No wonder I can not do my epic

"Please note, however, that players may not sell Krono for real world money."

Yeah - players "may not sell in-game coin for real world money" either.

Guess what has happened for over 16 years?

The biggest problem with the "people used to sell plat for money and monopolize spawns to do it" argument is it used to be illegal. Now that DBG gets a cut via Krono, it's promoted. It used to be I have what I've earned. Now it is I have what I've bought. Most of the people saying you are stupid for arguing this are and have probably been playing for free for quite some time.

5$ to open an instance version of VP and stuff? I don't know anyone who wouldn't do that.

Higher population.

You have to be a really really crappy boxer to not make a return in your first month on a 6 box. Like every PL team I do 40 - 50 pays for itself in those 10 levels.

i don't know what galaxy you were playing MMOs in, but it wasn't this one.

back in 2000 a castle on atlantic in UO was about $2000. i sold mine for $850 on catskills and it was in felucca and years later. that was considered cheap at the time, to my friend! to this day, luna property on atlantic exceeds $3-6 grand for an 18x18 and that game is even older than this one. all the skill in the world and your monthly fee will never, ever get you there. only traders can afford that stuff.

all MMOs by their very nature are pay to win. always have been, always will be. if you want to be the best you have have nearly unlimited play time or a lot of disposable income, preferably both.

hmm I 4box and paid 1-2 months sub when the server started, been running on kronos since, and have 9 kronos saved up for future sub time. I can't complain.

stuff was more expansive back originally, now it is fairly easy getting stuff other then some epic parts being ridiculously priced at 30-40 kronos.

Yes, there is a very real reason that you cannot do your epic. You don't want to believe that reason, though.

Kronos are most damaging to a new server. Farmers come in and lock down all the content to sell for krono. Many of them aren't even planning on staying, they are just there for the cheap krono. They level faster than most via poopsock, then lock down content, camping it for days, or even weeks. Many don't even plan on staying on the server. Krono farmers take all, block folks playing for entertainment from content, and then leave, off to the newest tlp or their own servers. They literally take all they can, and give the community NOTHING. Total parasites.

The other way krono damages a new server is by giving those importing krono hoards a HUGE advantage in tradeskills. They bring in their kronos, trade for plat, which is scarce at the beginning, and channel it into tradeskills. Recipes become obsolete faster than normal, tradeskilled goods sell for deflated prices faster than usual, and the straight up player literally has zero chance to make any plat via trade skills. Krono breaks tradeskills and the economy on every new server, every time.

Krono farmers are very vocal in the forums. If someone is telling you kronos dont hurt anything, they are either running a krono racket, or just plain stupid. The integrity of the game was destroyed by the krono. The only thing a person can really do is steer clear of them and insist on buying and selling items for plat only. EQ is still pretty much EQ if you can let go of the competitive 'have to have best item in slot' mentality. As long as there is a demand for gear that folks are willing to pay for in Kronos, there will continue to be profiteers who play for just that aspect of the game, profit. DB sure doesn't look poised to do anything about it as they are making their money. It is sad to see such a great game ruined by RMT, PTW, and greed...

Today on Ragefire I was sitting on the Vessel Droslin spawn with my 23 mages + 1 cleric (pilot) with my [Unmentioned 3rd Party Software] + Em-Que Automation Software setup. I was only there to help out my friend that I met on a 3rd party website who paid me $$$ on Paypal to get him his epic piece.

At the same time, some random casual player was camping the spawn, hoping against hope that he could maybe get his epic item.

Suddenly, Vessel spawned and I killed it almost instantly with my Mage Army controlled by Third Party Automation Software, for the person that paid me Real Money for this Epic Piece.

Just kidding, Ragefire is dead. Carry on.

I'm doing neither, and the reality is DGB owns the game and allows kronos. You deal with it or don't, it your choice. The real issue is 'True box' is silly, even if they restricted IP, banned all VM's, banned anyone suspected of 'botting' or 'boxing' people still slip through the cracks. This game is nearing 20 years old and hasn't changed AT ALL since it launched. I remember when the Prexus server launched, the first druid to 50 (Ramadil? Rammadil?) I forget his name, would snare the Efreeti lord and gate to the zone in and invis. This meant the Efreeti lord would agro nothing and teleport to him as he sat down, he'd then port to Commonlands and sell the boots or ring for several thousand plat and quickly had the most plat on the server and was openly selling it for Pizza or food ordered by credit card at places near him, or cash from Western Union. If you think people won't find loopholes and exploit the crap out of them in any way possible you are delusional. The only difference now is there are no secrets, you can find out exactly what to camp and how to exploit or even control the economy. Play the game the way you want and don't let others influence you, period.