DECONSTRUCTING PHAT LEWT

Randy Farmer, who’s been at this longer than most, on creating a virtual economy that survives contact with eBay, with a detailed model of one designed for children.

I took it as a personal challenge to someday build a virtual economy that did not rely on the slippery slope of the typical MMOG. In 2003, I was given that opportunity when I was the lead designer for a tiny self-funded startup working on a children\’c3\’a2\’e2\’82\’ac\’e2\’84\’a2s virtual world. KidTrade is the name that I\’c3\’a2\’e2\’82\’ac\’e2\’84\’a2ve given for the economic model I\’c3\’a2\’e2\’82\’ac\’e2\’84\’a2ve extracted from that design and am now presenting here. I offer it as an alternate economic model with many interesting properties, including resistance to the sale of game items and currency on eBay.

As a bonus, the model dismisses a levelling treadmill in the opener. What’s not to love?