Content-Type: RST

For those not interested at all in EVE Online: this is your warning; I
am about to talk about it again.

.. figure :: /upload/ambush-pew-pew-cat

However, this isn't about an ad campaign, but rather something that I
consider worth mention even if I *wasn't* playing EVE. What I'm
talking about is **PLEX Aid for Haiti**.

On January 29th, there was a `post`_ in the Developers' Blog about
this new campaign. What it consists of is donating PLEX to a
designated official, and that ofcicial would then donate the dollar
worth of the PLEX donated to Haiti Aid efforts.

.. _`post`: http://www.eveonline.com/devblog.asp?a=blog&bid=726

But what is PLEX? In order to combat the sale of ingame monies that is
rampant in other MMOs, and to make it easier for players who cannot
afford the subscription cost every month, CCP invented the PLEX
system. For $35 or so, a player can buy official 2 ETC (EVE Time
Card), which are good for two months of play. These ETC can be
converted back and forth into the ingame item of a PLEX - a 30-day
Pilot License EXtension. 

.. figure :: http://wiki.eveonline.com/w/images/a/a3/Qretc_icon.png

   1 PLEX.

The ingame price of these (in ISK - Inter Stellar Kredits) is
regulated by the market, and currently resides at about 250 million
ISK a piece. 

What does this mean? By donating an item worth 250 million ISK ingame,
you can donate $17.50 to the Haiti aid effort! Plus, CCP does not give
any of its own money out, and it generates more cash flow in EVE
itself. Talk about breaking the 4th wall for fun and profit...

Incidentally, this is also how some ingame actions and prices are
converted into dollar prices. For example, the disbandings and
plunderings of Band of Brothers and Goonswarm, respectively, have cost
their members estimates of tens of thousands of dollars. 

The only unfortunate thing about this PLEX Aid for Haiti program is
that 250 million ISK runs a bit expensive for most players. The
average player has no idea how to manage his or her money, and drifts
around with a wallet of about 10 million ISK. I myself have about 50
million on average lately. However, richer players (especially most
traders), corporations, and alliances, can afford the price tag with
no problem. Here's to hoping it gets serious contributions.