The Way to fix the Ecto Market

The Pious Priest

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Apr 2008

Fear of God

E/Mo

The Guild Wars economy is very similar to that of a real world economy, in several respects: It is subject to recessionary and inflationary gaps,being the most notable. A recent addition known as the Perma Shadow Form build has caused an inflationary gap in the Guild Wars economy, meaning there is too much Ecto on the market and not enough buyers to sell to.There are several solutions to this problem, although there is one that I would favor in particular

1.Permanently nerf Shadow Form: The only instance I believe this should be done is if bots are exploiting the system (in which case I would like to know how they are able to get past the obsidian beheamoths and blackness)

2. make a new addition or change a skill to creatures in the Underworld: this could be done in a way similar to what the dying nightmare is to the 55 monk.Although it would not nerf shadow form per se, it may require a partner like the SS is to the 55 monk, therefore slowing the rate of supply in which ecto is sold making it more suitable to demand.

3. reduce the current drop rates of ecto: I think this speaks for itself

4.Introduce new armor, weapons and benefits for ectoplasm: this would be IMO best for the guild wars economy because if Guild Wars had some measure of GDP (money value of all final goods and services sold, in this case value of new weapon, armor etc.) it would show an increase in economic stimulus in higher levels.

This is all econ 101 thinking, but unless Anet wants to let the ecto market go straight to hell (perhaps even other sectors of the GW economy like items over 100k), it would be beneficial to address this problem in a timely manner.

Love or hate what I say? post away or pm me, would love to hear responses.

Golgotha

Golgotha

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: May 2005

Rt/

Option four would be the best. Maybe a few new consumables based around ecto? Or for X amount of ectos you can unlock a hero on a character, though that hero must've been unlocked previously on the account. Add Eternal armor which would just be a reskin with the translucent green. Could be used as hero armor as well and is very easy to create. A "Chaos Dye" which adds a slight glow to various portions of existing armor (most likely the colorable sections). The options are endless and all are easily done as they're simple edits to existing art assets. X amount of ectos allows for the purchase of more storage space.

Or, better yet: X amount of ectos to change your character's appearance. That'd sell like hotcakes.

Icy The Mage

Icy The Mage

Forge Runner

Join Date: Apr 2008

Canada

E/

1. The dev's have been talking about possibly nerfing shadow form in the next update due to it's potency at farming some of the hardest creatures in the game very easily.

2. Making a new addition/creature would be, in my opinion, the best way to deal with the newly buffed Shadow Form, but would also not address the issue of Shadow Form being used in other places.

3. Reduce the drop rate of ectoplasm = stupid, it nerfs more then just Shadow Form farmers.

4. New Armor and New Weapons are totally out of the question, at least ones requiring crafting materials.


Anyways, the price of ectoplasm as of today is around 5k/ecto anyways.

itsvictor

itsvictor

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Jan 2008

I want to point out that there's one huge flaw in the economy in any mmorpg. There is an infinite supply that cannot always be counter balanced with demand. Ecto prices are steady and there hasn't been a Black Tuesday yet so the ecto market is fine. Sell to the trader IMO...

Golgotha

Golgotha

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: May 2005

Rt/

Quote:
Originally Posted by itsvictor
I want to point out that there's one huge flaw in the economy in any mmorpg. There is an infinite supply that cannot always be counter balanced with demand. Ecto prices are steady and there hasn't been a Black Tuesday yet so the ecto market is fine. Sell to the trader IMO...
You simply increase the outlets for demand.

FoxBat

Furnace Stoker

Join Date: Apr 2006

Amazon Basin [AB]

Mo/Me

Once Shadow Form is nerfed, people will just move to the Obs Flesh ele that does the same thing to mindblades. The nerf may still be warranted, but it's not going to save ecto prices, which is all most of the complainers care about.

undead living

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Jan 2008

Nobl

N/Me

or we can have some1 take 1 for the team and buy a crap load of ectos from the trader like 7 stacks or so...

The Pious Priest

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Apr 2008

Fear of God

E/Mo

Quote:
Originally Posted by IcyFiftyFive
1. The dev's have been talking about possibly nerfing shadow form in the next update due to it's potency at farming some of the hardest creatures in the game very easily.

2. Making a new addition/creature would be, in my opinion, the best way to deal with the newly buffed Shadow Form, but would also not address the issue of Shadow Form being used in other places.

3. Reduce the drop rate of ectoplasm = stupid, it nerfs more then just Shadow Form farmers.

4. New Armor and New Weapons are totally out of the question, at least ones requiring crafting materials.


Anyways, the price of ectoplasm as of today is around 5k/ecto anyways.
Instead of the developers actually trying to fight this issue, it would be in the best interest of the game to introduce new items. I'm sure they have concept art that wasn't used form the scrapped 4th campaign that could be converted into ecto based items. Some way or another, there will always be folks trying to solo the place, so why not just let shadow form be, to slow, if not halt the solo builds out there. this could be used to get people more interested in the game and more of a way to promote GW 2 inside GW itself.

the trader isn't very effective at monitoring supply and demand as that raising or lowering the prices through the trader is only an artificial determination of S&D, it has no idea of indicating" x many players wanting to buy y ecto at z price" and "x many players wanting to sell y ecto at z price" unless A net wants to higher full time economists to monitor game stats .

Breakfast Mc Rit

Breakfast Mc Rit

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Apr 2008

[Sin]

Me/

I think new weapons and armor would do little for the ecto market. The people that can afford the current items requiring ecto will easily be able to get the stuff that is introduced. And as per usual, the people that struggle to earn what's available now will continue to struggle to earn new items.

Consumables requiring ecto to craft would have to be pretty imbalanced for people to want to consider spending their ecto on them when they can get some pretty powerful stuff for less. A reduced droprate would just punish everyone, and personally I'd prefer SF QQ threads over ecto nerf QQ threads.

Maybe the UW needs a reduced enchantment environmental effect? New monsters? I don't know, but whatever happens I'm positive there will be a whole new thing to complain about.

Mr Emu

Mr Emu

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Apr 2006

W/A

Chaos dye is actually a really win suggestion imo, in terms of manpower required. The only problem is in dying gloves and axes.

Pyra Fade

Pyra Fade

Academy Page

Join Date: Feb 2007

sync dancing at Droks

Elite Order of Grimm [EOG]

E/A

heres my 2 cents as for why ecto prices have dropped, and why they wont rise

as time goes on for guildwars, more and more and more people buy the game and join the fun. in other words, there are more people online today, than there were say a year ago.

this means more farmers, and more buyers.

now, another trend, as time goes on, is buyers, become farmers, but farmers, stay farmers.

buyers, are people goin for that obby armor. but once they get it, they have no need to buy ectos anymore. so they become farmers.

in other words, its an infinite solution (ectos) for a finite problem (obby armor)

therefore there will always be surplus, or; supply>demand

so, as time goes on, the population of guildwars shifts from demand, to supply.

and it doesnt shift back.

and since this is a game, not real life, there is no scarcity or shortages that increase demand.

thats the major flaw in a game economy. it doesnt go in cycles of buy buy buy -- sell sell sell. it varies when stimuli are introduced (nerfs and buffs), but as a whole it is a one way street.

and it wont change, not within the bounds of a fair nerf from anet. if anet were to fix this problem, they would have to reform the way the game is played. farmers would have to stop farming, and sellers would have to start buying. and people dont want to do that. and it would cost people precious platinum.

no matter what anet does, there will be QQ.

what im saying is, this isnt a problem to fix. its just how things are now in today's age. trying to fix it, would be like tryin to bring back ice cream for 10 cents.

thats how i see it anyways.

Skye Marin

Skye Marin

Jungle Guide

Join Date: May 2006

The Seraphim Knights [TSK]

E/A

Trader Price for ectos actually dropped to 4.3k today.

The Ecto Market is just fine, unless you are tying up your on-hand assets in them.

That is, say you have one person, Abe, who has 500k, and another person, Bob who has 100 ecto @5k. In this example, the price for ecto drops to 4k. If both persons assets were traded to Ecto, Abe would now have 125 ecto, while Bob would still have only 100. This is bad for Bob, but just fine for Abe. Abe now can get FoW and Chaos gloves for less, and post them in him Hall of Monuments.

Also, don't forget about Carl, who in the last week was able to farm his first 40 ecto ever, giving him more money than he's ever had. This is good for Carl, and Guild Wars as a whole, because a middle-class has emerged, and likes to buy things like minipets and armor sets for their HoM. Having a worthwhile HoM also means that Carl and all of his buddies will most likely buy GW2, giving Anet more resources, making GW2 more likely to be kick-ass awesome.

Now, if you like Bob, and if you have a stack or three, and you think that SF is going to stay, you should either sell them off now, or trade them in for Shards, as shards are increasing in price, or trade them in for Zaishen Keys, as they will likely be a stable commodity until GW2 comes out. On the other hand, if you think SF is going to be nerfed, you should hold onto them and buy more with your on-hand gold, because the price will most likely go up over time.

The best thing that Anet could do would be to introduce another use for Ecto. Something really fun, like trade in 50 Ecto for a present that gives one of three random minipets.

Akkarin Kentra

Akkarin Kentra

Pre-Searing Cadet

Join Date: Feb 2006

WOLF

Mo/E

I honestly don't see the big problem here. Correct me if I'm worng, folks.. but Ecto prices will never dip below trader, right? And trader I'd say has hit the rock bottom. I mean, there was a time, when I could sell an ecto for 16k to players, but that was years ago.. it's been on 4-5k pr ecto since forever now and I think it hit the cap. Ergo, it won't fall below that. The day where an ecto goes for 1k or less will never come...

Today, if you sell and ecto to trader, you get 3.8k pr ecto.. that's not the 4-5k you could make from players, but it's still good. Basically if you can't sell to players, you can still make a good profit off of selling them to trader, which means ectos are still viable for high-end purchases of 100k+e.. because no matter whether there IS a market for ectos or not, players can still trade them in and get their value in money.. it just goes through trader instead of players.

So where's the big problem? It can't be in the player-to-player trade.. I'm guessing everyone complaining is just shooting the breeze because suddenly people have a way of making quick money? Because FOW used to be a lot tougher to get?

There are other ways to make roughly as much money in just as short a time tbh.. HFFF, for one.. or COF.. I base this on some guildies of mine, who tell me they do the UW run in 30-45 mins.. and typically come out with 2-3 ectos to show for it. 2-3 ectos @ 3.8k = 11.4k..

In that span of time an expert HFFF charging 2 people 100g pr run can make more or less the same.. I know, I've done it..

To be precise, you can make 8.750k from quest and players in that span of time + 1k from 10 amber.. so we're at almost 10k.. tell me if that's not just as viable?

Dark Paladin X

Dark Paladin X

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Apr 2007

A/

Quote:
Originally Posted by The Pious Priest
Instead of the developers actually trying to fight this issue, it would be in the best interest of the game to introduce new items. I'm sure they have concept art that wasn't used form the scrapped 4th campaign that could be converted into ecto based items. Some way or another, there will always be folks trying to solo the place, so why not just let shadow form be, to slow, if not halt the solo builds out there. this could be used to get people more interested in the game and more of a way to promote GW 2 inside GW itself.

the trader isn't very effective at monitoring supply and demand as that raising or lowering the prices through the trader is only an artificial determination of S&D, it has no idea of indicating" x many players wanting to buy y ecto at z price" and "x many players wanting to sell y ecto at z price" unless A net wants to higher full time economists to monitor game stats .
I'll completely agree here, instead of nerfing Shadow Form or Underworld which may incite angry protests (Shadow Form has been used to farm greens for heroes as well, as well as getting elite tomes), they should include more items, weapons, and armor that involve ectos. For example, since there is obsidian armor and chaos gloves, why not have a weaponsmith that create chaos weapons and obsidian weapons. Or how about introduce a new kind of armor that uses ectos like, say....Zaishen armor? There is a lot of possibility that doesn't involve nerfing or incite angry protests.

And besides which, obsidian flesh eles aren't 100% protective against ATTACKS that causes interrupt like [Savage Slash], so using them in the UW would pretty much be pointless. Not to mention Bladed Aaxtes give a sorry pain to eles.

farmerfez

farmerfez

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Mar 2006

You should know

W/

Quote:
Originally Posted by Dark Paladin X
I'll completely agree here, instead of nerfing Shadow Form or Underworld which may incite angry protests (Shadow Form has been used to farm greens for heroes as well, as well as getting elite tomes), they should include more items, weapons, and armor that involve ectos. For example, since there is obsidian armor and chaos gloves, why not have a weaponsmith that create chaos weapons and obsidian weapons. Or how about introduce a new kind of armor that uses ectos like, say....Zaishen armor? There is a lot of possibility that doesn't involve nerfing or incite angry protests.

And besides which, obsidian flesh eles aren't 100% protective against ATTACKS that causes interrupt like [Savage Slash], so using them in the UW would pretty much be pointless. Not to mention Bladed Aaxtes give a sorry pain to eles.
Uhh we have chaos axes and that would be dum because then anet would make it so that you can "make" e blades and obsidian edges which would fail

Mister O

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Apr 2006

Option 5: Restrict [glyph of swiftness] to elementalist spells only, then feathers and dusts price gone higher than ecto and everyone starts hunting the poor birdmen.

Option 6: Let ecto price drops so low till it's not worth farming anymore that everyone can just buy it from trader, but then more people, especially ecto collectors start whining on guru and any other GW forums.

Seriously, if the ecto market dies, just let it be. GW economy isn't all about ecto. I'm sure those 'greedy' players will think of new ways for their so-called 'high end trading' like 'WTS something 100k + xx Zkeys'.

R.Shayne

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Oct 2007

Has anyone noticed that the price of Obsidian Shards has more than doubled? Has anyone noticed that if a person goes to buy the material for Obsidian armor from a rare material trader they will pay the same now as before the shadow form buff due to the price increase of obsidian shards? Shadow Form may have driven one down by .8k to 1.5k (Ecto 4.7k at this time) but it has driven one up by 1.5k (2.5k at this time and holding steady)

The only people complaining are people that horde ecto as a currency (which it was never intended as and for those people might I suggest lock picks - 1250g since they were introduced) and farmers that want to sell ecto at a higher price.

I like the new armor suggestion. New armor to match the gloves but it would mean resources would have to be pulled from GW2.

Abbess

Academy Page

Join Date: Aug 2007

The Rejectz [rezz]

E/

I think that nothing should be done to quote on quote "fix the ecto market". Last night ecto jumped back up to 6k then started going back down. This is because ecto is more than just a means to Obsidian armor. It is a commonly accepted exchange rate in all purchases. If at all, the ecto surge will help stimulate the market in other places. If ecto isn't being bought by players it is being bought by the trader. When the trader gets low in price, people buy from him. When people buy from him, trader price goes up. When trader price goes back up, ecto price is high.

We don't need new items, we don't need a dev change. As someone stated earlier in this thread, its not like ecto farming is the only way to make 10-12k in 30-45 minutes. Ecto fluctuates around a certain range. I remember at one point ecto dropped to 5k or so way before shadow form was even introduced but it bounced back. Furthermore think of it this way: When shadow form changed ecto farming significantly, people pretty much made a bank run and tried to empty out their ecto anywhere they could in fear of dropping prices. However, it still stabilized and will continue to do so.

My solution = Smile and do nothing

Holly Herro

Holly Herro

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Dec 2005

Kangaroo-land.

Blades of the Dingo [AUST]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Skye Marin
Trader Price for ectos actually dropped to 4.3k today.

The Ecto Market is just fine, unless you are tying up your on-hand assets in them.

That is, say you have one person, Abe, who has 500k, and another person, Bob who has 100 ecto @5k. In this example, the price for ecto drops to 4k. If both persons assets were traded to Ecto, Abe would now have 125 ecto, while Bob would still have only 100. This is bad for Bob, but just fine for Abe. Abe now can get FoW and Chaos gloves for less, and post them in him Hall of Monuments.

Also, don't forget about Carl, who in the last week was able to farm his first 40 ecto ever, giving him more money than he's ever had. This is good for Carl, and Guild Wars as a whole, because a middle-class has emerged, and likes to buy things like minipets and armor sets for their HoM. Having a worthwhile HoM also means that Carl and all of his buddies will most likely buy GW2, giving Anet more resources, making GW2 more likely to be kick-ass awesome.

Now, if you like Bob, and if you have a stack or three, and you think that SF is going to stay, you should either sell them off now, or trade them in for Shards, as shards are increasing in price, or trade them in for Zaishen Keys, as they will likely be a stable commodity until GW2 comes out. On the other hand, if you think SF is going to be nerfed, you should hold onto them and buy more with your on-hand gold, because the price will most likely go up over time.

The best thing that Anet could do would be to introduce another use for Ecto. Something really fun, like trade in 50 Ecto for a present that gives one of three random minipets.
Or when favor runs out.

Abbess

Academy Page

Join Date: Aug 2007

The Rejectz [rezz]

E/

That is very true. Favor is dwindling quickly. However, this double reputation weekend for GWEN might knock the favor count back up.

Omnidragon42

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Oct 2005

Pantheon of Shadows [dei]

W/A

Quote:
Originally Posted by Abbess
That is very true. Favor is dwindling quickly. However, this double reputation weekend for GWEN might knock the favor count back up.
I was under the impression that the GWEN rep titles don't count for favor

I'm in favor of adding new items that can be bought with ecto, but I just like shiny new things.

I don't think anything really MUST be done, right now ecto supply far outweighs demand and it's pretty tough to sell to players, people will sell to the trader and the price will level out at about 3.2-3.5k is my guess, then it won't be profitable to farm them anymore and they'll start to climb back up.

The only people hurt by this are those who have millions hoarded in ectos, sorry guys, but let the average joe have his chance at having nice things too.

Proff

Proff

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Jun 2007

Quote:
Originally Posted by Abbess
That is very true. Favor is dwindling quickly. However, this double reputation weekend for GWEN might knock the favor count back up.
Rep titles don't raise favor.

Abbess

Academy Page

Join Date: Aug 2007

The Rejectz [rezz]

E/

Quote:
Originally Posted by Proff
Rep titles don't raise favor.
Maxing them does.

Omnidragon42

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Oct 2005

Pantheon of Shadows [dei]

W/A

Quote:
Originally Posted by Abbess
Maxing them does.
I demand proof. I've never seen a message for maxing any of them, nor did my own get messages (but that was a long time ago).

Abbess

Academy Page

Join Date: Aug 2007

The Rejectz [rezz]

E/

I double checked i found that i was misinformed. I apologize for the confusion.

ScoobyDooby Dooo

ScoobyDooby Dooo

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Feb 2006

Bigger Cardboard Box

W/E

arena-net should just nerf ursan & perma-sin, then reset the ectos at the npc to like 5-7k. but in all due respect they wont because anet is such a failure and dont look after there community. all this build was for so they could force people to go out and buy ( eye of the north ) but instead they have just made the pointless to play.

with this attitude they have towards us that play ther game there is no doubt in my mind that they will f@%k up GW2 also, since the only thing keeping people playing is the titles grind.

t h i n e eyes b l e e d

t h i n e eyes b l e e d

Academy Page

Join Date: Jun 2007

Finland, Vantaa

Sasquatch Squad [LAME]

Rt/

make lock picks cost 1.5k at merchant and sell them back with the 1.5k people would start using lockpicks instead of ectos at high-end-trades. what happens to ectos... I saayyyy...Marcket reset

Sai Rith

Sai Rith

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Jan 2006

W/

I quit last year, and Ectos were 4.5-4.8k. I came back last month, after being away from Guild Wars for a year, and they are arounda steady 4.5k. A 300g drop in one year is pretty small. I don't think the Ecto market isn't going to downhill in a long time.

Omnidragon42

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Oct 2005

Pantheon of Shadows [dei]

W/A

Quote:
Originally Posted by Sai Rith
I quit last year, and Ectos were 4.5-4.8k. I came back last month, after being away from Guild Wars for a year, and they are arounda steady 4.5k. A 300g drop in one year is pretty small. I don't think the Ecto market isn't going to downhill in a long time.
300g drop in one year is pretty small, but a 1000g drop in 2 weeks is pretty big, which is what we've been seeing. These days, ecto prices fluctuate by as much as 500g over a 24 hour cycle.

Ectos are unstable right now. Invest in lockpicks or Zkeys.

Kanyatta

Forge Runner

Join Date: Jun 2006

Guildless, pm me

R/Mo

@OP: Nerfing Shadow Form is probably what Anet is going to do, although I would prefer if it was just reverted, personally. Making [glyph of swiftness] Ele spells only would be good, as someone pointed out. I personally still think Ursan is in more need of a debuffing.

The best solution for the Ecto market would probably be to give them a use outside of FoW armor (which, IMO doesn't really look that great, especially compared to a few 15k armors).


@Others:

Quote:
Originally Posted by itsvictor
Ecto prices are steady
I don't know about anyone else, but I lol'd.

Quote:
Originally Posted by itsvictor
there hasn't been a Black Tuesday yet so the ecto market is fine. Sell to the trader IMO...
"Yet" being the key word. It was very close to happening when the trader price went down to 3.8k for a few hours.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Sai Rith
I quit last year, and Ectos were 4.5-4.8k.
It obviously wasn't "last year" then. This time in 2007, ecto was almost 6k if I remember correctly.

chris1234565

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Aug 2007

London, UK

W/

your just saying this coz your not part of it

ectos are still 4k each and i belive if you made 10-50k per run doin it you wouldnt be complaining

and other people anoyied about this why are most of you botherd since many ppl dont use ectos in there daily use

romeus petrus

romeus petrus

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Jun 2006

Urgoz Warren

Legion of Doom [LOD] Home of PWNZILLA http://PWNZILLA.guildlaunch.com

Option 5: add more blackness that are stationary (ie not patrolling) at the entrance of the serpent mountains and the chaos plains. Make the Obsidian Behemoth block the path to the chaos plains in multiple choke points in every spawn with a group of blacknesses behind them. No nerf needed, no new skills introduced, solo A/E chaos plains much, much harder.

toastgodsupreme

toastgodsupreme

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: May 2005

United States

Me/

Jesus christ, get over the ecto drop.

Who's fault is it that so many of you stockpiled it and created an artificial inflation?

And now, suddenly when they begin to lose value, all of you are crying. You made that investment thinking that your precious ecto market would never drop below a certain price. And now you pay for your arrogance.

It's summer time, and shadowform got unnerfed. Meaning there are now a BUNCH of people who aren't in school right now spending their days farming the bejesus out of it.

Had shadowform been unnerfed in August, this drop would have been more gradual due to time constraints on many people.

Regardless, many of you treated ecto like a solid currency. You're all stupid for that. Could've at least invested in an item that doesn't have a FLUCTUATING PRICE AT THE TRADER (*cough zkeys*).

So don't go crying for nerfs just to raise your ecto stock value. That's bullshit. This game is already nerfed to hell and you're asking for more? Give it a fscking break and stop QQ'ing.


Edit: By the way, you all should've sold your stocks when you had the chance. Once I saw the price go between 4.8k and 5.5k at the trader multiple times in just ONE day, I sold ALL of my ecto for the same price I bought it at before the bottom fell out.

Maybe next time you'll all stop being greedy RED ENGINE GORED ENGINE GORED ENGINE GORED ENGINE GORED ENGINE GOs and actually jump ship before the whole damn thing is underwater.

Sai Rith

Sai Rith

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Jan 2006

W/

Whatever the case is, Ecto price drop=easier FoW

Dark Paladin X

Dark Paladin X

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Apr 2007

A/

Quote:
Originally Posted by Kanyatta
@OP: Nerfing Shadow Form is probably what Anet is going to do, although I would prefer if it was just reverted, personally. Making [glyph of swiftness] Ele spells only would be good, as someone pointed out. I personally still think Ursan is in more need of a debuffing.
You know nerfing Shadow Form just kill the ecto market as well as the green weapons market and elite tomes market.

Konig Des Todes

Konig Des Todes

Ooo, pretty flower

Join Date: Jan 2008

Citadel of the Decayed

The Archivists' Sanctum [Lore]

N/

Quote:
Originally Posted by The Pious Priest
1.Permanently nerf Shadow Form: The only instance I believe this should be done is if bots are exploiting the system (in which case I would like to know how they are able to get past the obsidian beheamoths and blackness)
This seems to be getting discussed, so this may actually happen. I care not if it does or doesn't, as I don't invest in ecto.

Quote:
2. make a new addition or change a skill to creatures in the Underworld: this could be done in a way similar to what the dying nightmare is to the 55 monk.Although it would not nerf shadow form per se, it may require a partner like the SS is to the 55 monk, therefore slowing the rate of supply in which ecto is sold making it more suitable to demand.
This is probably the best idea that can be done. I know UW and FoW are core areas, but might I ask why Anet cannot add a few Assassin, Ritualist, Paragon, and Dervish monsters? Adding a few assassin monsters with [Expunge Enchantment] would solve the Shadow Form farming problem, and if they are a low level but in groups of other enemies, it won't kill groups, but will kill farmers.

Quote:
3. reduce the current drop rates of ecto: I think this speaks for itself.
I don't agree, due to the amounts of QQ that will come of this just like the Loot Scaling. Would work though.

Quote:
4.Introduce new armor, weapons and benefits for ectoplasm: this would be IMO best for the guild wars economy because if Guild Wars had some measure of GDP (money value of all final goods and services sold, in this case value of new weapon, armor etc.) it would show an increase in economic stimulus in higher levels.
Turn the Eternal and Chaos weapons into craftable. How to get:

A new NPC has been added to the Hall of Grenth that gives 3 quests (as a quest chain). Once all 3 have been done, a second NPC will show up and will craft a Chaos Axe, Eternal Sword, Eternal Shield, Eternal Bow, Storm Bow, *new* Eternal Hammer, *new* Eternal Staff, Eternal Scythe, and Eternal Spear Celestial Focus, and *new* Eternal Wand for 10k, 15 Globs of Ectoplasm, and 150 Dust each. These weapons can be added into the HoM *only if they are crafted*. These weapons' drop rates decrease by half.

Thats my idea for a new ecto sink. (and money sink)

Quote:
Originally Posted by toastgodsupreme
Regardless, many of you treated ecto like a solid currency. You're all stupid for that. Could've at least invested in an item that doesn't have a FLUCTUATING PRICE AT THE TRADER (*cough zkeys*).
I know what you mean. People shouldn't invest money in anything that fluctuates in price. Zkeys included. Lockpicks might work, but you lose at least 250g for each pick you buy to invest in. Anything that is sold to the MERCHANT is what should be invested in, if you don't invest in money that is.

For those who have sooo much money that they can't keep it all on mules and in storage, go buy armors, weapons, USE IT, donate to the not so rich in the game, don't invest in it so you can get more money, you'll just lose it and it won't benefit ANYONE. Being greedy (and stupid) only hurts yourself, being nice to others helps others, even if it hurts you, but it wouldn't matter that much.

Eh, sorry about my rant on rich greedy folks in GW...

zling

zling

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Apr 2006

Shadowform is pretty ridiculous right now, you can farm almost anything with it very very easily.
even old 55ing with protective bond had plenty of unfarmable areas, shadowform has almost none :\

as for ectos, the whole point of them being a "currency" is because their prices flucuate. if it wasnt so there was no point in buying/selling them, just pure farming. that's the reason why neither lockpicks nor z-keys are replacing ectos as "currency" and which is why the best alternative to ecto would be white and black dyes. dye prices also flucuate but their drops are random so there isnt a specific build/area that gets you easy white or black dyes, so you cant really just farm them.

Steps_Descending

Steps_Descending

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Apr 2007

IN my pocket plane. Obviously!

Little Tom's Pocket Plane [THom]

Me/Mo

Quote:
Originally Posted by FoxBat
Once Shadow Form is nerfed, people will just move to the Obs Flesh ele that does the same thing to mindblades. The nerf may still be warranted, but it's not going to save ecto prices, which is all most of the complainers care about.
Probably true. Ironically, I think most people here would be happier with this.
I am getting a feeling that ecto prize is more the consequence of the source, rather than the source of the hatred itself.

Or perhaps people simply want ecto to be created at a slower rate than that wich Shadow form allow. (Does that sentence make sense?)

Either way reverting PvE shadowform or the proposed Glyph nerf sound promising to me.

Red Sand

Red Sand

Lion's Arch Merchant

Join Date: Mar 2008

New England

Warriors of Wynd [WoW]

W/

Quote:
Originally Posted by toastgodsupreme
...get over the ecto drop.

Who's fault is it that so many of you stockpiled it and created an artificial inflation?

You made that investment thinking that your precious ecto market would never drop below a certain price.

Regardless, many of you treated ecto like a solid currency... Could've at least invested in an item that doesn't have a FLUCTUATING PRICE AT THE TRADER.

So don't go crying for nerfs just to raise your ecto stock value.
Edited for content, quoted for truth.

Right now, you're like people who lost money in real estate demanding the government force the bank to give you a better rate on a house you can't afford. You should have known that the investment was too good to be true.

And unlike real estate, there really is unlimited supply of ectos out there.

Good luck with that.

aapo

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Apr 2006

Quote:
Originally Posted by The Pious Priest
1.Permanently nerf Shadow Form: The only instance I believe this should be done is if bots are exploiting the system (in which case I would like to know how they are able to get past the obsidian beheamoths and blackness)
- I agree, it should be buffed to cost 5 energy. Sometimes the player might run out of energy in the middle of killing combination and can't get it up fast enough. But there should also be randomly generated picture recognition test every time player enters UW.

Quote:
Originally Posted by The Pious Priest
2. make a new addition or change a skill to creatures in the Underworld: this could be done in a way similar to what the dying nightmare is to the 55 monk.Although it would not nerf shadow form per se, it may require a partner like the SS is to the 55 monk, therefore slowing the rate of supply in which ecto is sold making it more suitable to demand.
- This doesn't solve anything.

Quote:
Originally Posted by The Pious Priest
3. reduce the current drop rates of ecto: I think this speaks for itself
- So that everyone and their brother will farm with nothing but Shadow Form assassin because ectos are so shit-slow to get to begin with?

Quote:
Originally Posted by The Pious Priest
4.Introduce new armor, weapons and benefits for ectoplasm
- Oh yes. Free game content, SIGN'D!!!1!1!1

By the way, did you already realize game economy is nothing like real world economy? Things in real world decay. Your cellphone starts to get errors after five years, so you buy a new one. Your new Windows is not compatible with old games. Open milk stays good only for a few days after opening. When you get that new armor it stays with you until you stop playing or delete it (i.e. no longer want it). Why do you think demand for old items should stay the same after years? Go out there and try to sell your games for the price you bought them.