Olympia, an outline for an economy

From: nicholso@pioneer.arc.nasa.gov (Melvin H. Nicholson YBH)

Date: Sat, 16 May 1992 01:59:38 +0000

Here is a suggestion which will provide a legitimate basis for the
economy of Olympia and prevent the vapor-cash from appearing.  The
basis of this system is very simple.  Track the amount of $$$ that
the population of the area has, and the amount that it is willing to
spend for various services/need servicing.  Without going into actual
formulas, here is the general idea:

Players who wanted things done would request labour (if they
	didn't have sufficient men to dedicate to the job)  -- to
	facilitate this, there would need to be a mechanism by which
	players were able to specify how much help they wanted and what
	ranges of payment were acceptable.  Also, menial labour would
	have to be figured in to most of the production time costs
	(someone has to bring the master carpenter another big hunk of
	wood, etc.)

The value of work would depend on the demand/supply ratio, which
	would be solved by a minimax style algorithm (from the merchant
	eye view, of course)

A fraction of the indigenous population would want to work,
	especially when the price of labour is high, and some would
	also want to hire labour for whatever reasons (this provides
	a damping factor to preserve balance)

The $$$ in the indigenous town would be replenished not only
	from labour payoffs, but as a repository for where part of the
	maintenance of units goes (so while the peasants tavern is well
	stocked with your drunken soldiers, he'll have more $$$ to spend
	on getting his roof fixed or seeing an entertainer).  This is
	the same $$$ to be affected by taxation and pillaging.  (and
	woe be to the baron who taxes people but doesn't keep them safe)

Clearly this isn't a completed system, but it is a good outline for one.

Comments?

Mel