Trading is dead — why?

[Chakravanti]

Well I certainly don't speak for all high level players. I am speaking for Innsmouth when I say that Risk vs Reward now gives no desire to trade.

Of course, I don't consider myself ot be a high level player. Mid level, rather. And it is for the non-existent low-mid & Mid level would-be merchant class that I speak for. Currently it does not exist. I was that class. I am currently your only player with experience in attaining wealth without skill or resource.

Furthermore, I happen to know you contributed very little to the building of Xanadu. A few charming words, a top hat, a map with the location of a worthless mine, and a handful of tin bars. Oh...yeah..and you baked a few RoB's for your ancestors.

EDIT - Oh yes....and how could I forget....the massive....granted much needed....reorganization that you chewed us out for rather prematurely.

[jorb]

I am speaking for Innsmouth when I say that Risk vs Reward now gives no desire to trade.

I'm not arguing against any statement on your personal motivations.

Furthermore, I happen to know you contributed very little to the building of Xanadu. A few charming words, a top hat, a map with the location of a worthless mine, and a handful of tin bars. Oh...yeah..and you baked a few RoB's for your ancestors.

I gave everything I had. While I played at Xanadu I think I gave as much as anyone. I'm sorry if it wasn't enough.

[Chakravanti]

I gave everything I had. While I played at Xanadu I think I gave as much as anyone. I'm sorry if it wasn't enough.

Don't misunderstand, I'm not dissing your activity level. I just don't like it when you take credit for shit you have little to nothing to do with.

[Potjeh]

People just aren't entrepreneurial enough. I have pretty much everything I need, including full ranger gear and high quality plate armour, but I'm still trading for coins. Why? For investments. For example, I plan to pay in coins for reforestation of public land, and I'm thinking about giving low interest credits to new players. Sure, I'll end up losing money. But I will gain a more lively game, and all the fun that comes with interacting with other players (including chasing debtors that aren't making their payments on time). And in the end, fun is the one product you can never have enough of.

[jorb]

I gave everything I had. While I played at Xanadu I think I gave as much as anyone. I'm sorry if it wasn't enough.

Don't misunderstand, I'm not dissing your activity level. I just don't like it when you take credit for shit you have little to nothing to do with.

Oh, that has never been my intention. If it came across like that then the fault is all mine. Chak here is completely right -- I haven't played at Xanadu in a long while. Chak, consider it a general observation on the general affluence of Xanadu if that reads better with you. It doesn't change the point I was making at all, so that is fine with me. Good to see that someone gives the Xanadudes the credit they rightfully deserve.

I might as well also state it clearly once and for all that I didn't have an active part in the assaults on Chernobyl or Prypiat either, I was only asked to do some propaganda after the Chernobyl raid, which I was of course happy to do.

[jorb]

People just aren't entrepreneurial enough. I have pretty much everything I need, including full ranger gear and high quality plate armour, but I'm still trading for coins. Why? For investments. For example, I plan to pay in coins for reforestation of public land, and I'm thinking about giving low interest credits to new players. Sure, I'll end up losing money. But I will gain a more lively game, and all the fun that comes with interacting with other players (including chasing debtors that aren't making their payments on time). And in the end, fun is the one product you can never have enough of.

This I can agree with. Back when I was trading I often had to nag people and be very "out there" to get the trades going. I think that is probably as it should be. Merchants are pushy because they have to be, I guess.

[Chakravanti]

This I can agree with. Back when I was trading I often had to nag people and be very "out there" to get the trades going. I think that is probably as it should be. Merchants are pushy because they have to be, I guess.

This is my point exactly. Merchants are loudmouthed, pushy, obnoxious....and everyone knows they're getting rich and are new and thus weak. High level players aren't motivated to be merchants partly due to their skills and partly due to the communist lifestyle that gave them those skills. I'm only just beginning to ease into that class.

Rich+Weak=Target

I'm not trying to tell you how to build your game. I'm not trying to say things should go back the way they were and that tracking inventory items is bad. I'm just saying it's killing the viability of this class because of this simple equation. A wealthy person should have means of defense or the risk vs. reward throws the option of choosing merchant middle class out the window for lowbies. ALso, this class created %80 of the economy in this game before stalls. I haven't bothered with stalls so Their economic affect may or may not be doing something differently here, I can't say.

Maybe adding Ql effectiveness to walls. There are options here. I like that one a lot personally. Idk how much safety it would offer that class given developments you plan for the future but it is simply my observation of the status quo. DO with it what you will.

[Potjeh]

Also, anyone claiming to have enough is an embarrassment to the Western civilization and needs to be sent to some sort of a camp for re-education. Do you think Bill Gates feels he has enough?

[jorb]

Also, anyone claiming to have enough is an embarrassment to the Western civilization and needs to be sent to some sort of a camp for re-education. Do you think Bill Gates feels he has enough?

True that, my bad.

[warrri]

I wouldnt say higher players have no interest in trading. I for example like to trade what is easy to get, yet time consuming -> food in endless supplies, because i need it every day for every activity. Yet i dislike gathering chants, grinding flour or getting butter. The bigger problem is the metal market saturation. Once the cellars, grinders, cauldrons and whatnot are built, the "lower" players either dont long for metal, or want them in huge amounts.
In my opinion a higher decay rate for metal items, especially inside buildings would sure help a bit, but i dont think ill get much approval for that.