Brewing Numbers - Port Hates Money

This is one of the challenges of trying to build a "real" world economy in a video game. Real world economies work on supply and demand. The problem with games is when you sell to NPC vendors there is an unlimited supply which keeps values the same because there is no demand to balance it. The only way I can see a "real" world fix to it (which would mean a lot of hard coding), is to have NPC have a demand. So brewing could only be sold to NPC inn keepers that adjust what they pay based on how many beers they buy in an slotted time. If I flood this vender he will lower what he pays me because I sold way more then his inn will serve in a given time so there is a diminished return. This would force Brewers to travel around the map finding innkeepers who need a supply. I mean selling brew to any NPC with unlimited access to a steady stream of profit does have potential to break the economy. Another huge miscalculation in trying to do a player run economy is their idea that some people would be gatherers that would sell to another person who is a refiner who would sell to a crafter is not how gamers play a game. We figure it is easier most times to do it all ourselves so there is very little need outside perhaps a guild to specialize in one area.

 

It's not only that -- NPC merchant's compete against those who grow crops, for example, apparently without the overhead players face. So you can't price your crops above what an NPC would sell them to another player for. The only general exception to that is Cotton, because NPC vendors don't sell it. So at least for agriculture, there's literally an artificial ceiling. And I understand why that is, it'd suck for non-agriculture players to be forced to pay high prices because, say, player-farmers worked together and kept the prices high, etc.

 

I agree. In a way I can see why port does that, if there were a larger player base they could either raise the cost of items sold at NPC vendors to create competition between RL players for consumers. Wealth should be at relatively equal rates for crafting or adventuring.

 

I'm fine with that solution, and curious why there isn't a character inventory limit in place already. I'm also for casks only maturing outside of player inventory, if that can be worked out somehow with the aging mechanics already in place.

 

There is a limit, but it's weight based. Reworking the game to also support an item limit on Avatars would cause all sorts of problems, as I previously noted, and it isn't a real solution, as I've also noted. What is needed is a solution that addresses the underlying problem. Many suggestions on potential workable solutions that make sense (such as the one you note here) have been made. Time will tell what actually happens I suppose.

 

I'd note that inventory limits would make decorating houses a nightmare. There are just so many problems adding this would create @DarkStarr

 

What is the limit? I've never reached it in normal gameplay, and cannot imagine circumstances where I would.

 

It's a weight based limit. It has exceptions in NPC, PRT, and POT towns so it doesn't affect one much there. If you're in a scene, it drains your focus and makes it near impossible to move as you steadily increase your weight past your limit. The "heavy lifter" skill and the "strength" skills both increase the amount you can carry.

 

I would find the brewing system much more engaging and immersive if I had to place the casks for them to mature at a reasonable pace.

mature rates:
in inventory/bank/ chest 0.1 mature rate
outside/ in house 0.5 mature rate
in basement/special structure 1 mature rate

 

So then what? Another set of crafting skills for brewing? AoE ingredient distribution? Use agriculture to brew?

Maybe we should pick up the cask, take it to a cooking station, and set it back down every time we want to fill it?

For RP 'inebriation' effects? Or a pretty cellar deco?

I farm on the side to make some cash for property rent. Brewing doesn't seem to have a use. Now it doesn't seem to have a positive side-effect benefit.

I've crafted up two of each recipe. The casks are a pretty addition to my basement, and the alcohol is now in my deco globe container. Woot...