This biggest one of these right now, and most successful (that I know of) is Spiral Knights.
Actually, Project Entropia/Entropia Universe is both the largest and oldest. Spiral Knights is some F2P java thing.
Another less successful game using this model is Diablo III. All items can be traded for fiat, thus all the items correlate to a real cash value.
I think presenting D3 as an RCE clearly shows you don't understand what RCE means. It's not a matter of "correlation" to cash value; by this standard WoW makes the cut.
The reason there are few examples isn't because there "were a lot of problems with handling of game currency", but because once the mechanic is introduced it creates optionalism for the players
How would you know this?
Understand, the discussion here is asymetrical. We're in a position to say X is Y because Z, as we're working on X. You're not in a position to say X is Y for non-Z, because you're not working on X. The very most you can say is K says X is Y for non-Z, for any value of K in the set of people working on it (to which the answer obviously is, "that's why K isn't working for us, he doesn't have a clue").
When you add any kind of optionalism to a game, you're essentially saying "I've added a cheat code activated by money", no matter how you try to dress it up.
There's some dressing up going on here, but it's not on the side you're pointing to.
First off, any game will forever remain a game, distinct from the player's life. That alternative where the player *becomes* his level 80 Warlock and lives forever a life of pixelated adventure distinct from his dreary, ramen-fed real existence is a point
of fiction, possibly with mental health implications, especially if taken so far.
Second off, any game will necessarily meet your definition of "optionalism", in the sense that ANYTHING can be purchased with money. Name any game you consider escapes this so called "optionalism" and I'll show you how to hire somebody to play it for you.
The significant advantage of RCE over all other game implementations (absolutely all, including D3, WoW, FF and literally any other RPG)
is that it removes the problem of farming. In your run of the mill mmorpg, built on the inflationary-minded "every action has a +EV result" the inescapable end point is a deluge of "currency" without value. In the RCE game some but not all activities are +EV, and this adds a layer of depth and richness to the player experience that can't be put into words. It will be put into facts, and you'll see it first hand.
Bitcoin is it's own financial space, the financial giants have no reign here, what they say generally doesn't matter in relation to Bitcoin, because they've never used it. The ones that have still haven't used it as extensively as say MP.
How would you know that?
Windwaker is announced for the GCN, and fans go fucking bonkers, foaming at the mouth in anger. Game is still excellent, and critically acclaimed, still didn't hit fans the same way as OoT. Fans state clearly, "We want a more realistic approach", so Twilight Princess comes out, fans again foam at the mouth.
I think on one end you are confusing public opinion with forum agitation, and on the other Nobody Cares what FanFic Says. It's a rule. People who try and please a public are neither artists nor ever successful, and it occurs to me that probably the greatest service S.MG offers developers is complete immunity from having to ever listen to Internet people.
I don't particularly feel strongly about these topics one way or the other, just trying to illuminate some of the fundamentals.
Well you've probably written some of Bitcointalk's longer posts (outside of the mentally ill and criminally minded, obviously).
Curious, what points did I raise in particular that were interesting?
I asked him why and he said "that's complicated" after a pause