The new meth as of 06/05 update

[tgonta]

Describe the current reason for this balance request This isn't a complaint or anything, just my own insight. I still believe that the current illegal drug method is very underwhelming.(this post is solely in relation to non-WL drugs) My reasons are as follows:

• The result of a complete maximum efficiency solo run right now is $11,454 using the standard illegal gambling money wash. (I don't think a more efficient wash would make much of a difference, so you could even round it out to 13k)
• It takes approx 40-55 minutes to finish a meth run. This is based on the context that a player will decide to do a meth run and the timer would start at that moment, meaning they would get in a truck and start driving. (the average time can only increase with RP developments that can occur throughout this time, so you could safely say the average time is up to an hour, especially if you do it with 2 or more people)
• the player must drive to pickup and collect (risk)
• the player must drive to process and process (risk)(not to mention aliens when solo)
• the player must drive to sell and sell (very risky)
• the player must drive to wash and wash (very risky)
• the player must drive to bank (small risk)
• the player must drive in a respectable manner and be alert at most times not to destroy the vehicle, or be caught by the police, or for anything to happen in general that could effect the run.

Further risks that could completely destroy a whole run: Death, Crashes, Fuel outage, Aliens, Robbings, Police(not to mention jail time if caught)

All these reasons listed are very RP-intuitive. Meaning that it creates a very realistic and fun experience at every step of the way during a drug run, but its just not rewarding at all. As of this moment, I have never had it as a primary way of making money above public jobs, and still won't. This is because its simply too much risk and too little reward. For example, the fact that someone can simply wait at gambling for a few minutes or do drive by's every now and again, pull up and rob 1-2 people and make 10-20k in literally no time is fantastic and a great RP experience for one party, but what about the people who ran the risk? they spent 45min-1h (which is quite a bit of IRL time in my opinion) actively playing to achieve a desirable amount of money, and now they need to restart from scratch, meaning they have lost a whole hour of game play; I think this is of course very acceptable but not for the current reward. and at this moment and time I don't think its worth whatsoever. I believe the overall numbers need to be looked at and simply discussed. I think that you have got everything correct, except the numbers.

If the numbers are looked at in increments of a only a few thousand between public>illegal>WL illegal then its just not worth choosing anything else other than 'drive press E'. Because G6 is still 5-7k per 20 minutes which is like 20k an hour. With zero risk. I have read before that public jobs are intended for beginners as an entry into RP, so the expectation of the player is to eventually RP and speak to people and get involved with things such as drugs if they want to make more money than the average Joe doing public Jobs (if they want to, I mean.. it's a large attraction of any RP server anyway, its even in the server titles), but it needs to be a rewarding experience, (not only from a RP point of view) I see a lot of work around RON and balances happening for public jobs, but I think if you left public jobs in its own wage category below something else that is possible and actively pursued, then the problems would fix themselves. Average all jobs to /hour basis and make the categories something like 10k>20k>30k (Public>illegal>WL illegal per hour), instead of the figures we have now which are something like 20k>13k>20k+k. Allow the players/RP'ers to distinguish between these categories themselves. There have been so many balances and updates affecting public jobs recently, you need to ask yourself why the majority of the playerbase even bother having opinions on public Jobs, its because its the best way to make money, and that should not be the case.

Describe the solution you'd like The following would be a great representative of money earned per hour that would balance the risk vs reward. Remember that you could balance all drugs by adjusting the collect/process times to be take longer or shorter wherever applicable, and actually force it to average an hour per run, to give it that extra feel of time+risk=reward

• Weed 15k after wash, maximum efficiency run (60)
• Meth 22k after wash, maximum efficiency run (60)

If these numbers are too close to or better than WL drugs, then I think the only option would be to bump up WL drugs money earned / hour or adjust it accordingly. Maybe starting at 27k going into 33k. (I have never done or tested WL drugs so I could have the wrong idea here, info is based on gathered info from other players)

Additional context I think you have everything right, and would be even more fun if the police were on during my tests, but I just think you have the numbers wrong. Embrace the fact that its drugs, let people make more. and before you say that people would buy the best cars too quickly or farm cash too quick. These changes would increase the risk on a server-wide level, meaning that I doubt someone will be able to get away with running meth 10 hours a day without the risk of something happening to break the flow of money earned per hour.

Also, people can stand still stand and AFK fish and make more than meth per hour. whats the point of RP drug running?

[dudly66]

You put a lot of time and effort into this but I'm thinking weed would fit more around the 11k area and meth about 15-17k to prevent hyper inflation of the economy

[tgonta]

You put a lot of time and effort into this but I'm thinking weed would fit more around the 11k area and meth about 15-17k to prevent hyper inflation of the economy

But here lies the issue, if those numbers where set in place, what's the point still? I can do G6 for 20k/hour, or RON for 15-25k/hour so that hyper-inflation you just mentioned literally already exists... (with zero risk lol) Rendering both Weed & Meth useless to do still.

[Jarrrk]

I can do G6 for 20k/hour, or RON for 15-25k/hour. Rendering both Weed & Meth useless to do.

Then that’s your choice, though, you can’t get a gang of people together to pool cash through doing legal work.

[tgonta]

I can do G6 for 20k/hour, or RON for 15-25k/hour. Rendering both Weed & Meth useless to do.

Then that’s your choice, though, you can’t get a gang of people together to pool cash through doing legal work.

I don't understand what you mean.

[Jarrrk]

My point being, you're saying running drugs is 'useless', though, with a group of people it can be highly profitable, far more than doing public jobs.

You can't make a public job more profitable with more people. Again, the entire point of public jobs is for new players to be able to earn some cash as the more advanced/long term players will know far better methods of making money.

Not to mention, I don't think your suggestion in wrong, hence the reason it's still open, changes are to be made.

[tgonta]

My point being, you're saying running drugs is 'useless', though, with a group of people it can be highly profitable, far more than doing public jobs.

But how will I as an individual make more if I do it with friends? if we are speaking in terms of Weed/Meth, the amount earned for a run stays the same for each individual player. Each player will receive their own amount for that run, and doing it together with a group boosts the Roleplay satisfaction and safety for sure, but not the amount gained individually. Regardless If I do it by myself or with three others, I would still only receive the same amount as if I were doing it solo. Unless I am missing something?

I have asked friends to do it before and their replies are "Nah doing fishing, Nah doing RON".

I very much would like to do these drug runs, and I know people who would want to as well, but no one will because the experienced player will understand that Public Jobs simply make more / hour than illegal jobs.

edit: also thanks for taking the feedback seriously, I appreciate it.

[RobinKlok]

My point being, you're saying running drugs is 'useless', though, with a group of people it can be highly profitable, far more than doing public jobs.

if you're collectively pooling for a single goal, otherwise it's the exact same cut per person, you just push more product.

if you have 6 people running meth at equal shares you're still making the exact same money each, if you have them all running g6 instead they'd still make more per hour.

I think the meth money is in a good place, I think the oversights are the massive journey required for the current locations as compared to the old ones, and that changing the rate to 1:1 has doubled the processing time.

I would suggest bringing meth back to a 2:1, but doubling the dirty money you get per crystal. this takes a fair chunk of 'stand around and do nothing' time out of a run, but doesn't affect the money, which seems fine for now.

[omgpointless]

Since issue is still open I'll just add my two cents here too, for more input, and because it's a balance "issue" that I'm interested in.

• Personally I prefer the 1:1 ratio, and rather focus on balancing the sell price of the item. I think there are scenarios where 2:1 becomes awkward and there's no real reason as to why it should be like this. Virtually or realistically.
• Weed should give you less than meth. If we stay current, even more so since it's being state legalized state by state and I'm still surprised Los Santos hasn't decriminalized it.
• Weed and meth should take roughly the same time to process and sell (realistically the curation of weed from cropped state to bag takes longer than the manufacturing of meth, but whatever)

I do not know why we have to complicate it with the suggestions posted in this thread. I also do not fully support that a change is even needed. Currently the sell price for 20 Meth is ~30% better than 20 weed. And I think that's a very fair balance, and tbh, I was hoping Jarrrk would put it around this level last time this was up for debate.

[Jarrrk]

Closing in favour of #267.