41464 replies to this topic

[The Captain]

People need to stop asking permission to do interesting things. That takes away all the surprise. Just start doing it, and if people are paying attention they'll either help you or try to hinder you. Just don't do huge tasks in one post is all. That way, if what you're doing really isn't good for the benefit of the RPG, people can stop you in-game rather than out-of-game and it's generally just more fun for everyone.

[Friar Tuck]

People need to stop asking permission to do interesting things. That takes away all the surprise. Just start doing it, and if people are paying attention they'll either help you or try to hinder you. Just don't do huge tasks in one post is all. That way, if what you're doing really isn't good for the benefit of the RPG, people can stop you in-game rather than out-of-game and it's generally just more fun for everyone.

He is quite correct; it takes they mystery out of it if we ALL know what you are doing. If you have questions if what you want to do can be done, please PM a staff member. We keep a strict confidentiality code so no-one will know of your world domination plans, plus you will know if you're breaking any rules or just being over-the-top again without anyone knowing, so there is no embarrassment. Like I said, if you have questions ask us directly.

[EmperorWhenua]

Oh.

Tuck, may I have permission not to ask you for permission?

[The True Zedd of Ponypower]

Can I have permission to not ask you whether or not I can ask you for permission to ask permission?

[Friar Tuck]

Permission denied. One cannot ask for permission to not ask for permission; its like using a wish to ask for extra wishes. If you want to have permission you must ask for permission, for permissionless actions will be dealt with passionate responses.

In other words Rene no.

[EmperorWhenua]

Just no? No super-long cry of misery while pulling out your hair in distress as I bother you? Psh, either I'm going soft or you're growing tolerant. And I sure as winter am not growing soft. (Also, learn to use commas! Seriously, they can make a world of difference!)

Also, hey, Joshua, let's stay on topic, shall we?

[Toa Onarax]

Quick question how much is one widget worth, approximately, in dollars.

[Shuhei Hisagi]

A quarter, I'd say.

[-Joshua-]

Just no? No super-long cry of misery while pulling out your hair in distress as I bother you? Psh, either I'm going soft or you're growing tolerant. And I sure as winter am not growing soft. (Also, learn to use commas! Seriously, they can make a world of difference!)

Also, hey, Joshua, let's stay on topic, shall we?

But I haven't even begun posting yet!

[The True Zedd of Ponypower]

A quarter, I'd say.

I always assumed it was one dollar.

[Toa Onarax]

A quarter, I'd say.

I always assumed it was one dollar.

Could we set something up for the sake of the RPG, not official by any means, because I've seen people pay 2 widgets for the same drink someone else paid 10 widgets

[EmperorWhenua]

But I haven't even begun posting yet!

You're a funny man, huh? A very funny man.



I've always thought of a widget as a common currency with value settled by the size or geometry of the widget. If anyone remembers the old MNOLG2, the widget widget (hah!) had several widgets of varying sizes. I've never bothered with distinguishing the differences, because it really doesn't matter, but I've thought of a widget as the rough equivalent to a $.50 piece in the States.

But like I said, it's really pointless. Not everybody will listen to the value of the widget, and that itself just shatters any purpose of having a true value for the widget. I say let's just toss widgets around as usual and not care about accuracy.

Edited by EmperorWhenua, Oct 16 2011 - 03:20 PM.

[Nano Bear Swarm]

Okay, so what's the status on the Emotional Spectrum team? Love is back up, albeit now with personality fused with Mardi.

[The Captain]

A quarter, I'd say.

I always assumed it was one dollar.

Could we set something up for the sake of the RPG, not official by any means, because I've seen people pay 2 widgets for the same drink someone else paid 10 widgets

That second person got ripped off, apparently.

[The True Zedd of Ponypower]

Take it I have to wait for TPTI to come online so I can deal with the tiberiam thing?

[Master of Masks]

Okay, so what's the status on the Emotional Spectrum team? Love is back up, albeit now with personality fused with Mardi.

Well I'm still willing to play Rage, but we're still missing Didact I think.

[Bulik]

Will the staff members do NPC rahi raids?

that would be very fun. it seems since makuta owneded the toa mata that he would have a stronger grip, because practicly nobody mentions makuta of fights rahi.

It would be fun for every once or twice a week, a random rahi raid comes to a village, and members will, well, unite and demask/kill the rahi. that would bring back the feel of '01, when the matoran and were constantly fighting rahi or defending villages. because in the areas i've been, makuta seems to have disappeared. these raids would also be a "booster" so when activities are going slow, bring in a few nui-jaga, and let the fun begin

[EmperorWhenua]

Bulik, don't jinx us! Don't speak of such things! Another thousand years bad juju!

[Ghosthands]

As regards the 'widgets dilemma', I would say this:

The world of Mata Nui is a very different one to ours. The economy is primitive and very different to that of our highly developed world. Many (if not most) of the commodities they bargain for do not even exist in the real world, and those that do invariably have different value in their society to ours.

I think it is a mistake to try to draw parallels between widgets and real-world currency. Bionicle is simply too different to ours. Instead, if we must define the worth of a widget, we must use some sort of in-universe standard. Our currencies, for example, revolve around the price of gold.

What would be even better is if we can define some kind of "price bracket" system. Items of small size and worth, for example lightstones and drinks, would fit into the lowest bracket, say, 1-10 widgets.
Larger items, like tools, large meals and small weapons like disks and daggers, would fall into the second, 10-50 widgets.
Items which require a fair amount of effort to create, like weapons and Kanohi, might cost anything from 50-200.
When we move into complex items like MU tech and full suits of armour, or large pieces of property such as boats and steeds, we can expand into 200-1000 widgets.
Eventually we get to the point where people are buying real investments like land, large ships, and comfortable houses, which could be sold for tens of thousands.

Of course, by this point we can't just go around with heaps of these little gears, so EW's suggestion of a coinage system becomes essential.

Now, we could just use widgets to at our own discretion, and not go to the bother of such standardisation. The question is, what would be the better idea?

Publication pending: Currency in Matoran Society as Defined by Economical Norms: an Essay on the Widget

XD

Edited by Ghosthands, Oct 16 2011 - 04:21 PM.

[The True Zedd of Ponypower]

Also keep in mind that Matoran are really the only species who sue widgets, most deals (usually large ones) are dealt with in other species via a bartering system.

[Cadias]

You pose an interesting question, Ghosthands. However, when we begin to define the economy in such painstaking detail that people begin investing, we need to have a set amount of widgets in-game, or we'd see everyone running around with a few million little gears. So, of course, we'd need to assign someone to keep the amount of widgets per character reasonable and take note of any and all transactions between PCs and NPCs.

No. Just no. I'd much rather have people throwing around random amounts of widgets and keep things nice and simple. The price bracket system would be about as complex as I'd want the 'widgets dilemma' to get.

[Nuju Metru]

Widgets are worth as much as your character considers them to be. If you want to play as somebody who cares about wealth, then widgets will matter to you. If you prefer to barter and live on what you need, they won't. There is no economic system in the BZPRPG - you can have as many widgets as you want.

[The True Zedd of Ponypower]

Let's just say that we used a game shark and now have unlimited cash.

[The Captain]

I'm just going to go on a limb and say it should be a running gag for everyone to pay different amounts for the same item. You see Billy bought a sword for 5 widgets? You pay 3. Someone tries to up your anty and buys a drink for 6. Some rich bugger settles down nearby and decides to be a braggadocio and buys the same drink and tips the bartender 20 widgets.

Frankly, the whole widget thing doesn't matter. It'd be much funnier as a running gag where someone could introduce their character to another by simply telling them "You paid way too much for that drink."

[Ghosthands]

Which was sort of my point by giving such a painstaking argument, just to show how complex the whole thing would be if we did try to establish a system.

Basically, let's just use common sense.

[The True Zedd of Ponypower]

How about JRPG rules of automatically getting a thousand widgets and a fire ring from killing a small bird?

[snoip lion]

Basically, let's just use common sense.

So 1 widget = 15,000 dollars?

-Snipe

[Ghosthands]

Basically, let's just use common sense.

So 1 widget = 15,000 dollars?

-Snipe

[Kughii]

lolz... I wish we could have this conversation with real money... I'd never have to work again. ;P

I agree with the Captain: let's keep the informality and comedy of the currency as it is. I had a lot of fun bantering back in 2010 with people over the price of something based on credits/widgets, and I'd love to keep it up this year as well.

Plus, it makes stealing widgets almost worthless. XD

--Kughii

[Lord of Adders Black]

Take it I have to wait for TPTI to come online so I can deal with the tiberiam thing?

Wait no more! btw, kind of ninja'd you in Ta-Koro so you may have to edit this

IC:
Chimera was confused but ignored it, this Toa was a bit strange.
"Well I'm glad to know where I am, but i have no interest in going back to Ta-Koro, i'm actualy looking for a red bird."

[The True Zedd of Ponypower]

I used my excellent skills of awareness to edit BEFORE you told me I had to.

[Lord of Adders Black]

So, 'tis a battle of ninjas you want?

[The True Zedd of Ponypower]

Having two ninja's battle each other never ends well.

[EmperorWhenua]

Personal messenger is your friend. Sad EW is sad.

[Kughii]

Having two ninja's battle each other never ends well.

... it ends in a multi-million dollar franchise and a sequel with terrible graphics.

[Ghosthands]

Personal messenger is your friend. Sad EW is sad.

[Emzee]

Will the staff members do NPC rahi raids?

that would be very fun. it seems since makuta owneded the toa mata that he would have a stronger grip, because practicly nobody mentions makuta of fights rahi.

It would be fun for every once or twice a week, a random rahi raid comes to a village, and members will, well, unite and demask/kill the rahi. that would bring back the feel of '01, when the matoran and were constantly fighting rahi or defending villages. because in the areas i've been, makuta seems to have disappeared. these raids would also be a "booster" so when activities are going slow, bring in a few nui-jaga, and let the fun begin

I would only do that if there was really nothing else for the players to do, which is hardly the case right now. Come the annual Dry Spell, I may consider.

Of course that's just me, NM and FT might have different plans.

[Toa Xemnas of Crystal]

Is there anything goin on in Ko-Wahi? My new char Ezio needs something to do.

[Shuhei Hisagi]

There's loads going on in Ko, just check it out.

Trouble-makers feel free to pick a fight with Kiox, who's sitting in a bar waiting for Lohkar to finish with the crew. Or, y'know, not pick a fight maybe.

[Bulik]

when willl the daily mata nui and bzprpg news be up?

Edited by bulik, Oct 16 2011 - 07:43 PM.