[CF List] The 'dis'economy of crossfire]

[Christoph Bergemann]

This also seems to have never arrived, so sorry if you got it twice.

Hi,

well, I will also send some comments. Peter Mardahl said that probably the
economy-problem would be impossible to solve completely. I agree to that.
After every map reset lots of additional money enter game, ultimately
causing inflation if they cannot be spent on something. But to draw away
all money a player has seems not very nice, also in literature mightier
heroes seem to have no problems with money, and level 110 is a hell of a
lot for what I know of AD&D. Yet we might of course try to draw some money
from the game. Item repair is certainly an interesting possibility, yet it
should not be too annoying. 
Taxes/rent are also nice, but should be unreasonably high. I espescially
like Raphael Quinet's ideas of the consequences if they are not paid.
Titans are indeed money-for-nothing and Bonecrushers should either be
priced down or be left more seldomly. Pricing down some of the artifacts
might be an idea anyways, as I think most of them will be seldomly used
and I don't see why they should all be around 900 plat, no matter how
powerful they are.

About leveling: There are a few things here. First, it seems indeed to be
a good idea to let level gaps increase more. I think Crossfire is the only
RPG I know in which these gaps are so low, even with experience gained by
killing monsters getting smaller. On the other hand you should remember
that levelling is one of the motivations to keep on playing. If it takes
me an eternity to get from 100 to 101 most people probably wouldn't play
further, which is certainly not our hope. So if levelling gets harder (as
it should) there should be other sources of motivation. Here is where the
idea of statues and the castle come in; especially the castle. If there
are enough possible expansions one can buy, then this will also keep a
player in the game, running around looking for the necessary stuff. The
castle idea however has one problem: Either there are some castles
distributed about the world, like the guildhouses, they will sooner or
later (probably sooner) be sold out, which shouldn't happen. Nevertheless,
if they are used like the permanent apartments they are kind of lonesome.
There should be some way of inviting others inside (that is into some
entrance hall) for "dinner" or something - at least I imagine this might
be fun. In this hall there might be expensive decorations possible, so
that a player can show off with his riches.

About monster experience: I don't think if level gaps are to be increased
monster experience needn't be reduced, though I don't quite understand why
Jessy should give so much more experience than other monsters, as there
are many monsters in the game which I consider much tougher. My dragon can
easily kill Jessy without quaffing potions, yet died last time I tried to
kill a Beelzebub I died, without having any kind of a chance. Demon lords
and Gerater Demons also, if approached from the wrong direction.

That's it for now, I will now leave for cinema,
regards,
  Christoph Bergemann

-- 
  "Do not meddle in the affairs of Wizards,
    for they are subtle and quick to anger."