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Using Ingame Content to Create Endgame Gold Sinks
Okay so I thought I'd start a discussion about endgame gold sinks. Now I'm really just looking for some decent ideas here and giving a few of my own. Feel free to add to this if you have an interesting idea.
First off let's start by addressing the issue. There are truly no real gold sinks in Tera. Sure there are a few minor ones that hardly put a dent in the inflated gold that's floating around. What I'm saying is that we need some serious inflation control! Add in the fact that crafting has taken a major hit from the elite trio charms and nostrum thing. So assuming, (ASSUMING! Dont bite my head off about numbers), if 50% of the tera population is elite status users, then the ability to make gold by selling scrolls and nostrums, (two of the most common items to craft), has taken a major hit. So in this sense, alchemy becomes a 50% less efficient way to make gold.
Now I'm a player that likes to have multiple things to do in game besides just the same dungeons and bg's again and again until my eyes bleed! I enjoy crafting, gathering, and other non-combat functions in many games. Somedays you just need a bit of down time and these help to reduce the performance stresses that burn players out at endgame imo. Things like crafting, player housing, fishing, and other non-combat activities are a great way for players to pass their time when waiting on a que, party members to log in, or just idling around, chit-chatting on voice chat or ingame. We need more of these!
So here's a few ideas I thought would be worthy gold sinks to help with both the inflation and player overall enjoyment of Tera.
Player Housing
-Now this is both a great way to boost the crafting market, great gold sink, and can actually revitalize some of the dungeons drop tables. Adding npc specific materials, as well as recipes, mats, and even small lootable pieces would be a great and mostly welcome addition to Tera. Having certain crafting masteries needed to complete these furnishings would provide a decent gold sink for training in those necessary crafts.
-Having tiered spaces available for purchase from npc realtors for varying gold amounts would provide a much needed gold sink as well!
Pet Training for Cosmetic Pets
-NPC Trainers that allow players to train down certain skill trees, (looting, gathering, fishing, small buffs/heals/attacks/whatever) would be a nice touch to all the pet owners out there that would love to customize and show off their achievements with some functionality!
-Using training certificates, either purchasable via gold, as awards for events, dungeon drops, crafted, or the like, would be another way to help bring some of the inflation down and give players another reason to try and complete achievements, run dungeons, and bring a much needed boost to crafting! (i.e. point 1)
-Would be even better with a training mini game!
This one is a hit/miss, but I've never had a problem with it in other games.
Gear Repair
-Now I know some of you hate this idea, but keep in mind that with gear repair, you are creating an effective way to control inflation in a player driven market. Making a small thing such as gear degrade allows for both boosts to crafting and allow for small amounts of gold to be removed from the game on a more frequent level.
-Crafters creating field repair kits would also allow for newer recipes, gathering needs, and npc material purchases.
-I'm proposing a mere fraction of durability loss over the course of multiple uses. This would simple allow for the much need gold sink and crafting revitalization that Tera needs! Again, I'm not talking about GEAR BREAKING, just durability loss. So once the gear reaches zero durability the stats are halved, until it is repaired.
-Repairs could be accomplished by either an NPC or by using a crafted field repair kit that was bought from the trade broker. Both ways would in essence remove a bit of gold from the market.
Fishing and Cooking
^THIS!^
-Two of my favorite things to do in many other games I've played. These both allow an additional need for gathering and crafting, as well as more gold sunk into npc only mats.
-Gatherers can make money via market selling their materials.
-Crafters can train in cooking to allow small boosts, not Rootstock level, but helpful.
-Crafters can craft fishing gear and bait.
-Revitalizes field exploration for those sweet spots! I mean Tera is a beautiful game and I would love a reason to visit these areas for more than just nostalgia.
-Recipes for certain fishing baits/gear and cooking dishes can be added to dungeon drops or given away as event items.
and finally,
Mount Training
-Similar to pet training. This would be a great way to add some life back into some of the mounts we have ingame and allow for a decent gold sink.
Pet and Mount Skins
-So you finally got the look you wanted on your toon, but you're embarrassed to be seen with your pet out or riding your frumpy stead!
Well this would again be a great gold sink, crafting, gathering, dungeon loot, or event item thing that would get Tera players back out into the game!
Anyways these are just a few ideas I've had lately and I hope you all enjoyed them. Feel free to discuss and add any great ideas of your own.
Fading
First off let's start by addressing the issue. There are truly no real gold sinks in Tera. Sure there are a few minor ones that hardly put a dent in the inflated gold that's floating around. What I'm saying is that we need some serious inflation control! Add in the fact that crafting has taken a major hit from the elite trio charms and nostrum thing. So assuming, (ASSUMING! Dont bite my head off about numbers), if 50% of the tera population is elite status users, then the ability to make gold by selling scrolls and nostrums, (two of the most common items to craft), has taken a major hit. So in this sense, alchemy becomes a 50% less efficient way to make gold.
Now I'm a player that likes to have multiple things to do in game besides just the same dungeons and bg's again and again until my eyes bleed! I enjoy crafting, gathering, and other non-combat functions in many games. Somedays you just need a bit of down time and these help to reduce the performance stresses that burn players out at endgame imo. Things like crafting, player housing, fishing, and other non-combat activities are a great way for players to pass their time when waiting on a que, party members to log in, or just idling around, chit-chatting on voice chat or ingame. We need more of these!
So here's a few ideas I thought would be worthy gold sinks to help with both the inflation and player overall enjoyment of Tera.
Player Housing
-Now this is both a great way to boost the crafting market, great gold sink, and can actually revitalize some of the dungeons drop tables. Adding npc specific materials, as well as recipes, mats, and even small lootable pieces would be a great and mostly welcome addition to Tera. Having certain crafting masteries needed to complete these furnishings would provide a decent gold sink for training in those necessary crafts.
-Having tiered spaces available for purchase from npc realtors for varying gold amounts would provide a much needed gold sink as well!
Pet Training for Cosmetic Pets
-NPC Trainers that allow players to train down certain skill trees, (looting, gathering, fishing, small buffs/heals/attacks/whatever) would be a nice touch to all the pet owners out there that would love to customize and show off their achievements with some functionality!
-Using training certificates, either purchasable via gold, as awards for events, dungeon drops, crafted, or the like, would be another way to help bring some of the inflation down and give players another reason to try and complete achievements, run dungeons, and bring a much needed boost to crafting! (i.e. point 1)
-Would be even better with a training mini game!
This one is a hit/miss, but I've never had a problem with it in other games.
Gear Repair
-Now I know some of you hate this idea, but keep in mind that with gear repair, you are creating an effective way to control inflation in a player driven market. Making a small thing such as gear degrade allows for both boosts to crafting and allow for small amounts of gold to be removed from the game on a more frequent level.
-Crafters creating field repair kits would also allow for newer recipes, gathering needs, and npc material purchases.
-I'm proposing a mere fraction of durability loss over the course of multiple uses. This would simple allow for the much need gold sink and crafting revitalization that Tera needs! Again, I'm not talking about GEAR BREAKING, just durability loss. So once the gear reaches zero durability the stats are halved, until it is repaired.
-Repairs could be accomplished by either an NPC or by using a crafted field repair kit that was bought from the trade broker. Both ways would in essence remove a bit of gold from the market.
Fishing and Cooking
^THIS!^
-Two of my favorite things to do in many other games I've played. These both allow an additional need for gathering and crafting, as well as more gold sunk into npc only mats.
-Gatherers can make money via market selling their materials.
-Crafters can train in cooking to allow small boosts, not Rootstock level, but helpful.
-Crafters can craft fishing gear and bait.
-Revitalizes field exploration for those sweet spots! I mean Tera is a beautiful game and I would love a reason to visit these areas for more than just nostalgia.
-Recipes for certain fishing baits/gear and cooking dishes can be added to dungeon drops or given away as event items.
and finally,
Mount Training
-Similar to pet training. This would be a great way to add some life back into some of the mounts we have ingame and allow for a decent gold sink.
Pet and Mount Skins
-So you finally got the look you wanted on your toon, but you're embarrassed to be seen with your pet out or riding your frumpy stead!
Well this would again be a great gold sink, crafting, gathering, dungeon loot, or event item thing that would get Tera players back out into the game!
Anyways these are just a few ideas I've had lately and I hope you all enjoyed them. Feel free to discuss and add any great ideas of your own.
Fading 2
Comments
In Tera, no one cares. CCB, just stand up again and good to go. I like it this way.
It's not about the loss of crystals. It's about creating a small gold sink that would help stabilize the current out of control inflation. This would also bring a much needed revitalization to crafting.
What I mean by gear degrade, is a fraction at a time that compounds over the course of playing multiple dungeons/BG's/hunting.
Like I said though, this idea is not for everyone, but thank you for your comment on it.
Not that I don't like any of yours, just saying
Looking at other problems we currently have in the game, maybe something like an npc that sells goldfinger tokens @50g each. Or boxes that drop permanent etchings @10kish each (probably something like 65% chance at etching1, 30 for 2 and 5% for 3. And please a seperate box for each type of etching. No double RNG Q.Q)
we dont need it in Tera
Just because you have less money afterwards does not mean the gold disappeared
Fishing and cooking are in multiple games and it has no way been dubbed as stolen from others. This is just a simple way to add much needed spice to the QoL of Tera players. Regardless if it's been done before. They are fun time wasters that add variety to how a player enjoys the game.
I was not proposing a gear breaking system. Just a simple durability system. This would only reduce the overall output of your gears stats when the durability reaches zero. A simple visit to an npc merchant or the trade broker for a crafted repair kit would revitalize some of the crafting in Tera and provide a much needed gold sink respectively.
As I stated before, I propose just a fraction of a durability loss over multiple uses. This wouldn't burden the player with constant repair needs, but it would have the desired effect of helping to remove some of the bloated gold in Tera.
Awakening is in no way a solid gold sink! I've been playing Tera since cbt and I'm well aware of the game. Most players only see awakening and +15 enchanting as another way to make more profit off the already burgeoning gold. This does not provide a healthy means to control a market that is turning off a lot of players that want to have fun playing a game, not working a second job.
Buying alks and feedstock from the broker is not a gold sink. That gold is just transferred to another person and remains in the economy. The point is to make the gold disappear.
EME should add MWA, personal prem/ext alks and MES's to specialty merchants. Giving your gold to an npc will take that gold out of the economy. I'll go as far to say they should add Smart Dyads to the merchants as well. We'll see gold inflation go down pretty quickly.
Though those would be a great idea as well. I still believe that the addition of overall more things for players to do other than grind the same few endgame instances and vanguard dailies, would be much healthier. I would rather up the fun factor and QoL in Tera, then remove ways for players to make money.
Personally for me, getting to dress my pets and mounts as well as train them would be friggin awesome!
Thanks to all of you that posted and read through my little rant.
#1 player housing
#2 slot machines in Castanica
I've already thought out plans and details, but I won't bother posting them here unless there is serious interest (and we all know how seriously BHS takes suggestions from NA players)
On a serious note though, the +15 system only relocates money to the people selling feedstock/mwa. Currently, the main gold sink(things that remove gold from the game by putting them into npc's and such) that I can think of off the top of my head is just from identification scrolls and t9/t10 alkahests for enchanting up to +9. I can't really think of much items in game that are cosmetically desirable in the game that can be purchased from an NPC with gold. Definitely some room for growth here.