[MUD-Dev] Counting Massive Multi Players

[Jeremy Gaffney]

From: Daniel.Harman at barclayscapital.com

> As to why they want it, I'm speculating, but I suspect it is the
> best way they can think of uniquely ID'ing people given the way
> payments are handled.

In Korea, most/many players play in game rooms - they pay $1-2 per
hour to play whatever they want.  NCsoft charges the game rooms for
hours played, but does not charge the player directly (we charge the
game room for hours played, IPs which can play Lineage 24/7, or a
few other ways at the game room's discretion.).  Payment from the
player to a game room is generally cash, so payments are (basically)
untrackable in that environment.

Note that in Taiwan, the majority of players buy game time cards in
7/11 stores and pay that way.  Also untrackable.

Some new games are out which don't charge the game rooms - they
charge the player directly for microtransactions (buying avatar
modifications/etc.).  In general, credit cards aren't prevalent, so
the usual billing method is via cell phone bill (you put in your
cell number and the charges show up at the end of the month on your
bill).  Quite clever, really - and more trackable too.  It's too
expensive to do such in the US right now, but it'd be a good billing
solution here too, possibly (though credit cards are so prevalent
it's moot).

-jg
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