No, don't walk away! They're really not that bad!

No, don't walk away! Really! It's not that bad! 

The latest developer diary from ArenaNet covers the thought process behind the microtransactions in Guild Wars 2. And it sounds pretty good so far - gold is player currency, karma is a currency players can earn but cannot trade, and gems are what are bought with real money. Gold and gems can be swapped around, and both can be used to purchase items. Karma is left alone and can only be redeemed for special rewards. 

It's not what I usually expect - such as League's firm divide between Riot Points and Influence Points - but it does bypass the problematic eBaying of a "Staff of the Apocalypse," and it gives players access to items they might not purchase through legitimate means. I do somewhat worry when in-game currency and out-of-game currency mesh, but ArenaNet is looking to keep this under firm control.