Monday, April 28, 2008

The Future Is Gonna Cost More Money

A lot of people seem to be worried about the economy these days.

I'm not sure what's causing the problem.

Many people seem to think the war is to blame. Personally, I don't think it's a major factor. The market has changed several times since this war began.

Some people blame changing currency values, but that seems to be more of an effect than a cause.

Changing costs of food are caused by basic supply and demand for materials.

Honestly, though, it's not difficult to figure out what is causing our current economy crisis.

The damned players.

What?

What economy did you think I was talking about?

Every frickin' day someone has to complain to me about the economy.

Blah, blah, the economy used to be better.

Blah, blah, the economy sucks.

Blah, blah, fix the economy.

I'm going to let you in on a little secret. Are you ready?

The economy ain't broken.

Write that down.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with the economy in Vana'diel. Nothing at all. It is working exactly as it was intended to work.

See, the economy of Vana'diel is completely in control of the players. It was designed and implemented to be entirely dependent on player actions.

Do you know the only problem with this system?

Most players are idiots.

There's no point talking about how the economy used to be. That is the past. The past is not the present.

You might as well run on down to the elementary school and tell the kids how much a quarter was worth back in your day.

Today, a quarter don't buy shit.

I remember a time not long ago when twenty dollars would buy you a tank of gas. You'd go to the gas station, hand the guy a ten, and he'd fill it half way easy.

Now, try it. Go to the gas station and hand the guy a ten.

He'll have to go find a thimble.

Hell, he'd probably just waft some fumes into your tank.

But do I spend my day going into gas stations and complaining to the attendants?

No, I do not.

Why not?

BECAUSE I UNDERSTAND THAT THINGS CHANGE.

Sometimes, it sucks. I get that. No one likes seeing that piece of armor they bought for 14 million gil now selling for two hundred.

Remember that super expensive scorpion harness? They come free with a stack of mithkabobs now.

That Sniper Ring? You could sell it and buy half a stack of distilled water.

And why did all this happen?

Players.

No, no. Stop blaming the RMT. Sure, they screw with the AH, but so do regular players.

A lot of regular players.

Undercutting, price jacking, manipulating. All players.

The only way we could fix that is if we completely removed the AH system.

Or flew to all of your houses and hit you with ball peen hammers.

Do you know how much that would cost?

I don't know either, but apparently my supervisor said my plan was not "cost effective".

I would have provided the hammers.

The economy is not broken. The players are.

No, the economy is not the way it used to be. But that's the way it is. There's no point sitting around complaining about it anymore.

Let's stop living in the past, shall we?

13 Comments:

At 8:14 PM, Blogger Cafe World Cooking... For Real! said...

Oh i cannot say how MUCH i agree!!

 
At 8:59 PM, Blogger J. Scarper said...

OMG I'm the SECOND person to post a comment! WHOOOOO

lol Dave, the economy does suck. Thanks for reducing the number of retards in the world. You're going to heaven, i tell you XD

 
At 9:53 PM, Blogger Tidusjnr said...

yeah i completely agree, but hey it is like dave said, there is just a new ratio now. i still remeber when a stack of fire crystals used to cost 9k. damn i miss those days.

 
At 11:56 PM, Blogger Sparf said...

The solution to broken players is to break them further. But I think your economic stimulus package featuring ball peen hammers is too-little, too-late. We need sledgehammers and a healthy dose of 240 volts across the nipples for the really unruly cases.

 
At 1:28 AM, Blogger Korriban said...

Dave, you're right for the most part. The economy is in the hands of the players and players are idiots.

But you can't ignore the RMT effect on AH pricing. Mr "I have a few spare dollars this month, I'm going to buy some gil/gold/credits" goes out and spends 50% more on an item with his newly bought currency because he can. This in turn drives prices up.

Now, if you were to bring in the 'ball-peen' approach to the RMT buyers - that would be more than cost effective!

 
At 1:38 AM, Blogger MMtheBLM said...

Sirius, Lulz

 
At 5:10 AM, Blogger Daniel McPartlin said...

Personally, I greatly enjoy the economy. When you get gil from treasure chests and quests and even from monsters IT ACTUALLY MATTERS. A long time ago it was simply "Oh. 6k out of a chest. That'll buy me a stack of earth crystals." Now, 6k buys me almost a stack of Sushi (Tuna ftw) although... I do feel a little guilty about adding gil into the economy like that, but meh, the STFU removes about a billion a day. What's my 60k going to do? (I pop a LOT of chests)

 
At 6:40 AM, Blogger Bufuman said...

My only complaint about the economy is that people feel the need to price ANYTHING that's +1 above 10K. Even level 1 gear. There's something wrong there. Yet I do not bitch about it (too much) because bitching ain't gonna change it. So I just move the hell on. As should everyone else.

 
At 6:54 AM, Blogger Unknown said...

bufu, if people are pricing gear like that, then don't buy the gear. Go farm for the drop instead. It's that simple. No one's twisting your arm to buy it, or pay those prices.

As Dave said, it's the players, stupid.

 
At 8:34 AM, Blogger Jon R said...

"Let's stop living in the past, shall we?"

The past? But why, when it can be so utterly fulfilling?

Take this prime example, for instance; http://youtube.com/watch?v=eBGIQ7ZuuiU Instant win.

 
At 3:47 PM, Blogger Goblin Smithy said...

Dear Jon r,

Next time, you should probably try being a little more subtle.

Maybe you could type "THIS IS A RICK ROLL" in big red letters.

[GM]Dave

 
At 8:35 AM, Blogger Krebskolonist said...

Emotional talking is the enemy of success. Remember.

 
At 11:14 AM, Blogger TGM said...

"BECAUSE I UNDERSTAND THAT THINGS CHANGE."

Thank you. I can't tell you how many times I've said that to the whiners but they just don't get it. They think that because I'm old that I'm also nuts. Well [GM]Dave, you're either old or your nuts (according to them). Maybe both....?? <3

-TGM

 

Post a Comment

<< Home