Addressing Auction House Exploitation, RMT and Other Recent Issues (Castle Siege) in T&L and the Solution

[MechaTR]

The current state of AGS' published games, such as New World and Lost Ark, and now Throne and Liberty continues to reflect unresolved issues in handling real-money transactions (RMT), bots, and gold trading, exploiters, cheaters etc. Thus, the prevalence of RMT, bots, gold trading, exploiters, and cheaters in these games remains a significant issue, with little evidence of effective action being taken—particularly in New World. Numerous YouTube videos openly demonstrate and teach methods for generating gold within the game to sell for real money, highlighting where and how such activities are carried out. For example, in New World, numerous YouTube videos openly explain and, unfortunately, even promote how real-money trading (RMT) and gold farming are conducted. Some notable examples include titles like "I Interviewed A New World Gold Seller - Inside The Mind of a Real Money Trading Gold Farmer," "6 Günde Nasıl 4500 TL Kazandım? Hangi Adımları İzledim? New World," and "New World'te Goldlarımız en yüksek nereye satabiliriz? Neden 2 ay yoktum?" These videos, alongside gold-selling websites, demonstrate the widespread availability and normalization of these activities. Despite this, there appears to be no comprehensive action taken to fully address these issues in New World and similar games, as AGS has attempted to do in T&L.

For Throne and Liberty, despite AGS's proclaimed efforts to combat RMT and punish cheaters, tangible results seem lacking. Instances of real offenders—RMT suppliers, gold buyers, sellers, and bots—persist without effective repercussions. In the meantime, innocent players have allegedly faced penalties, with their support tickets frequently receiving automated responses that fail to address their legitimate concerns. This reflects the sentiment behind "Both the dry and green wood burn together", as AGS relies on automated systems rather than human reviewers to enforce bans and take action. Given the challenge of monitoring over 300,000 active players' accounts and their auction house activities, the reliance on such systems often results in unfair outcomes.

A glaring example lies in the Trading Post and the use of Lucent as a universal auction house currency. This integrated, cross-server auction system obscures the identities of buyers and sellers, creating an opaque environment conducive to exploitation. The issue is exacerbated by exorbitant item prices, particularly for rare items such as world boss and archboss drops. Items are being listed for astronomical amounts—8k, 10k, 15k Lucent for traits, and up to 140k Lucent ($2,000 in real money) for a single weapon. Fully upgrading such items could cost a player over $6,000, rendering them accessible primarily through RMT. When higher-tier items inevitably arrive with future updates, many of these overvalued purchases will become obsolete, further questioning the legitimacy of such transactions.

Lucent sellers continue their operations unabated on certain gold-selling websites, raising questions about the effectiveness of AGS's purported actions. Given the examples mentioned earlier, it is virtually impossible for players using standard in-game methods to afford high-ticket items like Archboss or world boss drops. The only realistic way to purchase such items is through significant real-money expenditures, often via RMT.

Despite this, auction house prices remain exorbitant, and with new content introducing higher-tier gear, these prices are likely to increase further. AGS has yet to implement a meaningful solution to address these issues effectively. A straightforward fix—outlined at the end of this discussion—remains ignored, perpetuating an unfair economy dominated by RMT and exploitative practices.

Just today I have watched a Youtube video that shows how "Throne & Liberty | Cheaters Stole 500K Lucent...". And nothing happens. There are similar examples in different ways (for example there is another Youtube video that shows "Throne and Liberty - Fastest Siege Roof" ) which are more than what we know so far that are not fully revealed to normal players

This raises critical concerns:

1) Who is purchasing these items at such inflated prices? If AGS claims to be taking action against RMT users, then legitimate buyers should be able to afford such costs only through official means. However, even whales in pay-to-win models seldom spend these amounts per item. If not through RMT, how are these transactions occurring?

2) What system determines RMT involvement? If AGS uses an algorithm or predefined criteria to identify RMT users, why aren’t these same criteria applied directly to regulate auction house pricing? Setting reasonable price caps on items would curtail excessive transactions and reduce the demand for RMT services.


What is the solution?
The root of the problem lies in the use of Lucent as a tradeable currency in the auction house which is bought with real money (x6000 costs $100 which is an insane pricing). Eliminating Lucent as a medium for transactions would drastically reduce the RMT market. Alternatively, strict limitations on item pricing—particularly for rare boss drops and traits—could create a more balanced economy and discourage exploitative practices if thy still want to use Lucent... Just remove the Lucent from Auction House, and everything is solved...

AGS must address these issues transparently and with urgency, ensuring that legitimate players are protected while taking meaningful action against real offenders. Until such changes are implemented, the current system risks perpetuating unfairness and enabling the very behaviors AGS claims to oppose.

[Phits]

Lucent is just a Crypto currency to me.

[KillJoy]

The problem always lies with people: If you purchase an in-game item for $6,000, joke is on you.

If nobody purchases it, prices will eventually fall down as they do in any other free market.

My suggestion is to stop worrying about the pricing of top items, and enjoy playing the game. Let those with money waste it on items if they desire to do so. It's their money to waste after all.

[dumbass]

they delivered the KR version to the global release along with its issues. they really have no plans in improving the game nor the community. i personally would stay away from their product in the future, some of the KR beta OGs have left this game for obvious reasons. well, economically it is quite unbalanced as well to set the same lucent pricing for every region. as you know different country has different tax brackets. i wouldn't be surprised if this piece of t***rash would remain popular in the eastern, as they could make a living out of this system. totally not their fault.

[Phits]

Originally posted by dumbass:

they delivered the KR versio...

From what I understand is it was already nearly dead in KR until AGS got involved and injected a fat wad of cash.

[dumbass]

Originally posted by KillJoy:

The problem always lies with people: If you purchase an in-game item for $6,000, joke is on you.

If nobody purchases it, prices will eventually fall down as they do in any other free market.

My suggestion is to stop worrying about the pricing of top items, and enjoy playing the game. Let those with money waste it on items if they desire to do so. It's their money to waste after all.

my alliance is dominating in my server. we managed to drift 3 or more alliances away from the server and now its the 2nd least populated server in the region. no competition, we owned everything, including archbosses, every member only allowed to bid for 10 lucent for the world boss loots and let the algorithm decide. everyone ended up stockpiling these gears and we are able doom the market whenever we want. do you think its our fault? and do you really think they will adjust the lucent price?

[dumbass]

Originally posted by Phits:

Originally posted by dumbass:

they delivered the KR versio...

From what I understand is it was already nearly dead in KR until AGS got involved and injected a fat wad of cash.

amazon just being amazon.

[Skillo]

RMT will never be stopped. They can deal with Botting, but RMT from legit players? Impossible. Good for those in it, bad for whoever genuienly belives in a fair competition (lmao). Either you pretend it doesn't exist or join them

[Erain]

Too much reading

[Legosimp]

Originally posted by Skillo:

RMT will never be stopped. They can deal with Botting, but RMT from legit players? Impossible. Good for those in it, bad for whoever genuienly belives in a fair competition (lmao). Either you pretend it doesn't exist or join them :fardy:

It was never fair to begin with. Your opponents are the whales.

[KillJoy]

Originally posted by dumbass:

Originally posted by KillJoy:

The problem always lies with people: If you purchase an in-game item for $6,000, joke is on you.

If nobody purchases it, prices will eventually fall down as they do in any other free market.

My suggestion is to stop worrying about the pricing of top items, and enjoy playing the game. Let those with money waste it on items if they desire to do so. It's their money to waste after all.

my alliance is dominating in my server. we managed to drift 3 or more alliances away from the server and now its the 2nd least populated server in the region. no competition, we owned everything, including archbosses, every member only allowed to bid for 10 lucent for the world boss loots and let the algorithm decide. everyone ended up stockpiling these gears and we are able doom the market whenever we want. do you think its our fault? and do you really think they will adjust the lucent price?

If you purchased items for real world currency using the Lucent system, yes it is your fault.
If you got the Lucent because others are buying your items, or because you dominated the sieges, it's not your fault but someone else's fault.

The problem still lies with people: if nobody buys any Lucent the market would be empty and these systems of cash shops would end.
But because people keep purchasing items, they will not end.

In my opinion, Lucent is RMT since you are trading real money for Lucent, which you then trade for items.
But they get upset if you RMT and get your Lucent from a third party, because they only like it if you buy the Lucent from them.

[MechaTR]

Originally posted by KillJoy:

The problem always lies with people: If you purchase an in-game item for $6,000, joke is on you.

If nobody purchases it, prices will eventually fall down as they do in any other free market.

My suggestion is to stop worrying about the pricing of top items, and enjoy playing the game. Let those with money waste it on items if they desire to do so. It's their money to waste after all.

I have already explained and discussed these issues in detail. Regarding your suggestion, while I don’t concern myself with how individuals spend their own money, the entire system of Lucent and the Auction House is fundamentally broken. This flawed system negatively impacts many players in significant ways, as I’ve outlined previously.

Consider why MMORPGs like Archeage, Tera Online, and Lineage 2 Classic EU have become dead games, abandoned by players and reduced to a “milking players” mentality before ultimately shutting down. The reasons are clear: poor systems, unchecked RMT (real money trading), and exploitative economies. Is this the same fate we want for Throne and Liberty? Players invest time, money, and effort into MMORPGs with the expectation of long-term enjoyment, only to see these games turn into ghost towns within a few years, much like New World, Aion, and Lineage 2.

Currently, world boss and other high-value Auction House items are accessible only to those engaging in RMT or spending substantial amounts of real money. These items remain in the Auction House because RMT participants list them at absurd Lucent prices. Legitimate players cannot afford these prices through normal gameplay, so it is clear that RMT plays a significant role. Despite AGS’s claims of action, the root problem remains unresolved. Sellers adapt their methods, and RMT websites continue to operate.

This issue extends beyond item pricing to the question of how AGS determines who is genuinely engaging in RMT. It’s unlikely that human reviewers evaluate every case, given the sheer volume of transactions across the player base. More likely, AGS relies on automated systems to flag suspicious behavior, which introduces another problem: the lack of transparency in how these decisions are made.

In the Auction House, buyers and sellers remain anonymous, creating a system ripe for abuse. Some guild members have reportedly lost 500–1,000 Lucent due to AGS’s RMT enforcement actions, even though these amounts are relatively easy to earn through legitimate gameplay. For example, if you sell a world boss item for 10k Lucent and the buyer is flagged as an RMT participant, the system might unjustly penalize you as well. This raises a critical question: how does AGS distinguish between legitimate and illegitimate transactions?

One might argue that RMT users often list trash items at inflated prices, but they can easily adjust their methods, listing lower-priced items in bulk instead. This creates a scenario where innocent players could be mistakenly flagged as RMT users. Without clear safeguards, the automated system risks punishing legitimate players while failing to address the root problem.

The most effective solution is to remove Lucent entirely as a tradeable currency in the Auction House. If this isn’t feasible, AGS should implement fixed price caps for all items listed in the Auction House. These measures would curb RMT activity and restore fairness to the game’s economy.

Finally, look at New World, currently one of the most RMT-saturated MMORPGs. Despite AGS’s awareness of the issue, meaningful action has yet to be taken, likely due to fears of alienating the already dwindling player base. This same reluctance has plagued games like Aion and continues to harm MMORPGs across the market.

In conclusion, unless AGS addresses these systemic issues—whether by removing Lucent from the Auction House or introducing strict price controls—the problems will persist. Without action, Throne and Liberty risks following the same trajectory as other MMORPGs that failed to resolve their economic flaws, ultimately leading to a decline in player engagement and the game's downfall.I have already explained and discussed these issues in detail. Regarding your suggestion, while I don’t concern myself with how individuals spend their own money, the entire system of Lucent and the Auction House is fundamentally broken. This flawed system negatively impacts many players in significant ways, as I’ve outlined previously.

Consider why MMORPGs like Archeage, Tera Online, and Lineage 2 Classic EU have become dead games, abandoned by players and reduced to a “milking players” mentality before ultimately shutting down. The reasons are clear: poor systems, unchecked RMT (real money trading), and exploitative economies. Is this the same fate we want for Throne and Liberty? Players invest time, money, and effort into MMORPGs with the expectation of long-term enjoyment, only to see these games turn into ghost towns within a few years, much like New World, Aion, and Lineage 2.

Currently, world boss and other high-value Auction House items are accessible only to those engaging in RMT or spending substantial amounts of real money. These items remain in the Auction House because RMT participants list them at absurd Lucent prices. Legitimate players cannot afford these prices through normal gameplay, so it is clear that RMT plays a significant role. Despite AGS’s claims of action, the root problem remains unresolved. Sellers adapt their methods, and RMT websites continue to operate.

This issue extends beyond item pricing to the question of how AGS determines who is genuinely engaging in RMT. It’s unlikely that human reviewers evaluate every case, given the sheer volume of transactions across the player base. More likely, AGS relies on automated systems to flag suspicious behavior, which introduces another problem: the lack of transparency in how these decisions are made.

In the Auction House, buyers and sellers remain anonymous, creating a system ripe for abuse. Some guild members have reportedly lost 500–1,000 Lucent due to AGS’s RMT enforcement actions, even though these amounts are relatively easy to earn through legitimate gameplay. For example, if you sell a world boss item for 10k Lucent and the buyer is flagged as an RMT participant, the system might unjustly penalize you as well. This raises a critical question: how does AGS distinguish between legitimate and illegitimate transactions?

One might argue that RMT users often list trash items at inflated prices, but they can easily adjust their methods, listing lower-priced items in bulk instead. This creates a scenario where innocent players could be mistakenly flagged as RMT users. Without clear safeguards, the automated system risks punishing legitimate players while failing to address the root problem.

The most effective solution is to remove Lucent entirely as a tradeable currency in the Auction House. If this isn’t feasible, AGS should implement fixed price caps for all items listed in the Auction House. These measures would curb RMT activity and restore fairness to the game’s economy.

Finally, look at New World, currently one of the most RMT-saturated MMORPGs. Despite AGS’s awareness of the issue, meaningful action has yet to be taken, likely due to fears of alienating the already dwindling player base. This same reluctance has plagued games like Aion and continues to harm MMORPGs across the market.

In conclusion, unless AGS addresses these systemic issues—whether by removing Lucent from the Auction House or introducing strict price controls—the problems will persist. Without action, Throne and Liberty risks following the same trajectory as other MMORPGs that failed to resolve their economic flaws, ultimately leading to a decline in player engagement and the game's downfall.

[MechaTR]

Originally posted by KillJoy:

Originally posted by dumbass:

my alliance is dominating in my server. we managed to drift 3 or more alliances away from the server and now its the 2nd least populated server in the region. no competition, we owned everything, including archbosses, every member only allowed to bid for 10 lucent for the world boss loots and let the algorithm decide. everyone ended up stockpiling these gears and we are able doom the market whenever we want. do you think its our fault? and do you really think they will adjust the lucent price?

If you purchased items for real world currency using the Lucent system, yes it is your fault.
If you got the Lucent because others are buying your items, or because you dominated the sieges, it's not your fault but someone else's fault.

The problem still lies with people: if nobody buys any Lucent the market would be empty and these systems of cash shops would end.
But because people keep purchasing items, they will not end.

In my opinion, Lucent is RMT since you are trading real money for Lucent, which you then trade for items.
But they get upset if you RMT and get your Lucent from a third party, because they only like it if you buy the Lucent from them.

You write and explain things clearly and concisely.

Ultimately, the majority of players are suffering due to these core issues, despite the fact that they are relatively simple to address. Many players, including myself, have provided suggestions to avoid releasing a global version in its current state. If things continue this way, I may quit the game entirely. It’s impossible to compete against zergs, pay-to-win (P2W) whales using official means, or those leveraging RMT through third-party services.

At its core, Throne and Liberty is a tab-targeting game where gear and numbers matter. The advantage lies with the P2W players, the size of the zerg, and the sheer number of active players in such groups. Unfortunately, T&L combines all of these problems into one. We’ve seen the same scenario play out in Archeage, which ultimately failed for these exact reasons.

Looking ahead, upcoming MMORPGs like Aion 2, Archeage 2, and Ashes of Creation are likely to face the same challenges, as their developers prioritize revenue over player satisfaction and game integrity. The older generation of games—and the community of players that came with them—offered a more enjoyable and balanced experience. Sadly, it seems that this era of gaming is being replaced by monetization-first approaches that undermine the long-term appeal of MMORPGs.

[hypehype]

I have said this before, just play the game, once you are getting one-hit or doing 0 damage just uninstall.

If you use real money you have lost, because this game is an endless money pit. .

They will be bring out "tier 2" soon, because all the whales have maxed out and have nothing left to buy,

Why did they not start this game at tier 2? because they can make more money splitting up the grind.

I won't be surprised if there is tier 3 in the next year.

[Boink]

The RMT- Buyer sold garbage items (mostly resistance) to absurd amounts of Lucent. It was easy to catch and detect since the RMT directly buys it.

Also, people must point out that the BOTS don't "make" lucent. They are derived from the actual gaming economy, and if they were deleted because a buyer got punished, they are gone for good.

Regarding Lucent, there are still many opportunities to make money. You just have to be vigilant about looking for them.

[SkFy]

Originally posted by Boink:

The RMT- Buyer sold garbage items (mostly resistance) to absurd amounts of Lucent. It was easy to catch and detect since the RMT directly buys it.

Also, people must point out that the BOTS don't "make" lucent. They are derived from the actual gaming economy, and if they were deleted because a buyer got punished, they are gone for good.

Regarding Lucent, there are still many opportunities to make money. You just have to be vigilant about looking for them.

And if 2 more people find the same way to make lucent, that way will also be worthless in a few days.
The only reason we have to be "vigilant"for them, is because the economy is damn awful.