Today's MMORPGs have incredibly elaborate game economies. Your characters must earn money in order to survive and experience game content.
Money is necessary to finance adventures (such as slaying dragons and laying siege to enemy castles), pay for fancy armor and weapons, and to buy consumables such as food and drinks. While most players will disagree with this statement, I find it undeniably true: the complex nature of the game economy adds immensely to overall game enjoyment.
When you are forced to struggle to attain things or accomplish goals, it becomes much more enjoyable when you finally succeed. There is a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment that cannot be found otherwise. While there are many ways to make money inside a MMORPG, I'm going to discuss a few of the more popular methods.
One profitable method for making money in any MMORPG is through the various crafting professions. You can train your character to sew cloth, shape metals into armor and weapons, work with leather, and even create powerful potions that other players can use within the game.
Crafted items can be sold directly to other players or can be posted on what is called the Auction House, which is sort of like Ebay within the game; players can post items for sale at a neutral location and other players can then bid on the items they want or purchase them outright with a "buy it now" price. Practically every MMORPG has an auction house. It serves as the central point of the game's economy.
Another method for making money within a MMORPG is commonly referred to as "gathering". Characters can learn how to extract precious metals, flowers, and gems from the game environment. These items are needed by crafters and they can be sold for substantial profits. Players can sell these items directly to crafters or they can choose to post them for sale on the Auction House.
Reselling items is my favorite method for making money in MMORPGs. This method takes a little more work than the others but can be highly lucrative if done properly. You will need to establish a small bankroll first, but once you have some funds to work with, the sky is the limit for how much money you can make.
To become a profitable reseller, you need to learn how to haggle. You also need to learn to be indifferent to other player's opinions. In short, you cannot get rattled easily, and you need to have a strong nerve.
After you acquire your bankroll, you need to search the auction house for rare items that are in high demand. When you find these items, you need to contact the seller of the item. Send them an in-game email. Tell them you want the item but you are only willing to pay 30% of the going rate.
Most players will scoff at your offer and they might even write you a rude response, stating that the item is worth much more. Just remember that you are officially "in business", and you simply cannot pay more for an item just because another player feels it is worth a higher price. Your maximum purchase price should always be around 30% of the true value. If you pay higher than that, there is a chance you will lose money on the transaction.
For every ten players that reject your offer, there will be one player who simply wants to sell the rare item and get rid of it. He or she will agree to make a deal with you and you will acquire the rare item at the price you offered.
Once you have the item, simply post it on the auction house at the proper price and be patient. In time, it will sell, and you will have a tidy profit to show for your efforts. Repeat this process over and over again, and you will soon become one of the richest players in your realm.
Those are three methods for making money in any MMORPG. If you have the stomach for haggling, I suggest you learn how to become a reseller. It is by far the most profitable method for making money in a MMORPG.
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