check this pdf out:
http://lgst.wharton.upenn.edu/hunter...lEconomies.pdf
the whole thing is fascinating (if you are into this stuff). here's a small snippet of the 52 page document:
muhauha ... probably nothing in here that is news to the most experienced players but interesting to read anyway
http://lgst.wharton.upenn.edu/hunter...lEconomies.pdf
the whole thing is fascinating (if you are into this stuff). here's a small snippet of the 52 page document:
Exhibit Five: The Decurion’s Shield Supply Shocks
As a result of game mechanics instituted by the developers, certain items can only
be purchased from a nation’s government when that nation is performing well
enough in its task to conquer the world. An indirect effect of this system is the
introduction of a severe supply shortage of an item when a nation performs poorly
for an extended period of time. The Decurion’s Shield is the best level 20 shield and
obtained fairly cheaply from the nation of Bastok when Bastok is the ranked as the
most powerful nation.
During the period of our study however, Bastok went approximately six to eight
weeks without achieving first place status. For our entire data set, and a few weeks
preceding, until May 1st, the supply of Decurion’s Shields was static with no possible
way of introducing additional supply into the market. Examining this chart, we see
the price steady at its historical 6000-8000 average, and then it slowly starts to
creep up as Bastok continues to perform poorly, eventually hitting a price of nearly
20,000, 1.5 times its pre-shock price. Players who held shields during this time
stood to gain substantial profits by selling them.
Then, two days after Bastok finally achieved first place status on May 1st, the price of
the shield was back at 8000. Furthermore, while we would rarely see more than 5
for sale at any given time, just two days after May 1st a whopping twenty-five shields
were available at the AH. This indicates that players saw the overpriced nature of
the shield and sought to capitalize on it by purchasing it cheaply from the Bastok
government and selling it at the AH. So many players saw this opportunity for easy
profit that the market quickly became saturated and the price dropped fast and far.
As a result of game mechanics instituted by the developers, certain items can only
be purchased from a nation’s government when that nation is performing well
enough in its task to conquer the world. An indirect effect of this system is the
introduction of a severe supply shortage of an item when a nation performs poorly
for an extended period of time. The Decurion’s Shield is the best level 20 shield and
obtained fairly cheaply from the nation of Bastok when Bastok is the ranked as the
most powerful nation.
During the period of our study however, Bastok went approximately six to eight
weeks without achieving first place status. For our entire data set, and a few weeks
preceding, until May 1st, the supply of Decurion’s Shields was static with no possible
way of introducing additional supply into the market. Examining this chart, we see
the price steady at its historical 6000-8000 average, and then it slowly starts to
creep up as Bastok continues to perform poorly, eventually hitting a price of nearly
20,000, 1.5 times its pre-shock price. Players who held shields during this time
stood to gain substantial profits by selling them.
Then, two days after Bastok finally achieved first place status on May 1st, the price of
the shield was back at 8000. Furthermore, while we would rarely see more than 5
for sale at any given time, just two days after May 1st a whopping twenty-five shields
were available at the AH. This indicates that players saw the overpriced nature of
the shield and sought to capitalize on it by purchasing it cheaply from the Bastok
government and selling it at the AH. So many players saw this opportunity for easy
profit that the market quickly became saturated and the price dropped fast and far.
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