[MUD-Dev] DESIGN: Active and Inactive currency

[Arkitan Plu]

The Economics of Inactive Currency

In the non-virtual world, work-for-forty-years-and-retire
wage-earners tend only to have two options for their money: consume
or save.  In virtual worlds it seems, certain players amass far more
wealth than can be consumed. These players are often entrepeneurial,
figuring out methods for making more money over less playing time.
Historically in the real world, such wealthy individuals have opted
for a third money solution: Investment!

Virtual banks that simply allow players to deposit money and maybe
earn a fixed interest rate are not banks: they are cash dumpsters.
In the non-virtual world, individuals/firms with large cash
surplusses build buildings, buy airplanes, hire brilliant computer
programmers to build tomorrow's hot product that will turn the
original investment into a mega-fortune.

Real banks make all of these investments possible by specializing in
bringing together people who have too much money and those who need
that money to make and innovate the world around them.

The Solution: (a) Banks must not be cash dumpster NPCs.  They must
be designed so as to create an exciting and fun experience for human
players wanting to make money with money (b) games must support
exponential research and construction growth such as will be
introduced by pooled capital investment (c) games cannot be designed
solely with labor and goods markets in mind; the third crucial
Economic market in today's world is the Money Market, and it is
vital to any self-sustaining economy.
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