Not sure how it would work out for PS3. Keyboard for MMOGs is pretty much required, especially if the game is action oriented with multiple skills/talents/abilities like City of [Heroes|Villains] or WoW. Sitting in your couch with a keyboard on lap is not the ideal setting to play a MMO where you need to type a lot and use hotkeys. This game probably won't have custom UI like WoW because after 3-4 addons it gobs already 64+ megs of ram. Since PS3 memory is not like a PC, they will be limited in storing data in memory, or swap a lot, meaning lot of time spent zoning, zoning sucks. WoW has shown that is possible to eliminate most zoning vs games like EQ where you constantly zoned from one area to another.
Not to mention the typical console player doesn't really care about MMOs. How many console gamers have high speed internet pipe that is pretty much a requirement for these games?
And finally, if the MMO gets major graphics upgrades, will the PS3 able to handle it 5 years for now. Everquest got a major graphics overhaul, IIRC DAoC also. Pretty sure other games will get major overhauls during their lifetimes.
I think the companies are jumping on the let's do an MMO bandwagon after seeing WoW's huge success, and all this without much thought.
I virtualized a Windows NT4 IIS server running an ASP application with some VB COM components, VMWare ESX is incapable of running it without insane CPU usage. A one CPU physical server is running at about 30 tx/sec with 15% CPU usage, a virtual server inside ESX is getting 90% CPU usage with barley 5tx/sec, the VMWare host itself is at 65% CPU usage with 4 CPUs.
VMWare seems unable to deal with many object creations and many context switches, the application basically creates a COM object, deals with it and deletes it, very simple logic. A bit disappointing that VMWare is taking such a huge hit.
"Windows is now so big and onerous because of the size of its code base, the size of its ecosystem and its insistence on compatibility with the legacy hardware and software, that it just slows everything down," observed David B. Yoffie, a professor at the Harvard Business School. "That's why a company like Apple has such an easier time of innovation."
There is no innovation in Windows because it's a monopoly. Apple innovates because it's their only option to gain more marketshare. Not because of the goodness of their hearts.
Not to mention Lucasarts is known to revoke licences. Decipher produced a fantastic collectible card game, SW:CCG, Lucasarts then decided to revoke their licence and gave it to Wizards of the Coast. In the process they killed one of the best CCGs.
I wouldn't be suprised at all if this rumour was more than just a pigment of someone's imagination.
If they install the business edition, they won't be able to play high-definition video in MS's proprietary DRM format.
Unlike with XP, the home version isn't just the business version with some newtorking functions taken out. It has some extra (DRM-crippled) multimedia stuff that businesses don't get.
So is there a downside installing the buisness version? Who wants crippled DRM crap anyways.
FIFA rankings are as accurate as a tarot card reading. The way points are calculated is flawed. If a lower ranking team beats a higher ranking team in an important game, they get a score multiplier (1.5 to 2.0, or something like that). It's the same if the last place New York Yankees beat the top spot Boston Red Sox and instead of their 2 points for the standing they get 4 because the rangers were a better team. Not to mention previous year scores also count. As if the Red Sox would start the season with 20 points because they were last year's champions. Stupid.
Just look at France in 2002 World Cup. Second FIFA ranking (or was it first? doesn't matter anyways) didn't even get to elimination round. Teams beating them got huge boost in rankings. Where they really that good or France simply being weak? The different teams on continents also get their score adjusted differently because even the FIFA knows that nothing comes close to Europe or South America. Again, if a team pulls an upstet and this team is from a handicapped continent, it will get a huge ranking boost. It doesn't really tell the real story. Could have been a fluke, bad luck, whatever, it's not consistent ranking.
FIFA needs to count rankings like they do in other sports/leagues: win = 3 points, tie away = 2 points, tie home = 1 point and loss = 0. By adding different conditions to the value of the victory they distort the real rankings.
With the current formula, it will be next to impossible for any team to displace a powerhouse like Brasil on the rankings.
I agree that a draw in a playoff shouldn't be resolved via penalty kicks, that's awful. I'm for the golden goal, but for some reason it didn't success
Not many people have the endurance to keep running up and downfield for a long time. A football game is 90 minutes plus 30 minutes extra time (if needed). Running up and down 120 minutes is very tiering, and there are genuine health concerns why the FIFA doesn't extend extra time.
The problem with penalty kicks is that they are random. No skill involved. Ironic for a sport that requires a great deal of skill. The NHL went back to penalties to decide tie games, so threre are good sides of deciding games with penalties. But, due to the random nature of penalties in football, it's a turn off.
As for football in the US, as other people pointed out, you can't put commercial breaks in televised football games every five minutes, so no major network wants them. No major network plays the games, no exposure, people won't play it.
Therion Operatic symphonic metal band. They blend classical and metal music. They use opera singers for most of their songs. Tiamat Gothic rock with heavy Pink Floyd influences. Fantastic band. Symphony X Awesome progressive metal band. Leaves' Eyes A bit more commercial, but still awesome. Great gothic metal band.
Scandinavia and Holland has many original bands: Andromeda, Epica, The Gathering, Elsie, Nightwish, Opeth, Ayreon and others.
He said what we should be making and giving them cheaply are basically cell phones that you can hook up to a TV and keyboard and use as a computer.
How are these cell phones getting recharged? What about people who don't have a TV and/or Keyboard?
Both TV and Keyboard cost extra. Plus the cell phone won't be free either. And Telcos need to be paid for someone to use their cellphone network too. Many things Mr. Gates does not mention.
IMO, the only reason Bill came up with this ridiculous idea is because he was felt left out by MIT. There is this reputable university that thinks no MS technology is good enough to help the 3d world. Must have hurt Bill's ego quite a bit.
"It's not for the casual gamer because it's impossible to play on your own. "
Huh? Click LFG in the social menu and in about 10 minutes normally(normally much less) you're grouped. What are you talking about?
You forgot to add that in pickup groups you get some idiots who are completely incompetent. You got people going AFK to let the dog out. You got people lost and you wait. All this adds up. If you are a casual gamer, avoid this game like the black plague.
I've given up on it when I had to group constantly, even at level 1. I was constantly dependent on other players' play time, competence and whatnot. I just couldn't do what I do in WoW: log on at weird times and have my Avatar progress through the game. I just dread to imagine semi-filler semi-useless classes like barbarians and rangers. I played a cleric and still got fed up with constant waiting and clueless players.
out-of-the-box support for their hardware (like when you plug in your camera and get pictures with gphoto2, without having to install the camera's CD).
Don't get me wrong, I love Linux and I hate MS like the next guy around here, but out-of-the-box support for their hardware?! Pass the crackpipe please! After that, try installing (insert random WLAN card here) for Linux.
Just to get my 3 year old laptop running with a fairly popular WLAN card (D-Link) on (K)Ubuntu, it took me over 5 hours of searching the web and hacking text configuration files to get it up and running. Same process on Windows: insert driver disk, run install, enter router config and you are good to go.
Both OSes have their strenghts and weaknesses, but out-of-the-box hardware support is definitely not Linux's strength, it is actually its main weakness.
..I play WoW for the incredible story li--wait a minute...
Lot of people don't notice the stories of the WoW universe. There WoW universe has a great background story that is rich and interesting. And infact, it's not just WoW. Earth and Beyond had an awesome story and many expansions (and original) EQ too. One of the coolest things cropping up from EQ was a weird designation of mobs from the zone Vex Thal (well some where in Akheva too). Mobs had some weird name that at first sight one would think some coder collapsed on the keyboard and that resulted in the name, but upon further research some players found the patterns. And Diabo Xi Va Temariel was no longer some weird name, but "Weapon Master" or "Master of Weapons". The name of the zone itself means "Heart of Shadow". Of course there is a rich backstory about this zone, as there is about many other things in EQ. There was a whole political like intrigue about the Planes of Power expansion, which God likes the mortals, which is incompetent, which is trying to backstab another and grab more power, and so on.
Even seamingly disconnected dungeon areas in WoW like Stratholme and Anquirajsdflsfsfsomething (AQ) have common things: Kel'Thuzad seems to be working with the big boss of the insects, C'htun. There are also some very interesting single quest lines like the one you are required to kill Baron Rivendare, you discover along the quest line that one of his minions is infact controlling this anti-horde faction, The Scarlet Crusade, that his big priest is nothing more than a demon in disguise (Grand Crusader ForgotTheName, Balnazzar (sp?)). Another quest line related to this cult starts with a touching story about a father losing his son to some idealistic cult (The Scarlet Crusade). The horde side of the Onyxia key quest has also an interesting story. There is also the demon quest line in Blasted Land which is interesting.
I agree, on surface these games don't seem to have any major stories other than go there kill that and come back with his head and you get phat lootz.
But there are great stories in these games and most of them have a very rich backstory.
Wait a minute, it is identifying some system files that Windows put on my machine! I guess the Mac & 'nix freaks are right, Windows really is a virus. I hope it's only a matter of time before my next virus definition assesses Internet Explorer & Windows Media Player as full blown Trojan viruses distributed as malware with my OS.
With common sense like not running Windows as root, ditching IE, ditching WMP and not blindly installing every software you find (even if it has flashing (OMG YUR PC IS SLOW GIGGLEHURTZ!!!oneone!!!) you don't need anti-malware on Windows.
This is one of the major reasons I use open source software. Its hard to trust corporations who only tell you lies to preserve their public image.
Do you really think Open Source AV can't fsck up your PC if there are bugs in it? And let's be honest, how many people actually look at the source of programs (updates) they install? I am a programmer, and I never looked the code of an Open Source program I installed for the sake of "Let's make sure this update won't fsck up my PC". I look at the code because I am curious to see how they do certain things, or I want to change some annoying aspect of it.
12 minutes!! That's a little more than the lag I got in any game I've ever played, including MUDs by dialup!! And I live in a third world poor country!!
I would hazard a guess that the rare, deranged people who are actually incited to commit violent acts by games and movies will probably play these games regardless if they are legally sold in their state/prefecture/whatever.
For the rest of us... people need to grow up. We do all agree that it's a game, right?
Is it really effective? Absolutely! It's just as effective as "War on Drugs" and "War on Terror". I mean we won the "War on Drugs" right? And we are doing great in the "War on Terror"!
Sarcasm aside, you are absolutely right. People who will want to play these games even after a ban is in place, will be able. Someone has to explain these politicians what's the internet. What will stop people from downloading these games?
Watch for it to be thrashed by the FX62:). And intel, continue there never ending spiral downwards. If only Apple went AMD...
Not sure if this is a troll or just a delusional AMD fanboi. AMD will not gain a lot with DDR2. A64 chips are not bandwith starved. The Conroe core looks badass and I don't beleive the benchmarks will have the gap the Intel benchmarks presented but Conroe will regain the performance crown, IMO not by much but Conroe will win. Of course, you fail to see if AMD is the only good CPU maker then competition is dead. No competition results in crap like Windows. If both companies are healthy and produce great CPUs, then the consumer will win. And we'll have innovation.
Looking at Conroe, the first time in years I am actually thinking about my next PC upgrade being an Intel. I currently own 2 PCs and one laptop, all AMD.
Focus groups won't save it. During peak house there are some 10k players online (can't find link). During Everquest's peak, SOE announced live that there are currently 100k people online. Looking at EQs subscriber numbers at that time (around 500k), SWG should have about 50k total active accounts. That's down from about 250-300k. Ouch.
The game is butchered, just let it die. The amount of bad mainstream press (Washington Post, CBS et al) it got, it pretty much guarantees that Joe Average probably has heard of it and staying away from SWG.
EQ with very loyal fanbase wasn't able to recover from the clusterfuck of Gates of Discord (and it was far less in magnitude than NGE of SWG), SWG with revamp after revamp won't be able either. SOE already tried saving EQ by inviting uberguild leaders to a weekend in San Diego, baseball game and al, focus groups of course. Result: server merges, continuous population decline.
I never bought gold in any MMOG but I can understand why people do. It's a shortcut. Getting gold/platinum/credit in any of these games is beyond easy, all you need is to have a pulse and be able to click 2-3 keys in a sequence on your keyboard. A monkey can do it. However, it's beyond boring and getting large ammounts can take quite a lot of time.
It reminds me of Collectible Card Games. You could haggle and trade with other players for the cards you needed or simply shell out that 50$ for your Juzam Djinn or Darth Vader. Some people didn't like trading and haggling and they simply wanted to play with powerful decks and bought the cards. Same thing can be applied to MMOGs, some people hate gold farming with a passion and they are willing to save time and effort and pay for it.
Stupid? Maybe for you, for the person with a very nice salary, this player simply saves a lot of time and boredom and insteads jumps right into the action of the game.
Slashdot Mirror
Not sure how it would work out for PS3. Keyboard for MMOGs is pretty much required, especially if the game is action oriented with multiple skills/talents/abilities like City of [Heroes|Villains] or WoW. Sitting in your couch with a keyboard on lap is not the ideal setting to play a MMO where you need to type a lot and use hotkeys. This game probably won't have custom UI like WoW because after 3-4 addons it gobs already 64+ megs of ram. Since PS3 memory is not like a PC, they will be limited in storing data in memory, or swap a lot, meaning lot of time spent zoning, zoning sucks. WoW has shown that is possible to eliminate most zoning vs games like EQ where you constantly zoned from one area to another.
Not to mention the typical console player doesn't really care about MMOs. How many console gamers have high speed internet pipe that is pretty much a requirement for these games?
And finally, if the MMO gets major graphics upgrades, will the PS3 able to handle it 5 years for now. Everquest got a major graphics overhaul, IIRC DAoC also. Pretty sure other games will get major overhauls during their lifetimes.
I think the companies are jumping on the let's do an MMO bandwagon after seeing WoW's huge success, and all this without much thought.
God put all those fossils there just to test us..... :-)
You mean the Flying Spaghetti Monster?
I virtualized a Windows NT4 IIS server running an ASP application with some VB COM components, VMWare ESX is incapable of running it without insane CPU usage. A one CPU physical server is running at about 30 tx/sec with 15% CPU usage, a virtual server inside ESX is getting 90% CPU usage with barley 5tx/sec, the VMWare host itself is at 65% CPU usage with 4 CPUs.
VMWare seems unable to deal with many object creations and many context switches, the application basically creates a COM object, deals with it and deletes it, very simple logic. A bit disappointing that VMWare is taking such a huge hit.
"Windows is now so big and onerous because of the size of its code base, the size of its ecosystem and its insistence on compatibility with the legacy hardware and software, that it just slows everything down," observed David B. Yoffie, a professor at the Harvard Business School. "That's why a company like Apple has such an easier time of innovation."
There is no innovation in Windows because it's a monopoly. Apple innovates because it's their only option to gain more marketshare. Not because of the goodness of their hearts.
Not to mention Lucasarts is known to revoke licences. Decipher produced a fantastic collectible card game, SW:CCG, Lucasarts then decided to revoke their licence and gave it to Wizards of the Coast. In the process they killed one of the best CCGs.
I wouldn't be suprised at all if this rumour was more than just a pigment of someone's imagination.
Seriously, though. A voice command from your cellphone to check email? What are these guys smoking?
The new Microsoft "killer" application/appliance/gadget: the Blackberry killer.
If they install the business edition, they won't be able to play high-definition video in MS's proprietary DRM format.
Unlike with XP, the home version isn't just the business version with some newtorking functions taken out. It has some extra (DRM-crippled) multimedia stuff that businesses don't get.
So is there a downside installing the buisness version? Who wants crippled DRM crap anyways.
(currently ranked 5th by FIFA)
FIFA rankings are as accurate as a tarot card reading. The way points are calculated is flawed. If a lower ranking team beats a higher ranking team in an important game, they get a score multiplier (1.5 to 2.0, or something like that). It's the same if the last place New York Yankees beat the top spot Boston Red Sox and instead of their 2 points for the standing they get 4 because the rangers were a better team. Not to mention previous year scores also count. As if the Red Sox would start the season with 20 points because they were last year's champions. Stupid.
Just look at France in 2002 World Cup. Second FIFA ranking (or was it first? doesn't matter anyways) didn't even get to elimination round. Teams beating them got huge boost in rankings. Where they really that good or France simply being weak? The different teams on continents also get their score adjusted differently because even the FIFA knows that nothing comes close to Europe or South America. Again, if a team pulls an upstet and this team is from a handicapped continent, it will get a huge ranking boost. It doesn't really tell the real story. Could have been a fluke, bad luck, whatever, it's not consistent ranking.
FIFA needs to count rankings like they do in other sports/leagues: win = 3 points, tie away = 2 points, tie home = 1 point and loss = 0. By adding different conditions to the value of the victory they distort the real rankings.
With the current formula, it will be next to impossible for any team to displace a powerhouse like Brasil on the rankings.
I agree that a draw in a playoff shouldn't be resolved via penalty kicks, that's awful. I'm for the golden goal, but for some reason it didn't success
Not many people have the endurance to keep running up and downfield for a long time. A football game is 90 minutes plus 30 minutes extra time (if needed). Running up and down 120 minutes is very tiering, and there are genuine health concerns why the FIFA doesn't extend extra time.
The problem with penalty kicks is that they are random. No skill involved. Ironic for a sport that requires a great deal of skill. The NHL went back to penalties to decide tie games, so threre are good sides of deciding games with penalties. But, due to the random nature of penalties in football, it's a turn off.
As for football in the US, as other people pointed out, you can't put commercial breaks in televised football games every five minutes, so no major network wants them. No major network plays the games, no exposure, people won't play it.
Seriously, good music hasn't died out.
Definitely not. Some more awesome bands:
Therion Operatic symphonic metal band. They blend classical and metal music. They use opera singers for most of their songs.
Tiamat Gothic rock with heavy Pink Floyd influences. Fantastic band.
Symphony X Awesome progressive metal band.
Leaves' Eyes A bit more commercial, but still awesome. Great gothic metal band.
Scandinavia and Holland has many original bands: Andromeda, Epica, The Gathering, Elsie, Nightwish, Opeth, Ayreon and others.
They have an iPod killer.
They have a Google killer.
They have a Java killer.
They have an IBM killer.
Microsoft has a killer for everything!
Dubya should hire Microsoft to develop a terrorist killer! War on Terror would be victorious!
He said what we should be making and giving them cheaply are basically cell phones that you can hook up to a TV and keyboard and use as a computer.
How are these cell phones getting recharged?
What about people who don't have a TV and/or Keyboard?
Both TV and Keyboard cost extra. Plus the cell phone won't be free either. And Telcos need to be paid for someone to use their cellphone network too. Many things Mr. Gates does not mention.
IMO, the only reason Bill came up with this ridiculous idea is because he was felt left out by MIT. There is this reputable university that thinks no MS technology is good enough to help the 3d world. Must have hurt Bill's ego quite a bit.
1 - They ignore you
2 - They ridicule you
3 - They fight you
4 - You win
This CPU is crippled by a shared 667 mhz bus while the Opteron isn't.
"It's not for the casual gamer because it's impossible to play on your own. "
Huh? Click LFG in the social menu and in about 10 minutes normally(normally much less) you're grouped. What are you talking about?
You forgot to add that in pickup groups you get some idiots who are completely incompetent. You got people going AFK to let the dog out. You got people lost and you wait. All this adds up. If you are a casual gamer, avoid this game like the black plague.
I've given up on it when I had to group constantly, even at level 1. I was constantly dependent on other players' play time, competence and whatnot. I just couldn't do what I do in WoW: log on at weird times and have my Avatar progress through the game. I just dread to imagine semi-filler semi-useless classes like barbarians and rangers. I played a cleric and still got fed up with constant waiting and clueless players.
out-of-the-box support for their hardware (like when you plug in your camera and get pictures with gphoto2, without having to install the camera's CD).
Don't get me wrong, I love Linux and I hate MS like the next guy around here, but out-of-the-box support for their hardware?! Pass the crackpipe please! After that, try installing (insert random WLAN card here) for Linux.
Just to get my 3 year old laptop running with a fairly popular WLAN card (D-Link) on (K)Ubuntu, it took me over 5 hours of searching the web and hacking text configuration files to get it up and running. Same process on Windows: insert driver disk, run install, enter router config and you are good to go.
Both OSes have their strenghts and weaknesses, but out-of-the-box hardware support is definitely not Linux's strength, it is actually its main weakness.
..I play WoW for the incredible story li--wait a minute...
Lot of people don't notice the stories of the WoW universe. There WoW universe has a great background story that is rich and interesting. And infact, it's not just WoW. Earth and Beyond had an awesome story and many expansions (and original) EQ too. One of the coolest things cropping up from EQ was a weird designation of mobs from the zone Vex Thal (well some where in Akheva too). Mobs had some weird name that at first sight one would think some coder collapsed on the keyboard and that resulted in the name, but upon further research some players found the patterns. And Diabo Xi Va Temariel was no longer some weird name, but "Weapon Master" or "Master of Weapons". The name of the zone itself means "Heart of Shadow". Of course there is a rich backstory about this zone, as there is about many other things in EQ. There was a whole political like intrigue about the Planes of Power expansion, which God likes the mortals, which is incompetent, which is trying to backstab another and grab more power, and so on.
Even seamingly disconnected dungeon areas in WoW like Stratholme and Anquirajsdflsfsfsomething (AQ) have common things: Kel'Thuzad seems to be working with the big boss of the insects, C'htun. There are also some very interesting single quest lines like the one you are required to kill Baron Rivendare, you discover along the quest line that one of his minions is infact controlling this anti-horde faction, The Scarlet Crusade, that his big priest is nothing more than a demon in disguise (Grand Crusader ForgotTheName, Balnazzar (sp?)). Another quest line related to this cult starts with a touching story about a father losing his son to some idealistic cult (The Scarlet Crusade). The horde side of the Onyxia key quest has also an interesting story. There is also the demon quest line in Blasted Land which is interesting.
I agree, on surface these games don't seem to have any major stories other than go there kill that and come back with his head and you get phat lootz.
But there are great stories in these games and most of them have a very rich backstory.
Wait a minute, it is identifying some system files that Windows put on my machine! I guess the Mac & 'nix freaks are right, Windows really is a virus. I hope it's only a matter of time before my next virus definition assesses Internet Explorer & Windows Media Player as full blown Trojan viruses distributed as malware with my OS.
With common sense like not running Windows as root, ditching IE, ditching WMP and not blindly installing every software you find (even if it has flashing (OMG YUR PC IS SLOW GIGGLEHURTZ!!!oneone!!!) you don't need anti-malware on Windows.
This is one of the major reasons I use open source software. Its hard to trust corporations who only tell you lies to preserve their public image.
Do you really think Open Source AV can't fsck up your PC if there are bugs in it? And let's be honest, how many people actually look at the source of programs (updates) they install? I am a programmer, and I never looked the code of an Open Source program I installed for the sake of "Let's make sure this update won't fsck up my PC". I look at the code because I am curious to see how they do certain things, or I want to change some annoying aspect of it.
12 minutes!! That's a little more than the lag I got in any game I've ever played, including MUDs by dialup!!
:)
And I live in a third world poor country!!
- I take it you never played WoW then.
I would hazard a guess that the rare, deranged people who are actually incited to commit violent acts by games and movies will probably play these games regardless if they are legally sold in their state/prefecture/whatever.
For the rest of us... people need to grow up. We do all agree that it's a game, right?
Is it really effective? Absolutely! It's just as effective as "War on Drugs" and "War on Terror". I mean we won the "War on Drugs" right? And we are doing great in the "War on Terror"!
Sarcasm aside, you are absolutely right. People who will want to play these games even after a ban is in place, will be able. Someone has to explain these politicians what's the internet. What will stop people from downloading these games?
Watch for it to be thrashed by the FX62 :). And intel, continue there never ending spiral downwards. If only Apple went AMD...
Not sure if this is a troll or just a delusional AMD fanboi. AMD will not gain a lot with DDR2. A64 chips are not bandwith starved. The Conroe core looks badass and I don't beleive the benchmarks will have the gap the Intel benchmarks presented but Conroe will regain the performance crown, IMO not by much but Conroe will win. Of course, you fail to see if AMD is the only good CPU maker then competition is dead. No competition results in crap like Windows. If both companies are healthy and produce great CPUs, then the consumer will win. And we'll have innovation.
Looking at Conroe, the first time in years I am actually thinking about my next PC upgrade being an Intel. I currently own 2 PCs and one laptop, all AMD.
Competition = goooooooooood!
Monopoly = baaaaaaaaaaaaad!
Instead of anonymous users, you'll have:
Name: Hugh Jass.
Address: 123 Fake Street.
Email: yourmomma@home.com
Brilliant idea!
Focus groups won't save it. During peak house there are some 10k players online (can't find link). During Everquest's peak, SOE announced live that there are currently 100k people online. Looking at EQs subscriber numbers at that time (around 500k), SWG should have about 50k total active accounts. That's down from about 250-300k. Ouch.
The game is butchered, just let it die. The amount of bad mainstream press (Washington Post, CBS et al) it got, it pretty much guarantees that Joe Average probably has heard of it and staying away from SWG.
EQ with very loyal fanbase wasn't able to recover from the clusterfuck of Gates of Discord (and it was far less in magnitude than NGE of SWG), SWG with revamp after revamp won't be able either. SOE already tried saving EQ by inviting uberguild leaders to a weekend in San Diego, baseball game and al, focus groups of course. Result: server merges, continuous population decline.
Just plain stupid.
I never bought gold in any MMOG but I can understand why people do. It's a shortcut. Getting gold/platinum/credit in any of these games is beyond easy, all you need is to have a pulse and be able to click 2-3 keys in a sequence on your keyboard. A monkey can do it. However, it's beyond boring and getting large ammounts can take quite a lot of time.
It reminds me of Collectible Card Games. You could haggle and trade with other players for the cards you needed or simply shell out that 50$ for your Juzam Djinn or Darth Vader. Some people didn't like trading and haggling and they simply wanted to play with powerful decks and bought the cards. Same thing can be applied to MMOGs, some people hate gold farming with a passion and they are willing to save time and effort and pay for it.
Stupid? Maybe for you, for the person with a very nice salary, this player simply saves a lot of time and boredom and insteads jumps right into the action of the game.