Virtual trading cards?

camlov2 · #1 09-05-2016, 08:53 PM

I agree that there is no security in owning digital cards, the app/company could fold at any time. However, most of the people under 20 have had a cellphone in their hands most of their life. Candy Crush and Angry Birds are as real a game to this age group as Monopoly and Risk are to those of us that are older. Digital is the new reality and will probably only become a larger part of our everyday life as we get older. Personally I am 39 and I don't buy physical books anymore, why should cards be any different?

The-Cardfather · #2 09-05-2016, 09:30 PM

I know that I'm old school, but I view collecting baseball cards as similar to collecting stamps or coins.

Maybe the USPS should look into creating "virtual" stamps for collectors. The stamp doesn't actually exist (except in cyberspace), so you wouldn't be able to actually hold it or mail a letter with it, but hey; it will generate revenue for the USPS. (I wish that there was a font for sarcasm.)

pokerplyr80 · #3 09-05-2016, 09:49 PM

I don't get this at all. People spending real money on virtual cards? If I want to see a virtual collection I'll just click on a few of the other member's collector focus pages.

Jantz · #4 09-05-2016, 11:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pokerplyr80

I don't get this at all. People spending real money on virtual cards? If I want to see a virtual collection I'll just click on a few of the other member's collector focus pages.

Actually this trend started years ago with online pc games. There was a game where you could play the game at home on your PC and advance your character in levels making him/her stronger. Along the way, a player could find equipment to aid their character. This equipment could be traded with other gamers online as well. Someone along the way got the brilliant idea to sell their virtual equipment on Ebay. Other gamers caught on to the idea and began buying this virtual equipment to equip on their character and make them stronger.

This equipment was put under a dummy account, "mule" account in the gaming world and when a gamer paid for the virtual equipment, the Ebay seller would send the buyer the passwords to get into the mule account and transfer the equipment to his/her character.

Gamers were paying up to $100 or more in real money for a computer generated piece of equipment.

A new version came out of this game years later and all the virtual equipment in the former game was basically useless. The new version of the game had an actual auction prompt where you could sell computer generated items for real money. So now instead of selling the items you found on Ebay, a gamer could sell them inside the game itself for real money. A gamer in Japan once paid $1500 for a piece of computer generated equipment so that he could advance further in the game.

The game is still active and there are leader boards, much like a registry board where players are ranked by how strong their characters are, but the auction part of the game is gone.

Believe it or not, before they shut down the auction part of the game, a gamer could sit at home and play the game, find a few strong items, sell them in the auction and make a second income. Is anyone shaking their heads yet?

In a recent thread, a board member asked if any other members flipped cards to buy more cards. Nope, I sold a computer generated sword to supplement my card collecting. (That wasn't a joke!)

The-Cardfather · #5 09-05-2016, 11:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pokerplyr80

I don't get this at all. People spending real money on virtual cards? If I want to see a virtual collection I'll just click on a few of the other member's collector focus pages.

Well said, Jesse.

pokerplyr80 · #6 09-06-2016, 12:05 AM

Jantz that I actually understand more. I think my step brother received a Christmas gift one year of $100 worth of virtual currency in world of war craft. Or some game along those lines. I've never played such a game but from what I understand part of the allure is escaping in an alternate reality of sorts. Certainly it's quite a bit different than the real world.

But real baseball cards exist. I appreciate your thorough response. But it doesn't help me understand this at all.

Jantz · #7 09-06-2016, 01:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pokerplyr80

Jantz that I actually understand more. I think my step brother received a Christmas gift one year of $100 worth of virtual currency in world of war craft. Or some game along those lines. I've never played such a game but from what I understand part of the allure is escaping in an alternate reality of sorts. Certainly it's quite a bit different than the real world.

But real baseball cards exist. I appreciate your thorough response. But it doesn't help me understand this at all.

Je.sse

The same company that made World of Warcraft also made the other game that I was referring to. Not sure about today, but years ago, I believe people had to pay a monthly fee to play World of Warcraft. It was only a few dollars a month, but millions of people around the world played that game daily. That was probably what your step brother's gift was for.

I don't get it as well, buying virtual items I mean, but I guess people could be doing worse things with their time and money.

Jantz

TCMA · #8 09-06-2016, 12:41 PM

I tried to like the whole BUNT thing but to me it's just a game. If I'm going to play a game on my phone I'd rather be playing something else, you know? I grew up with video games but I suppose I just don't need my cards to be that.

TCMA · #9 09-06-2016, 12:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Cardfather

Well said, Jesse.

Right, that's what I don't get. What good is "owning" the virtual cards if you can see them any time you want without having to actually have them in your virtual collection?

sam majors · #10 09-06-2016, 07:12 PM

I am in the late stages of research and development of a "VIRTUAL POGS COMPANY." Looking for a few qualified investors. CASH ONLY! NO VIRTUAL MONEY!

Sam Majors

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