Would a Player Run Economy Work?

[Orcellie]

Hello, I'm not to sure how MMORPGs work. I've only ever played a little BaS. But from what I've read so far, there's going to be a lot of player freedom in this game. Would a game with player run economies actually work? It sounds to good to be true. Everywhere I've looked, people say that the reason most games don't have a lot of player freedom is because it doesn't work. The only place I've seen it work is Log Horizon. Players can be trolls, not very bright, et cetera and totally screw up the economy and/or the world. Am I right to think that it could fail?

[M]

I've been told that the final release will include very few NPCs, so there will most likely be a group of players to keep the economy in check. You're definitely right to think that the economy could fail which is why I'm sure they would pick players mature enough to make the right decisions.

[Tameshi Hinode]

Ofcourse it can work.
Sandbox mmo,s can prove this.

Im not sure though,if it will really work out here.
If the right people are in charge,it can work.
The difference here is,compared to the sandbox mmo,s that i played before,that most people seem to be kinda young.
Thats more or less the only reason why im a bit worried.

For now i just hope for the best and expect the worst.

[HavvicGames]

It works for black desert online and eve online so why wouldn't it work for slo? As long as people aren't retards then it could work.

[AY0]

Hello, I'm not to sure how MMORPGs work. I've only ever played a little BaS. But from what I've read so far, there's going to be a lot of player freedom in this game. Would a game with player run economies actually work? It sounds to good to be true. Everywhere I've looked, people say that the reason most games don't have a lot of player freedom is because it doesn't work. The only place I've seen it work is Log Horizon. Players can be trolls, not very bright, et cetera and totally screw up the economy and/or the world. Am I right to think that it could fail?

There are games that work, Ex: Age of Wulin, ArchAge

[Dragon6624]

With the majority of the burden being put on the players, it'll work; Yes, you'll still have assholes, but those come with every game and are practically NPCs themselves, if you think about it >_) (in some cases, quite literally...). When players are in control of most of the high-tier positions, it makes it somewhat more difficult for jerks to have their way all of the time -- especially if they go against the "Not in my backyard" rule and end up trying to screw their own allies...that usually doesn't end well for them. Additionally, having trade be localized instead of centralized (I.E. Player-Merchants having to trade physically instead of through a World-Market or other All-Connecting-Broker) further reduces the chances that anyone can *really* monopolize markets -- why buy from one merchant when you can get it cheaper and at better quality from another, especially if that second merchant sells from a neutral, non-player-run village (Ocean, I believe...?).

[NinjaMirage]

here is how to have a stable economy run by players.

Local markets (player excessable)
Globe markets ( Kaga and elder excess only)

Players search, build, and sell to any players and villages.
This gives villages the resources they need to defend themselves and generate profits through traid with other villages.

The local markets will very extremely and often.
Prices of items and resources will fluctuate.

However villages can take advantage of this to make money. They will also receive money for server sponsored missions they expect( I would assume that the kaga could deside to denie a mission if it conflicts with a treaty or some other reason)

The village then can pay its ninja for missions.
The players use this money to buy items they need from the local market and also try and make money in the fluctuation of the local market. The redundancy in methods of earning money and the supplemental survey sponcered income insure that the market won't crash.

And I would suggest that most of the survey sponcerd missions be high risk implying many ninja posabley even staring a war with another village. This high risk missions would make the people want to have smart traiders in power and if wars brake out to often the leadership could be replaced.

[Tameshi Hinode]

Local markets are definatly needed.

It would also be a great idea to spread different kind of ressources around the world,ar at least,make them very rare in one part of the world,and very common in another.
This will motivate traders even more,and a villages would have to send out shinobi to help deliver goods to another village,so they arent stolen on the way there.
Not a fan of,,click here and the item you want to buy magically appears in your inventory''.
They should have to be transported from village to village,this gives bandits something to do,but also fellow shinobi,who can defend you on the way to the village.
Could also be a nice way for mercenarys to make money,if its too risky for everyone else.
Roads could be blocked and gates could be closed,because of a war for example,and this would have a direct impact on the economy.
Its also more fun to actually get to know the merchants,instead of simply going to a auction house,like in many other mmo,s.
Even if its,,just''a local auction house.
It keeps the game more social,since you will get to know the people you trade with.

[NinjaMirage]

No I agree... but I have Seen mail boxes in mats twitch streams. Click and buy for local market s can be automated using item drops in the mail. No reason to wait. The global traid would require missions for delivery to other villages. When this traid  occurs a mission is created. This also makes the price of the traid fluctuate based on village relations.

If your training with an  ally you could send a genin on this mission lowering the cost of the traid.

If your selling to a rouge organization a chunin or better would likely be sent.

[Tameshi Hinode]

If your training with an  ally you could send a genin on this mission lowering the cost of the traid.

If your selling to a rouge organization a chunin or better would likely be sent.

Im not sure i understood that part,please explain it again.

,,Click and buy for local market s can be automated using item drops in the mail. No reason to wait.''

I think that there is a reason,and thats called socializing.
Trading with another player who roleplays as a merchant too,is more enjoyable than getting your item automatically from a mailbox,and it would look a bit more realistic too while keeping the village alive.
In mortal online,people used to position themself near a bank and yell to other players,telling them about ther weapons or armors,getting in a conversation with them,talk about the price or even make unique items according to the customers preference.
Thats a better experience than just clicking on a mailbox.

[NinjaMirage]

Global traid will be mostly resorses and posabley some items. Resorses should be reagen related. so to get the resources players need to "craft" items, traid with other villages will be needed.

However if your village has a treaty with another village the danger to the curriers are substantially less then if your in conflict with a village or rouge organization that is buying from you.

This means that genin can be sent to ally's lowering the cost of the transaction.(units of traid)

Chunin or higher would be dispatch to places with more dangerous conflicts but these people will still need the resources of your land.


As for the interaction between players that have things you want to buy. how do you perpose to find someone with the items for sale.
Do they  post the item in the market and then wait some place for you to find them... because that sound boring as hell.

[Tameshi Hinode]

But even if your village has a friendly relation to the village it wants to trade with....other villages may attack a courier or a group of bandits might.
The risk is still there.


And about player interaction....thats kinda simple.
You can write about your wares on the forum and meet up with people who are interested.
Or you simply ask people if they need something,or you open your own little market in the village.
You dont have to stand there the whole day,but you can check by every few hours or ask in the chat if someone is interested.
Weapons and other items dont have to be available 24/7.
The kage could choose to open a storage for a emergency,when weapons and armor are really needed but no merchants are online(i organized something similiar in another game,it can work).
Basic items could be sold by NPC,s and the kage could decide how many of those NPC,s are in the village and what items they can sell(he could only select a few different items though,and all of them would be weak).
Im sure we will have a few,,full blood merchants''who are only interested in trading.
And should this fail,we could still think about a auction house.
I just think,if it can be avoided,it should.
The more player interaction,the better.

[M]

The real question is, what are some specific examples of what would be in the economy?

[mattaleks]

Global traid will be mostly resorses and posabley some items. Resorses should be reagen related. so to get the resources players need to "craft" items, traid with other villages will be needed.

However if your village has a treaty with another village the danger to the curriers are substantially less then if your in conflict with a village or rouge organization that is buying from you.

This means that genin can be sent to ally's lowering the cost of the transaction.(units of traid)

Chunin or higher would be dispatch to places with more dangerous conflicts but these people will still need the resources of your land.


As for the interaction between players that have things you want to buy. how do you perpose to find someone with the items for sale.
Do they  post the item in the market and then wait some place for you to find them... because that sound boring as hell.

Great idea, I think that every village should have certain materials that only grow on their land. That would cause more wars, robberies, trades & alliances.

The mailbox idea can be used to send messages, items & currency to other players just like other mmos.

As for the market idea we can have a cash item that allows players to setup a paid merchant or they can sell the items by setting up their own store but need to remain ingame. Maplestory has a similar mechanic like that & it works, people can just go afk while selling their items.

[NinjaMirage]

Maybe there is a compromise here.
Maybe a local black market could be auction style with mail delivery. Or players can sell to village sponsored store fronts run by players.

So players like @Mars can run his Romeo shop.

Restaurants
Weapons
Markets- selling resources:
      Toxic shop- poison ingredients
      Food markets
      And so on.