Skybladev2
RUST 415
RUST415
4
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Posted - 2013.07.23 18:28:00 -
[1] - Quote
DISCLAIMER: This text is just my imagination partly based on official information. No one can prove that things go in way described here.
Recently CCP said, that they Gǣactively working towards <GǪ> Introducing a new "thing" to do that generates resources which EVE players care about.Gǥ This is what can be the first real step to become a true consolidation of Eve and Dust economy - exchange relations. The original idea was something like:
- Dust players own planets
- Dust players produce unique resources for Eve players and sell it
- Eve players produce unique resources for Dust players and sell it
The first point is partially completed GÇô Dust players can claim planetGÇÖs districts in Molden Heath region, a small part of Eve universe. But what should be next?
Well, we already know that there will be some kind of resource for Eve players generated by planets. LetGÇÖs assume that will be Robotics for example.
If developers make this resource controllable only by Dust players, there will be clear negative drawback: it can be accessible only in Molden Heath. But if developers make mixed mode, when some of Robotics will be generated by Dust owned planets and some by unoccupied planets, there will be zero economical effect GÇô no one want to buy that resource from such unstable region, where Eve players:
- Can not produce Robotics from Eve
- Will have supply delays because of districts attacks
- Do not know how high or low prices will be
So it is clear, that at least for some time Eve players will simply ignore that region and continue to produce Robotics in more predictable environment. In the end, mixed mode will not show developers the real importance of resource production by Dust players because it will have local effect. They need to create a real production cycle that will impact all universe to see, if their masterplan is viable. There can be only one or few resources that are manufactured on temperate planets, but it has to be worldwide.
Sooner or later will spread dust claiming across the universe. There are options here:
- Allow claim any free planet
- Allow claim only free planet that can be accessed from already owned planet in Molden Heath
I prefer second way, because it is much more smooth and fun. New clones transfer table partially proves this idea GÇô players will be able to leave Molden Heath region and claim adjacent regions.
Here we have the first milestone: Dust players will spread their planet claims across the universe, moving from Molden Heath.
Ok, we have all temperate planets claimed by Dust corps. Remember, that this is just claim for now, no resources are actually produced. Now count all temperate planets and all Dust players. According to http://evemaps.dotlan.net/region/planets, we have 1829 temperate planets in Empire regions, 2929 temperate planets in Outlaw regions and 2242 planets in Wormhole regions, 7000 in total. Each planet has about dozen of districts which results in 84000 districts. Ok, not dozen, ten, thatGÇÖll be 70000 districts. I assume the are about 10k dust players or less, so every player can have almost whole planet ^_^.
ThatGÇÖs bad news. Eve universe have much more space than dust players can fill. So I think developers shrink districts count to 1 or 2 per planet. I do not really see any reason to subdivide planet claim into districts. Maybe this is suitable for first time, but this only adds unnecessary complexity to sovereignty system.
So we have the second milestone: there will be no districts, corp can claim only whole planet.
Good, there are many planets and many corps that own them, how will they be spread out? This is relatively easy part GÇô depending on system security status. The lower the status:
- The higher planet resource output
- The lower price to attack that planet
It implies that null-sec planets will be attacked more often, than low-sec and high-sec. High-sec planets can produce so few resources, that it will be no profit to start an attack to it. There is no milestone for this information, but just keep it in mind.
And only now, when we have all temperate planets controlled by dust players, we can start to produce resources for Eve players and sell it. How will it look like?
Remember, that resource extraction from planet requires physical interactions with Customs office (http://wiki.eveonline.com/en/wiki/Customs_Office). So corporation produces some amount of resource and GÇ£sellsGÇ¥ it, i.e. places it into Customs office (if there is free space left). For the sake of simplicity IGÇÖll assume that there will be fixed prices for resource controlled by server for first time. This can have negative impact for Eve economy, but I think there will positive effect, because:
- Eve players can predict resource move more precise
- There will be no Dust ISK flooding from Eve players
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Skybladev2
RUST 415
RUST415
4
|
Posted - 2013.07.23 18:28:00 -
[2] - Quote
A couple of word how money for resources sold can spread within manufacturing corporation. There can be 2 main ways:
- All revenue transferred to corp wallet and only allowed people can decide how to pay players, who participated in planet conquest battles.
- All revenue is paid automatically according to some formulas.
Though I think the first way more plausible (because it causes more pain and drama), I will show, what I mean by GÇ£automaticGÇ¥ way of payment.
Amount of ISK paid to every player participated in PC is based on percentage of battles he fought in since corporation continuously possesses given district.
Say, we have 1 battle with 16 players, and they win this battle, started to produce resource and sell it. Then every time resource is sold for N ISK, each player who participated in battle, is given (N/16 GÇô taxes) ISK in his personal wallet. Now imagine that there is an attack to our planet and our corp has to defend it. But 1 man can not play this time and there are 15 old and 1 new player, that defend the planet. So when they win again, new payment will be calculated as (N / 32 * 2 - taxes) ISK for players participated in both battles and (N / 32 * 1- taxes) for players participated only in one battle.
I know that this formula does not take in account possible looses of every player (unlucky tank driver can spend much more money, then all other players in his team together), but you can understand basic idea.
Time to stress the third milestone: Dust corps sell resource(s) to Eve players.
Now we approach the trickiest part: Dust corps can assign desired prices for resources they produce. I can feel that game designers are afraid of that moment, because this will cause Eve marlet deflation and Dust market hyperinflation. This will be a hard part, but I believe developers can adjust it. I can foresee how :)
As I said, Dust corps will assign custom prices to their resources. This will result in huge ISK stream from Eve to Dust. As a result, corps involving in Planetary Conquest will receive significant amount of money. This time will be golden age of such corps GÇô almost infinity ISK. But almost is almost GÇô Eve players will not pay billions all the time to save a couple of millions from owning planets that produce needed resource. Also, there will be natural competition between Eve buyers, so prices will be stabilized after some amount of time.
That will be the right moment for developers to change situation. They should do two things at the same time:
- Increase market prices and income of all dust players for random/FW battles.
- Get rid of all (or most) money PC corps made by selling unique resources.
The first step is pretty obvious GÇô non-PC players will receive income from non-PC activity comparable to PC players. This must slow down inflation rate.
The second step is the most complex and important. If it fails GÇô merging fails. I currently donGÇÖt know how to perform it properly.
Maybe developers have to fix prices again and wait until market relaxation. Then return free pricing and see what happens. Repeat desired number of times.
Maybe they need to present some negative event for PC corps only that will burn their money. For example, Infestation, that will force players to defend their districts at all costs. But introducing such an event while keeping prices free can be dangerous as corps can increase prices to compensate their losses.
I hope there will be the fourth milestone: Dust corps sell resources at free prices.
This is a great state for now, but this is only one-way economic. What about Eve players?
Well, they can start to produce Dust items now. Not everything, of course, but something important and widely used by Dust players. Drop uplinks, for example. And sell it with free prices.
Why not fixed, you say? Because cost price of items can be much lower than developers think and Eve players will simply deny producing them.
What will happen if these items will cost too much? I donGÇÖt believe this will kill PC corps, but makes live harder to new players. Then developers can increase incomes for non-PC activity (yes, again) like public matches and maybe public PvE missions.
At last, this is the fifth milestone: Eve players produce and sell items to Dust players at free prices.
Now developers can introduce new resources to Eve players and produce new Dust items by Eve players, tweaking some parameters as needed and pray this wonGÇÖt blow up both game economies. |