An idea: credit cooperatives

Very well, here's a proposal: how about, in the true spirit of cooperatives, we add a democratic element? All members get a vote every few months, to elect directors. The election could be held by STV (ranking candidates 1, 2, 3 etc.) and all candidates scoring above 50% (or another quota, perhaps?) would become directors.

Directors would jointly hold power, and have control over the ledger holding all the balances. Transactions would only be official if 50% of directors, or more, approved (by one director making an edit to the ledger of someone's balance on Google Drive, and others making a comment on the balance saying I approve this as of yyyy-mm-dd XX:XX PM/AM).

With regard to using the credit cooperative's residence for access chest transfers, it's really just a security measure, and could be circumvented with mutual agreement.

The private storage system you describe would be disallowed; holding any assets, including rupees and items, on the behalf of another player as a public service is considered an aspect of a bank, and is therefore not allowed. I get that you did say it'd be a matter for discussion, so I do appreciate that.

Don't worry too much about me; I have literally been coming up with crazy ideas relating to government, finance, politics and economics for years. I can handle the criticism at this stage, I've built up a sufficiently positive reputation. I appreciate the concern though

I think I understand. I have no further query to raise and I accept your ruling.
Credit cooperatives shall lie in my vault of ideas to be used elsewhere.


(You wouldn't mind keeping the thread open, if only to further discuss hypothetical implications of the credit coop idea?)

To find out more, go here.
Wanna find out more?

I am aware of EMC's policy on banks; I did reference it in this thread, after all.

Your proposed system is essentially a special member shop. People pay a fee and get access to special prices. Having a special currency and being able to print more just added a level of complexity that you can easily do without and seemed like a bit of a pyramid scheme to me.

Instead, you could give members access to Chests in a shop somewhere where they can buy and sell at prices the group agrees to. I've seen people try these several times but they do not seem to last for long.

I think this is because we are all free to negotiate prices to buy and sell within the present system, either in-game or on the Forum so it is adding nothing that we do not already have for the cost. Also, having a club such as this takes all of your potential suppliers and customers then cuts out all but a small percentage from participating.

I think you would need a lot of members to make something like this work and there is not enough incentive for someone to join without being able to create added credits/Rupees.

Alrighty... I am in the process of creating an outpost. A message/question to staff:

Can I use Volt's idea, but tweak it to follow the EMC rules? (For my outpost)

For instance:

• No entry payment. (You just have to be a member of the outpost)
• No interest.
• Public log on the forum, so that everyone can see the balances, and a PM with the government of my outpost, so that it is fair and we all know what the balances are, and what the changes will be.
• Strictly for my outpost.
• No 'monetary' value.*

*Ok, so I know that kind of relinquishes the point, but rather than it being just credits for purchases, these points would be used in my outpost in a "help out and earn points" kind of situation. (Ex.: Player A builds a house and donates supplies, therefore receiving points based on what they have done. When they have a certain amount of points, they then have access to special things in the outpost. [Farms, etc.])

If I cannot use this for my outpost members to purchase items, then I will at least use the point system.

(Another question: For my business, Dragados Inc, am I allowed to have two seperate shops: Normal Player shop, and employee discount shop? [Just with lower prices than the normal players.] Thanks.)

Even if it IS legal, I'd personally never use it

Well, I will be implementing a point system into my outpost any way, but it will not be like a credit system. You will see. And I believe that I am able to have a discounted shop, so I will do so. 72Volt, I do not have as much political knowledge as you, but I think that we will get along very well.

If everyone's balance goes up 50% isn't that the same as no one's balance going up 50%?

That is, until some new player joins and you all hope he isn't the last member before your numbers top out.
I see no reason to join something run on the honor system when EMC protects my rupees. What would stop someone from spending the same credits in several different places?
How would you convince someone they should join?

I guess the main thing is: as long as you are charging rupees this is for profit (though you said it wasn't), and it appears that initially only one person profits (you, Person A).
Everyone else joins in the hopes that they can exchange their initial credit next week for more rupee-value in items and cash out for rupees. The more people join the less chance of profiting they have. After a time, you reach your maximum membership. At this point no one's "credit" balance changes, you have all the rupees, and they have a ton of currency they can only spend at your outpost.

I'm no economist, but that's the only result I see.

fishmeal, 72Volt's idea is much different than mine. His is public, and is used as a currency. Mine will be a point system, with no monetary value. You will see it on the outpost thread when I make it.