Games in Progress: 3 | Players logged in: 6 | Players Registered: 37413 | Games Played Total: 68656
   Home   Help Search Login Register  
Pages: [1]
  Print  
Author Topic: Change the value of land  (Read 763 times)
Keybounce
Prototype Tester
Mule Senior
****
Posts: 170


View Profile
« on: December 03, 2010, 23:15 »

So something that I'm seeing in several threads is the theme of "If you spend money on land, you gain in your production ability (good), and you drop in rankings (reduced chance of bad events -- good)". Especially on turn 1, where your ability to get land is random, and getting it means you'll get fewer bad events.

So, what if land -- instead of being valued at a flat 500 per plot -- was valued based on how much land goes for in auctions?

Land goes for 972 on turn one? Fine -- it's valued at 972, and you have not dropped in ranking.

The "free award" can be valued at 500, but after that, adjust based on how much people have paid, and how much land is owned.
Logged
kipley
Prototype Tester
Mule Regular
***
Posts: 68


View Profile WWW
« Reply #1 on: December 05, 2010, 19:41 »

While this idea would indeed help prevent the land buyer from enjoying the benefits of being in last place for a while (good events, win ties, etc.), in return it would increase your final score.  I think this would actually wind up being a BIGGER problem.

Look at it this way... you could now pay $5000 for a plot of land (assuming you had the cash to do so), and it would not drop your current/final score AT ALL!  In fact, it could only raise your final score (by the amount of goods that the new land produces).  Even if you did nothing with the plot of land, it would still be worth $5000 to you in computing your score, so there would be no loss.

So, under your system you may as well spend ANY amount of money on land (assuming you had enough money left over to survive, of course).  I'd gladly spend $10000 for a single plot of land... after all, there would be no risk or penalty to do so!
Logged
C64 nostalgia
Prototype Tester
Mule Senior
****
Posts: 159



View Profile
« Reply #2 on: December 06, 2010, 09:47 »

While this idea would indeed help prevent the land buyer from enjoying the benefits of being in last place for a while (good events, win ties, etc.)...

My take is to simply raise the scorecard value of land from $500. Since the land auctions have been modified to allow quick price increases, land very rarely sells below $500. Raising the scorecard value to $1000 or $1500 keeps the price paid and scorecard value closer. Even allowing for the potential earnings from a given plot, $500 is quite low for a base value.
Logged
C64 nostalgia
Prototype Tester
Mule Senior
****
Posts: 159



View Profile
« Reply #3 on: December 08, 2010, 21:59 »

...raise the scorecard value of land from $500... to $1000 or $1500...

By the way, I'd really like to see this happen...
Logged
dynadan
Mule Regular
***
Posts: 93


View Profile
« Reply #4 on: December 09, 2010, 01:49 »

Since the goal lately on this version is to get it as close to the original as possible, I think instead of changing the base value of land, we should instead make the maximum run up limit on land auctions closer to the original ($700-$800). 

I have previously been against this, because of the latency related issues that we have seemed to experience in "tie" situations. However, in this thread http://www.planetmule.com/forum?topic=1173.0 i suggested an easy fix that i believe could work to make things work fairly no matter what we change the run up limit to.  In the same thread, the developers also mentioned that there might be a way to make the maximum run up limit the same for all players regardless of ping.

I am not sure what makes the game better or worse.  You have all made good points.  Just seems like the easiest answer is to make it closer to the original.
Logged
Blitzen
Mule Senior
****
Posts: 152


Fire, Fire, Fire...


View Profile
« Reply #5 on: December 11, 2010, 12:43 »

c64nostalgia I am sorry but I disagree, the existing c64 play allows a player in first to wipe some of their score by using so much of their immediate cash compared to the ~500 value of the land the game will evaluate. 

Obviously most land is worth a lot more, but that is not entirely the point of this game metric.  Having the most land is a means to the end but not the end itself.  A player must be successful in exploiting the land, in the wrong hands its actually worth less.  I have seen people strap themselves and been forced to consider selling their own land... but they are dead already and mostly just die quietly instead of giving the game to someone else.  Early on like that, no one has enough to make sure the buyer pays enough.

In the long run you must create liquid capital wealth to be considered successful.

Their is too much spoilage for it to be about anything but money.

Everything has a certain value today but tomorrow its an unknown.

Traditional economics simply creates the illusion that the liquid capital has any permanent value tomorrow because of its perceived and implied history of value.  Probably for similar reasons, the universe of planet Irata likes money too.  I don't remember a recycling Mule in M.u.l.e. c64, I imagine the Federation sees the planet as entirely replaceable and expendable.  Hence valueless.

Despite the flaws, Mule is a traditional capitalist take on economics type of game and so land means next to nothing, money is king.  In that players can buy themselves out of first or into last if it is their wish, that's a key game element and shouldn't be touched because it has been balanced by more knowledgeable people than you or I.

Let's face it computers are all about numbers and the results of the math depend on the numbers, you can't change the numbers and expect to get the same results from a computer.  Quit changing the numbers!  Huh
Logged

_______________________________________
Death to all smurfs.  Even the pretty one.  Grin
Mulekicker
Mule Forum Newbie
*
Posts: 3


View Profile
« Reply #6 on: December 18, 2010, 23:00 »

Buying yourself out of first is not entirely true.
If you buy energy @ 200, you have that cash converted to equal value of energy for that rd.
Next round, the price of energy changes and the perceived value of those you own change with it.
Buying all the food, energy or smithore on round 1 will not put you in last for that round.
Only way to waste money is to buy a plot at a high price or crystite.

I think this is correct but I ask for input if wrong.
Logged
Chuckie Chuck
Mule Veteran
******
Posts: 633



View Profile
« Reply #7 on: December 18, 2010, 23:33 »

It only holds true in shortages, if you buy energy/food high when there is a universal demand met, you will loose money that round.  At least, that is how it seems to me.

Buy Crystite over 80 is usually a good way to loose placement for a round, and buying land higher than 500 usually will work for a round or two.
« Last Edit: December 18, 2010, 23:36 by Chuckie Chuck » Logged

My other computer is a C64.
Pages: [1]
  Print  
 
Jump to: