Architect Archive

Everyday I see somebody post a thread stating how to fix the economy and architect by everybody agreeing to the same price ........ IT WILL NEVER HAPPEN.

1. Not all architects read these boards. PA architects are really bad about this because they tend to stick to thier private boards. MY PA has one or two architects and I don't think I've ever seen either of them post in this forum.

2. Not all architects will agree to those prices. Some don't care some realize that if they undercut you they get allt he business and while thier profit margin may be smaller than yours they will have some profit while people laugh at you.

3. Then you have non architects who are upgrading to larger buildings trying to get rid of thier smaller buildings for really low prices thinking because its used its not worth as much (if there was decay then this would be true.)

4. You have a server cap that will prevent the influx of new players so you will have no new market after most peopel get the structure they want.

5. There is no decay so those who have a structure will never ever need to buya new one.

You will find that after the initial buy period architects are going to be stuck with nothing to build but harvestors, and military structures.... Thats a very small market unless every single person joins the GCW which you know will never happen.

Architect is truely screwed unless they do3 things.

Remove the ability for crafters to get thier own resources. (bring back mining and restrict mass resource collection to them.) restrict vendors to merchants so only they can sell product requiring us to use them to move our product.

Implement a decay function on all structures so eventually they have to come back.

I wrote a post of ideas and suggestions as well as a post detailing new profession that would be needed to save architect from itself .. both of those should be on the first couple of pages in the forum if you want to see what I think is the only true way to fix the economy read them and post your comments. They don't even have to be positive.

Supply and Demand...the one law that rings true in all forms of business, in game or out. Now supply and demand have many contributing factors to establish a well balanced economic system. In the interest of keeping such a monstrous topic simple I have narrowed these factors to 5 items.

1. The creation of money
2. The destruction of money
3. Money Supply
4. Resource Scarcity
5. Time value of money and labor

The creation of money:

Currently money is created in gane by:
1. new players arriving with 250 creds or so each
2. missions ranging from 200 creds to 6000 on Dantoine
3. Killing of NPC's and select creatures

If there are other ways please in game e-mail Ancus.
_______________________________________________
Destruction of Money

The destruction of money occurs as follows:
1. purchasing items or training from NPC's
2. building and equipment maintenance and operating fees
3. loss through uninsured death if body never revisited

If there is any missing items in game email to Ancus.

________________________________________________
The Money Supply

This is based on the above two items plus an ever increasing population base. It is obvious that the method of creation far out strips the method of destruction. The inevitable consequence is inflation and the eventual collapse of the economy. Currently there does not seem to be a properly functioning money supply regulatory mechanism. A currency has value precisely because it is limited and trusted as a median of exchange.
___________________________________________
Resource Scarcity

There has been a lot written on this subject already. Granted resources must exist in enough quantity to allow for a continuous fllow of products in game. Granted with an ever increasing population there is an ever increasing demand for resources. However there must be a limit to the amount of resources in game at anyone time. This very concept is what balances the number of architects to that of gun fighters. Scarce resources will dictate that there is room for x number of architects and x number of bio-engineers in the game at anyone time.

I agree the resource allocation algorithm applied in game is fundementally flawed. a sweeping resource shift is impracticle. With this form of resource management the economy will collapse for it is impossible to establish profitable and stable business.

Resources should be depleted over time causing the miners to mine for another non depleted resource on that same spot or pickup and move. In the real worl untapped resource dont move they remain until depleted.

_______________________________________
Time Value of Money and Labor

Jobs, jobs jobs...I thought this was supposed to be a game! We've managed to recreate an environment where we get home from work and goto work. Amazing - we dont even get paid! Enough digression - Of course each characters time spent on any task, be it mining, crafting or running a factory, is worth credits (money). This is a basic concept as we all have some sort of a real world job. The other probably less understood is the concept of time valued of money. This is essential for a successful in game economy. It ecco's through many of the threads on this site. If I cant make a profit for all this work then I am going to put my money somehwere else! The time spent in one proffession or on producing one item has a cost in time elsewhere. Since time is money, the time spent on one endevor costs you the amount in money you could have earned in another endevor. the trick is to find and maximize the most profit realization for your time. In order for this to self regulate the economic unverse of SWG the above five items must be functing properly.

This last concept will be what regulates the number of people in each profession. There must be a limit and a natural regulatory agent in the economic environment.

________________________________________________

Conclusion

This is not ment to solve any problems at this time. This article does not go indepth nor does it offer solutions. It is an economic analysis that reveals what I feel are the key areas to focus on in order to bring about a stable SWG economic environemnt. I will gather comments and suggestions and eventually formulate a few suggestions the devs can use if they wish.

Sincerely,
Ancus Marcius a hubble and struggling businessman.

lol how many times have you posted that cause I know you got that saved in a text file so you can cut and paste. Your right though in your post these simple solutions that people are thinking of like "We will jsut get everybody to price the same will not work simply because it is in our nature to win and if you get the business even if you cut your profit to razor thin margins or even an acceptable loss you win. because while your staying afloat the others are drowning. The key is to involve as many people in the process as possible and make sure that no one person can do it all by themselves. we need a minimum of 4 seperations in the prosess of going from ground to market.

1. removing resources from the ground(Miner)

2. refining resources into usuable material(Miner)

3. creating plans to make the actual items.(Crafter)

4. manufacturing components to create said items.(Industrialist)

5. using components to make the final items.(Crafter)

6. placing the items in the market for consumers.(Merchant)

if you seperate these functions enough the fact that people have to work together will help balance out some this problem we have ..... the otherpart of the solution is to make structures have to be replaced from time to time to create a re occuring market. We have a closed economy which means if there is no decay there is nor recycling of customers. with skill surrendering there is no reason to even delete/make new characters.

Money is also taken out of the system by:

1. Travel ticket costs


2. Insurance and cloning fees


3. 5% bank-to-bank transfer fees


4. Players leaving the game permanently and not giving away all their credits.


5. Remaining credits in a structure when destroying or re-deeding

Nala Ember - Installation Designer

Chilastra - Corellia - Doaba Guerfel