and do what you must to put some cash in your bank. You use direct deposit. You save and save for something. Let's say stock in a new Italian microprocessing company.

The day comes when you have all the money for some shares. You excange your U$ money in the bank for the Italian Lyra. All done via electronic exchange. Just so many bits byts and pixels. You've never actually _seen_ any of that money.

You buy your shares of stock. Again, all through computer transaction.

You've never seen an actual bank note or paper.

The company turns out to be a fake. Or maybe even real but not doing as well as you were led to believe.

You lose your investment.

Well, by golly.. no one was hurt. It was really just virtual money anyway. Right? No biggie. Just go make some more money..lesson learned.

Forgive me for sounding like Runesacpe is really real. However, in the virtual game world, how is real people, using real time to make RS gold really all that different than the same thing dealing with real foreign exchanges by computer?

Ah.. other than the obvious. In RL, people are breaking all kinds of laws and are subject to real life jail time. Whilst in the virtual world of Runescape, people are only breaking a little rule and probably nothing will happen.

Side note... did you know that if you do sell virtual items from games like Runescape or World of Warcraft for real money, {rule breaking aside} it is considered income and taxable by the IRS?

And you thought it was 'just a game" :shock:

I always use skills to get some money, I'm a lousy merchanter and I don't like pk'ing :oops:

Scamming can be easily overcome by taking the time to check the trade screens aswell as checking forums, friends, etc for the prices

I'm sorry to say that I didn't really like this edition :? , I just didn't find the topic very interesting :roll:

keep it up tipit, cy next week :D

Perhaps you guys (at least the ones rambling about PKing) are misreading the article...

When he went into depth about how to make money he was talking about making legitimate money (thus... NOT the greed factor). That's just the way I took it... Same with merchanting...

I for one don't think there's anything wrong with getting something a little cheaper now and then... but I kinda feel obligated to tell somebody if they're selling something for half what it's worth (even if it's something I'm buying). I'll often give them something in the middle if they're doing this... that way I'm not completely ripping them off.

Seems a lot of merchants feed off inexperienced players who don't realize their items are worth more than they're getting... pretty noob to treat 'em that way imo.

Let's try this little "experiment", shalle we. Just humor me for a few virtual seconds.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You go to your real life job and do what you must to put some cash in your bank. You use direct deposit. You save and save for something. Let's say stock in a new Italian microprocessing company.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The day comes when you have all the money for some shares. You excange your U$ money in the bank for the Italian Lyra. All done via electronic exchange. Just so many bits byts and pixels. You've never actually _seen_ any of that money.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You buy your shares of stock. Again, all through computer transaction.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You've never seen an actual bank note or paper.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The company turns out to be a fake. Or maybe even real but not doing as well as you were led to believe.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You lose your investment.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Well, by golly.. no one was hurt. It was really just virtual money anyway. Right? No biggie. Just go make some more money..lesson learned.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Forgive me for sounding like Runesacpe is really real. However, in the virtual game world, how is real people, using real time to make RS gold really all that different than the same thing dealing with real foreign exchanges by computer?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ah.. other than the obvious. In RL, people are breaking all kinds of laws and are subject to real life jail time. Whilst in the virtual world of Runescape, people are only breaking a little rule and probably nothing will happen.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Side note... did you know that if you do sell virtual items from games like Runescape or World of Warcraft for real money, {rule breaking aside} it is considered income and taxable by the IRS?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And you thought it was 'just a game"

I truly hope this does not come across as condescending, but I must admit your post had me chuckling with almost as much enthusiasm as I do when I chuckle at the scammers.

You're obviously looking at this whole thing through quite a different perspective and with different experiences than myself.

I take real life seriously. More serious than most and maybe more seriously than I should. Which is why, by contrast, I find amusement in this non-reality that is Runescape.

Forgive me for sounding like Runesacpe is really real. However, in the virtual game world, how is real people, using real time to make RS gold really all that different than the same thing dealing with real foreign exchanges by computer?

Quite simply, when my Runescape character loses Runescape gold and Runescape items he is never in any danger of losing his house, his job, his wife and his children and never does he have to go through his little virtual life facing the danger of virtual hunger pangs and little virtual debt collectors. Nor does he contemplate virtual suicide (unless you count the free teleport to Lumbridge) because of his losses.

No, those are things that only real people face in the real world, when they become victims of real crime.

I hope that helps clear things up.

i hafta agree that runecrafting is an easy way to make money. over the course of 1 weekend i spent 350k on 10k ess and when i was all done i went from 44 rc to 54 rc and made 3 mill. some ppl may think that raising money with skill is tedious and annoying, the simple fact is that ppl are to lazy and think they can expliot all the others into literaly "giving" them money by either scammin or selling at unimaginable prices. theres no point in playing a game and bragging about your high skills if all u do is scam and dont even use those skills to make the money yourself. the other day i went to world 1 to buy some coal (yes im kinda lazy to when it comes to mining :D ) i was buying 500 for 175 ea wich is a fair balance of the prices there. while trading this person did the most obvious thing and changed it from 500 to 50 trying to think i wouldnt notice. its the most common form of scamming ive seen is changin the quantity by cutting off a zero at the end of it. like selling full blk mystic some1 offered 700k for it and a bunch of other junk for it and when i accepted he changed it to 70k and tried to do that. what ppl try to do is disract u with other items so u wont notice the changes they make to the cash or the other stuff in there offer.

I truly hope this does not come across as condescending, but I must admit your post had me chuckling with almost as much enthusiasm as I do when I chuckle at the scammers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You're obviously looking at this whole thing through quite a different perspective and with different experiences than myself.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I take real life seriously. More serious than most and maybe more seriously than I should. Which is why, by contrast, I find amusement in this non-reality that is Runescape.

Not condecending at all. Thank you for at least finding humor in my post.

Real life is indeed serious. Savings, however, are used for many things that do not always hold such high priorities as home and safety.

 

Forgive me for sounding like Runesacpe is really real. However, in the virtual game world, how is real people, using real time to make RS gold really all that different than the same thing dealing with real foreign exchanges by computer?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Quite simply, when my Runescape character loses Runescape gold and Runescape items he is never in any danger of losing his house, his job, his wife and his children and never does he have to go through his little virtual life facing the danger of virtual hunger pangs and little virtual debt collectors. Nor does he contemplate virtual suicide (unless you count the free teleport to Lumbridge) because of his losses.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

No, those are things that only real people face in the real world, when they become victims of real crime.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I hope that helps clear things up.

Obviously we are looking at this from entirely different sides of the same coin. My analogy was perhaps a bit too general purpose for my point. Of course RS is just a game. Entertainment. Nothing more. But the lines between real and not real are {pardon the pun} virtual shades of gray in this technological world.

You save your real time earned, real money for a spiffy MP3 player. I save my real time earned, virtual money for a dragon skirt. Should I feel any less cheated or angry if I get scammed out of my skirt than if someone stole your MP3 player?

Time is money. There is no virtual time. Following this, is there no virtual money? A ponderment indeed. :lol:

{I'll not go into quantum physics here}

I believe people that will cheat in a game will, given oportunity, cheat in the real world. This being said, with the propensity of greedy cheaters in the game, isn't that a bit scary?

I am insulted by this piece, i am a merchant, i find nothing wrong with it, it makes lots of money and really fast. Its a honest way to make money, we do a lot of typing and posting on forums. We aren't scamming people out of there money. Most people dont want to spend the time to look for a cheap price so they buy phats from us merchants for a high price

Obviously we are looking at this from entirely different sides of the same coin. My analogy was perhaps a bit too general purpose for my point. Of course RS is just a game. Entertainment. Nothing more. But the lines between real and not real are {pardon the pun} virtual shades of gray in this technological world.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You save your real time earned, real money for a spiffy MP3 player. I save my real time earned, virtual money for a dragon skirt. Should I feel any less cheated or angry if I get scammed out of my skirt than if someone stole your MP3 player?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Time is money. There is no virtual time. Following this, is there no virtual money? A ponderment indeed. :lol:

 

 

 

{I'll not go into quantum physics here}

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I believe people that will cheat in a game will, given oportunity, cheat in the real world. This being said, with the propensity of greedy cheaters in the game, isn't that a bit scary?

Hats off to you! You argued that point very well, and it has honestly made me look at Runescape in a completely different way :shock:

~Ian

I am insulted by this piece, i am a merchant, i find nothing wrong with it, it makes lots of money and really fast. Its a honest way to make money, we do a lot of typing and posting on forums. We aren't scamming people out of there money. Most people dont want to spend the time to look for a cheap price so they buy phats from us merchants for a high price

I thought the article was saying that merchanting was O.K, but scamming wasn't...

I'm confused... :?

You save your real time earned, real money for a spiffy MP3 player. I save my real time earned, virtual money for a dragon skirt. Should I feel any less cheated or angry if I get scammed out of my skirt than if someone stole your MP3 player?

Okay, I'm beginning to see your point more clearly. Time is money and when you're cheated out of your time, you would take that as seriously as I would take being cheated out of my real money. Fair enough.

I think we both just play Runescape for different reasons. The time I use to play RS is very clearly set aside as leisure time so I don't see it as a loss of time, no matter what I lose in the game.

Because better items and more GP enhance the "fun factor" for you, it can be frustrating when those things are lost because of the cruel intentions of other players.

I believe people that will cheat in a game will, given oportunity, cheat in the real world. This being said, with the propensity of greedy cheaters in the game, isn't that a bit scary?

This is where I would agree with you wholeheartedly. Just because I find it amusing in the game doesn't mean I fail to recognize the danger of some kid being so desensitized to conning people out of virtual money that it makes it easier for him to turn around and try the same tactics with real money and real victims.

That is the same reason I don't let my six year old watch age-inappropriate movies or play ultra-voilent video games (bring on the tween-flamers).

I hope people realize all that he has said. It's exacly what I've been trying to say to people, and I'm glad he said it in a loud booming voice.

The disappointment with this is that it would take an article like this to make people realize it...