Architect Archive
Thread: An Outsiders perspective on the future of the Architect
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Redguard
Fri Jun 11, 2004 9:58 am
#1
First off I'm going to let you all know that I am not an Architect. I am a Master Weaponsmith so I do have some idea of the challenges that go into becomming a master craftsman. Secondly I did not come here to criticize or flame you folks. I just want that cleared up at the begining of the post. I'm posting here because I see a problem with your profession and the solutions may be a bitter pill for all the crafting community. It is my impression that there is no long term viability for the Architect profession given the mechanics used to repair/service/maintain your products. This really needs to change.
Structures, unlike other goods can never loose permanent condition. This means that there is in all probability thousands of harvesters/factories/houses in circulation. How can you folks hope tosucceed with all of these legacy items in circulation?
Presently a number of people are requesting harvester certs to be implemented. While this may be a good idea for the whole of the game it's not going to help the Architects. Further limiting a market allready diluted by massive quantities of structure deeds will bite pretty deep into your profit margins.
It would appear that a system in which harvesters suffer permanent decay through use should be implemented. When paying maintainence there should be a condition loss to the harvester. This condition loss could be repaired by tools if they choose to implement such an idea but repairing the harvester should never bring it to it's maximum condition. Over time harvester deeds would need to be replaced which would limit the supply and create a demand for your products.
Pawlin
Fri Jun 11, 2004 10:51 am
#2
Architects have been fortelling the end of our profession due to lack of decay for about 9 months now. Its hard to know when or if it will ever come to be.
So far I don't see a glut of used harvesters for sale anywhere. Even though the hologrind is dying off there still seems to be a fair amount of demand for harvesters at least in myexperience. For the most part supply and demand are balancing themselves. Demand dies off and architects quit.
We actually do have a minor form of decay but its only due to player negligence or unfortunate circumstances that result in lack of maintenance burning up a harvester or house. We do get some business off of that. How much is hard to say.
The topic of decay for harvesters is one that has been one we've been a bit split on. I think the problem is that it may be too much of a burden / hassle for the general player community particularly if implemented as well as SOE made our candles. It would be a pretty big change though and SOE doesn't seem to even want to fix our minor bugs in architect much less make major changes that benefit us at the expense of everyone.
Pawlin
Fri Jun 11, 2004 11:05 am
#3
Pawlin wrote:
...So far I don't see a glut of used harvesters for sale anywhere....
LOL. Right after I post this I go to my servers trade forum and find one of my customers selling off a dozen used BER13's and a couple fusions that I probably sold him. Funniest thing is he's asking a little more than the cheaper architects on our server but he's already found a buyer for some.
zoynk
Fri Jun 11, 2004 1:33 pm
#4
Well, it's nice that other professions are taking notice to this. It was bound to happen. Before I became an architect, I realized that there would be a climax in population where structures in general would be in less demmand. Apparently, the devs didn't take note of such or assumed that the expansion would be released in time.
With the elimination of holo grinding and the possible elimination of cross server lot trading, the demmand for structures in general will be far from what it is now. The market will become flooded with excessive amounts of harvesters.
We make nothing disposable. I'll quote another architect by saying "Devs, candles didn't do it for us...sorry." While candles/lights are supposed to decay, as long as they're not moved, they retain their normal effects.
I sell around 5 heavy harvs a day. This is a lot for my buisness partner and I. Soon, 1-2 per day will be something to hope for.
Devs... Help us please!
We're melting!
WHAT A WORLD!!! WAHAHHHHHHH!
With the elimination of holo grinding and the possible elimination of cross server lot trading, the demmand for structures in general will be far from what it is now. The market will become flooded with excessive amounts of harvesters.
We make nothing disposable. I'll quote another architect by saying "Devs, candles didn't do it for us...sorry." While candles/lights are supposed to decay, as long as they're not moved, they retain their normal effects.
I sell around 5 heavy harvs a day. This is a lot for my buisness partner and I. Soon, 1-2 per day will be something to hope for.
Devs... Help us please!
We're melting!
WHAT A WORLD!!! WAHAHHHHHHH!
Redguard
Sat Jun 12, 2004 6:36 am
#5
Even as a consumer of your products it's fairly obvious to me that some kind of decay is required. How does your profession continue to be viable if there is no market for your goods?
the big question is what should be the method of decay. How long should a harvester last? Should you be able to repair the device? I personally feel that damage done to a structure should be permanent. Either players pay for the placement of the harvester or it should take damage which should be difficult if not impossible to repair. Perhaps tying the condition of the device with the BER might help create a market for new more cost effective harvesters as the old ones degenerate.
bluejanus
Mon Jun 14, 2004 11:31 pm
#6
What's probably happening is that people are holding on to their harvesters in case they need them again. Or they're loaning/selling them to friends or guildmates which is a closed secondary market that architects are unlikely to find out about. I'm not so sure this is what will happen with theharvesters and structures involved in lot trades. I think a lot of those will hit the open secondary market.
Pawlin wrote:
Pawlin wrote:
...So far I don't see a glut of used harvesters for sale anywhere....
LOL. Right after I post this I go to my servers trade forum and find one of my customers selling off a dozen used BER13's and a couple fusions that I probably sold him. Funniest thing is he's asking a little more than the cheaper architects on our server but he's already found a buyer for some.
BoberFett
Tue Jun 15, 2004 12:56 pm
#7
Harvesters done through cross server trades will probably burn when they're not wanted anymore. I know on Bria there was one of the bigger guys who decided to quite the biz a while back, and sold them all in place, no redeed just adding the new owner asadmin.
Pulling them up to sell them would involve finding the original person who placed them, who may very well not even be playing anymore. I don't think you'll see the large fields of static harvesters digging into business too badly.
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