[Googi]

Originally Posted by konidias

The huge initial/"official" value vs. market value gaps can be at least partially less "huge" by estimating the market value beforehand. Shops shouldn't start selling items slightly higher than base price. You can always include an initial higher starting price for items that you think will be purchased more or have greater use or whatever.

Yeah, but you base estimations of market value on how much effective demand you think there will be for an item, not by trying to make a real-world currency conversion.

Originally Posted by konidias

I don't see how you can say the first suggestion makes "no sense" though, based on your reasons. It still makes sense, it just fails to mention the things you brought up.

It doesn't make sense because scaling is an arbitrary way of setting prices. There's no reason to believe that the market value of an item will correspond with the scaled, real-world-based value.

Originally Posted by konidias

This system is really only aimed towards servers that use item shops. If you have a server with no shops then obviously you're not going to use that advice. But that doesn't mean it would be less successful. I think you're just reading into things too deep. I don't believe that it's not possible to have a successful economy without shops. But I do believe it would be a lot harder to attempt a server where players didn't buy things from shops... such as letting the players craft the items or winning everything from quests or events.

And my criticism only applies to items that are sold in shops. The system you're suggesting heavily discourages players from buying items from other players if they are sold in shops.

Originally Posted by konidias

I'd have to disagree with you. The economy has little to do with attracting and keeping players. That falls on gameplay, content, overall design...

It's true that it has little to do with attracting players, but it has a lot to do with keeping players.

Originally Posted by konidias

But if you want your point to be valid, then wouldn't a controlled and balanced economy attract players? Is that not then, a successful economy?

Yes, a balanced economy is best, but that doesn't necessarily mean "fighting inflation no matter what."

Originally Posted by konidias

edit: As an example, no servers on Graal have ever had a successful economy yet they still had high playercounts.

Explain why 2K2's economy is not successful (certainly it's not perfect but I would still describe it as successful).

Originally Posted by konidias

UN hardly has an economy at all (last I checked) and it maintains a high playercount. However I think that following these tips can at least save a few servers from having to go down the old "reset road". Some servers have been reset like half a dozen times just because the economy turns into a beast and consumes everything. How can you release new items when old items are worthless and everyone has far too much money? Nothing at that point can save the server except for doing as you said... taking severe anti-inflation measures or nerfing items or lowering money made from jobs... which is not where you want to end up.

Which is why (like you said), it's important to keep an eye on the money supply and have ways to remove money from the economy, but things like keeping items fixed at shop prices by discouraging the trade in "shop items" (which would be the consequence of what you're suggesting) sacrifice gameplay for the purpose of fighting inflation.