Gold as Economic Backbone and New Item Idea to implement it

[RyojiroSan]

Ok, first off gold has to be useful in some fashion to make it as the stable economic monetary value.

My proposal for a system that would bring uniqueness to the character's and for the implementation that gold could be viable has an economic source are twofold.

One, upon starting your character you are given a choice to pick one inventory item (No weapons for balance reasons). This item would be labeled Legendary and have its own unique color. However not a popular choice for many, but for balance sake it would have to be (EX in FFXI terms or Bound in WoW terms (god I hate wow >.> lmao)). Whatever the wording you would not be allowed to trade this item.

Upon character creation and selection of the armor piece of your choice you would get to name it, and as you level, it levels with you. This armor would have a level value also and experience points. Each level in order for you to add to its stats you would have to take it to an NPC and pay a gold fee in order to imbue any stats you wish onto the item. The item would have NO level cap. (I abhorr the idea of level caps in games). This would allow players who have capped out their character to progress even further once capped and give a reason for characters to have a main character.

Each level you attain with the armor piece would give you one stat point. Each attribute you wish to imbue onto the armor would have a pre-requisite stat point requirement. For example say you wanted +1 to all skills on your armor, it would require 5 stat points. Or if you wanted +25HP require 2 stat points, or you could balance it down so everything low tier was 1 stat point along the lines of +10 or +15HP / +10MP/ +1 Attribute or +2. Numbers are subject to change / testing and balance, however you get the general idea.

Also for example if you wanted to get added damage to a particular enemy type it would require for you to kill X number of creatures while wearing the armor. This would also give more replayability as characters would have to roam throughout the lands in order to get whatever bonus they would like.

These items would have a TEAL color for legendary. This item would be with you throughout your character life and would give a new and unique feel to your character knowing your the only character in the world with this armor and it allows you to critique your character to your playstyle and liking.

The possibilities of stats that you could imbue onto the item is limitless with your imagination.

The gold value for each increase of value would rise so it would give gold value along with decreasing the sale values of items and monster drops would be a good system to be put into place to stabilize the economy and give a good solid equilibrium to the value of items.

I also have another system in place that puts the emphasis of the game into the players hands. The bane of RPGs in todays world is that they are truely not unique and are pigeon-holed into roles. I will create another topic covering this and see your thoughts and will link it onto this once finished.

The topic pertaining to character overview: http://diablo.incgamers.com/forums/s...d.php?t=688084

[CaptainDingo]

Enhance the economy by removing loot? Might want to rethink your idea. :P

[deadbeater]

A simple way to make gold valuable is the ability to buy the most expensive runes.

[RyojiroSan]

Yea, I mean, because diablo 3 brought 2 new item slots into the game, and taking one away which is random per person, some might choose legs, some shoulder, some body, etc. really hurts the economy more than it helps?

Have gold used for something meaningful is a plus, also having an item that is truely unique is also a plus is it not?

Also, you could change the appearance of the item for gold price, however you must reach certain level restrictions in order to do so.

Also, I do not think runes are going to play a significant role in D3. Just my opinion, but, rather than having a static item wouldn't you rather have a dynamic item?

It is just one item that you wouldn't have to worry about attaining through drops, and you have

Head
Body
Shoulders
Legs
Gloves
Boots
Shield
Weapon
Rings
Amulets
Belt

So all in all it really is reducing the items needed for your character by around 5% if that. That is the con to such a system, however the plus side is having characters distinguish themselves from one other, give you something to do after you reach lvl 99, and truely create a character that fits your playstyle.

One has to weigh the cons vs the pros. Eager to hear your thoughts Captain.

[Hodl Pu]

I for one enjoy the player based economy. But as of now, I don't mind what happens to the currency in D3. I'll adjust right? After all, we adjust to fads and pop culture all the time... buying clothes, um.. cool new pens? w/e is big in your home town i guess.

[CaptainDingo]

I dunno, I guess I just don't understand how having one less item you need to upgrade equates to money being worth more. Wouldn't it be the other way around? The more types of armor that have to be replaced, the more items have to move around, and the more money people have to have for that?

Quite possible I'm completely lost and don't understand your idea or how it relates to gold.

[RyojiroSan]

Originally Posted by CaptainDingo

I dunno, I guess I just don't understand how having one less item you need to upgrade equates to money being worth more. Wouldn't it be the other way around? The more types of armor that have to be replaced, the more items have to move around, and the more money people have to have for that?

Quite possible I'm completely lost and don't understand your idea or how it relates to gold.

Simply put it makes gold valuable once again. All players would need gold in order to upgrade and imbue their armor piece. That gives gold an inherent value, and makes it useful VERY useful. Not only that you get a unique one of a kind piece of equipment that you can shape any way you want.

It replaces the medieval and archaic barter system and uses one functioning unit of currency. This gives ALL items a monetary value and stabilizes the economy.

Bartering items gives gold no use, like it is in D2. Items and gold have no correlation, unless you implement a system that you have to have gold in order to increase your armors stat values.

Have I made that clearer?

[thetang]

The easiest way to have money be valuable (as has been shown in MMO's) is to have a player ran auction house. I don't know that it would work too well in the Diablo series, but it might be a nice change of pace from the endless trade shouts seen in the chat screens. It would make trading less frequent, but it would put a value on money.

The real economy of D2 was based off of trading - "What can you offer me for this great item I've got?" Thats the real goal of the Diablo series - getting great loot to make your character exactly what you want. Thats the real reason money had little value in D2 - because you didn't need money to get those items you wanted...you just traded other items.

Put some sort of auction house available where you can view LOTS of items that are all purchasable only by money and you've now replaced trading item for item as the primary economy.

[Galabab]

Originally Posted by deadbeater

A simple way to make gold valuable is the ability to buy the most expensive runes.

+1 ......... 10chars ..............

[zooply]

Originally Posted by RyojiroSan

Yea, I mean, because diablo 3 brought 2 new item slots into the game, and taking one away which is random per person, some might choose legs, some shoulder, some body, etc. really hurts the economy more than it helps?

I will have to agree with dingo here. It may not be a big hurt on the economy, but it could be used better. I'm going to go ahead and assume here that most people don't want to have to permanently lose an item slot. Instead of taking a slot on your character, why not one in your inventory or some sort of symbol for your character (kind of like Morrowind)? That way you still have the item slot free and have the same gold sink.