Increase in taxes ruins my plans

Discussion in 'Player Owned Towns' started by Cianna, May 1, 2016.

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  1. Cianna

    Cianna Avatar

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    I just tried placing some restricted deeds in my POT and discovered the taxes have been increased on properties. Was this announced and I somehow missed it? Row lots went from $50 to $100 per day, village lots from $100 to $200 per day. (Don't know about the others -- out of my league.) I know this won't matter to a lot of players, but for me it pretty much kills my plans to offer free housing to new players while they get on their feet. My play style does not lend itself to being rich in game.

    *sigh* This game is slowly becoming more and more like something I don't want to play.
     
  2. Kara Brae

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    The question of taxes has never been answered as a fixed sum of gold. In a dev hangout it was explained that the tax would be calculated according to the number of hours it takes to earn superfluous gold (i.e. gold left over after covering basic needs like repairs, etc.) in the game. I can't remember the exact numbers of hours - maybe someone has those quotes handy. (Something like 8 hours of gameplay a week needed to pay a month's rent on a town lot. These numbers are not accurate, but give an idea of the thinking.)

    For individuals wanting a lot for themselves, this is affordable. A casual player who logs on only once every few weeks will, however, certainly not be happy with a city or town lot.

    For players like you who want to provide living space for others, there is only the option of asking the residents to foot the bill for the tax. I think this is extremely fair, and I don't think that the homeless would object.

    Nevertheless, I think it is a hardship on POT owners who want to do good.
     
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  3. Cianna

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    It does make it hard. I just have to rethink everything I guess. I never wanted to have to charge new players. It was part of my avatar's RP mission to help. Guess I can always melt down the extra deeds I bought. Thanks, @Kara Brae .
     
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  4. Satan Himself

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    Just bought a village POT deed on the assumption that tax would be 100 per day, now that's doubled since the last release. For someone who will have limited playing time, 6000 gold per month is pretty stiff (that's what she said :eek:). Having to spend a lot of time earning gold just to pay taxes seems more like a job than a game.

    We need some more detailed guidance on tax rates. If I don't have more info by the next wipe I may have to melt my village deed. :(
     
  5. Selene

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    I wish if they were going to make the taxes closer to the actual tax plans in the game, they would also make the royal scepter functional, so we can reduce the tax on a taxable lot.
     
  6. Drocis the Devious

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    Interesting that they changed the rates so soon. This is probably do to the extreme amount of inflation in the game at the moment.

    The health of the overall economy is what is driving this, and we're probably going to see quite a bit of changes over the next 6 months before it settles down. Really 100 to 200 gold a day isn't that much, we're still only talking about less than an hour of playing time per day. But the 50% increase is something that anyone would feel during the short term.

    @DarkStarr Here's a question people will be asking eventually. When you change taxes, what's that do to the people that paid ahead on their taxes? For example, in the future if someone pays ahead at 100 gold per day, what does that do if taxes change to 200 gold per day? Does the person get credit for the days already paid or does the day count revert to the new tax rate making them already in default? I would hope the former is true and the person gets credit for the days already paid in.
     
  7. Roycestein Kaelstrom

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    More reason for POT owners to receive cut from
    taxes.
     
  8. Leostorm

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    200 gold is like killing 3-4skeletons.
    i think you could achieve your plan. just not on day 1. if u save up a few thousand then u should be fine. but yea does take more planing. but ya know.. balance.
     
  9. Cianna

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    @Leostorm, but that's for one deed. I was planning on multiples. And I don't wish to play a game mode where I have to spend the majority of my time working just to pay taxes. Too much like real life.
     
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  10. Leostorm

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    thats why i said ud have to save up a few thousand. which really isnt that tough. but yea too many can im sure overwhelm you. But i suppose its to balance greedy people. and us nice guys gotta suffer for it.
     
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  11. Earl Atogrim von Draken

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    We are talking about 20 skeletons in a random starting Zone per day.
    If you can't manage that you should reconcider your project.
    One evening of farming and you are good for 1-2 weeks.
     
  12. Selene

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    I know it won't be available until some time post the final wipe, but...

    Will be a way to use a single property to provide space to multiple new players. If you think the tax burden will be too difficult, you might want to consider, instead of multiple taxable lots, to get a secondary tax free account, which you could then let rooms to new players so they would have a place to start their journey. Or (as I assume you are Lord or above) invest in a single larger taxable lot and rent rooms to players that way. You will be able to use your royal scepter to half the rent on that property (eventually) and should make it an easier burden to bear. Just an idea. :)
     
  13. Sean Silverfoot

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    Have to say the prior taxes were too low. I shouldn't be able to hold a town lot and 3 village lots.
     
  14. Gideon Thrax

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    This is basically the equivalent of a city lot and village lot. Why should lot deeds be expensive, rare, and heavily taxed? Three constraints, imo, is one constraint too many. Make them rare and heavily taxed - but make them affordable. -or- Make them expensive and heavily taxed, but make them available. -or- Keep them rare, and expensive, and allow the taxes to remain affordable.
     
  15. Elnoth

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    There are other options. You could always use cold hard cash to pay for rent (buy buying items from add on store and selling them in game for gold).
     
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  16. Cianna

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    Well, sure I could. But having already paid for the POT and the many deeds (both tax free and taxable) to do this project, the last thing I want to do is spend more cash to pay for the high taxes. I know people love to hate on POT owners, but buying the POT land, then having to buy deeds to use the land, then having to pay taxes to use some of the deeds, is all a bit too many dips in my pocket. At this point, I'll figure out a way to make it work, or abandon the project.
     
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  17. Elnoth

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    I know it doesn't help your cause, but this article sums up the ideas behind rent that RG has. Some interesting thoughts in the article based on no subscriptions, pledges being "paid upfront" effectively (hence tax free), and also how you will have the option to pay for rent with real money in the article. Rent is for more than just balancing the game with a goldsink.
     
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  18. Cianna

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    @Elnoth, thanks, I'll give it a read.
     
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  19. mikeaw1101

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    Sorry, but this thread just rubbed me the wrong way. As if grinding wasn't boring enough, this game is going to make us grind for tax money paid to the game? What about people who can't log on for "1 hour per day" consistently, or any regular interval for that matter? A suggestion: don't pressure people to play a game like it's some kind of r/l responsibility *BLECHH*. For exampl I play games when I'm in the mood (and have time), not because I need tooooooooooooooo man.... Anyone else relate? Game supposed to = leisure activity; repetitive maintenance activities= the lame parts of real life... Can someone please explain the reasoning behind this tax mechanic, and how it is supposed to attract new players say, 5 years down the road? Assuming they will want houses to display their swag (ah which seems the main focus of this game btw - HOUSING and PROPERTY). Signed, a disappointed fan.:( Again...
     
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  20. Elnoth

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    The tax mechanic is not intended to attract new players. It is simply a game mechanic that can be used to both balance the economy, and provide a means for Portalarium to draw an income to support the games development and future (by income I refer to the sale of tax free deeds in pledges, and the potential to offer alternative rent payment methods in the future)
     
  21. mikeaw1101

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    ^^Good point. BUT: in it's current iteration I can see it actually driving away potential players, which is even worse.

    p.s. Btw I hate to say it, but in rebuttal to the numerous forum suggestions of "just pay in real life currency" to maintain lot ownership- that is a PAY TO PLAY TACTIC. A disturbing line of reasoning to be sure. This game was never free to play in the first place. This is not a smartphone/tablet game. If what you say is truly why it's being done, then shame on Portalarium.
     
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