In the update thread I pointed out that Anet need to realize that GW needs more actual gold sinks and pointed out that the summoning stones are a good gold sink. A debate started at that point about whether there are enough gold sinks in the game and especially whether gold the Hall of Monuments and GWAMM titles are a gold sink. Since the discussion got a bit complicated and is rather tangential to the update discussion, I started a new theme.
Reposts of messages:
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Originally Posted by Iuris
I wish Anet realized the game lacks a good gold sink and actually added some primarily gold-based consumables to drain away at least some of the gold. Craftable summoning stones are certainly a great way to drain some of that excess gold away.
Really, game developers so often forget that the basis of currency is the knowledge that you'll be able to get something you need in exchange for that money. In the real world, where the useful items come from stores/factories that's guaranteed. In game world, where they come from random monster drops, it's a problem that then leads to alternative currencies and barter trade... |
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Originally Posted by Swingline
The game has plenty of gold sinks, HoM being a big one along with gwamm and other cosmetics.
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Originally Posted by Iuris
Actually, no, it does not. Gold has to disappear from the game, not just get transferred to other players.
-material traders are not a gold sink since they don't create materials but only redistribute materials sold to them by players -therefore, only the gold cost of the elite armors and destroyer weapons is removed by the HoM -hero armor upgrades are acquired by players in challenge/elite missions -tormented and oppressor's weapons are acquired by players -alcohol, sweets could be a gold sink, if the merchant sold items were the ones used to achieve them. However, they are not - most alcohol and sweets come from players farming them during events. And Nick. So, HoM REDISTRIBUTES gold, but hardly removes any from the game. |
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Originally Posted by Xenomortis
The material traders are excellent power traders.
They do remove gold from the game. |
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Originally Posted by Rushin Roulette
You do know that there already are quite a few summoning stones crafters in the game already (Factions and EotN)... so I dont really see your point in this. There are already quite a few gold sinks out there.
The points in your second post are all moot anyways. It is irrellivant if the gold was collected / Traded or the materials / gems were farmed for items such as Tormented weapons. It all comes down to the fact that once a weapon is displayed in a players HoM, this weapon has effectively been removed from the economy (gold sink). A weapon / Offhand that has been displayed in a HoM is automatically customized which makes it useless for trading to other players unless you are someone well known like Regina or Gaile and you find some nutter (stalker  ) who collects customized stuff from known people. |
In a game, players constantly earn gold or whatever the game uses as currency. The concept of a gold sink is a mechanism designed to remove excess currency from the game. In other words, unless money can be spent on something meaningful, people just acquire more and more money, have no need for it and the money grows useless (usually resulting in inflation (actually useful items beginning to cost more and more) and alternate currencies (ectos, SoJs or whatever) or even basic bartering.
At this point I would argue that in GW, there are actually rather few uses for money. Our equipment does not degrade, and we only spend money on items we'll keep forever. Therefore, once you gain the amount of money needed to buy what you want "to gear up", you have very few meaningful ways to spend additional money, and the actual value, usefulness, of money becomes rather low afterwards.
While it may not appear to be so, since many things cost money, they are not acquired by actually removing the money from the game (ie, paying an NPC or something) but rather by transferring that money to other players in exchange for items that those players acquire.
This money stays in the system. It only changed hands, but is still stored and still loses value as there are few things to actually spend it on.
Now, I'll try to offer a list of actual gold sinks in the game:
-summoning stones and craftable consumables. Although most of the cost comes from the cost of materials, the materials are bought for money and that money is gone with the use of the consumable. Plus, they actually cost some money.
-material traders (only for their commission price - the difference in buy and sell prices, the core price stays with the players)
-blue XP scrolls used by title hunters (golds are acquired by players and therefore do not count)
-salvage kits, both via their own cost and item destruction (ID kits actually aren't one, since they increase the value of the drops you ID)
-rune traders, dye traders (only for their commission price, same as material trader)
-FoW and UW entry fees
-9 rings festival game, which DOES actually remove a lot of money, seeing all the AFK guys there.
(I'll add any I miss if you point out any)
-keys and lockpicks
Most others are actually only a one time sink - armor crafters, weapon crafters and so on. While they slow down the problem of currency accumulation, they do only do so temporarily.
OK, wall of text over. At least try to read the bolded points.
