My Story.

[r2-pleasent]

Well, many people might have noticed I was banned awhile ago from Runescape. At the time I was quite apathetic towards the decision, as I rarely played Runescape anymore. Recently, however, I've started up again, and I decided I might as well tell my story of Runescape. Some of you may not remember me, but I was one of the bigger Party Hat merchants in Runescape 2.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I began playing in July 2004, and within about 2 weeks I realized how I could make money by buying and selling coal at Falador East bank. It was much easier to world swap back then without the timer, so it was quite profitable. I very quickly made enough money to buy the new Treasure Trail items (such as Cavaliers and Pirate Hats), as well as lower level Rares, like Santa Hats and Masks. I merchanted these items until I had 3.5 Mil, and then purchased a Purple Party Hat.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I fell in love with Party Hat merchanting, and could not seem to get myself off Runescape. I would scan the forums all day long, refreshing them virtually every 5 seconds, to make sure I'd be the first to get any good deals available. It did not take me long to work my way up, and before long I had a set. Around this time, many things were happening in Fally. Firstly, Party Hat sellers moved into the Park, which at the time only consisted of Party Hat merchants. Fally Park was by far my favourite place to merchant of all time, before it became overrun by the lower merchants. It allowed for a real community amongst Phat Merchants, one which will likely never be replicated. I made some of my greatest friends on Runescape around this time, notably Shadoken, Stevenxu, Duke (despite our differences), Papz2004, Apoc24, and many others.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After a small break in December 2004 to around February 2005, I came back disappointed to see that Falador Park had become the trading grounds for nearly every item in the game. Phat merchants were pushed to the top, and the community atmosphere had dwindled down. This was also the first time that I had really become the top dog, as Duke had semi-retired, Ego Scorpion was long gone, and Unleash1 lost his money staking. I began taking advantage of my richness by forcing Rares prices in certain directions. Many players labelled this "manipulation", or deception, but it was executed perfectly legitimately.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I began by buying up a large amount of a particular colour Party Hat. Let's take for example, Whites, which I purchased at around 16M apiece. I would buy about 5 Whites for good prices, somewhat privately, then I would begin paying more publicly. Of course, the merchants with Whites had already sold me theirs that day, so there wasn't much action on my posts. I would also use different language if I didn't actually want people to sell me the Hats. A post that I didn't want any sellers I would act desperate, for example:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Buying White Party Hat - Title

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Paying 16.8M! Someone PLEASE, contact me in game, I really need a few more Whites"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My desperation, combined with my reputation as a very profittable merchant made it quite easy to post threads without actually getting any offers. If the odd person would post, saying he'd sell for my price, I'd make sure to do the trade, but to also do the trade in front of all the merchants in Fally, to show that I was for real. I would continue to pay more for another day or so, pushing them slowly up to around 18M. At this point, I would have around 11 White Party Hats, purchased at an average of maybe 16.4M. I would then search privately for a player that was buying 2-3 hats at once, and sell him the Whites at a 200K or so discount apiece. After this, I would sell as many as I could at the top price. Then, the prices would begin to fall, as more and more re-entered the market. I would then have around 5-6 Whites remaining, and would use them to push the prices extremely low, by using the reverse techniques (acting desperate to sell, etc.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This could all be done in about 3 days, and would not only increase my total worth, but also my buying power, because Party Hats would not be permanently going up in value. However, I took this tactic to another level in June 2005, when I orchestrated one of the most outrageous price rise in history: Half Wines.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Half Wine price boost was by far the largest impact I have ever made on Runescape. In mid-May of 2005, I realized that Half Wines had become very hard to find on the market, and that there were virtually no sellers of these items. They were also priced extremely low at the time, costing around 9 Mil apiece -- while Purples costed approximately 10M apiece. I realized this was a prime oppurtunity to execute some serious price hikes, as there would be no competition on the Wines market. I had also realized in the past that players are easily swayed by price rises, and it was very easy to create bubbles in Runescape.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I began buying Wines up at around 9M apiece, but they very quickly rose up to around 30M, which was actually a natural rise at the time. The supply was very low at the time, due to several inactive players holding large amounts of them. I not only purchased every single Wine I could possibly buy at the time, but also gathered the Half Wine sellers who refused to sell to me. All of them knew who I was, and when I had them promise not to sell, or even advertise their Wines on the market, they all agreed. We called it the Half-Wine Owners' Club, or HWOC, and I swore to them I would have the prices up within a week.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Well, it turned out that Wines were the perfect item to push up in price. This was all done during a massive rise in Phat prices, and players had tons of money to spend on the next big thing. Prices shot up on Half Wines, going from 30M to 50M within the first few days. And as the prices rose, so did the demand, as players all wanted a piece of the increase. It was somewhat fortunate that at the time there were virtually no sellers. I had purchased 12 Wines at an average price of 30 Mil apiece, and the profits at the time were insane. But, instead of selling at 50 Mil, which would have allowed me to make a huge amount of profit, I got greedy. I kept pushing them up, and up. Half Wines, for the first time in Runescape history, had become the most expensive items in the game! They had hit 75M apiece, when Blues weren't even 60M. It seemed like they would go on forever.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

However, there was another bubble forming at the time of the Half Wine rise. Party Hats had hit ridiculously high values, and suddenly, on June 15 of 2006, the prices went up another 25% in one day. This is when the bubble burst, and suddenly all Rares prices began to plummet. I had managed to sell 3 of my Wines for an average of 70M apiece, but I was still holding 9 of them through the crash. Prices of Half Wines went down 30M (rougly 40%), in a matter of ONE day. I ended up selling the rest of the Wines off for around 35-40M over the next little while, but I realized it wasn't really about the profit. It was about being able to do something that hadn't be done before. At least I used that justification in my head to offset the pain ;)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

- A chart by Duke Freedom demonstrating Half Wine prices

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After this, I continued to merchant in Fally. Duke Freedom ended up returning in the fall of 2005, and I began to talk to him on much more friendly terms. I was, as many of you know, banned in June of 2006 for Real-World Trading. This post is not intended to discuss my banning, however, and I'd like to keep it at that.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Anyways, today I am playing p2p on my pure now and then, chatting with old friends. I've found the old passion I have for this game, which has inspired me to share my experiences with you guys. Thanks for hearing me out, I always enjoyed Tip.it's community.

[Trade_With]

Very nice read!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Interesting that one person can affect a whole section of the game. I was never really into the rares market back then, but I remember being amazed at the prices going up and up each week.

[luker2d2]

aw man another classic player gone

 

 

 

how did they know that you did the trade?

[richpoepaap]

Nice read, and amazing story :shock:

 

 

 

I could nevr have pulled of that :oops:

[SirHartlar]

I enjoyed reading the story, I was amazed at how the market could be affected so much by one person!

 

 

 

I am sorry to hear your account got banned, we all make mistakes after all.

[baron8000]

Can I ask how much you sold that GeePee for? I've always wondered the going rate for GP-pounds/dollars

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Otherwise a very interesting read, thanks for entertaining me :)

[fearspudgod]

You prolly dont remember me, but i bought my first purple p hat from you:P i think it was for 29m

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

lol. - Nice to see youre playing again! (try and make santas go up a little bit for me alright? =D)

[luker2d2]

You prolly dont remember me, but i bought my first purple p hat from you:P i think it was for 29m

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

lol. - Nice to see youre playing again! (try and make santas go up a little bit for me alright? =D)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

no dont!

[chris1216]

Regardless of whether or not your moves were legal, they didn't just toe the ethical line, they jumped across.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I'm not quite sure why you bothered posting, except perhaps to inflate your already oversized ego.

[Adam007]

Thanks for that read. Not too much I didn't already know about you, but interesting nonetheless specifically how you merchanted. The market's completely different nowadays, and it's harder to trade like that anymore. And, like you said, all of the merchants are gone. You have your Unleash1, Ego Scorpion, and Apoc - all throughout rs there have been great merchants though, and Falador/Varrock can't ever be the same. We also have had our differences throughout your playing (I stopped merchanting completely right when you started), and got in a few arguments back when people were arguing with you whether or not you manipulated or not, but I do like how time manages to make levelness of all 'fueds.'

 

 

 

And one last thing though - no matter how badly you got messed up, why don't you just remove the name? We do have the "no naming names" rule here anyways.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edit:

 

 

 

Regardless of whether or not your moves were legal, they didn't just toe the ethical line, they jumped across.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I'm not quite sure why you bothered posting, except perhaps to inflate your already oversized ego.

 

 

 

As I said before, you probably shouldn't mention anything more about the banning than you need to. Every reply is going to be something along the lines of:

 

 

 

"Well you're a bad person because you broke the law and I don't really like you but thanks for telling us," ranging on intensity of both ethical sides. Unless you want this inevitable 5+ page thread to go in that direction.

[r2-pleasent]

Alright, I'll edit that part down to a little piece.

[bedman]

I remember you (and Duke) for sure. I actually didnt know you were banned too.

 

 

 

I guess the tempation gets quite big when you have so much money, yet play so few/arent interested anymore (so rs money => real money :shock: ).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Seems like a lot of rich players end this game banned :D

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Anyway, nice story and glad to hear bout you again.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Btw, this is actually good news too: it seems like Jagex' detection systems DO work...

[ROBOSRUS]

Forget rules, you my friend are an amazing person. Thanks for the read!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I don't usually post on threads, but this was so good, it made me :

[mrmyk]

nice story :P

 

 

 

read it all through and through which means it must of been quite good

[chris1216]

His banning i couldn't care less about, i am apathetic on people that sell GP.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What I was remarking on was his half wine and white party hat manipulations. Though not illegal on Runescape by any means, it certainly is illegal if attempted in real life.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Not only does r2-pleasent have a broken moral compass, he:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1) in no way deserves respect for being able to manipulate prices in a game filled with naive youngsters

 

 

 

2) Would most definitely get eaten alive in the real world, where people are smarter, more ruthless, and things like this are most definitely illegal (possibly explaining why he spent so much time on runescape instead of something actually productive)

 

 

 

3) Is only posting this because he wants yet more throngs of people heralding the ground he walks on.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Your escapades are nothing more than an unimpressive (though interesting) anecdote.

[Satenza]

I was wondering what had happened to you after the ban. There havn't been any public merchants around since you left and with Duke banned. It's good to have some sort of figure head for merchanting again. I'd just like to know if you can do it again, since you have been playing there have been many chances for merchants which are becoming less and less frequent.

[Duke_Freedom]

Heya r2. It's funny how the start of both our merchanting careers shows quite a bit of resemblence. I too started out with coal merchanting within my first week of playing and immediately fell in love with merchanting. :P

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The half wine price peak raises a lot of good old memories :)... Even though half wines were undervaluated at the time, it was pure insanity of people that drove the prices so high. Eventually the price bubble had to break and half wines never really recovered from it, but it was really interesting to see it all happen.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our personal contact wasn't very good for a very long time and we both had a serious hate for each other at some point. :P For me it was mostly because of your money making ways which I found pure price manipulation at the time, as you were using your reputation to create short-term [bleep]es in the prices of party hats. Anyway we talked about that way too often at the time and we still disagree on it - but that's fine. :)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Because eventually the past became the past and things changed. We started talking to each other on a much more friendly basis and since then it only became better.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It's cool to see that you're playing again, I personally lack the motivation and interest to make a new start. If you ever get absorbed as much by rs as you were back in the days then I'm sure that you'll be back among the richest merchants in no time again though. :)

[r2-pleasent]

His banning i couldn't care less about, i am apathetic on people that sell GP.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What I was remarking on was his half wine and white party hat manipulations. Though not illegal on Runescape by any means, it certainly is illegal if attempted in real life.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Not only does r2-pleasent have a broken moral compass, he:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1) in no way deserves respect for being able to manipulate prices in a game filled with naive youngsters

 

 

 

2) Would most definitely get eaten alive in the real world, where people are smarter, more ruthless, and things like this are most definitely illegal (possibly explaining why he spent so much time on runescape instead of something actually productive)

 

 

 

3) Is only posting this because he wants yet more throngs of people heralding the ground he walks on.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Your escapades are nothing more than an unimpressive (though interesting) anecdote.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I understand some people are going to disagree with my money-making methods, but to say I am simply posting to boost my ego is a personal attack that I think is uncalled for. I am posting this because I think many people will find it interesting, as I have never really explained what happened with the Half Wine rise. The rest of your post is basically a flame and I won't get involved with it.

[jessy87]

if not to intrusive, i would like to know some thing merely to satisfy my overwhelming curiosity, a monetary value of your bank of the time of banning, or information on how many and of what rares you may/may not have had. please dont be offended by such a question. it is entirely option for you to answer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

like i said, curiosity, i mean duke was banned and so was cursed you, you 3 players combined held a large sum of $ and items, not to mention h a 12 d, whom i have not seen in some time.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

i realize, while you 3(or 4) players held such values, others remain to equal or exceed this. so its not like im saying, omg these 3-4 guys are gone their are no more santa hats in runescape left.

[r2-pleasent]

Here's the most recent bank pic I can find Jessy:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[chris1216]

 

His banning i couldn't care less about, i am apathetic on people that sell GP.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What I was remarking on was his half wine and white party hat manipulations. Though not illegal on Runescape by any means, it certainly is illegal if attempted in real life.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Not only does r2-pleasent have a broken moral compass, he:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1) in no way deserves respect for being able to manipulate prices in a game filled with naive youngsters

 

 

 

2) Would most definitely get eaten alive in the real world, where people are smarter, more ruthless, and things like this are most definitely illegal (possibly explaining why he spent so much time on runescape instead of something actually productive)

 

 

 

3) Is only posting this because he wants yet more throngs of people heralding the ground he walks on.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Your escapades are nothing more than an unimpressive (though interesting) anecdote.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I understand some people are going to disagree with my money-making methods, but to say I am simply posting to boost my ego is a personal attack that I think is uncalled for. I am posting this because I think many people will find it interesting, as I have never really explained what happened with the Half Wine rise. The rest of your post is basically a flame and I won't get involved with it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Of course its a personal attack, and I *obviously* don't agree on whether it was uncalled for- I don't recall anyone posting on the forum to ask why the half wine jump occurred, and the way you go about explaining it is entirely self-congratulatory.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As for disagreeing with your methods, I obviously don't disagree that it was effective, but I would consider your silence on whether or not it was at all ethical to be more than enough.

[jessy87]

Of course its a personal attack, and I *obviously* don't agree on whether it was uncalled for- I don't recall anyone posting on the forum to ask why the half wine jump occurred, and the way you go about explaining it is entirely self-congratulatory.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As for disagreeing with your methods, I obviously don't disagree that it was effective, but I would consider your silence on whether or not it was at all ethical to be more than enough.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

all your point you made, i agree with, i mean yeah this might have been illegal and what not in a real life market place and he could have been imprisoned and all that jazz. but this isnt that place to call someone out, you have voiced your opinion on his bad ethics and it will be seen by others.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

im not siding with anyone really, i just would like you guys all to just stop rite here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

i just would like to see the first GOOD thread tip.it has had in 2 months to last more then 2 pages.(dont act like these topics for the last 2 months havent be stupid polls, cuz they have.)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here's the most recent bank pic I can find Jessy:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

thank you, that was very interesting.

[Video_Tycoon]

I've been inspired by you today. I want a Santa hat... :)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nice read, too! :thumbsup:

[t3h]

I thought half wines were still at 60m now :oops: good read VERY smart way of doing things, and nice bank pic :shock:

[r2-pleasent]

 

 

 

Of course its a personal attack, and I *obviously* don't agree on whether it was uncalled for- I don't recall anyone posting on the forum to ask why the half wine jump occurred

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I don't recall anyone asking you to post your opinion, either. It's a public forum, and this is a relevant post.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As for disagreeing with your methods, I obviously don't disagree that it was effective, but I would consider your silence on whether or not it was at all ethical to be more than enough.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I won't say that my methods are traditional merchanting methods, but to say they are unethical just shows you are quite uninformed about the Rares market. There's nothing wrong with bluffing, because if you get called, you're gonna lose your chips.