This is just a small update based on a
reasonable analysis I recently did. I considered N.P.C. stores as a Business
and applied Management's concepts Mission and Vision to it. This
analysis is helpful to understand how NPC shops follow a logic unlike any logic
found in real life trades.
If you haven't read the previous
theoretical articles in NPC Pricing series, try these links:
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"Our mission is to trade
player's gold for an attractive commodity in order to make gold valuable and
provide a better playing experience"
- Shop business is trading gold for something a player wants. This makes the Token Economy possible since Gold will become a Token.
- NPC Shops don't look for profit, but rather they try to improve player's playing experience. (Shop primordial purpose is to make the game more fun)
- Any shop work as a Gold Sink because they destroy Gold
- If gold is a valuable currency, players will be more likely to include it in the trades they make between themselves. (Allowing easier trading between players is also a "better playing experience")
"Our vision is to find the
perfect point where we destroy gold at the maximum rate"
(Focus 1: Gold Sink)
"Our vision is provide
commodities to players allowing them to face the challenges the game
presents"
(Focus 2: Make the game easier)
- Focus 1 - strive to become a superb Gold sink
- Focus 2 - focus on providing useful goods - (because the game is deemed hard)
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Well, the Vision Statement can be somehow different depending on what you intend in your game but the Mission Statement tend to be very similar to that one above. However, an NPC Store can also be used to make a players (want to) spend true money on virtual goods if they have such option if they find Gold prices elevated.
That's all for
now, for additional information check: