[MUD-Dev] Economic Growth (Was: [STORY] Story and population size)

[Steve {Bloo} Daniels]

Koster, Raph wrote:
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Steve (Bloo) Daniels
>> Koster, Raph wrote:

>>> Wow, I thoroughly disagree. The next evolution in economies will
>>> involve getting the NPCs out of the loop, as they just distort
>>> it.
 
>> Depends on the size of the economy you're trying to model.  I
>> agree with you for a small economy.  For a large one, PCs would
>> have a difficult time become economically significant in any
>> realistic scenario.
 
> Actually, I think removing the NPCs from the loop is far easier in
> a large economy than a small one, the reason being that in a large
> economy, players diversify into niches and in the small one, the
> niches may be unsupportable.  In a small game, this can lead to
> "newbies are screwed" very quickly.

Here, I think the setting becomes a critical factor.  In a medieval
setting, player diversification may work.  In a modern or
science-fiction setting, niches may be the only effective way for
players to survive economically, but NPCs (or NPOs - Non-Player
Organizations) will likely be needed for utilities (power, water,
infrastructure) and necessities (food, clothing, shelter).

Thus, it seems to me that there aren't many general rules or

laws that we can draw for all games, given the variety of settings,
player populations, non-player populations and game mechanics (such
as allowed skills, and ability to trade, i.e., transaction costs)
possible.

-bloo



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