Advice question for both commissioners and artists

[sleetfury.livejournal.com]

A while back when I was still playing Flight Rising, I commissioned an artist using the in game currency. The first transaction went awesomely, so I went back before I left the site and asked if they were still taking game currency for artwork and they said yes. I gave them the 400k left in the account and admittedly asked for a fairly complex piece that they were happy to do.

Recently I asked if there were any updates (because I knew from the first transaction that they were a slow-ish artist) and they admitted that they'd forgotten completely about it and asked if they could simplify the piece a bit. They said they'd drifted away from the site.

As my husband's birthday was coming up, I asked if they could change it to a couples piece of our characters and they were happy to do so and then I didn't hear anything from them for a while.

When I asked for another update, they sent me the finished piece and admitted that they felt like they weren't really being paid as they weren't using the site anymore. I asked for their paypal and sent them a tip (because the work was frankly amazing) but at the same time I feel a bit put off. I don't have a whole lot of "play money" right now which was the point of me asking people if they were taking the game's currency for commissions.

So, my question for both commissioners and artists, how would you have handled the situation? Do you feel like you're not really getting paid if you take a game currency commission?

Edit: Thanks, everyone, for all of your responses. Responding to everyone with the same thing is a bit silly so I'm putting it here. I feel really reassured about this whole transaction and I'm glad I'm not the only one who felt put off by the comment.

Comments

[neiramarina.livejournal.com]

If the artist agreed to take that as payment, it should be as good as real money as far as you are concerned. The comment when sending you the finished piece was unwarranted and unprofessional. You were kind to send them a tip but it was not necessary and I would say not deserved either based on that comment. You are right to feel put off. It was a transaction, not a favor.

[sacch.livejournal.com]

I agree with this.

[thejeweledhorn.livejournal.com]

Me too!

[vauvakolibri.livejournal.com]

I consider it in the same way as changing prices after taking a cheaper commission, just because the artist now charges more doesn't mean you should pay more if the original cheaper price was agreed beforehand. Even if I can understand the artist's feelings, trying to push for more payment is rude and unprofessional.
The artist agreed to do stuff for fake money, and it's not your fault they now have drifted away (as I assume she considered the payment just fine while she was still using the site) or regret they accepted said fake money.
I'd say it should be a learning experience for the artist (or both of you) to not do transaction for bigger stuff with fake currency.

EDIT: Added a missing sentence

[thaily.livejournal.com]

Yes, that's why I don't take fake money for real work.

[sacch.livejournal.com]

I don't take fake money for real work either but they had no right to complain IMO considering they agreed on what was being given to them initially. It was nice of you to give them a tip but the way they handled that seems unprofessional to me. It's kind of a slap in the face to say something like that to your customers/anyone who you're drawing for and receiving something for your time.

I don't work with people like that and I don't recommend you do either. It's their fault for taking that form of payment and being unhappy with it later.

[arphalia.livejournal.com]

I'd be a bit put off too. The artist losing interest in the site where the currency has relevance is out of your control. If the artist's interest in the site was waning at the time they took on the commission, they should have said they only take real currency, allowing you to go and seek someone else to commission. Any disappointment they feel about the payment type is on them, not you.

As for the general topic - If I did have a use for game currency, I'd rather just get real money from commissions and buy the game currency myself anyway. Anything besides actual currency is something I'd file under the trade category (and I rarely to trades because I'd rather just buy things I want or need outright if at all possible.)

[celestinaketzia.livejournal.com]

I'd be put off, honestly. They chose to accept the commission using the game's currency, so it's not your problem that they had a change of heart later. They had plenty of time to cancel the transaction and refund the currency, but they "forgot". They didn't deserve a tip for the whole transaction, and you're a saint for giving one. Their little quip at the end was entirely out of line and unprofessional to boot.

[mistresswolf.livejournal.com]

I used to be really active on Gaia Online and took 'gold' as payment for commissions of Gaia avatars (no OCs or fanart). It was fine at the time for me and I felt like I was getting paid. However, I felt that taking the site currency to do OCs/fanart would feel like I wasn't getting paid, so I didn't do it (well, at first I did, but I changed my policy).

Now I am not active on the site, so the currency is totally worthless to me and I won't accept it. But if I did accept it for a commission for whatever reason, I would treat it as if it was real money... as it isn't the customers fault if I decide not to be on the site anymore.

[aerotheacrobat.livejournal.com]

The artist shouldn't have said that to a customer. If they took the currency, it's good as money. It's not up to you to keep them interested in the game.

I personally have taken commissions for Team Fortress 2 items like keys or items I really wanted. It feels like payment to me since I'd have to spend time earning metal to buy them or using real world money.

[silvertales.livejournal.com]

Personally, I don't accept fake money for real work, either, *but* the artist agreed to those terms prior to work being completed. It's on them to honor the commission for what it was, and the comment was unprofessional. It's not your issue that they drifted away from it.

[starcharmer.livejournal.com]

1. They agreed to it.
2. It is NOT your fault they took so long to finish it that by that time, they had quit the game. Also, even though they quit, there's a good chance they still spent the in-game currency long before you got your art.

[tealmoonxiv.livejournal.com]

They agreed to take the pseudo-money as payment so it's the same as paying in real money.

Though this is why I don't do commissions for fake money.