Doctor Archive

I read the entire post and I respect that you're trying to promote something you think will add to our community of doctors. Please take the following critical analysis of your proposal in the constructive manner in which it is intended.

You have proposed acomplicated solution in search of a realproblem. First, I've never heard anyone complain that they couldn't find a doctor/medic unless they were on an advanced planet, in which case they can well afford to travel back to a more populated one. Were you aware that doctors already can register inside medical centers on the planetary map? Everyone knows to look in the medical centers for wound heals. When no one is there a patient can use the search function to find a medic or just travel to a busier city/planet.

As far as fair payment goes, it is not for lack of a game mechanic (ie your system)that medics cannot make money inside med centers.The fundamental reason is that novice medics and future doctors etc. are more than willing to heal gratis because they need XP. If you do find yourself in a position with leverage to charge for wound heals, why exactly do you need this registraton system instead of just using /diagnose and saying 'your wounds will cost 500 to heal, please tip prior to healing" ?

To summarize my objections: (1) Players and medical professionals do not have problems finding each other and (2) we don't have problems obtaining fair payment since we can use /diagnose and require up front payment. Therefore, implementing such a system would bea waste of the developers' time. Unless you can moreablydemonstrate we really need such a system, I must remain opposed to your proposal.

So getting back to Lurker's original idea.. how to maintain patient lists and safetly extract fees from people.

Well I think Arcdischarge pretty much hit the nail on the head: it's the medics giving away free wound healing that is killing their own profession.

Buff doctors have no issues (I charge 6K for a full set of 6 buffs, 1000-3000 range) and I have no shortage of customers.
Medical crafters have no issues (keep a stocked shop on the planetary map for more than a week and you will get regulars).

So the only issue is: extracting money for wound healing... which.. as Arcdischarge reminds us.. is borked because junior medics need XP and will do it for free.

Where there is demand you don't need to worry about patient lists or fees... people will gladly line up and pay you before you start! As a Master Doctor, sit yourself outside Coronet Starport for 5 minutes and I guarantee you will start getting tells!

Please, oh Please, consider implementing something like this!

Ah yes, to be able to live exclusively from healing people. A nice thought, but I doubt that it is going to be practically possible as long as medic and doctor novices require XP to aquire greater skills.

On the road to master doctor it is for the most part a moneyless grind for XP. Docs and medics practically fall over each other in order to get to a patient first and get the biggest chunk of XP. To put it in another way: XP are more important to medics/docs than money. This is the essence of the problem. As long as things stay that way, medics/docs will remain "poor" people untill such a time that they aquire the skill and the resources to actually make money on selling and administering enhancements.

The idea about making a payment system for healing services is however not half bad. But I agree with some of the people here that the proposed system (by Lurker950) may not be as easy to implement in practice. I allready foresee a problem with the pricing if it is to be set individually by the doctor/medic. A bidding war will no dobt break out untill you are down to 1c per healed wound or perhaps even zero. And in effect, you are in the same situation again. Novice medics/docs will lower their price to the extreme in their hunt for XP. Master Docs won't care, 'cause they are allready making a bundle on selling enhancements. We're back to square one.

But perhaps we could consider the excact opposite to the proposition. What if PATIENTS had to sign up at a registry at a "patient terminal", andlist the price they'd be willing to pay for a full heal (or perhaps a buff)? They could type anythign from zero to....whatever. Then the docs/medics could choose their patient like they choose a mission from a terminal. Just throwing a ball into play here.

Personally the problem for me as a novice doc is not the money. Because I happen to have a few good (and filthy rich) friends who provide me with virtually all the money I could possibly need. No, the real problem for me is getting resources. But it is not an usolvable issue. It's just realy hard. And also part of the game.

I like it!

I thnk the problem is actually twofold. Part of it is from those who, for wahtever reason, perfer not to charge. Part of it is the expectations of the patients, though, and that CAN be affected if there is a payment method in place. If we are allowed to place a charge of 0, that's fine, but it does reinforce the idea that payment can be offered for a viable service. THe fact that a payment screen exists would serve as a reminder, so I think the options that many folks have offered and suggested as payment methodologies for services all assist in providing that reminder which could provide a more visible method of changing social behavior in the matter.

At any rate I fail to see that such a thing would hurt us.

Simpler solution, person A asks Doc to heal or buff. Doc tells him his rates upfront 2-3k nominal heals 4-5k major heals with secondary wounds for a full heal, 6-10k buff set. Player says yes or no. If yes tip and heal, if no Doc tells player sol go find someone who isn't making money and haggle with them on a cheaper heal/buff.

Some phrases docs should learn:
No.
Go master doc then you can say how much you think we should charge to heal you.
Enjoy the trip back to the cloning facility for more wounds.
We keep you alive we run the game now pay us. You can fight without a weapon, armor, clothing but how far will you get without a full HA bar?

I can go on but you get the point.

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Zarlor wrote:

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Arcdischarge wrote:

To summarize my objections: (1) Players and medical professionals do not have problems finding each other and

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So this isn't a solution looking for a problem. There is a very legitimate problem here, for at least a sizable group of Doctors.

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The proposal offered here does not address the underlying cause behind the fact that wound healing is not a viable money-making profession for doctors. It offers, arguably, a more efficient way of organizing payment for wound healing services, which isn't the problem at all. The problem is that wound healing services are commonly offered for free (without asking for payment, perhaps hoping for a tip) by those who need medical XP. So a payment system is besides the point when the going rate is zero, and that is what I mean when I say this is a solution in search of a problem. It's beside the point unless you want to force a minimum payment for wound healing services, which I believe would do more harm than good. Despite the grumblings of our community, it is we ourselves who have created this monster, because it is ourselves who offer free wound heals. We are the problem not the payment mechanics.

Lurker, I really like your idea. Not only are we sure to earn some money, but we will be rated for our work.

Best proposal I have yet read about.