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Can we Please get a Economic Hierarchy

tragamitestragamites Member Posts: 424 Arc User
The Monetary system of this game seems so lost in its own sauce that there is no real system at all. I know this may look TLTR but I hope you can give it a chance and add your input.

We started the game with Energy Credits (EC) and got Marks for STFs and PvP. I was pretty basic but you knew what you had to do to earn the "money" you were looking for. We got the Cryptic Store that has a Real Money basis for tranactions and usage which again is all fine and dandy. Then we got Gold Pressed Latinum (GPL) with not true value to it at all and the Dilithiam (Dil) which really has overtaken EC has the true economic source in the game. And the STF and PvP marks were taken away only to be eventually replaced with Reputation Marks for end game content.

But where in all this is the greater value? It seem to me that the current structure of the economic chain from top to bottom goes like this, Zen, Dil, EC with GPL and Marks just kinda thrown in for added confusion.

The way I would see the econmic catastophy being fixed is to set a true Hierarchy of monetary value. First we need to set values based on what resorces are obtained by the currency. So I would propose the following structure for monetary values in game.

1 EC: The most basic of funds. Used to purchase "normal quality" Items and advance toward GPL.

2 GPL: The trade currency. This is used to purchase form various venders for uncommon and rare comodities. An improvement of the normal quality that can be purchased with EC. Additionally you should be able to trade with certain vendors your GPL for Dil.

3 Dil: The rare rescource. Used to improve exsisting services and equipment. These items would be rare and very rare in quality when puchased. I do not disagree with it being used to upgrade space stations or to unlock items from Reputation. Dil converts to Zen.

4 Zen: Zen is purchased with real money to aquire the "Elite" artifacts of the game. These should not give advantages over other purchase methods so as to eliminate the idea of a PAY to WIN concept but rather speed the process in which you could obtain items in game.

The Devs have said that all items that go into the C-Store will have a means to be aquired by other means in game. Yet this has not been the case in most instances. Deltaflyer was available through a crafting process, GOOD! The Galaxy Dreadnaught could be obtained through recruitment, GOOD! All other in game ships must be purchased, NOT GOOD.

Now I understand the Cryptic and Perfect World needs to make thier money and I am not against that which is why I feel that the Zen-Store is a way for people to quickly purchase Items in game rather than work for them.

The Final Monetary item in game...Marks.
5 Marks: An independant monetary system used based on gameplay and achievement. Instead of us turning in these Marks to improve rep or build the station, they should be used like currency. Kind of how they are used for construction of space stations game play marks should have 3 base charactorizations, PvE, PvP and Fleet. This "money" is used pased on the type of game you choose to play.

PvE Marks: These are your rep rewards by doing PvE missions. By doing a mission that supports a certain group (i.e. STFs for Omega or New Romulas for Romulan) you will earn not only rep but the Marks to be used where you see fit. The rep system could stay intact yet instead of spending Dilithiam for what you've unlocked in the stores you would spend your Marks.

PvP Marks: Earned by engaging in PvP missions enable you to purchase items that give you a slight bonus in your PvP game. Additionally you should earn a PvP Ranking (Rep) that works similar to the DOff achiement system. Earning titles and and unlocking new options for the PvP player.

Fleet Marks: These are only obtained to players who are part of a Fleet and work with the fleet to earn achievments. A similar rep system should be added to the fleet utilizing how you cooperate within your respective fleet. This could make it easier for small fleets to keep up with larger fleets. However, this could be used to open up unlockable features for fleets such as expanding the fleet bank slots easier to obtain for large fleet than small fleets based ot the points added by fleet cooperation and achievements.

Additionally added effectiveness to the currancy system is your accomplishments through the DOff system.

DOff achievments should help reduce some overall costs based on the areas where you have achieved ecellence. Diplomacy and Marauding could add access to special events to earn special rewards. Trade and espionage could grant access to special vendors around the galaxy offer specialty items. Colonial and Recruitment could grant access to special DOff and BOff vendors for rare and unique offers for your ship, etc.

However the key to all of this is to have a system to trade up or down for the resources that you need to advance yourself in game. You will always earn EC that you can convert to GPL that you should be able to trade for Dil and then sell for Zen. Likewise you can sell your Zen to aquire Dil that can be traded for GPL that can be traded for EC. All the while MARKs must be earned through game play and are used for specific purposes.

I really believe this will effectively give balance to the economic system that truely has no real direction and is causing massive inflation or deflation in the value of items in game.

I welcome constructive criticism...
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
Post edited by tragamites on

Comments

  • markhawkmanmarkhawkman Member Posts: 35,236 Arc User
    edited December 2012
    In a word: no.

    The concept of a heirarchy is based on the flawed premise that currencies have intrinsic values compared to each other. They don't. They're different because you spend them on different things and can't directly convert them.

    Also, Marks aren't really currency. You don't actually spend them on things.... They're more like a resource.
    -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
    My character Tsin'xing
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  • tragamitestragamites Member Posts: 424 Arc User
    edited December 2012
    In a word: no.

    The concept of a heirarchy is based on the flawed premise that currencies have intrinsic values compared to each other. They don't. They're different because you spend them on different things and can't directly convert them.

    Also, Marks aren't really currency. You don't actually spend them on things.... They're more like a resource.

    I guess you missed the point of the post, that is what I am trying to suggest. We don't spend them on different things. You use EC to purchase common ship parts and ground equipment and Dil to puchase advanced ship parts and ground equipment. GPL is the difference in that you can really only buy holo projectors and a few trophies.

    I would like to see this changed so that when you got to Ferengi or shady vendors you can use your GPL to puchase different items. In this way establish a currancy hierarchy that sets values to the currency where currently there is none.

    Yes currently Marks are simply commodities yet I feel that they should be a form of currancy for a particular set PvE, PvP and Fleet. This way when you unlock something in a Rep store you would use your PvE marks to purchase it. When you unlock something in your Fleet you use Fleet Marks to puchase it. And to improve your PvP systems you would use PvP marks to puchase them.

    It's simplistic and helpful for progression and fun! You play the game you want to play and earn the rewards in that manner.

    This way things can be added to the ZenStore and through a Mark system or monetary conversion process and you can have 2 or even 3 ways to earn anything in game.
    [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
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