Disclaimer
-This debate has no right or wrong answer.
-What is express through here is what I think is right.
-Most of the problems I personally see with the economy can be classified as "difficult problem = simple solution."
-I would like everyone to go into this with the same mindset, THIS IS A GAME although we roleplay on the server, at the end of the day it is JUST A GAME
-I hope this will reach people well and create an open debate with active dialog
What is the Economy?
An economy is defined as;
The wealth and resources of a country or region, especially in terms of the production and consumption of goods and services.
Take a note
This is in relation to a World definition, but we aren’t apart of a world definition.
So what would the definition mean for us playing GTA Roleplay?
We all play the game, on a server, thus we have a virtual economy.
A virtual economy is defined as;
an economy existing in a virtual world, usually exchanging virtual goods in the context of an online game, particularly in massively multiplayer online games.
So we have a virtual economy in GTA, although we walk the thin line between needs and wants in the game.
Virtual economies also exist in life simulation games which may have taken the most radical steps toward linking a virtual economy with the real world.
Types of Virtual Economies
There are several different types of virtual economies.
I will focus on 2 specific types.
-Standard Currency
Many games, both online and off, use a common or standard type of currency that can only be earned in-game and used to spend on in-game items. for example, by doing jobs in GTA players can earn cash and they can use that cash to trade to other players.
-Player-Driven Economy
Some games may have currency systems that are partially or fully controlled by players of the game. Such games offer the means for players to acquire in-game resources which players may then sell or trade with other players, craft into gear which can be sell or traded, and otherwise create an virtual marketplace within the game above and beyond in-game stores established by the developer. This economy may also mix with real-world currency, with players trading in-game items through external websites to the game.
So, How do these related to the economy of PMA?
Virtual Economy Relation to PMA
The city of PMA can be considered as a player-driven economy, but to an extent both.
-The city has a Standard Currency
This currency is earned through different types of jobs; tow, taxi, mining, lumber, etc.
A part of the Standard Currency is spending this currency on in-game items.
-The city also has a Player-Driven Economy
This currency is earned through different interactions with other players.
Parts of the Player-Driven Economy is sell or trade with other players, craft into gear which can be sell or traded, and otherwise create an virtual marketplace within the game above and beyond in-game stores.
So, knowing the type of economy we have in PMA can allow the discussion to start.
What can be changed with the current system to create a more healthy regulated economy?
What would help solve the simple solutions to simple problems?
Why would someone want to regulate the economy?
What is the issue with a Player-Driven Economy?
These are some of the question I want to ask and give my opinion on
What is Wrong with the Economy
This post will now move to what my personal opinions on the problems and solutions with the current economy
Currently the economy has regulations on different in-game items.
You can only sell fish, tuna, trout, and sharks for a curtain regulated price.
You can only sell copper, iron, limestone, and scrap metal for a curtain regulated price.
You can only sell glass, rubber, gold, gems, watches, and chains for a curtain regulated price.
This is where the type Standard Currency comes into play.
Those items can only be sold for a curtain price at a curtain place.
What causes a Player-Driven Economy is the use for those items by other players.
Although you can sell copper, and scrap metal to a basic vendor for a regulated price, mechanics use those materials so the economy on those items are regulated by players.
This type of act causes prices in the city to become volatile.
Remember-this is a virtual economy, NOT real world
If I want to buy Copper for $125 and it would normally go for $100 then people will come to me.
Some people will hold their Copper until I’m open so they can make more money.
Some people might think, "Well, that’s the free market in the city"
BUT!
What is a free market?
A free market can be defined as;
people (and companies) buy and sell with a minimum of government regulation.
This means the operation of the economy is mostly left in private hands, with a minimum of government regulation restricting the buying and selling of goods and services.
In concept, a free market economy is self-regulating and benefits everyone.
Supply and demand should balance as businesspeople chose to create and sell items with the highest demand.
Although competition is a big benefit to a free market, competition requires regulation.
BUT!
There are problems with the idea of “free market”
Monopolies
In free markets, the cost to enter is huge. (The cost could be in-game or real money)
There are monopolies in the city, Repair Shops could be considered as such.
For example, a repair shop in the city may want to corner the market with cost and higher payout for materials. As a result, one shop may be able to dominate the market and charge prices over and above the market rate.
This type of economy creates a volatile market
People who are not educated on basic business practices cause disruptions in the economy.
How to Stabilize the Economy
The solution is fairly simple.
The reason for prices to become volatile is the rarity for items vs the work for items.
If Player: A wants to buy copper for his shop, but he doesn’t want to get the material himself he would look for Player: B
If Player: B wants to make money he will sell the material to the most convent place for the best money
Player: A needs Player: B
Player: B does not need Player: A
If Player: A needs copper he has to buy it from Player: B.
Player: B does not need to sell to Player: A unless he wants to.
Solution?
If Player: A wants material he can buy it from a shop regulated by the government OR from Player: B
What does this do?
This allows the city to regulate the price of the materials while allowing people to still sell from player to player.
This allows the cost of everything in the city to become stable and less volatile.
Regulation is always healthy if the option is still given to sell those items to players.
There is more to helping the economy then just simple regulation, but it would be a start.
Economy and Jobs and Crafting
As a player you will spend the majority of your time “Grinding” for materials.
Why?
If you want to make your own armor, you need to get the materials.
If you want to make your own guns, you need to get the materials.
If you want to buy armor, you need to earn money doing jobs.
If you want to buy guns, you need to earn money doing jobs.
The majority of people that enter the server learn that if you want to earn money you clock-in one job at the business center and grind it until you have enough money to buy a car.
Whatever else you want grind out the job, get money, buy.
There will always be people grinding out the jobs if they choose to do so.
There are police officers that grind out their jobs all the time.
There are different types of grinding.
The more time spent grinding jobs for money, the less time spent roleplaying with others
An unregulated economy causes more people to grind for money, and NOT grind for roleplay
Most of the items available that people want are crafted.
Crafting in the city is TOO easy
-There is a majority of the items available to craft that do not get used.
People only focus on things that you are unable to buy from a store.
-Armor
-Guns
-Keys
These items are created by the player but the materials have to be gathered.
What does this have to do with the economy?
If curtain items we available through a store instead of crafting, it could be regulated and create a stable market.
Example;
Mega Mall could open and sell things such as;
-Armor
-Blindfolds
-lockpicks
-hammer and wire cutters
-drills
-keys
-handcuffs
-bobbypins
-rope
These items could be regulated and sold at a high price
Most of those are already regulated but they could be taken off crafting and allow crafting to become a bigger secret then it is.
Items such as advanced lockpicks could become a craft able item - used for store robberies and house robberies.
Items like explosives that are used to preform jailbreaks.
Items that are used in more illegal activates should be hidden more than they currently are.
Instead of everyone knowing where the crafting bench.
Have several benches that craft different types of items.
This would allow for more time talking and roleplaying with others than grinding for materials to craft something.
The person that knows where to craft curtain items would have the power.
If they throw that power away and tell the whole city, maybe the location changes?
What Does This All Mean?
The economy should be regulated by the government, to an extent
Allowing players to easily control the economy based on if they want a material really bad is not healthy for the future of the city.
It will create an unstable market and people will focus more on grinding for money than for roleplay.
Sometimes the most difficult problems require a simple solution.
Creating big systems to make up for a small problem is too much and causes things to become complicated.
Roleplay is created though conversation and interaction.
Roleplay shouldn’t feel forced.
Players that work at restaurants might feel forced to interact with supply companies because they need ingredients for their restaurant to open.
The main issue is either way someone has to pick up 1 BOX and drive to unpack it, OVER and OVER and OVER and OVER and OVER and OVER and OVER and OVER and OVER and OVER and OVER and OVER and OVER and OVER and OVER and OVER and OVER and OVER until they get all the required ingredients.
^ that is not roleplay
That is what you call grinding.
I tried to explain this before about restaurants before they got too complicated.
THERE IS NO NEED FOR SO MANY INGREDIENTS
Forcing a player to do deliveries for a supply company/business does not help Roleplay and it is not healthy.
I made the argument months ago that less is sometimes more.
Not one person wanted to agree with me.
Having so many different ingredients might be okay, if I could go to the store and buy all of them.
That is not an option
Someone has to do box runs, the very painful box runs.
If you were to throw all the ingredients into a store, like a food market or something like that. It would help so many restaurants want to open more because they could always have time to spend at the restaurant and not time spend grinding box runs for ingredients.
Issues like these with items that can be regulated with simple solutions can make the future of the city look a lot brighter.
Final Thoughts
The economy in the game is virtual it can take many forms.
What everyone needs to understand that although PMA wants to pride itself on immersion, there is a line from real-world economy and simulated virtual economy.
GTA 5 PMA-RP is JUST A GAME.
I believe there is a discussion here for the economy as a whole.
For those that might say the economy is fine.
Please do not speak and say it is fine if you do not spend time doing what every basic player does.
A king sat high on his thrown still saw the presents working the fields, yet did not know how to plow the dirt and grow crops
People who understand the basics to the city might understand more but this is created for discussion.
Ideas about what would work better.
What would you do different?
What items would you like regulated?
Are there any items in the game you think is useless?
Is there anything you would like to see in the game?
How would you regulate the economy?
Thank you for reading.