Merchant Archive
Thread: is playing as a merchant/crafter a strategy game?
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Ffej_Cra
Sun Oct 03, 2004 12:35 am
#1
I posted that in the "core systems" area, since it's a very broad topic, but I would be most interested in hearing reactions from merchants and crafters.
If for some reason the link doesn't work, the title is "concept - RPG shell, action and strategy nested".
Thanks.
rexan
Mon Oct 04, 2004 9:35 am
#2
Ffej_Cra wrote:
I posted that in the "core systems" area, since it's a very broad topic, but I would be most interested in hearing reactions from merchants and crafters.
If for some reason the link doesn't work, the title is "concept - RPG shell, action and strategy nested".
Thanks.
A wise bothan once said, "Too many people fail to realize that the Economy in Star Wars Galaxies is just another form of PvP".
Sure, you can consider is more like a strategy aspect of the game. I consider it one of the ultimate forms of roll playing. But I dont think a seperate interface is needed.
OditeFosore
Mon Oct 04, 2004 10:07 am
#3
I think it's a strategy game - pricing strategy, marketing strategy, skill point expenditure, how many locations you maintain - these are all strategic decisions you make as a merchant/crafter in SWG. SimCity is considered a strategy game also - strategy games aren't limited to just battlefield tactic games if you're including these types of strategy.
One of the most impressive successes of SOE in creating SWG was the creation of a player economy that actually matters, where credits mean something and are useful and where loot is regularly traded to other player characters for credits that are then put back into the economy for other items - it's never been done as well before. Getting control of those credits in SWG takes strategy - the average player is constantly broke and there are a small few that hold the majority of the wealth - very similar to RL.
LadyGrey
Mon Oct 04, 2004 11:04 am
#4
I have found it interesting, after a year of playing, that my sales through the bazaar have far outstripped my sales through my vendors. Probably mostly a matter of bad luck, such as having what I though was a front-row position near Theed for a merchant tent, and then finding a HUGE house placed right in front of it a few days later. But made many millions selling some select crafted items (not resources) on the bazaar, thus supporting my attempts at creating several very nice stores in various places. Truly ironic. However, it did also fund my ability to play the game in my own fashion, and have been having a lot of fun until just recently, so can't complain too much.
Bazalan
Mon Oct 04, 2004 11:56 pm
#5
Yeah I consider Merchant more of a strategy game. Unlike most classes you don't need to be a master to be efficient in the profession. Even a novice merchant with good strategy can outsell a master merchant with poor strategy. Until the item limits on vendors were imposed there was little need to go beyond Novice unless you just had to have more vendors.
In relation to other professions, a novice rifleman has no chance of killing a Krayt but a Master Rifleman can with some effort.
In relation to other professions, a novice rifleman has no chance of killing a Krayt but a Master Rifleman can with some effort.
Olanthe
Tue Oct 05, 2004 5:45 am
#6
Good point Bazzalan. Merchant "skill" has mostly to do with the player. Advancing in the profession just gives them extra tools to use to do their thing.
Ffej_Cra
Sun Oct 10, 2004 5:55 am
#7
"Sure, you can consider is more like a strategy aspect of the game. I consider it one of the ultimate forms of roll playing. But I dont think a seperate interface is needed. "
I think an improved interface could improve the experience a lot, especially for people who have been playing for a long time and have a lot of things to track and organize.
How many people use spreadsheets or some other tool outside the game to track inventory? Wouldn't it be nice to have something like that that actually interfaces with the game (so you don't have to enter info by hand?)
If you are like me, you have resource containers and components scattered between multiple buildings and factories, and if you start to work on crafting something that requires many resources, you have to spend a bunch of time finding the right resources amongst your stock before you start.
One thing that would be nice - how about a building, call it a "manufacturing facility core" or something - that would be set up to help with that? You set up the core, then you can set up factories in proximity to the core, and the core automatically interfaces with and controls the factories. The core handles storage logistics - it combines all of the available storage from the factories, and makes it all available to you in the central location. You can manufacture items in any of the factories using components stored in any of them, and even set it to que up runs so that when one run is finished another starts. (So the core can hold multiple schematics.)
Is that a pipe dream? It seems reasonable, both from the dev standpoint and from a game logic/balance standpoint.
So any resources that I have deposited in that manufacturing facility are available, and the manufacturing and storage capacity of attached factories are available. If you could then control that facility through a more sophisticated interface - something with functionality similar to what you would expect to see in any basic business sim game - think how slick that could be, without being disruptive to the game.
Add in the ability to automatically ship items to vendors and/or the bazaar, and you are really in business.
I think an improved interface could improve the experience a lot, especially for people who have been playing for a long time and have a lot of things to track and organize.
How many people use spreadsheets or some other tool outside the game to track inventory? Wouldn't it be nice to have something like that that actually interfaces with the game (so you don't have to enter info by hand?)
If you are like me, you have resource containers and components scattered between multiple buildings and factories, and if you start to work on crafting something that requires many resources, you have to spend a bunch of time finding the right resources amongst your stock before you start.
One thing that would be nice - how about a building, call it a "manufacturing facility core" or something - that would be set up to help with that? You set up the core, then you can set up factories in proximity to the core, and the core automatically interfaces with and controls the factories. The core handles storage logistics - it combines all of the available storage from the factories, and makes it all available to you in the central location. You can manufacture items in any of the factories using components stored in any of them, and even set it to que up runs so that when one run is finished another starts. (So the core can hold multiple schematics.)
Is that a pipe dream? It seems reasonable, both from the dev standpoint and from a game logic/balance standpoint.
So any resources that I have deposited in that manufacturing facility are available, and the manufacturing and storage capacity of attached factories are available. If you could then control that facility through a more sophisticated interface - something with functionality similar to what you would expect to see in any basic business sim game - think how slick that could be, without being disruptive to the game.
Add in the ability to automatically ship items to vendors and/or the bazaar, and you are really in business.
PaladinX333
Sun Oct 10, 2004 7:19 am
#8
Bazalan wrote:
In relation to other professions, a novice rifleman has no chance of killing a Krayt but a Master Rifleman can with some effort.
Do to template limitations, I am a novice rifleman and a novice merchant. Not only can I not kill the Krayt, I have little chance of selling it something either.
GraySeven
Sun Oct 10, 2004 9:24 am
#9
You know, some things sold on the Bazaar sell better than they would in a vendor...
My early crafting was financed through the sell of Fusion Power on the bazaar at 1.5 cpu. I'd easily sell out in a few hours...
It is about strategy. I'm growing my niche as a Custom Droid maker. I decided on this because it allows me to craft on an "as needed" basis and free up vendor space for my Organic Resource and Armor sales. Others pump out 1000 unit runs of BH droids.
Yeah, Crafter PvP is a good descriptor. He with the most credits wins.
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