GDC 2009: Eyjo Gudmundsson - Eve Online Economist | |
Eyjo Gudmundsson - Eve Online Economist The Escapist speaks with economist Eyjo Gudmundsson about Eve Online's economy vs. the real world economy. | |
Some interesting stuff. 1. You can't starve in Eve. The first concept is critically important because it pulls a lot of emotion out of the decision making process. Since that is inherently part of our nature, to suggest then that the Eve deregulated model is akin to what we'd see when real lives and the threat of hunger was on the line really doesn't seem very applicable. The second concept is of course important because of the nature of specialization. In Eve, everybody starts out exactly as capable as anybody else. Which means that any particular lacks in the market have nothing to do with natural ability. Yet as we all know, some people simply are able to do certain things better than others in the real world. And of course the third point is very important because, as far as I've been able to see, economic differences in Eve are more likely to lead to war than they are here. No doubt were death permanent, people would be a lot more reluctant to push forward for the "ultimate solution" to an economic grievance. This also tends to adjust the economy -- people are more willing to get along or simply let things go in the real world. Anyhoo, the point of all this is that while Eve certainly has some aspects of the real economy, thinking we can learn much from it about the real economy seems a bit foolhardy. | |
Also, the technology in Eve is fixed, right? (I don't play so ain't sure) So basically, you don't get the uncertainy that you do with the real world. Further, is there a banking/loaning system in Eve? | |
See those are what I don't want from a game... I like adventure and guns, fire explosions and other manly things. Eve is (this has been said before) more of a second job. I want an adventure from a game, two examples would be Mass effect and Half life. What I don't want is finacial bull, still a game having its own economy is impresive, sadly it seems to put me to sleep rather than draw me in... | |
People who are smart in real life, are smart in Eve. People who are dumb in real life, are most likely dumb in Eve.(Although there are hardly any dumb people who play Eve) *This is a story a friend of mine who plays the game very much told me, so it may not be accurate on details* Also, like any RPG, each player can take a role, and act accordingly, mine or be a fighter or whatever you want to do. Be a banker if you want, it's all up to you. Do you play Eve? I ask because you don't seem to understand how open this game is... This may not be the real world in a box with space ships. But this is the most realistic SIMULATION, of a real life economy. Like Eyjo said, it's like an experiment. And like all experiments, it is fixed and controlled. But only to the point that the experiment is actually valid. "The first concept is critically important because it pulls a lot of emotion out of the decision making process. Since that is inherently part of our nature, to suggest then that the Eve deregulated model is akin to what we'd see when real lives and the threat of hunger was on the line really doesn't seem very applicable." Assuming you are a gamer, you should know that there is just as much emotion and such in video games, as in real life. "And of course the third point is very important because, as far as I've been able to see, economic differences in Eve are more likely to lead to war than they are here. No doubt were death permanent, people would be a lot more reluctant to push forward for the "ultimate solution" to an economic grievance. This also tends to adjust the economy -- people are more willing to get along or simply let things go in the real world." Ummm, no? This is a game, that the players of the game almost control. Hate they have in the real world is of course there in the game. The player is human, in-game as he is human in real life. Consider your argument misinformed. "is there a banking/loaning system in Eve?" | |
Said as someone who hasn't yet experienced having to provide for their loved ones survival. Trust me. Games are an extremely pale comparison -- even when you're getting griefed.
See above. Our economy, ultimately, is based on those primal urges. Hunger. Security. Procreation. An economy not based on those fundamentals is as much a representation of a real economy as an animation cell of Bart Simpson is a representation of a real boy.
Please. Have you been there? Have you spoken to the people? I've done rig-work over there, and the people there are like people everywhere. Few of them fight because of hate. Many of them fight because of fear. Fear that we'll take away the only crops they have right now (often opium poppies) and force them into a type of slavery. They're not fighting for hate, they're fighting for survival -- as far as they can see, if they don't fight, they'll die. So they make huge sacrifices among individuals hoping to gain something for their society.
I might, but not by what you've brought to the table. About the only good point you made is that in-game they're as human as they are out of it. That's of course true, but to think that the Eve economy is any sort of model for what would happen in a real economy, as this professor seems to be suggesting, is clearly missing a lot of very important variables that drive our real economy. | |
Interesting. Since it's still just a game not everything hold true, but it's really quite nice to see a game market actually responding to all kinds of events in the game. Not just mayor patches bringing new content, but also large conflicts and territory changing hands etc. | |
Yes, technically, although there are processes meaning the amount of technology available could theoretically fluctuate (blueprints to produce high tech stuff require invention), and availability also varies with region, as it's pretty much if a player isn't selling it there you can't get it. And CCP add in more tech. Recently it's the T3 tactical cruisers. Second, there are banks, but they are entirely player run. There are also lotteries, radio stations... all player run, without any prompting from CCP. It's amazing at the same time as being ridiculous | |
I see about the technology - after all, technology is one of the things economics don't understand enough to model. But if Eve has them, its a non-issue of 'un-realism'. As for banks, I see! Its impressive, certainly. Although of course, there is no government sponsored backup scheme, as the video stated (in the real world, governments usually insure the cash in them so the customers won't lose out if the bank implodes). As for radio and lotteries, I'm not actually all that surprised. I did try EVE once, but I didn't get to grips with it and stopped playing only a day into the trial. | |