You guys have been blinded by something, nowhere else would this considered anything but P2W, unless you can't understand the meaning of this word.
Like I keep saying, I am fully aware that free player can achieve currently anything what buyer can, except membership.
Also if you are so desperate to defend the EP Selling system that you would even refer to something like: "Somewhere the money's gotta come, I am just helping HCS".
Seriously?! Are you thinking about helping HCS when you sell those EPs to get "advantages". I hardly doubt, it is just your lazy ass who decided to buy those EPs and sell them, that you could fly through obstacles that others have work harder on. <-- already P2W, you pay to win through what other work harder for. If you think buying combat items/exp is only P2W, then you are mistaken, because you could use the currency to do exactly the same result now.
Please read earlier posts before posting, its really ignorant just to read first post and post then.
-- Lets imagine a possible scenario, in current state of the game
Note: This isn't what happens in every case, but its possible as the game allows this to happen if wanted so. Numbers are somewhat "estimated" to be optimal, with no slacking between.
Time Spent: 0 hours
FreePlayer - Starts playing the game, questing, trying things
BuyerPlayer - Starts playing the game, questing, trying things
Time Spent: 4 hours
FreePlayer - Faces several obstacles, like lack of space in inventory, lack of gold and decides to do something about it
BuyerPlayer - Faces same problems, but decides to buy EP and/or/also subscribe to membership
Time Spent: 8 Hours
FreePlayer - Tries to mine, but soon realizes that he has to mine tons of ore just to get 1 sack and what pain is getting those ores with no sack.
BuyerPlayer - Buys about 10 sacks, exp potions, sells 1K EP to 1K Gold and keeps rolling the game
Time Spent: 15-20 Hours
FreePlayer - After pondering with the problem for a while, trying different solutions to get gold and asking help, finally gets his first sack and is at level 10 - 15
BuyerPlayer - Already proceeding at level 20-30 and no trouble with gold, space or anything
Time Spent: 30-40 Hours
FreePlayer - Starts questing again but faces skill cost that troubles him a bit at lvl 25. 100g. But, goes to mine for few hours to get the skill.
BuyerPlayer - Proceeding at 25-35, nearing the max lvl of this game. Keeps selling EP, buying crafting materials and stuff he needs. Everything is on the silver platter for him.
Time Spent: 50 - 60 Hours
FreePlayer - Keeps leveling up and has to go to town more often to bring stuff in his bank, especially if he is crafter. With 1 or 2 sacks it ain't so easy at first! Though it might already be so that his bank is full and he needs stop leveling and starts using them, though there isn't much to use. This guy is probably around 25-30lvl or less.
BuyerPlayer - Because this guy has been allowed to focus on his leveling only and has exp potions + membership, he may already be at 40lvl and concentrating to buy crafting materials to boost his crafting to 40lvl. Buys his 40lvl skill easily, 500 gold, no problem
Time Spent: 70 - 80 Hours
FreePlayer - Keeps leveling up and things are starting to get much easier, we might even own some EPs and few sacks at this point. He is around 30-35lvl.
BuyerPlayer - Has been enjoying his 40 level character for a while, fooling around with some vanity items, boasting on global chat and buying crafting materials + exchanging ep to gold and doing dungeons!
Time Spent: 90 - 100 Hours
FreePlayer - Might be leveling, but also might have gotten into his first 40lvl dungeons. Has also wasted his all gold to buy 40lvl skill. Totally broke now.
BuyerPlayer - Still enjoying his 40 level character, and has gotten few set items and there is hardly much "important" to do anymore, end-gaming wise. Keeps boosting his crafting to 40lvl with the power of $$.
The gap between FreePlayer and BuyerPlayer will remain unless either side slacks. Though BuyerPlayer can afford to slack much more. In future once there is more content and population, the power to buy things will become more distinct, because of few reasons:
* Things will be harder to get due to higher difficulty/levels (ex. 50lvl Cap) = More things where FreePlayer will be behind BuyerPlayer
* Hunting/Farming/Crafting spots are crowded and first and most to suffer is: FreePlayer
* Value of gold might drop, leading to problem where you would have to farm/hunt even more to close the economical cap between FreePlayer and BuyerPlayer.
* EP will become more dominant currency than it is now and guess who has the most?
Of course, these are my assumptions. But, in reality they could happen, and even now the gap is there so why don't make it smaller? I just don't understand why would anyone not want that.
Edited by Samppa, 06 February 2014 - 07:35.