A different approach to 'Currency and Economy'

Bugs & Features
#1

Hello there!

I had an Idea about an optional economy and currency system that might work within the world of Sinder. I looked briefly through the forums and didn’t see very many suggestions for how this could be implemented. I understand that a normal economy might cause issues with the way some folks want to RP, and from a programming aspect might be a nightmare to include into the system.

The idea I have is instead something I’m going to refer to as a “Wallet System”

This would be completely non-intrusive to role-play and in world experiences for folks who didn’t want to make use of it, but provide a tactile currency for folks that did want to!

In my idea, the way this would work would be -somewhat similar- to how a character can own rooms or areas

To check your Wallet you would use a command something like
“Check Wallet” similarly to how one might “List Rooms”

A console window would populate in chat just like how your room listing would, and it would display how much “Sinders/Dollars/Insert-currency-name-here” you have to your name.

Players could request payment from one another for goods or services during roleplay, or offer to pay some one for being helpful, being a generally cool person, or as a loan or something.
Example
request [character] pay [amount]
or
pay [character] [amount]
might be example commands to initiate a payment from a player and prompt them similarly to how the follow/lead commands alert the targeted character.

The currency would be entirely roleplay dependent, and wouldn’t be a requirement for any one to use as long as Both parties agreed. It would simply be another tool at the disposal of the players, much in the same way building areas or rooms is a tool that is available to everyone, but not everyone uses.

And now for the technical bits (Which I admit, I’m ignorant as to the coding of wolfery, so most of this is ‘theoretical’

Wallets would be unique to characters, and would be automatically created with their Player information.

Wallets could increase by a set number at a set interval based on the coding.
For example:

  • the wallet might increase as a log in reward ($100 when you wake up, available once every 12 of 24 hours)
  • the wallet might update every so often, increasing by a set amount (For example increasing by $50 every 6 hours.) regardless of if the character is logged in or not.
  • the wallet could make use of the “character title tags” that Accipiter mentioned as a possible future feature. It would be set to have a daily wage based on the character’s ‘Title tag’. For example if no ‘title tag’ is set on the character, they might get $100 a day, where as some one with an approved ‘Title tag’ might get an increased wage based on the RP that title invokes. ((This version of the wallet would unfortunately be a bit more work intensive for those approving and creating the tags, as they would need to discuss and agree upon what [if any] increased wage might be applied, then apply it)) < This would also be a way for business owners (the owner of Club Caribe, or the owner and workers of Joystix for example) to ‘see profit’ from their businesses that add a real life feel to the world of sinder.
  • Mods that were interested in community activites might even have a command to use this currency as a way to offer ‘rewards’ for events (Like a costume, or spooky short story contest for halloween), and get players coming together occasionally for larger events

In my opinion this is a very non-intrusive way to implement an ‘economy’ for those who want that, without forcing people who prefer not to have one to use it.

Please, ask any questions you think I may have missed, or provide any criticisms you might have, and let me know if this ‘wallet’ tool is something that you as a player would be interested in using in your RP if it were available!

6 Likes
#2

I don’t really like this part at all. There shouldn’t be RL incentive to this. Besides such system limits the roleplay abilities.

3 Likes
#3

Those were just examples of theoretical ways to have the wallet increase gradually over time simulating ‘having a job’.

I personally don’t like the idea of it being a log in reward, but put it there as a concept since this would be for everyone and not just for me.

The reason I suggested a system that increases the wallet over time, is because without it there’s a very finite amount of money in the world and it would restrict people’s ability to spend it as part of a role play.

I don’t see how this would limit people’s ability to roleplay in any way however, and would like to know what you mean by that.
The system I suggested is not something that’s remotely mandatory to use, it’s just an optional tool for those who wish to make use of it. Players could use it in their RP scenarios if they wanted, or completely ignore it. Just comes down to the participants preferences.

1 Like
#4

For further clarifcation, those were intended as either/or’s not all of the above. It wouldnt be both a log in reward and a slow increase over time.

#5

I just want to have fun, not play ‘life sucks simulator’

#6

Not opposed to this idea, in terms of in-character, this could work as something of an appreciation token, since there doesn’t seem to be a lack of resources that needs negotiating in Sinder.

Rather than our RL monetary system where money is required to trade for goods, it could be used to supplement someone’s efforts in a scarcity-less society. In character, maybe this looks like decorating your hall with them (showing them off, perhaps they are colourful), giving them out in large quantities to other establishments you enjoy as gifts. Perhaps it could serve as an informal way of showing new patrons how well appreciated you are.

I think there’s lots of ideas for ‘‘currency’’ beyond that doesn’t have to be fundamentally capitalist (reflecting gains, losses and gate-keeping goods and services away from the those without), but still have a ''value", probably one that’s more interpersonal in nature.

#7

That’s actually pretty much how I was using the château currency so far. It works pretty well given there’s technically no limit on minting the coins. And people I interact with are free to pass the coin along if they wish to.

#8

Yeah, I’d be interested in earning them simply so that I could pass around to others in appreciation. But if it doesn’t interest people, nobody has to earn or give anything for resources to still be available to all. It’s a fair way to live I think!

#9

An easy way to earn the coins is to bring me the artefacts from the Sacred Valley. Will pay good cash for anything worthwhile.

OOC: the Sacred Valley is one of those places that collects stuffs abandoned even pre-rift. It’s the ruined buildings, empty laboratories, watchtowers that watch out for things unknown. Write in a description of an item that fits into the valley thematically and get your reward (apart from your thing being prominently featured somewhere in town).

2 Likes
#10

Linseria already has an economy system, it is in the area about.

#11

This seems to be a very controversial topic.
Wolfery characters are said to be “Blissfully unaware of the real world,” and I think that this economy idea would counter that quite a bit.

#12

Let me preface this by saying just because I have a Team Member badge doesn’t necessarily mean the others feel the same way as me, what follows is my own personal opinion.

Different players (and even different characters by the same player!) approach economy differently.

Some people want to eschew finances entirely and live in a post-scarcity utopia. Some have the transaction of funds as a core part of their character concept. Others use currency as a roleplay element simply because it’s comparable to the real world and an anchor point to base interaction around.

Because the use of funds is subjective and Wolfery is, at its core, a freeform roleplaying environment where the players involved ultimately set the scene and what is acceptable, I’m personally against any sort of unified mechanical system implemented server-wide.

3 Likes
#13

I would like to agree with Snow and many others when they say that implementing a more definite type of currency tends to lessen the experience of the roleplaying that happens in wolfery.

Although my character, Konner, does include a “Bank” tab in his about and asks for payment during some scenes, it is purely to keep with his character and give him some depth.

All money used in his scenes is pretty much worthless and it is expected that other characters can just pull money out of thin air as they please, however, there are still some scenes that can play out just for fun using currency as a guide.

I’m putting my own experience on the currency situation here because having a set monetary system can disrupt the flow of roleplaying in game. I like referencing money in scenes but not having consequences that follow through if both parties aren’t willing.

#14

I appreciate everyone’s feedback!!

Seems like I’m one of very few who would like a mechanical system xD

#15

I know I come way too late, but honestly, I would adore a system like that. I’ve been really missing something similar, and in my opinion, it’d be awesome.

#16

A few months later I have delivered you a solution ^w^

1 Like
#17

So could you explain how this works?
What does it do other than access getChar

1 Like
#18

I just saw the bot online, so I was able to test it out a bit. That’s pretty cool.

How does one get more money, is it a per/hour thing?

Would you be interested in Posting the Banker up in the Bank I have in Umber Point?

1 Like
#19

At the moment it has a storage for your money, allow you to send money between characters. I am currently working on updating the client as the bot keeps going to sleep on its own >w< I also need to finish rolling out the new update. I need some sleep quickly then I’ll get finish that in the morning and :crossed_fingers: it should be online before I have work again.

#20

As for locations I already have a bank but I need to update the bot to allow it to handle player arrive and leave messages before I can join that bank with the bot to the map.