Resource Conversion

Would it be possible to maybe create a system to convert one type of resource into another. If it was called an alchemists shop it would be in keeping with the theme of the game. The formula could be something like....
10Xwood = 1x stone
10xstone = 1x iron
100x(yes 1 hundred)iron = 1 gold.

I appreciate any comments on this.

you can already do the same (and cheaper) in the Auction House

Depends which way you want to go. I would take the deal of 100 iron for 1 gold all day long.

But the idea of converting resources at a 1:1 ratio, but consuming time is something I would like to see too. Perhaps as a guild structure.

Example:
- Ore Smelters that consume Wood + Ore(mined over time) to produce Stone and Iron.

Hegorn wrote:

Depends which way you want to go. I would take the deal of 100 iron for 1 gold all day long.

But the idea of converting resources at a 1:1 ratio, but consuming time is something I would like to see too. Perhaps as a guild structure.

Example:
- Ore Smelters that consume Wood + Ore(mined over time) to produce Stone and Iron.

I don't think stone is an ore, haha. I don't see any reason to disencourage the commerce through the market, resource trading is fine the way it is (maybe change the bid thing to not let free resources go away to the fastest bidder).

Mephy wrote:

Hegorn wrote:

Depends which way you want to go. I would take the deal of 100 iron for 1 gold all day long.

But the idea of converting resources at a 1:1 ratio, but consuming time is something I would like to see too. Perhaps as a guild structure.

Example:
- Ore Smelters that consume Wood + Ore(mined over time) to produce Stone and Iron.

I don't think stone is an ore, haha. I don't see any reason to disencourage the commerce through the market, resource trading is fine the way it is (maybe change the bid thing to not let free resources go away to the fastest bidder).

I've made posts about how to make the market easier to use. There is room for a fair bit of improvement in that regard. I certainly want the market to be important.

The Ore Smelter was just a quick example to portray the concept. I'm sure there are better ideas that accomplish the same goal though.

I dont think it will discourage market use though. I think it will do the opposite. Guilds will be able to make a profit by buying the cheapest goods, converting them 1:1 to the most expensive good, and then selling the more expensive good. It will act as a stabilizing force on the market prices - but with limited pressure because there is a time cost associated the conversion.

Another type of "conversion" building that guilds could use would be to convert multiple low rarity fragments into single high rarity fragments.

Buildings like this will create a viable income source for guilds. It also creates a guild-level economy to invest in. Something that will be important to protect.

no! no no no no no!

This is what the auction house is for!

With that many Nos, I hope you have a reason why this detracts from the economy. Care to explain how you see it doing that?

Hegorn wrote:

Mephy wrote:

Hegorn wrote:

Depends which way you want to go. I would take the deal of 100 iron for 1 gold all day long.

But the idea of converting resources at a 1:1 ratio, but consuming time is something I would like to see too. Perhaps as a guild structure.

Example:
- Ore Smelters that consume Wood + Ore(mined over time) to produce Stone and Iron.

I don't think stone is an ore, haha. I don't see any reason to disencourage the commerce through the market, resource trading is fine the way it is (maybe change the bid thing to not let free resources go away to the fastest bidder).

I've made posts about how to make the market easier to use. There is room for a fair bit of improvement in that regard. I certainly want the market to be important.

The Ore Smelter was just a quick example to portray the concept. I'm sure there are better ideas that accomplish the same goal though.

I dont think it will discourage market use though. I think it will do the opposite. Guilds will be able to make a profit by buying the cheapest goods, converting them 1:1 to the most expensive good, and then selling the more expensive good. It will act as a stabilizing force on the market prices - but with limited pressure because there is a time cost associated the conversion.

Another type of "conversion" building that guilds could use would be to convert multiple low rarity fragments into single high rarity fragments.

Buildings like this will create a viable income source for guilds. It also creates a guild-level economy to invest in. Something that will be important to protect.

I use the AH regularly for stone and iron but personally i have more wood than I can ever use. Not to mention wood sells for so little its not worth the slots it takes up to sell when I am always filling them with much more lucrative stone and iron. I end up donating copious amouts to my guild bank which I am happy to do but even that will fill eventually I think? Not sure since I am not the guild leader. So a way to convert would be a blessing. I like Hegorns suggestions about a 1:1 conversion but a cost to time.

The imbalance of wood is part of the problem.

Very different prices for various goods like wood/iron is not normally a big deal. It starts to become a problem when quests / upgrades / research require that players invest into wood production to progress. That is an artificial pressure to increase the supply of wood higher than the demand.

At a ratio of 4-5x between iron/wood, it is not a horrible difference, but I know plenty of people who do not upgrade their wood cutter beyond what the initial quests require. Basically we need more ways to consume wood, or as we level up, we are being forced to invest in something that is relatively useless to the game.

Conversions of goods like fragments/wood/etc are a way to even out prices of those goods, ensure the availability of those goods, and stabilize demand for those goods - all without the need for devs to constantly tweak the bathtub faucet/drain for each individual good to maintain a healthy economy.

This is *not* something the market does on its own. I had hoped to be entertained by Archer's response before posting this explanation. Oh well.

Another reason why stability is a good thing in this AH -- the AuctionHouse is not selling many of its goods at their equilibrium price due to the relatively cumbersome search function. People just dont bother to search as thoroughly as they could for the best deal. Discouraging volatility will increase the usability and fairness of the market in its current form.

Ideally, the market would allow for buy orders which would stabilize prices much closer to the real equilibrium price. That would be a very significant feature to add to the game. It would probably also be a bit beyond what this game needs and it would be cumbersome to use with random stats on items. It would work very well for generic resources and frags.

Good conversions would help wood, but I think the bigger benefit is in the fragment market. Supplies of fragments vary a lot and so do the prices. There is a pretty good discussion in another thread about why low level fragments have such low demand due to the amount of gold required to use them.

I certainly do not think this is a critical issue. Normally I wouldnt discuss something like this very heavily. The reason I am is because the timing is good to discuss it. Feature improvements to the Auction House and the Guild Warfare system are coming in the near future. Converting goods is a suggestion that meshes with both of those systems.