Systems
🏪 Economy & Profession System
Overview
The economy is a hybrid player-driven system combining:
- Player-produced commodities - Buff-based services - Market stalls (player-owned and trader-controlled) - A limited import system to stabilize supply
The system encourages:
- Player interaction - Local production over imports - Strategic decision-making (profit vs reputation vs control)
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👨🌾 Core Professions
Each main profession has:
- A Tool - A Buff (sellable service) - A Commodity (sellable resource) - Tool Upgrades (2 tiers)
Main Professions
Farmer
- Tool: Hoe - Buff: +30% crop yield - Commodity: Wheat ($10) - Upgrades: Faster hoe → Auto-till
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Stock Master
- Tool: Feed Trough / Milking Kit - Buff: +30% animal product rate - Commodity: Milk / Eggs / Wool / Meat ($20) - Upgrades: Faster feeding → Auto-milking
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Miner
- Tool: Pickaxe - Buff: +30% ore yield - Commodity: Ore ($15) - Upgrades: Efficiency → Chance to double ore
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Fisher
- Tool: Fishing Rod - Buff: +30% catch rate - Commodity: Fish ($15) - Upgrades: Longer line → Auto-bait
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Blacksmith
- Tool: Anvil - Buff: +25% tool efficiency (speed/durability) - Commodity: Metal Parts ($30) - Upgrades: Faster forging → Higher quality tools
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Alchemist
- Tool: Alchemy Table - Buff: +25% buff duration OR +20% stamina regen - Commodity: Potions ($40) - Upgrades: Faster brewing → Stronger potions
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Builder
- Tool: Hammer - Buff: +30% build speed - Commodity: Materials (Planks / Bricks) ($25) - Upgrades: Faster building → Partial automation
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Merchant
- Tool: Trade Stall - Buff: +25% sell price (temporary) - Commodity: Trade Contracts ($50) - Upgrades: Extra stall → Bulk trading
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💎 Niche Professions
Jeweler
- Tool: Jewelry Bench - Effect: Creates necklaces that influence NPC votes - Scaling Cost: $50 → $100 → $200 → $400
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Relic Hunter
- Tool: Shovel / Magnifier - Effect: Finds rare relics/artifacts - Use: Strategic advantage / vote influence / trading
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Artist / Decorator
- Tool: Workbench - Effect: +10–15% influence over 2–3 NPCs - Scaling: Increasing cost per decoration
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Train Operator
- Tool: Ticket Station - Effect: +20% travel efficiency / +5% transport bonus - Scaling: Cost increases with usage
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⚡ Buff System
- Max Charges: 3 - Recharge: 1 charge per 60 seconds
Pricing Tiers
Tier| Price| Reputation Effect Low| $60| +4 rep Fair| $100| 0 rep High| $160| -5 rep
Rules
- Buffs are player-to-player only - Repeated sales to same player: diminishing reputation gain
- 1st: 100% - 2nd: 50% - 3rd+: 0%
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🛒 Market System
1. Central Market (System)
- Sells imported goods only - Prices are very high (discourages reliance) - Acts as a fallback supply source
Example:
- Wheat: $25 (imported vs $10 local) - Fish: $30 - Ore: $35
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2. Player Market Stalls
- High upfront cost to purchase - Cannot be placed in central market area - Slightly worse returns than direct trade
Values
- Sell price: ~95% of base value - Buy price: ~105% of base value
Purpose
- Passive selling - Local economy hubs - Backup income stream
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3. Trader Stall (Special Role)
Unlock
- Requires Trader Badge - Badge can be looted from player
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Function
- Located in prime market location - Sells player-supplied goods (NOT imports) - Acts as a centralised player marketplace
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Pricing
- Buy price: ~102% of base - Sell return: ~98% of base - Trader receives 5–10% cut per transaction
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Trade-Offs
Advantage| Disadvantage Passive income| No active profession buff Best location| Can be looted Central control| Relies on player supply
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Gameplay Impact
- Encourages players to sell through trader - Creates competition for trader role - Introduces PvP / risk (badge theft) - Reduces reliance on imports
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🔄 Economy Flow
Farmer → Wheat → Cooking / Trade Stock Master → Animal Goods → Cooking / Alchemy Miner → Ore → Blacksmith → Tools Fisher → Fish → Cooking / Alchemy Alchemist → Potions → Buff Sales Builder → Materials → Structures Merchant → Trade Boost → Economy
Niche Professions:
- Jeweler → Vote influence - Relic Hunter → Rare items - Artist → Multi-NPC influence - Train Operator → Logistics bonus
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🎯 Core Design Principles
1. Local First Economy
- Local goods are always cheaper than imports - Players are rewarded for trading with each other
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2. Meaningful Trade-Offs
- Trader = passive income, no buffs - Producers = active income, more effort
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3. Player Interaction
- Buffs require direct interaction - Commodities encourage negotiation - Trader role creates competition
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4. Anti-Exploitation
- Import prices prevent market abuse - Diminishing returns on repeated buff sales - Trader risk (lootable badge) prevents monopoly
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✅ Summary
This system creates:
- A living player-driven economy - Strong interdependence between professions - Clear risk vs reward decisions - Late-game strategic depth via niche roles
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