Buying items for Game 3

[Jimmy Hastings]

Since our next dates have now been announced, you can register for game 3 (or game 4 if you really want) in the Registration Manager.  If you're buying items, though, you may notice something slightly different from the past 2 games.  Not every faction got the resources they needed last game, and that has broader economic consequences.  For returning characters, certain items may be substantially more expensive than normal, as the normal distribution channels for your CG for those items just aren't working as well as they should. 

This does not effect new characters, as we want you to be able to use your starting credits to purchase your starting equipment.  For that reason, we ask that new characters not purchase items on behalf of returning characters.  That is, not receive money from returning characters before game starts.  If you're a returning character, feel free to make use of other merchants who are returning characters.  If you're the merchant for a new group, you can purchase things on behalf of the group, just don't try peddle your services before game.  For the most part, we won't be monitoring this.  As with a lot of things in LARP, we're trusting you not to subvert the system that's in place to help people have fun.

Side note: If you're a merchant in a faction that did well in some area, consider buying extras of items you know others need and selling them to members of other factions at a profit.

[Mr. F]

This is a pretty major change!

Is there not going to be a list of this somewhere for people to peruse? This could have a pretty big effect on which CG people join.

[Marc DeArmond]

This is a pretty major change!

Is there not going to be a list of this somewhere for people to peruse? This could have a pretty big effect on which CG people join.

These prices will fluctuate on a per game basis. So any decisions you make about joining a CG could easily be nullified by the next game.

[Mr. F]

This is a pretty major change!

Is there not going to be a list of this somewhere for people to peruse? This could have a pretty big effect on which CG people join.

These prices will fluctuate on a per game basis. So any decisions you make about joining a CG could easily be nullified by the next game.

Will we be privy to what factors are causing our CG prices to fluctuate?
Is this going to have some manner of canon backing?
Will our actions in game affect our pricing that we can understand? (Ie, what does not having enough Batteries and Fuel lead to)

Will there only ever be increases?
Is it possible to see a decrease in price?

Currently, being able to look at the cost list requires committing to XP spending, which I am not willing to do yet. Will there be a place to look at the list without having to register and spend XP?

[Jimmy Hastings]

This is a pretty major change!

Kinda. There were always going to be consequences for failing to meet your faction's large-scale resource goals. The exact nature of the consequences just weren't clear until it actually happened (and still aren't necessarily. This is just one possible consequence). Nevertheless, we're excited to see what effect this has on merchants in the coming games.

These prices will fluctuate on a per game basis. So any decisions you make about joining a CG could easily be nullified by the next game.

Furthermore, a new character isn't affected by a price increase, so making your CG decisions based on current item prices seems doubly bad.

Will we be privy to what factors are causing our CG prices to fluctuate?

Those who have been dealing with the large-scale resource economy should have some idea of what their faction was missing last game. Also, we intend to have a report before next game for each faction of what was missing, broadly what effect it had on the game world, and what that means for the large-scale resources with which you start next game.

Is this going to have some manner of canon backing?

I don't quite understand the question. The Game Runners are in on this if that's what you mean. It's not just me being a rogue Technomancer mad with power.

Will our actions in game affect our pricing that we can understand? (Ie, what does not having enough Batteries and Fuel lead to)

We haven't decided to release all the causes/effects yet, but idea is that it should be easy to understand when something happens why it happens. The in-game reports should help with that too.

Will there only ever be increases?
Is it possible to see a decrease in price?

If a faction does better than last game on a resource, they'll see associated prices decrease, though not past the item's base price. Theoretically, it might be possible to decrease prices further in the future through in-game action, but a faction can't achieve that just by having extra resources.

Currently, being able to look at the cost list requires committing to XP spending, which I am not willing to do yet. Will there be a place to look at the list without having to register and spend XP?

The registration system is the definitive place to look at item prices. If you want to look at it without spending XP, you can use the "Revert Character Changes" button on your character page. Note that the 30% merchant's discount still applies, so just multiply by .7 if you're planning on picking up Merchant 2 before game.

[Ron Leota]

In the end, there are a ton of behind the scenes factors that your characters, specifically, wouldn't know about. Front line folks don't know the comings and goings of the off-site warehouses, shippers, etc. It was stated as IG information that the groups had quotas and if the quotas weren't met they would have an impact. The price increase is the most obvious. Plot effects will also become evident at game. An example of this could be that some of your NPC fellows might complain of not enough food in the offsite barracks, they might come into game lacking ammo, or batteries for their flashlights.

PCs are considered the front line, so most of the daily necessities should be covered, though if you want to run with it you could play along but aren't required.

Getting above and beyond your quota will result in some interesting plots and things that you will just need to FOIG. As for the canon of it all, it will be addressed in a number of ways if you keep your eyes and ears open. There could be radio broadcasts, mention of dwindling supplies in IG documentation, etc.