Quote:
Very simple formula :
Demand + supply = problem
solution to solve this problem
Take away "demand" or "supply" then there is no more problem.
Hmmm. Only half right.
Removing the supply has no effect on the demand. In fact it will only increase the demand and that would only inspire others to meet that demand and open new lines of supply.
Supply is a direct product of demand. If there is no demand then there will be no supply due to the lack of interest. However, this game requires you to make money, and make it through increasingly time consuming means. Thus the demand for cash is always high. Alternative means of meeting that demand will of course always appear as a result.
The most obvious solution, is also the least effective. One would assume that if the ability to aquire gil in game were not as time consuming, people would be less likely to seek other means of acqurig it. However if the currency is more readily available, and larger amounts of it enter circulation as a result, the overall value drops, those creating an inflationary state where prices climb. So the currency is easier to acquire but is now worth less so now you need to acquire more to meet the same needs.
Oddly, this is NOT something that happens (exactly) when a person buys currency through RMT. SquareEnix is the only one who controls the value of currency by controlling its availability. new money is injected into the game via beastmen drops and sales to NPCs and Guilds. Gill sellers can only move around exiting money. So their funds are already factored into the game by SE and impact absolutely nothing in traditional economic terms. It's no better or worse than the person who sits on their money in a cookie jar and then one day goes and spends it all at the mall.
SE understand this, it's why the prices of all fish were slashed in half in the last update. Fishermen were responsible for far too much new currency flowing into the economy.
Stil the problem exists, how to create an easier means of obtaining currency, which would obviate the need for a secondary supply channel (gil sellers) and not unbalance the economy even further.
The solution isn't simple. We are hard wired as humans to accept a certain amount of effort in exchange for results, we are also hard wired to look for was to minimize effort while maximizing the results of that effort. End result.. a half dozen clicks and a couple of IRL $$ are an easier effort than several hours farming in a game for the same results.
Proof of the willingness of most people to part with money in exchange for 'free time' is the entire IRL concept of comp-time. THe exchange of overtime pay for vacation time. We gladly give up 1.5 times out rate of pay for 1 hour of vacation time. in effect, 'buyin' it from our employers. No way you are ever going to change the willingness of people to pay for leisure time. And THAT is your main problem. People see buying gil as exchanging work time for leisure time....and gil SELLERS are only providing a highly in demand service. Plain and simple.
Oh, on a side note, I agree, in principle at least, to the idea that certain drops should be RARE/EX. EQ has a far better solutionl. Some items in game can be kept by you and you may have several of the item. However it may not sold or traded to another player or placed for sale. You have the options only to Store, equip, repair, or destroy the item.
Edited, Thu Mar 17 12:20:31 2005 by airamis