Broken Economy - Low Demand Fix

[bskora]

For the economy to actually be functional, demand has to exist. Currently we have no decay or wear for most blocks and items in the game. Only some things actually get consumed. This makes it so that once you make a specific block or item, it will always exist. For example, a brand new steam truck will act like one that's been used for months and can be resold for the same price, because nothing currently makes it lose value.

So here are a few suggestions to increase demand. Overtime everything should deteriorate. Things shouldn't vanish, but they should lose it's efficiency and benefits. The process can be slow, but it has to exist. For example, a house that has been ignored should have it's blocks appear cracked and therefore losing it's room benefits. Food should also decay, because currently we grow far more than anyone can possibly consume without any real penalty.

Using objects should also make them break down. For example, a truck overtime could begin to drive slower until it eventually stops working. A mechanic can then potentially repair it with the right tools. As mileage builds up, maybe it could no longer be functional. The same can be said for crafting stations. Repairing whether it's a object or a block, should not only reduce the durability of a tool, but also consume resources.

Another way to add more collaboration and bring government into the mix is to add more catastrophes. They can occur randomly or from our own lack of regard of the world. These catastrophes shouldn't destroy everyone's hard work, but as mentioned before, reduce their effectiveness and costing repairs. Governments could then form disaster funds to assist their fellow citizens and so on.

This not only resolves our economical problem in the game, but it draws people together, and sets us back, creating more meaningful goals. We essentially need more challenges, whereas there is only one which is simply a race. Furthermore, we need demand for resources whereas eventually, that demand falls off and causes mass drops in server population.

[yalokcin]

I support the offer! Very good option for the future development of the game!

[trickenso]

Absolutely this. No profession should become obsolete because of magical indestructible products. Love the idea of disasters causing additional maintenance requirements - I suggested pollution could do this, too. Helps link environmental damage to ongoing economic cost.

[Sarah-Graesyn]

Hey! I like this, I am not so much a fan of the blocks used to actually construct buildings wearing down in some ways because the way that I tend to build some things it can be a pain in the teeth to actually access some of those blocks that might wear down to repair/replace them when the time comes.

However; I fully support the idea here of furniture, vehicles, and other things slowly decaying and needing to be replaced/repaired or it loses its functionality.

[trickenso]

I am not so much a fan of the blocks used to actually construct buildings wearing down in some ways because the way that I tend to build some things it can be a pain in the teeth to actually access some of those blocks that might wear down to repair/replace them when the time comes.

I was thinking that you might deliver the repair to the whole room at once, rather than having to replace individual blocks. Being able to repair a whole room from any accessible block might get around the need for a fiddly deconstruction/moving furniture to deal with a single floor block.

I agree that it should definitely not be something that requires you to hunt for the one decayed block that's hiding behind your industrial machinery, or whatever - that would just be infuriating.