Goblin Squad Member
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MARKETPLACE HOUR – An idea on getting the community to interact.
There were games in the past that really had magic in regards to their marketplace/bazaar/etc system. For example, in early Ultima Online scribes, alchemists, tailors, blacksmiths, bowyers, carpenters and tinkers would all be yelling aloud outside the Britain bank describing the goods they were selling (or trying to sell) to passing patrons. It was a pretty magical feeling to move your character into these locations and really feel the energy of other players resonating through your monitor, oh yes I’m a nerd! And as a nerd, I’m sad to admit that the magic has flickered out.
Anyhow, I had an idea of Pathfinder Online including something like a “marketplace hour” where, for an hour a day (number of occurrences and length to be adjusted), all marketplaces in every settlement (or perhaps a few main marketplaces) grant a bonus to the merchants and patrons inside them that promotes player interaction.
For example:
I’m a tailor, selling high-quality wizard robes for 100 coins. Well, if I’m present in the market during “marketplace hour” my goods sell to patrons for 50 coins instead, but when purchased, I am still rewarded 100 coins even though the patron paid only 50 coins.
This bonus would obviously give incentive to both players and merchants to interact during this time and could possibly create a really cool “marketplace feel.”
What do we think? Is this even possible? I’d love to hear everyones' idea on this or even ways to tweak and/or improve it.
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Goblin Squad Member
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While I agree there is a level of complexity here, I disagree that it is not MVP. True, developing a mechanic to this effect WOULD be outside the realm of MVP, but frankly we shouldn't need to.
For instance, each merchant sells product at discounted price and, when the market time is done, approaches the settlement's treasurer and makes a claim for the needed extra amount, which the settlement then pays out.
This does a number of things:
1) allows for the "marketplace" theme
2) creates the opportunity for corruption, e.g. merchant lying about amount owed.
3) creates option for people to fight said corruption, instigating laws and searches, etc. that tries to control the merchants.
4) can bring in more people to the settlement, at the cost of a small amount of gold (in terms of settlement). There are easy ways of recouping the money, but never give away something if you can get paid for it ;)
5) It stimulates society
6) Adds layers of depth to PfO.
7) Requires Player Interaction instead of Goblinworks developing a system while still achieving the desired result.
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Goblin Squad Member
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I don't know whether customers will be willing to wait to make their purchases during Market Hour.
When buying items for use, I expect you're right.
However, when buying resources in bulk to power your local economy, it would probably be a lot easier to wait, especially if there's a good chance at a decent discount on a large volume purchase.
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Goblin Squad Member
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I hope you don't mind if I leave my comment. It seemed like a good thing to point out.
No, I don't mind.
In response to your point about bulk orders, I think that depends largely on how cutthroat the market becomes. If merchants have to price their wares at 0.01 gold above cost to remain in business, then the server-side incentive that Saiph the Fallen proposed, or the kind of "government price support" that BrotherZael proposed, might be the only ways to offer discounts. If prices are more granular (maybe +/- 0.1 gold instead of 0.01 gold), or if competition is more localized (maybe due to the need to physically transport goods), then profit margins might be a little bit wider, and allow discount pricing without selling at a loss.
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Goblin Squad Member
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Yup. I decided not to be a Negative Nelly, and deleted my post.
I wasn't a fan of the open-air marketplaces in games like Everquest 1, but I know some people loved them. I don't think this thread really needs me pointing out reasons the idea might not work.
I honestly never considered that people wouldn't like that kind of marketplace feel.