First off, allow me to apologize for the late posting the last couple of days. Work has been pinning me down this week, so it's been hard to get everything checked off of my to-do list.
I've decided that, since I can't seem to get the time to do an off-schedule post, I'll hit the vehicles today for last week's "Sunday" post and then jump back into my planned posts next Sunday. I intend to be on time with both the Wednesday update and the Sunday discussion this week.
That being said, on to our topic for today! This one won't be as long as some of the others since it was originally planned to be an "off schedule" post, but I still feel that it's important.
Vehicles and the problem of transportation
Throughout the process of writing this blog, a lot of people have asked me:
"What is the point of sweat? It doesn't seem like it does all that much" and that wouldn't be an incorrect assumption at this stage of the economy and of the universe as a whole. It is therefore no surprise that newer players have a hard time understanding what its used for, and why the cost of it is so low (or why it even has value at all). So the question is: what's the purpose of sweat?
The answer: Sweat used to be our fuel.
Back in the days prior to (and right after for a while) VU 10, vehicles did not exist in the game.
The only way to get around was through teleporters and, more importantly to the point of this blog, teleportation chips. Now the chips still exist (and are in a lot of ways still quite useful), but vehicles are a much more efficient way for the average player to get around. They're much cheaper overall to use. These chips use MindEssence as their ammunition(whereas attack and healing chips use the synthetic flavor bought at the TT), and therefore were the primary consumers of vibrant sweat. When vehicles were introduced, this became obsolete.
So the heart of the "sweat value" issue is that, by introducing vehicles, MindArk essentially wiped out the demand for sweat by taking away one of it's primary functions.
So, what can be done about this?
Well, not much unfortunately. The Entropia Revival Project is aiming to increase the value of sweat by factoring in it's effect on player retention into it's intrinsic value... which in short means that we're basically buying high in hopes that new people will stay because they have some extra cash.
However, something that can be done (by the average person) is to begin skilling translocation and pick up a teleporter chip. By using these instead of vehicles, you do your part to help grow the demand for sweat, and you have the added bonus of skilling up while you travel.
Today's blog was short and sweet - and is more designed to be informative for new players than anything else. Now that things are back on track, I plan to get into a lengthy discussion this upcoming Sunday. Keep an eye out. It's going to be good,
Until next time, Good Luck Out There.
-Faucon
Thank you Faucon, this post clarifies a lot of things for me.
ReplyDeleteCheers,
T33 Riehls T33
TP chips still serve a unique need, like when you are trapped in a service station by attacking robots or vanguards and cant leave to get to TP, or even go outside to spawn a vehicle. I bought my first TP chip and mind essence in the old Cape Corinth Service station that was under such an attack. It's true most people prefer to use flying vehicles, but TP chips are the only way to rapid transport on planet Toulan. Also Sweat is vital in the crafting of welding wire (needed to fix your blownup vehicle with an RK-5 tool). There will always be a need for Sweat (which is paid for not by Mindark , but by other players.) How much, and at what price is left to the market need. Mindark could increase that need by requring Sweat to be used in crafting more items.
DeleteI agree, but there will never be the kind of demand that there was prior to vehicles.
DeleteTP chips went from the standard form of transportation to a niche tool, and that has undoubtedly hurt the market.
The demand right now is so low that the sellers are competing for buyers and not the other way around - and this is backwards by any economic standard and it's why the market is fluctuating so viciously.
The post sounds a bit like "Let's all boycott vehicles and do things the old-fashioned way."
ReplyDeleteThat concept has never worked in history, and probably never will.
You just can't inhibit progress.
I believe there's another option.
Agreed, if teleportation chips used to be the primary sweat consumer,
that explains how vehicles had a huge impact on the sweat market.
So what we need is new uses for sweat.
How about getting MindArk involved?
How about lobbying towards new uses for sweat?
Maybe as fuel for upcoming technologies, or crafting ingredients for
upcoming (hopefully awesome) new items?
My suggestion is to not look back and go "those were the days...", but instead
to look ahead and go "our finest days are still ahead of us".
Never once did I say boycott vehicles - but I definitely think we should all start skilling translocation. :)
DeleteI think, personally, that lobbying MindArk and trying to get them involved is essentially useless. We have seen this historically - and I think we will continue to see it.
I am in no way looking back on the old days and wishing things were different; just the opposite in fact. I'm suggesting that we put aside the notion that MindArk will help us - it's waiting for them to make changes that has driven nostalgia. Instead I'm suggesting that we, as the players and people of Calypso and Entropia, take a stand and do something about it ourselves.
I am simply being responsible about the situation, recognizing that MindArk will most likely not help us, and am therefore suggesting we do something about it ourselves.
Our best day are ahead of us. But it's us that has to make those days a reality.
will definatly promote this activity...
ReplyDeletetoo bad vehicle fuel isn't made in the refiner with both crude oil and sweat...
ReplyDeleteJust a thought