[PnP] Economic Project, Part 1 (rev 2)

[Scott Adams]

>
>The basic concept comes form the website 'it all begins with 
>grain".  In terms of low-tech cultures, I do think that the value of 
>product is based on the cost of labor, plus materials.  There are 
>other factors, but this is only a low-level simulation.  At present 
>we really only have a 10% "inflation" factor for products (to cover 
>the taxes), so a final product that is 5 steps removed from raw 
>materials ends up increased in cost by about 60% -- if we added 
>another 25% at each step to cover fees, other materials and random 
>expenses,   at 5 steps out the cost gets inflated out nearly 4.5 times.
Gee.  Here I thought ship sites were dry.  :) Grain.  Wow.  Better 
patience than me. :)
But you have a good grasp of it all.


>Now this is not to say that this is a knob that should not be there 
>-- if we feel that the per-step value increase is too low (which 
>makes advanced produces with lots of steps more expensive than 
>simple goods), then we can tweak that knob to where it "feels 
>right".  Or we can ignore the knob, keep it simple  and just add 
>more steps. For example, in my draft 1 version of the rules, Chain 
>armor is 2 steps (Miner (Metal) -> Armorer (Armor)).  Perhaps the 
>better way to model it is add a step (Miner(metal) -> 
>Wiremaker(metal wire) -> Armorer (chainmail)), but each step then 
>requires me to figure out production rates.  Such a model sort of 
>looks like manufacturing today, and probably would seem more 
>"realistic" in our eyes, but I don't know for sure how things were 
>handled in roman/dark ages terms.
Yeah.  There is a point that it can just bog things down.  So a 
generic system has to work.



>I'm just using the calendar I posted to Wout's site a while back.
Yeah.  Think I'm using htat..hmm..never noticed t 30 days or maybe it 
has been a while since read it.  But I use the same month names and 
such. :) ..hmm..actually I do 30 day months as well now that I htink of it.



>Again, this is a complexity I'm currently hand-waving away since it 
>varies so much by culture.  The model is being defined on an 
>"idealized" culture.  Once we have that as a base it's easy enough 
>for the GM to apply modifiers.

If not per culture how about type? Ie.  Civ vs Barb
Monarchy vs Feudal.  Each type has their own system of rules and 
mechanics.  Slavery..no slaves..free men...
Theocracy has fanatics that will work cheaper than free men. etc.
(I know too complex).


>A farmer is not 300 days in the fields; a lot of that time is doing 
>housing and tool upkeep, cutting his firewood for the next winter, 
>mending clothes, etc.  Some of that could be done in bad weather, 
>and likely would have to if they wanted to eat.  I just wanted a 
>little bit of flexibility in the system.  In my original draft of 
>these rules I had all productions and incomes based on 360 days, 
>which was even more unreasonable (everybody has SOME down time).

Ack.


>Back then beer was drunk a lot for safety as well.  The boiled water 
>(and alchohol) was healthier than water directly from local sources.

True.



>Even if that's all you have, it helps.  Having chewed on this for a 
>few years, though all the incarnations, I could easily see myself 
>overlooking some gaping hole that might be obvious to someone 
>looking at it fresh.
No god dropping by the farm and snapping fingers and doing in 1 day 
the farmer woul ddo in a year?  Those kinda details? :) j/k




> > Gee that was a waste of post.  Nothing too detailed...sigh..
>
>Not a waste, since I was able to use it to explain my methods and 
>perhaps answer questions other might have.

I think most just dont' like to post.  Most rahter lurk.

Still a good set of rules even if most  may not use it.  Most don't 
settle down to that level ...
But good stuff.