Economic balance and whats needed to achieve it.

[Izzy]

So,

A large number of games actually have a some what stable ECON, however, some of the newer titles coming out aren't so lucky.
This is due in part to the large number of flaws with said title. Id like to begin a discussion on how the developers of RIFT can ensure there wont be an unstable market crashes and price gouging that would cause inflation in the market.

A few things I personally have seen ruin good economy:

1. Expensive vendor sold crafting materials
2. Ultra rare drop non vendor craft drops needed for lower level crafting items of low to medium quality
3. Quest drop's that are able to be auctioned from mobs that are on strict spawn tables/times for important/progressive quests.
4. High drops rates on items for lower level players from higher level mobs (IE lvl50 death-cow has a 60% drop on a lvl 20 Super Blade)

These are a few things I could think of off the top of my head. I understand something will inevitably happen with the game just based on rule of thumb. Players will farm mats for brokering, players will farm elites for drops for brokering. And that's fine! but when the game is geared more towards the easy exploitation Vs. not, its easier for the economy to become unbalance and under-scaled.


I am also a huge believer in have a neutral point in which a cross faction broker is available to both sides, this assists in wavering any one faction standard on market pricing and helps set an over all lower market price on an other wise gouged item on one side.


Your thoughts/suggestions?

[Fozzik]

A short list of some things that would help form a healthy in-game economy, in my opinion -

1. No centralized auction house.
2. Significant travel times between areas.
3. Regional loot tables and rare items.
4. Vastly reduced drop rates from recent games (for valuable and useful items)
5. Unique and unchangeable item graphics and stats whenever possible.
6. Reducing gold farming / selling to the absolute minimum possible.
7. Crafted items should provide things that dropped items can't, and vice versa.
8. All classes can't do all things - unique abilities or specializations for crafting and adventuring.

[Europe]

A short list of some things that would help form a healthy in-game economy, in my opinion -

1. No centralized auction house.
2. Significant travel times between areas.
3. Regional loot tables and rare items.
4. Vastly reduced drop rates from recent games (for valuable and useful items)
5. Unique and unchangeable item graphics and stats whenever possible.
6. Reducing gold farming / selling to the absolute minimum possible.
7. Crafted items should provide things that dropped items can't, and vice versa.
8. All classes can't do all things - unique abilities or specializations for crafting and adventuring.

Is that you, Brad?

[Verb]

A short list of some things that would help form a healthy in-game economy, in my opinion -

1. No centralized auction house.
2. Significant travel times between areas.

By centralized do you mean cross-faction? Or none what so ever? How are items being exchanged, private stores or trade chat? I'm not disagreeing i just want to understand what your getting at.

[anagain]

By centralized do you mean cross-faction? Or none what so ever? How are items being exchanged, private stores or trade chat? I'm not disagreeing i just want to understand what your getting at.

I think he means let the players find their own centralised auction houses, i.e Common's Tunnel. Don't let players put items on a central database but have them speak to one another to buy an item.

It would make me very happy indeed, if we had no auction house.

[Liziana]

By centralized do you mean cross-faction? Or none what so ever? How are items being exchanged, private stores or trade chat? I'm not disagreeing i just want to understand what your getting at.

A cross faction AH like Gadgetztan in WoW?

[Elladar]

1. Expensive vendor sold crafting materials
2. Ultra rare drop non vendor craft drops needed for lower level crafting items of low to medium quality
3. Quest drop's that are able to be auctioned from mobs that are on strict spawn tables/times for important/progressive quests.
4. High drops rates on items for lower level players from higher level mobs (IE lvl50 death-cow has a 60% drop on a lvl 20 Super Blade)

1 - Make those items in a limited supply, and make vendor restock on them every 1-2 ingame days.
2 - I think it would be better for these drops to be low-high level.
3 - Good idea!
4 - Not sure what you mean? Eg Lvl 20 player has +20% increase on getting a good weapon by killing lvl 25 mob? Or lvl 50 player has a 70% increase on good loot from lvl 20 mob?

[Yaladan]

1. Factional currency with currency brokers.
2.Dynamic currency based on factional supplies.
3. Regional exclusive resources or factional exclusive.
4.Moderated ammount of npc currency.

[g0kuenuan]

AVOID EVERYTHING THAT AION HAD, so the bots dont rule the market

[Sablehawk]

Have a pro-active team that takes care of bots, farmers and gold sellers. That will help alot.

[Fozzik]

By centralized do you mean cross-faction? Or none what so ever? How are items being exchanged, private stores or trade chat? I'm not disagreeing i just want to understand what your getting at.

I meant none at all.

Allowing regional economies to develop and allowing players to handle things themselves not only leads to a slower-developing and ultimately stronger economy, but it also leads to people interacting with each other. It's yet another one of those things that really helped a more mature community develop around some MMORPGs. Players not only meet new friends, but it also allows the community to hold people accountable and allows reputations to develop that really matter.

[Eldran]

I think the only thing you really need for 'balance' is sufficient vendor sold consumables to keep a lid on inflation. At least some money needs to permanently exit the system.

[MacDeath]

A cross faction AH like Gadgetztan in WoW?

Not just Gadgetztan, there was another in Booty Bay and one in Wintersprings but all 3 shared a comman database so I could list an item in BB and you could buy it in G-town. I liked that system quite a lot.

[Maxxy]

A short list of some things that would help form a healthy in-game economy, in my opinion -

1. No centralized auction house.
2. Significant travel times between areas.
3. Regional loot tables and rare items.
4. Vastly reduced drop rates from recent games (for valuable and useful items)
5. Unique and unchangeable item graphics and stats whenever possible.
6. Reducing gold farming / selling to the absolute minimum possible.
7. Crafted items should provide things that dropped items can't, and vice versa.
8. All classes can't do all things - unique abilities or specializations for crafting and adventuring.

I would like to add two other thing to your wonderful list.

1. Keep the bots away.
2.This one may not influence the actual economy, but would like to see it implemented. The ability to sell your item to the vendor, and another player can actually buy it off one of the vendors. Instead of it disappearing into, well where ever it goes, if not on the vendors list of items.

[Maxxy]

I meant none at all.

Allowing regional economies to develop and allowing players to handle things themselves not only leads to a slower-developing and ultimately stronger economy, but it also leads to people interacting with each other. It's yet another one of those things that really helped a more mature community develop around some MMORPGs. Players not only meet new friends, but it also allows the community to hold people accountable and allows reputations to develop that really matter.

I really think this is true. I remember starting out EQ as a low level character. The higher level players were often in need of crafting materials, that I could supply, and they would pay us quite well for, as they had more money, which we really needed for our spells and such. A leather tunic, or bag , or ruby silver veil, was quite sought after. Some, would offer to pay us in a needed item, instead of money as well. Was sometime, before I had a one whole plat, as I recall.

Made it nice for us lower levels too. And usually they through in a nice buff or two. And we spoke to one another, and often developed a working , and friendly relationship. I must say I miss that.