eRep Shock Syndrome Now A Confirmed Epidemic
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by Acacia Mason
The sky is falling...the sky is falling...it hit me in the head!
The last couple of weeks have been witness to one of the hardest market depressions I have seen in some time. WRM/FRM/Weapons prices are falling faster than a hookers panties at Rylde’s house.
What I am seeing is a mix of eRep Shock Syndrome where I am witnessing numerous players sitting in corners, arms wrapped around their knees, rocking back and forth while chanting, “The bot will save us...the bot will save us” (Thanks Connor Macleod for that reference)
Indeed...where is the Plato bot now?
What we have here is a classic case of an imbalance of supply and demand mixed with managers who are too scared to hold on and wait out the storm. Prices are being undercut routinely and profit margins are getting tighter than my underwear after a night on 4Chan. The fact is, we can not continue at this pace and expect to be able to continue to run our companies. With the return of the bot nowhere on the horizon, it is time to float some ideas and see where that takes us.
I have to think there is a way for the admins to resolve this problem with as little impact to the game as possible. The idea I would like to pitch is this:
I would like to see Snimda introduce a floor to market prices. This floor would be set at a minimum twice daily and would reflect the prevailing market averages. A Manager would not be able to post product for sale below the floor. If at the time of market reset, the floor increased, all products now below the floor would be bought up by the bot and the new floor would be set until the next reset.
This however would not solve the issue of too much supply and not enough demand. Those of you who remember V1, will recall that there was once a skill/health incentive to working. I am not advocating the return of the health modifier, but I am advocating the return of the skill modifier. Its a simple way to dial down production just enough to help obtain market equilibrium. It would also open up the door to further gold incentives for advancing in skill level.
Now...neither of these things is happening now and neither of them may ever happen. We can hope, we can discuss, and we can throw around ideas. From ideas we may be able to influence changes in the game...in the future. What I do know however is this. Continuing on our current course is not working. Change is needed...the patient is sick and an intervention is required.
In the interim, maybe its time for Managers to become more accountable and responsible. Undercutting the lowest price is immature and hurts everyone...yourself included
Out of a job yet? Keep undercutting...
Now, I know the advocates for the free market system will have their knives sharpened and drawn for me. Before you go to cut out your pound of flesh however, let me ask you to pause, reflect, and come back with some other ideas. I am not an economic guru, but I know when something is broken and needs fixing. Maybe YOU have a solution I didn’t think of...lets hear it!
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Foist!
You're right,but admin is intrested in 1 thing, and for that here are his plansfor the future:
http://www.erepublik.com/en/article/-r-ouml-vid-cikk-a-k-ouml-vetkez-prom-oacute-ci-oacute-r-oacute-l-admins-next-promo-2011516/1/20
The bot is still on. At least it is in Oz. Plato has just been dropping the bot price every 5 days or so. Raw is now .18.
Weapons prices are falling faster than a hookers panties at Rylde’s house.
LOL
Returning skill levels for workers, with corresponding lesser pay for less skilled workers, might to serve to increase overall production. It would make it feasible for 1-4 level factories to hire and use more raw materials. With lower level players having lower salaries, lower level weapons and food may have a higher demand.
I hate the idiots who undercut prices. Ruining it for the people with half a brain.
yes i also noticed the bot is stil on. prices have been levelling off and then suddenly dropping. somebody has even made a graph which clearly shows it.
so far it really just looks like the admins are experimenting with the market.
re: undercutting. was name calling really needed. if your storage is full or your wallet empty, waiting for a sunny day just isnt possible. and since demand is so massively below supply massive deflation is the inevitable result.
http://www.erepublik.com/en/article/miss-eworld-voting--2013211/1/20
the graph screamingslave might be referring to:
http://www.erepublik.com/en/article/a-snapshot-of-falling-prices-and-rising-gold-value-2011466/1/20
wrm going down
wages going down
q6 tanks staing the same
what does this mean huge profits for the q6 owners
"tighter than my underwear after a night on 4Chan"
Voted and subscribed just for that.
Just theorizing:
If admins were to leave the market alone, then the current floor prices would no longer be upheld. Undercutting prices would abound, leading to a deflationary spiral. I get that supply naturally exceeds demand in a system where raws can be indefinitely created, but is there no way short of administrative action to correct economic problems in eRep?
One potential way to fix the economy, wouldn't effect the bot at all, in fact low prices would be ideal. Just increase the health recovery mechanic, either recover more, and/or recover faster. To have a real effect though the storage capacity of players would also have to go up, so they can hold more wellness. But then they can burn it, burn it faster, and more often, eating more food, and using more weapons.
Goran Thrax