Complaint: NPC's selling and buying for rubbish prices.

Dante Drackendoor_ · Post by **Dante Drackendoor_** » Tue May 30, 2006 11:42 pm

I was showing Jalen (New player) Hwo to sell a dagger and in ooc I said ((ask if he buys a dagger)) and the NPC (Ranger) sold me a dagger for 80 copper, I sold it back and he bought it for 5 copper. Like WTF! A crappy dagger for 80 coppers, and buying the same one for 5.... I think all NPC's should lower their prices and higher their buying prices, this would make lots of people happier.

Azuros · Post by **Azuros** » Tue May 30, 2006 11:47 pm

yes it can get very annoying....especially when its not what you want...example:

Azuros: Price of hatchet
Sam: The hatchet costs 15 copperpieces.
Azuros: I want to buy 1 hatchet
Sam: You want 1 hat? Here you are, that makes 15 copperpieces.
Azuros: I want to sell 1 hat
Sam: You want to sell a hat? I give you 2 copperpieces.

.......this was very annoying, that was the last of my money too....oh and he wouldnt accept axe as a thing he sells

Retlak · Post by **Retlak** » Tue May 30, 2006 11:48 pm

ROFL i have done that 50 times!

Nalzaxx · Post by **Nalzaxx** » Tue May 30, 2006 11:49 pm

LoL

NPC Traders like hats don't they.

The one at the hospital insists on telling you a hat costs 15 coppers no matter WHAT you want to buy.

Azuros · Post by **Azuros** » Tue May 30, 2006 11:51 pm

they must be overstocked full of them ^^
imagine this in real life:

me: yes, i want to buy an ice cream cone
icecream man: here, the hat is $50
me: I WANT ICECREAM!
icecream man: here a hat! that will be $50!

Jon Childs · Post by **Jon Childs** » Tue May 30, 2006 11:52 pm

Azuros wrote:they must be overstocked full of them ^^
imagine this in real life:

me: yes, i want to buy an ice cream cone
icecream man: here, the hat is $50
me: I WANT ICECREAM!
icecream man: here a hat! that will be $50!

Rofl.

falco1029 · Post by **falco1029** » Wed May 31, 2006 12:48 am

Azuros wrote:they must be overstocked full of them ^^
imagine this in real life:

me: yes, i want to buy an ice cream cone
icecream man: here, the hat is $50
me: I WANT ICECREAM!
icecream man: here a hat! that will be $50!

thats great

Salathe · Post by **Salathe** » Wed May 31, 2006 1:17 am

lets have eliza pay more for lor angur too eh?

Arameh · Post by **Arameh** » Wed May 31, 2006 1:35 am

Personally, I think every prices should be changed...like a major change, but maybe the GMs could ask the players to make them more balanced.

Poots · Post by **Poots** » Wed May 31, 2006 4:57 am

stop complaining, no npc buys rings. they don't buy almost any of my wares.

the npc's are meant to be a last resort. if they had fair prices, why buy from players? why sell to players? I mean, the npcs are always there, always buy, and have lots of money right?

buy from the npc when nobody is on, or you can't find a player to sell some.

Post by **Estralis Seborian** » Wed May 31, 2006 1:25 pm

I am working on this subject currently. However, my plans are that the ratio becomes even more extreme, like 1:10 to 1:20. The reasons are simple:

Traders = ItemSink+moneySource
If (gained.money > lost.money) then
do inflation(like.hell);
run economy:unstable(squared);
end

In english: If the amount of copper gained thru traders becomes very high compared to the money drawn out of the economy by various ways, the economy becomes unstable (world economic crisis, anyone?). Just trust me in this.

I have not enough time to explain everything in detail, but if somebody is really interested in boosting the economy, contact me. I can use any help - in case you have real knowledge in economy like a you're doing a MBA.

Bloodhearte · Post by **Bloodhearte** » Wed May 31, 2006 1:46 pm

Yeah, the prices that the NPC buys ham at sucks balls too.

Seriously, my character has to work like an underpaid child laborer in Cambodia just so I can finally buy my beloved, (breakable) two handed sword. Then I have to work some more to buy some armor that won't get me womped in a duel. WTF?

Nalzaxx · Post by **Nalzaxx** » Wed May 31, 2006 2:33 pm

How about simply adding a check before you buy/sell something.

For example:

Man: Hello there I want to buy 3 bottles.
Trader: 3 bottles costs 12 copper, do you want to buy this?
Man: Yes please/No thanks

Pronon Palmsuger · Post by **Pronon Palmsuger** » Wed May 31, 2006 6:28 pm

The economy of Illarion will always be unstable. Real world Economic principle doesn't fully apply.

The value of items is thrown off due to:

1. The NPC's stark value contrast to players
2. An inconsistant ratio of price (I.e Ham being valued the same as apples (this is a poor example, but I don't know enough about armours and weapons to use one of those)
3. An inconsistant ratio of required matierals to goods produced
4. Inconsistant supply and demand (The food market is functionally non-existant whereas the weapons market is seemingly a gold mine)
5. Tossed about due to long standing Monopolys. Salathe will always dominate the smithing market.
6. No market for Luxury. Luxury points don't exist and fancy items can't be seen so there is not point in having fingers adorned with rings of all colours and drinking from only golden goblets.
7. An unlimited supply of coins

These problems are functionally unfixable, the game will just always have these problems and they'll have to be dealt with by the players.

I'll help with this if you want me to, but I have to contend that the economic instability is only limitable and fundamentally un-preventable. You would have to come up with a whole new economic formula and scapr most of the real-world economic principles.