Architect Archive
Thread: The Joe Shmoewalker factor Structure Prices
Joe Shmoewalker decides "I am going to be an architect and make LOADS of money!!"
Joe tosses down some mines and starts his grind.
Joe makes small houses and finds out nobody wants them.
Joe freaks out and sells things supper cheap so he can say to himself he actually can sell.
Joe makes it up the ladder a bit and thinks that because he is not selling things instantly, he has to sell cheaper.
Joe is broke, frustrated and picks up a gun.. No, not to kill himself. but to do something FUN for a change that he can actually make money doing.. KILLING THINGS..
Joe leaves the architect profession forever.
The result:
I see many many Joes. Joe, because he sold so cheap, set a standard and an expectation on prices.
The Master Architect that has hung in there and is determined to make a living gets the shaft.
Even the undercutters that are just breaking even every day get laughed at for their prices.
"50k for a medium house you say? BWUAHAHAHA! I got mine from Joe last week for 30k! At least there are some NICE Architects in this game........."
I still sell to people that understand that in order for me to be around in the future for them, they need to pay an average price. I dont go lower that 4cpu. I still manage to turn a small profit now days because of my client base but sales have recently taken an even sharper decline.
Well I guess you have one up on me then. I wont last long for sure.. You will win.Its not worth my time selling at 3cpu or less. barley turning any kind of profit or breaking even is not my idea of fun. Especially when Master Weaponsmiths are banking 30-100 million ( I know 3) and Master Armorsmiths 10-20 mil.
Yeah I know. I should change professions then.. I just think its lame we have been ignored by the devs. Look how long it took them to fix the stupid Med and Large Flora.
I guess I will just use what money I have saved to support my harvs and stockpile/sell resources for now. better to make 5cpu selling good quality resources than makestructures and sell them for 2. 
There is no win, I wont dominate the market, I cant, my resources are limited, I can only make what I extract myself. There is currently room for you and me in the same market.
I am just not sure ( and I actually hope I am wrong ) that this will always be the case. I am NOT telling you to change what you do, not my place to say that. All I am saying is that you ( and I ) should reamin open minded as our business environment changes.
Yeah there are some ways I have turned some profit. I bought 4 large harvestors from someone selling them for 50k each. I sold them at 110k each in no time flat
I agree about the Open minded thing. I am well known and respected. I dont gouge yet I dont undersell myself. I have fun still
One more thing
Whats better, Selling more items for a small profit or Selling for a medium profit?
would you rather sell 1 Large Mineral Harv for 130k or 2 at 70k
I will also take twice as long to sell the one at 130k that 2 at 70k as well.
I answer 1 Large at 130k
Less resources used. Less to build. Profit made.
First off, my own personal answer is not a "correct" answer, there is not correct answer, there is only a correct answer for me personally, your answer that may be different may just be correct for you.
That said... I dont sell heavies for 70k I sell for more than that, but certainly not 130k either. If given a choice between the two( something that never happens ) I would take the 70k route with my customers. Not because of the profit I would make, that would be less, but it would add a customer that would repeat on other items.
Realise that I actually sell for more than that.
I hate to say it, but I fit right into the "joe shmoewalker" theme -- but I am not going to give up.
I just started the novice architect tree the other day (I am already a master pistoleer -- our guild needed an architect since the previous master has disspeared). The guild gave me about 100K credits to get started and I burned through nearly 30K prepping to make my first house (I was stupid) -- recently I have placed 9 harvestors and 3 wind power generators. I have 7 structures mining ore and 2 mining steel. The fact is that right now building a small house gives me the best XP (7K), however with the economy the way it is on Kauri there is no way I can get rid of a small house -- it is hard to GIVE them away. I was asking 7K per house (a reasonable price considering that its costing me about 5K per house to make now) as soon as I said that someone comes and shouts "I am selling houses for 4K cheaper then valqueth! buy from me" -- this is just very discouraging. I have to stick with the profession but unless I sell a small house for 4K there is no way I can get rid of it. I have to gain some credits back since it costs so much to make, which means I have to settle for a 1-2K loss each 7K XP. I am hoping this will get better as I advance up the tree. A lot of this is the fact that houses and other structures do not decay, do not need repair, etc.. We do not have a renewable income so once we have serviced enough people on the server there will not be a market for us anymore.
I hate selling small houses for 4K, but it is the ONLY way to not take a 100% loss on what I make to gain XP. Now once I am a master I will not settle for less then what I want for a structure, but until then I do not have a choice as if I do not get some type of reimburstment for what I spent to make the item then I can not purchase more resources/afford to pay for my harvestors therefore can not level. I think there could be a very big market in mines, bases, and structures that could be destroyed. It would be really nice that if once you become a city that every structure could be targeted and destroyed (thus making the architect a very important game resources -- where currently we are a use and throw away kind of profession)
Just what I have gathered from only 3 days of being an architect.
- Valqueth (PxI)
Architect/Pistoleer
Kauri
First
Your answer works for you, dont let them talk down to you about it. If you decide to take a loss, and it is worth it to you, dont let them make you feel bad. You do what works for you and ignore the rest.
That siad, here is a tip, find a Master Archetect that will go into a contract with you to make walls. Walls are a GREAT way to make experience and a master Archetect will often pay 9k for them. Even make them a deal and sell them for 8k or less each if you like.
You will actually turn a profit while you grind, it is good for them ( they need the walls ) it is good for you, everyone is happy.
Kewlb wrote:
I hate to say it, but I fit right into the "joe shmoewalker" theme -- but I am not going to give up.
I just started the novice architect tree the other day (I am already a master pistoleer -- our guild needed an architect since the previous master has disspeared). The guild gave me about 100K credits to get started and I burned through nearly 30K prepping to make my first house (I was stupid) -- recently I have placed 9 harvestors and 3 wind power generators. I have 7 structures mining ore and 2 mining steel. The fact is that right now building a small house gives me the best XP (7K), however with the economy the way it is on Kauri there is no way I can get rid of a small house -- it is hard to GIVE them away. I was asking 7K per house (a reasonable price considering that its costing me about 5K per house to make now) as soon as I said that someone comes and shouts "I am selling houses for 4K cheaper then valqueth! buy from me" -- this is just very discouraging. I have to stick with the profession but unless I sell a small house for 4K there is no way I can get rid of it. I have to gain some credits back since it costs so much to make, which means I have to settle for a 1-2K loss each 7K XP. I am hoping this will get better as I advance up the tree. A lot of this is the fact that houses and other structures do not decay, do not need repair, etc.. We do not have a renewable income so once we have serviced enough people on the server there will not be a market for us anymore.
I hate selling small houses for 4K, but it is the ONLY way to not take a 100% loss on what I make to gain XP. Now once I am a master I will not settle for less then what I want for a structure, but until then I do not have a choice as if I do not get some type of reimburstment for what I spent to make the item then I can not purchase more resources/afford to pay for my harvestors therefore can not level. I think there could be a very big market in mines, bases, and structures that could be destroyed. It would be really nice that if once you become a city that every structure could be targeted and destroyed (thus making the architect a very important game resources -- where currently we are a use and throw away kind of profession)
Just what I have gathered from only 3 days of being an architect.
- Valqueth (PxI)
Architect/Pistoleer
Kauri
Build and sell wall modules to me for 4-5k each. I will take 100
Honestly though. check with master archies.. they will buy em by the ton!!I do