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Arkadian Auction House: Economy Health

Discussion in 'General Economy Discussion' started by Few Scars, Jun 19, 2012.

  1. Few Scars

    Few Scars Administrator Staff Member PAF Administrator Arkadia Adviser

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    I created this thread to keep track of the Arkadian Auction House page listings. The number of pages of items listed is a clear indication of the health of the Arkadian economy.

    Post when you happen to notice how many pages there are:

    Health of Economy:
    18 June 2012: 176 Pages
    20 June 2012: 166 Pages
    19 July 2012: 113 Pages! Yikes :shrug:


    In comparison to other planet partners Arkadia is the best after Calypso. Calypso usually runs about 950-1000 pages, but also has been around since 2003.

    Maybe we see over 300 pages by end of 2012?

    Cheers
    Bjorn
     
  2. Smoerble

    Smoerble Active Member Pro Users

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    I doubt the 300 (unfortunately). We might reach it, when we hit unlimited guns in SOOTOs, but that will stay only for a few weeks max.
     
  3. Neil

    Neil Adviser Pro Users Arkadia Adviser

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    It's an interesting thing to keep track of, but I disagree that number of auction pages reflects the economic health of a planet. I don't think it's that simple.

    Economic health is subjective and needs to be defined. For example, some of the issues are:

    1) Sellers
    a) How easy is it to sell your loot/crafted items?
    b) How many auctions fail to sell?
    c) What portion of your loot/crafted items are you able to sell for MU?
    d) Can you sell your stuff at a high enough price to make your profession profitable?
    e) How much volume can you sell at your desired price?

    2) Buyers
    a) Can you find all the resources/items you need? How easily?
    b) Can you buy stuff at a low enough price to make your profession profitable?
    c) How many shops are available, and what are the MUs for goods?
    d) How much choice do you have (how many different weapons, tools, etc)


    What you should notice about these issues is that they are usually at odds... buyers and sellers have different ideas about what makes a healthy economy. Having loads of items for sale at TT +1 means the economy is healthy for buyers but unhealthy for crafters. It's hard to compare Calypso and Arkadia, and I'm really not sure which has a healthier economy. I get better returns, MU-wise on Arkadia. Calypso has a greater variety of goods, but they generally have low MUs (favoring buyers, not sellers) and sometimes those resources are not even available. Arkadia's economy is smaller, but IMO it works a little better, with MUs being more balanced equally between buyers and sellers. But really, an economy's overall "health" is constantly changing and it's really just the sum of the health of each resource/item's individual market. Pel has an unhealthy market, Telfium, a healthy one.

    What I'm trying to say is that someone can play perfectly happily on a planet with only 50 pages of auctions. As long as they can buy and sell what they need readily and at a fair price, the economy is healthy. And someone else might not be able to play happily--though there could be 1000 pages of auctions--because they can't buy and sell what they need readily and *especially* at a fair price. Number of auctions is a valuable indicator, but it is not necessarily an indicator of a healthy economy.

    I will agree that Arkadia has a smaller economy than Calypso, but I will not necessarily agree that Calypso's is healthier.
     
  4. RexDameon

    RexDameon Active Member Pro Users

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    Just an idea but maybe keep an google document spreadsheet that many could contribute too. Also i would include number of pages with bids and order pages.

    I've kept track of this in my head ruffly and the odd thing is you will see that it's always about 11-13% of auction on any planet has bids. I'd like to see planet partners try to get that number more around 40%. I'd rather see less auction pages and more with bids.
     
  5. Fallen

    Fallen Member

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    slightly OT, but did Dave not say that this was misread by the community and UL weapons would not drop as SOOTO?
     
  6. KikkiJikki

    KikkiJikki Well-Known Member Pro Users

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    Those blades we have seen images of are TH loot (presumably soto). The firearms are hunting loot.
     
  7. Few Scars

    Few Scars Administrator Staff Member PAF Administrator Arkadia Adviser

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    Hmmm 113 pages, we need some stimulus package, the clothing bonanza seems to have dried up. Hopefully a cool update in early August!
     
  8. cute781217

    cute781217 Active Member Pro Users

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    If I remember correctly next VU is set in August 21th or 28th( either one I forget which one is right date). So still a month need to wait :tired:
     
  9. Ridan

    Ridan Active Member

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    Just a thought for this caly is the strongest eco spec atm with events going on. Add reseller to this list and I can safely say ALOT of ark items are selling right now in the caly market. Its getting there but with the AH fees up ppl will rather sell azap to a reseller for a lower markup that reseller will sell better and safer if he stocks up and heads down to caly
     
  10. KMax

    KMax Well-Known Member Pro Users

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    I agree with Neil about that total number of pages doesn't really reflect economic health.

    Just because supply increases does not mean demand increases. It actually means the opposite demand is not there for the items supplied so it is more of stagnation in the economy then health.

    Healthy economy is seeing items that are in demand constantly in the auciton house and constantly being sold. Multiple things that sit in the AH week after week after week increasing page count and never being sold, doesn't really mean anything besides there is to much of a supply of that item.

    I know lots of people will disagree with me here but my favorite planet for healthy market is Rocktropia, no matter what I toss up on auction there it sells in day or two and usually for over weekly mu's. There is demand for everything and supply is low on everything, I agree because supply is low the economy is struggling but it has high demand which is more important then over supply that no-one wants. RT lacks supply and has high demand so it is not exactly healthy either but it has demand over supply which is very important to the economic equation.

    Calypso I put stuff on auction there it has 50% chance if that to sell because there are 20+ other people sellling the same thing, and most of the time none of it sells because traders undercut the auction house. On Arkadia I figure 70% of the stuff I put up there sells. Not because it is over supplied but more because no-one wants it. Both of these increase the page count but to me indicate an economy with not much demand for some stuff. So economy is not as healthy as you might think.

    Supply without sale = no money changing hands. No money changing hands = no economic growth. No economic growth = not a healthy economy.

    I personally say RT=Calypso, Arkadia, NI, Cyrene is the order of healthy economies. Say RT = Calypso because RT has great demand but low supply and Calypso has great supply ( usually the supply has rediculous markups attached) and less demand because of it. Arkadia has a more even supply and demand ratio but not great, it's hard to find what I want, and hard to sell what I need to sell. NI and Cyrene I give up, I bring my items with to those planets and either store the loot or tt the stuff no-one seems to want it on those planets. Perfect economy is where supply meets demand exactly, you want 1 of anything you can get one of what you want at any given time. None of the planets have a healthy economy in my honest opinion, they all struggle greatly.

    But that is just my take on things. Others that like to sit on hordes of things think differently. I think me sellling and buying often = healthy, while others think having the most in their pockets and not selling is healthy. Who is to say who is actually correct everyone has their own perspective on how economies should run. I have a revolving revenue stream where others have secured funds sitting there all they have to do is sell something. If both are being maintained and both types of people are happy then economy is good I think, when one is unhappy it takes away from how the economy is doing.
     
  11. Ben Coyote

    Ben Coyote Member

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    Unidirectional economies do not work

    I'll explain why this is happening and it's not suply and demand either..

    IN short it's what they call Unidirectionl trading...

    what is Unidirecitonal trading? It's simple.. 4 planets are bveing exporeed from to be imported onto one planet Calypso..

    However Calypso isn't exporiing goods out for players to use..
    In short I compare it to a trade embargo...

    frankly if people started moving some of the Calypso materials over to Arkadia, and as for a reasonable competitive price will allow others to use said items...

    Better yet, Watch this cartoon.. It'll make more sense..

    [video=youtube;nlMO_wBKVEI]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nlMO_wBKVEI[/video]

    But see this is why I analyze that Calypso is the main competition, but if it gets all the goods, and doesn't share their goods, then this is why the economy suffers..

    So my advice.. spread it around, and set it to a competitive price.. be bi-firecitonal.. not Unidrictional

    Benjamin Ben Coyote
     
  12. Few Scars

    Few Scars Administrator Staff Member PAF Administrator Arkadia Adviser

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    MindArk has a great deal of control over what the planet partners do and can make or break a planet. I do wonder if Arkadia started to become too successful and the breaks have been put on? Since the Treasure Hunting update we havent seen much beyond a few pots and pans being discovered and more new materials being dug up for clothing etc. Bugs havent been allowed to be fixed, which is very unusual for the Ark team, thus I assume something is afoot Watson?
    Calypso is pulling in millions of Peds with the Annual Migration of Longtooth and Eomon, while Rocktropia, Arkadia and Cyrene sit silent waiting patiently like beggars to be allowed to host an event.
    The fall of Next Island may be secondary to being placed far away from Calypso and not being allowed to host any events.

    Arkadia must be allowed to act independently from Calypso! Time for independence!
     
  13. Yquem

    Yquem Active Member Pro Users

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    109 pages as of today. I use to have my 2 pages but am not using auction in summer break as I cant get the right prices. I will be back again on auction after the summer. In meantime I just sell from my shop - check it out - see my siggy.
     
  14. KikkiJikki

    KikkiJikki Well-Known Member Pro Users

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    Please enuff with the conspiracy theories. It's in MA's interest for Ark to do well.
     
  15. Few Scars

    Few Scars Administrator Staff Member PAF Administrator Arkadia Adviser

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    Must be cold down in Tassie :p
     
  16. KikkiJikki

    KikkiJikki Well-Known Member Pro Users

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  17. Deathifier

    Deathifier Member

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    Doubtful, it is not in MindArk's interest to cripple a planet just because it is doing well.

    Actually MindArk has been apparently shuffling resources around so that other planets become key suppliers of certain resources, an effort that appears to be aimed at boosting intergalactic trade along with activity levels outside of Calypso.


    Depends on the source of the bug, though in general I believe:
    • If it is related to content, which is pretty much everything you actually see and interact with, then it is in Arkadia's hands to fix.
    • If it is related to a system then it is in MindArk's hands to fix and it will probably affect all planets equally.

    Calypso runs its events the same as the other planets do.

    • Rocktropia is running an event - their mothership one - and has run others.
    • Arkadia has run various events, including the Curb The Oratan Food Supply Event with some very nice prizes, their Alienware event, and is currently doing an Apartment event.
    • Next Island has been quiet however I doubt they have a ban on running events, instead they seem to have been focussed on improving the planet up until the recent complications.
    • Cyrene is not yet fully launched and running a major event in such a situation is unwise.

    It does not seem like MindArk is stopping them running events, nor would I expect MindArk to prevent the running of well-planned and well-designed events.

    - Deathifier