FFXI, The Anti-Gil

[Rones]

So then, why would someone spend millions and hours to level a craft when people can buy alternative at NPC? To save a few gils on items they can use? Never gonna make it up for the investment in leveling a craft. So it's simple, you will see a lot less, if any, people leveling a craft.

But you are forgetting a key factor in this. Yes, there would be less crafters, and good things would come from that. Since there are less crafters, demand for crafting goods drops, prices go down, crafter's profit margins increase. Eventually the price for those crafting materials would drop to the point where the crafter can compete with the npc's price and make a profit. However, if too many crafters try to jump onboard, the material supply goes up in price and selling price for finished goods would drop. Thus, crafters would quit until you are back down to a good balance. An economy can only support so many crafters for particular goods. As it stands right now there is no limit on the number of crafters, but npc's selling the rare items would do that in addition to easing the inflation problems.

With no price history, there is no way to jack a price or undercut it. If you farm or craft something, you will put it on AH to what YOU want for it, what you think is a fair compensation for your work. Then someone truly bids what HE thinks is fair, reflecting how much he wants the item. If both prices/ bid meets, then you have a sale. If not, bidder might be willing to try again for a bit more or seller might try to cut to get rid of it.

What you would create is a headache that takes 10-15mins to buy a single good. No one is going to blindly bid what they think something is worth, they will start low and creep up. And just the opposite can be argued, there are some very rare, but common looking items that you have no idea what they should be worth without the price history. There could be a really high demand for the good and you wouldn't know that. Thus the ah would sell out instantly because people put it up for too little, forcing people who really want the good to either go get it themselves or camp the ah (kind of like nm camping 8) ). I would like a system though where you can actually see what people have goods up for sale at instead of this blind guessing system.

 

[Pascal]

1 - 12 million gil boots are a luxury item (or any high priced HQ items). Not everyone can have them; just the same not everyone can own a multi million dollar home. You are not entitled to have them. If you really want one, then you need to do the work to get one, not expect SE to change the system.

2 – On the same note, anyone who says if you don’t have a high priced HQ item you are gimped or a noob is the real problem. Theses people are worse than Gil Sellers or Buyers. This are the people created the artificial demand on items. This are the people will should be flaming and banning.

3 – If you are truly upset at current prices then start undercutting the price of the things you sell. It only takes a few people with a steady supply of a good to bring prices down.

4 – If an item is known to be exclusive controlled by a party of people (Gil Sellers, JP, etc) stop buying the item.

 

[reddogneo]

I agree with the fact that takin the price history away will be a big headache sometimes to buy things but not as much of a headache as you think. I rather deal with the headache of buying a high priced item for more consistant lower price. Would you rather pay 800k cuz the price history is full of 800k sold prices or have a chance to get it at 400-500k cuz someone doesnt know how much to charge.

 

[Mortanius]

1 - 12 million gil boots are a luxury item (or any high priced HQ items). Not everyone can have them; just the same not everyone can own a multi million dollar home. You are not entitled to have them. If you really want one, then you need to do the work to get one, not expect SE to change the system.

I never said they should lower the price to something everyone can afford. I suggested they put it at 10-12 million. This would just prevent the boots from jumping to 20,30,40 million. I don't know how many people have 10 million gil to blow, but I'd guess not too many. I realize there are a few, but do you really believe 20% of the people on the server are walking around with enough cash to buy the boots without a problem? They'd still be a luxury item, but a controlled luxury item.

Although maybe it would be best to leave the extremely rare drops in the hands of players. But stuff like the emp. hairpin and leaping boots, those should probably be regulated and made available through NPC. These aren't seen as luxury items anymore. But strider boots and peacock charms are still luxury.

 

[Pascal]

1 - 12 million gil boots are a luxury item (or any high priced HQ items). Not everyone can have them; just the same not everyone can own a multi million dollar home. You are not entitled to have them. If you really want one, then you need to do the work to get one, not expect SE to change the system.

I never said they should lower the price to something everyone can afford. I suggested they put it at 10-12 million. This would just prevent the boots from jumping to 20,30,40 million. I don't know how many people have 10 million gil to blow, but I'd guess not too many. I realize there are a few, but do you really believe 20% of the people on the server are walking around with enough cash to buy the boots without a problem? They'd still be a luxury item, but a controlled luxury item.

Although maybe it would be best to leave the extremely rare drops in the hands of players. But stuff like the emp. hairpin and leaping boots, those should probably be regulated and made available through NPC. These aren't seen as luxury items anymore. But strider boots and peacock charms are still luxury.

Emp. Hairpin and Leaping Boots should still be considered Luxury, which is pretty much what I was getting at. In the case of Leaping Boots there is no reasonable way for a first time player at level 10 could buy them, with out buying gil online. If people want to consider this everybody must have item, then it should be priced at around 10 to 15k. 30k max. Emp. Hairpin is pretty much the same.

 

[Raesvelg]

The price on those sorts of items will continue to rise out of proportion with inflation as the player base increases in average level. It's inevitable. With more people having the money (or the ability to procure money) running around the "must have" items are GONNA get more expensive.

That having been said, for those items that cannot be crafted, I say go for it: Introduce an NPC-sold equivalent. Either that or make a way to craft them. More boots= lower cost.

 

[Mortanius]

1 - 12 million gil boots are a luxury item (or any high priced HQ items). Not everyone can have them; just the same not everyone can own a multi million dollar home. You are not entitled to have them. If you really want one, then you need to do the work to get one, not expect SE to change the system.

I never said they should lower the price to something everyone can afford. I suggested they put it at 10-12 million. This would just prevent the boots from jumping to 20,30,40 million. I don't know how many people have 10 million gil to blow, but I'd guess not too many. I realize there are a few, but do you really believe 20% of the people on the server are walking around with enough cash to buy the boots without a problem? They'd still be a luxury item, but a controlled luxury item.

Although maybe it would be best to leave the extremely rare drops in the hands of players. But stuff like the emp. hairpin and leaping boots, those should probably be regulated and made available through NPC. These aren't seen as luxury items anymore. But strider boots and peacock charms are still luxury.

Emp. Hairpin and Leaping Boots should still be considered Luxury, which is pretty much what I was getting at. In the case of Leaping Boots there is no reasonable way for a first time player at level 10 could buy them, with out buying gil online. If people want to consider this everybody must have item, then it should be priced at around 10 to 15k. 30k max. Emp. Hairpin is pretty much the same.

I'll agree with you here. I really do agree with your #2 point above. I think I failed to say that in my post here. I completely agree that they should be considered luxury and not necessary. Though they're only "necessary" if it's not your first job.

I personally believe in having good gear. You should always be equipped with the best gear you can obtain with moderate farming. I don't expect everyone to be wearing the top gear, but I do expect a Rank 7, lvl 29 mage to be wearing Seer's with the appropriate +1s. I expect this because while that stuff isn't dirt cheap, it's not exactly expensive either. If have a job that's high enough to achieve rank 7 (yes, i know it doesn't mean as much anymore, but go with me), you have a job high enough to farm that kind of gil in a fairly short time frame.