The Guild Wars Economy - in fine shape?

Another point of view -

How many people have trouble keeping money NOT making it?

The ecomony will always suck for some, and be great for others, why bother?

Stop buying picks, don't by elite armor, just get the skills you plan on using, and keep whatever max inscribable weapons that are in a skill line that you use (if you buy, don't spend more than what a crafter asks) and you don't have to worry about money too much.

If you want to keep money, it's pretty easy, you just won't have the good looking items.

I don't claim to be an economist but wouldn't a good economy be when many people can afford the things they want? If prices are low, then many people are feeling good and the value of a gold piece is high. Its when stuff costs ridiculous amounts that inflation has taken place and the economy is truly "bad".

Honestly, I'd like to know what exactly one of the people saying the economy is bad thinks a good economy would be like. Please... paint a picture of a "good" economy. Is it exorbitantly priced high-end goods that only the uber-rich can afford? I'm sorry to say, but an economy getting better is one where even the lower class people can afford some luxuries. Look at something like a car. Back in the early 1900's only the super-rich could afford one. Now everyone can afford one. Is that a bad thing? By your statements, I think you believe it is.

Basically, all it boils down to, as some others have pointed out, the economy as it stands is only really "bad" to the richest, most elite players in the game. Those people are still the richest and most elite players in the game but they're slightly less rich now. To that overwhelming minority, I and many others will likely say, screw you. Go roll around in your mountains of ectos, shards and platinums and let us "little people" enjoy the fact that we can now afford some things that used to only be available to people who lived in mom's basement farming 24/7.

Maverick, ideally people should be able to afford what they "need" only, and nothing more. Everything else is extra that should be worked for accordingly, and Anet has ruined this particular aspect.

Problem with that is everyones idea of 'need' is different.

That is irrelevant to what should be done though...need constitutes just what PvP-only characters have, and not much more. It is not even close to as subjective as to what people are making it out to. However, Anet cannot reverse the course of action its taken...thus talking about this topic will get us nowhere.

@ lacasner how can anet not reverse what they have done? they may not be able to fix what has happened to the market but they can fix what is ruining the market to some extent (loot scaling combined with anti farm script(

- Same as anything else. Get an effective build and join farming alliance if it requires more than one person.

- One run takes around 1 hour 20 minutes with r10 Ursanway party with consumables.

So what you're saying, lacasner, is that a good economy IRL would be an economy where you could afford only your food, water and basic clothing? I don't think that would be a good economy. In fact, I believe that was the way this country was during the Great Depression for many. The richest of the rich enjoyed the luxuries of life while the rest could just afford the bare essentials unless they toiled endless hours without rest.

Unless you buy gold from a RMT, you still have to farm and toil to get luxury items. EVEN if you Ursan, which is considered by many to be just on the legit side of buying gold from an RMT, you still have to toil for an hour or two to buy something worth 10k... and that doesn't even include the hours toiled just to GET to the high-end areas and get the r8-r10 Norn Rank to make 10k in an hour or two.

So really, my point holds true... the richest of the rich are the only ones aggravated by this "bad" economy in which those that are not super-rich can afford some of the "finer things in life".

I'm sorry but your theory that a "good" economy only exists where the majority of players can afford nothing more than their basic needs to play the game is something that only a Guild Wars elitist would say.

GW economy is fine... if a player wants to buy an item and can, great.
Economy is messed up only if player can not buy the item they want (given its not super high end)
Cause that will be called depression.

Thank you Dallcingi... For a moment I thought I was the only sane one in here...

There is such a blatant flaw in your arguement that I'm surprised you even tried to pass it along. GW economy cannot be even remotly compared to rl economy, or the great depression as you have compared it to.

For one, in guild wars a person, with the proper time and effort put into it, can purchase any item. Farming gives a steady income which is consistent and never goes down, even with loot scaling. Thus, why would Anet want to make things even easier for people by making almost everything obtainable to every average joe who only players 1-2 hours per week. They are called vanity items for a reason.

You don't "have" to do anything, as long as you can obtain all your necessities in this game you are equal to everyone else. Tbh, your arguement is flawed all around, and yes now it is indeed too late to revert the economy and market to how it was before. There is no way to revert the inscription system and all the greens that flooded the market, plus all the duped armbraces as well(which are still out there, shocking isnt it).

you have a great point there guys.

Economics's lesson 101
High End Profit occurs when you offer someone goods or services that people
1) Need
2) Want
or
3) Desire

If you cannot make money through offering services then you can make money the hard way through farming for it. Farming takes time and skill, mostly time. If you are not willing to take the time to learn the markets, understand the needs, gather your resources for trade or how to solo farm. Then you can just stay poor while the rest of us move on.

The economy is not broken, people are broken and want a quick fix. You don't need high end armor, the best weapon skins, or titles. If you feel you need these then save up your money or learn how to provide for needs and services that others want.

Now with the above said I will admit that ANet has nerfed quite a few farming spots, and quite a few farming builds, but not all of them.

my friend bought a perfect tormented shield today for 100k and 5e
lets panic?

There is no problem, if anyything it has got better since 2005...more people can afford more expensive things including your 'casual payers' they can afford more expensive things can someone explain to me how that is a bad thing?
Or do you want to be rich while others are poor.

Before it was you were either rich or poor and the amount of people in the middle were of rare, but now there are less poor and less rich and most people can afford elite items.
Don't take it as if I am against rich people but the idea of people being able to afford what they like, surely is a good thing?

- I can't believe there's someone who actually advocates keeping so-called vanity items behind grindlock. Perhaps you're playing the wrong game altogether.

This made me thought that GWiki and GWG (and other GW forums of course) may actually be one of the significant reason why the economy is in this shape (which is good for some and bad for others). Look at how quickly the locations of DAW weapons spread on GWG, and GWiki. I'ts not as quick as between guildies and alliance for the first lucky few, but it was very quick.

We brought this onto ourselves, of course.