trollson Report post Posted March 13, 2008 This is a good idea, and an interesting one as well. Lunch time musings... If no NPCs exchange platinum (pc) and gold coins (gc) any more, there is no fixed exchange rate [3]. The value of a pc in gc (and visa versa) depends on the "strength" of the EL game economy vs the affluence of the players. If any items traded by NPCs for platinum are also traded for gold by another NPC, this would create a min or max to any exchange rate. This is bad and never ends well (see "Black Wednesday"). Gold coinage can be removed from the game, when necessary, by auctioning off limited sets of Platinum coins [4]. There is no need to sell any other non-RL item in the EL shop other than Platinum coins. Game services (guild maps, bot fees, custom clothes, P2P) could be paid in pc within the game -- but where there is a RL service associated with the in-game purchase, issue a receipt by, at least, email [1]. This lets players without access to RL money/PayPal exchange in-game effort for P2P benefits. Do not offer to buy back pc for RL currency, even for a lesser amount. It would just encourage play-for-profit, and would get messy. Finally, it should be possible to automate the process at some point -- automatically crediting a character account when a payment is made by, say, PayPal [2]... ...so Entropy can just sit back and let the money roll in. Its not a bad business model. [1] Requires an email address to be registered with a character. This has other uses as well, but need not be compulsory. [2] Requires that the PayPal depositor can be associated with a character of course. Multi-play would then have to be permitted for the exchange of pcs at least. [3] I discussed the topic of separate economies for different currencies in the last platinum piece thread. [4] But there are better ways to remove gc from the economy; expensive items only remove gc from rich characters, and only if they are interested in the item. I auto-charge on boat travel etc of a few pennies could raise quite a bit. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
peino Report post Posted March 13, 2008 <snip> There is no need to sell any other non-RL item in the EL shop other than Platinum coins. <snip> Very interesting comments. I have a question only about the one above: If the shop only sells platinum coins for exchange into gold coins, what then is the point of the whole idea? As far as I understand it, the point of the EL shop is to pay RL$ for things that are very hard to find in game (rostos), things that cannot be gotten in game (some clothing, crowns/tiaras), and things that will come with the benefit of a limited no-break warranty (some swords). I don't think the platinum coins idea is meant to replace those items in the shop. Rather it can do three things: 1- For people who buy shop items specifically to sell for gc in game, it lifts the risk of getting stuck with something they cannot find a buyer for. Maybe nobody wants that color hat or that particular sword just at the moment. But the plats, acting like gift certificates, can be redeemed for any rare or special item, so there will never be no demand for them. 2- For people without a way to pay RL$ themselves, it allows access to the shop and services. 3- For people on a tight budget, it allows them to set aside shop credit when they have money to spend, and save it for some future time when they need something from the shop (but might not have spare money at that time). I understood the topic idea as plats acting as shop gift certificates, and that requires the shop to have more than just more plats to sell. You're not going to redeem a store credit just to get the same credit again -- you want to redeem it for merchandise. In fact, if Radu likes this idea, I would encourage him to add more items to the shop as well as accepting plats for RL items (and adding more of those, too, if the idea takes off). Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Zamirah Report post Posted March 13, 2008 <snip> There is no need to sell any other non-RL item in the EL shop other than Platinum coins. <snip> Very interesting comments. I have a question only about the one above: If the shop only sells platinum coins for exchange into gold coins, what then is the point of the whole idea? As far as I understand it, the point of the EL shop is to pay RL$ for things that are very hard to find in game (rostos), things that cannot be gotten in game (some clothing, crowns/tiaras), and things that will come with the benefit of a limited no-break warranty (some swords). They should be sold from a special NPC - in game -, where you pay with these special coins and only can buy the items sold from EL shop now. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
conavar Report post Posted March 13, 2008 (edited) I don't think the platinum coins idea is meant to replace those items in the shop. You are right, my original idea wasnt ment to replace the shop ( ok ok it hadnt crossed my mind to use an npc ), but IMO other players ideas have improved my original suggestion. And Zamirah is right, an npc that sells ( for shop bought plat coins only) ingame items available from the shop is no differance from the shop.. the npc becomes the EL shop, with the added bonuses of plat coins being sold for gold and giving other players who might not have RL access to the shop a way to get items/services Your other points are very valid Peino and are the core reasons this idea crossed my mind Edited March 13, 2008 by conavar Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
peino Report post Posted March 13, 2008 I don't think the platinum coins idea is meant to replace those items in the shop. You are right, my original idea wasnt ment to replace the shop ( ok ok it hadnt crossed my mind to use an npc ), but IMO other players ideas have improved my original suggestion. And Zamirah is right, an npc that sells ( for shop bought plat coins only) ingame items available from the shop is no differance from the shop.. the npc becomes the EL shop, with the added bonuses of plat coins being sold for gold and giving other players who might not have RL access to the shop a way to get items/services Your other points are very valid Peino and are the core reasons this idea crossed my mind I see my mistake. I wasn't thinking of the NPC as being the direct delivery system for the items, just like any other shop NPC. Thanks for clearing that up for me. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
conavar Report post Posted March 19, 2008 I see my mistake. I wasn't thinking of the NPC as being the direct delivery system for the items, just like any other shop NPC. Thanks for clearing that up for me. No problem lol, and like I said I hadnt even thought of the npc aspect myself but it does seem the most logical way to go Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Goot Report post Posted February 7, 2012 (edited) I had an idea earlier, searched.. and found this thread. Shop sells in-game currency of some sort, to be traded with other players for gold, or with an NPC. The NPC carries both the shop items as well as some of the more highly desired in game items/materials for a slightly discounted price. -should eliminate much rogue gold/$ dealing, with more $ going where it belongs (to Radu) -less trips for Radu to make. -shop deals can be simplified; ex. $5.00=5 platinum. $20=22 platinum. $50=60 Platinum. for a limited time! It's all basically been said already. I don't know how difficult this would be to implement, but i can't see much of a downside to it. EDIT: I don't think the $ to platinum rate should be 1:1. say $1 = 50 or so platinum, this would allow items like hydro bars etc to be sold for what equates to be a discount rate. Edited February 7, 2012 by Goot Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Tico Report post Posted February 10, 2012 (edited) Excelent idea!!! Another possible improvement i suggest: NPC that trade plat for shop items. 1- He could also buy shop itens for .8 (or some other %) the shop value pro - Small shop item sink, If u dont want the shop item anymore and no one wanna trade you ingame, u dont lose all the $ invested and can switch back to something else. con - due to %% cut, maybe it wont be able to implement cause there are no plat cents Edited February 10, 2012 by Tico Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
nathanstenzel Report post Posted February 14, 2012 I wish this idea with the platinum coins would be implemented as it would help cut the inflation that we are having. I guess the downside is that by cutting the inflation of shop item prices, it cuts the growth of demand for shop items. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rabbitman Report post Posted February 24, 2012 This is a really good idea. Many items in-game can be made/found but I believe are mostly brought in via the shop (binding stones, enriched magic essences, and rostogol stones). With the addition of haidir passes which sell for a huge amount compared to the cost, the price of the more traditional gc:$$ items from the shop have been skyrocketing. If another currency was sold from the shop that could be used to buy whatever individual "shop" items you wanted from an npc, the prices of these objects would become more linked than they are currently. My belief is many would buy the new coins and sell them on the market. Any inflation would happen to all shop items at one time, hopefully at a slower rate than we have been seeing. What are your opinions on this idea radu? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites