Guilds vs free trade?

[Chakravanti]

Some

I'm pretty sure there are still some people that need to stfu and just play the game. Of course, I suppose it's relative now then, huh?

[Fetdaniel]

Ok the thread splits, derailing continues at the newly created thread below.

viewtopic.php?f=7&t=3992

[Fetdaniel]

These points are good, but I personally was never thinking that there would be a Guild Hoard(tm) and bulkselling of some kind of community pool. I was just thinking of a guild of miners who could agree that selling cast iron for so and so much phirozkis would gain them all.

In which case my points all still apply, you're simply reducing your stock and you're being overly restrictive on what you accept in exchange...

Main point I wanted to get across is that if you want it to happen you need to pound the ground (with your feet) and talk to the miners and their customers directly to get this set up.

Posting a thread out of no-where on the forum saying "hey guys wouldn't it be neat if we unionized" is fine for a bit of intellectual debate, but it's not going to result in anything actually happening.

Well that is one way. But if 40% of the trade done in farming would be done after ratios put forward by for example you, then you would have an effect on the overal economy.
Competition is not more natural than cooperation and cartels. Anyone looked up the prisoners dilemma lately? Its all about trust and communication. And that we have plenty here. *chokes laughter* Subtle fun, since the point is not the obvious one.

[Potjeh]

OK, how exactly would the guild set their prices? It seems to me that you either have to give up your vote in favour of guild leaders, or just add unneeded bureaucracy if everyone gets a say. I don't want either of those.

[Leonard]

To defend this topic a bit, some excerpt on guilds ^^

In the middle ages, a guild was a bunch of merchants working together to amass more wealth, reputition, influence and of cource places to trade. They didn't do any price lists whatsoever in the first place, that was a later invention, and they did it for their own good. Personally I dont think there are any points against forming a "guild" ingame if you, as a merchant or supplier, want to do so, as it wouldnt harm you in any way.

The benefits are:

- that you could trade with trade partners of other merchants
- you could have a ressource pool, and thus be able to trade in big bulks
- you can use the services of guild soldiers/mercenaries/bounty hunters

You wont neccessairliy need a price list, but it would simplify things. There is a hidden price list anyway - based on the rarity and quality of the item you would get more or less. The fine trade details should be discussed anyway between seller-buyer, so a price list can be a rough guess at best, but crafters would have an idea of the "prices".

Thats, of course, just some rough ideas, and many people will say: "I can do this anyway, why should I bother?" Well, I cant talk for everyone, but it sounds like fun, something to do and a nice way to bring in some roleplay. Its a game, after all.

[Potjeh]

To me it sounds like a good way to get ripped off by the guild leaders.

[Leonard]

1. There would be no leaders
2. Of course you have to trust your fellow merchants - but on the other hand, you found villages with foreign people who you just know over the net (for 5 minutes). And they can screw you over even worse.
3. Its just a concept idea which needs help from the community to form. But I guess it wont work cause everybody seems to have some disgust towards this idea. A pity, really, I sense some potential :/

[Potjeh]

It's just too undefined. Distribution of earnings would be a headache, and people would underreport their profits all the time.

[sabinati]

Some suggestions really do deserve to be disagreed with.

i disagree

[Fetdaniel]

1. There would be no leaders
2. Of course you have to trust your fellow merchants - but on the other hand, you found villages with foreign people who you just know over the net (for 5 minutes). And they can screw you over even worse.
3. Its just a concept idea which needs help from the community to form. But I guess it wont work cause everybody seems to have some disgust towards this idea. A pity, really, I sense some potential :/

Its good to see that someone else saw the fun in this endevour.

But I guess people that play MMO games today have developed a sceptisism and misstrust, and especially so against authority in haven and hearth.

I guild is what you want it to be, and yes the actual possibilities are plenty, but the main initiative would be the start of the actual "guild forum" places where members meet and talk about how to make their ingame lives better and more fun.