RDRO Economy

[Klaymond]

Disclaimers of "this is a Beta" and "inflation is already taken into account" apply.

 

I'm getting some feeling so far that RDRO is going the route of GTAO's economy:

Where semi-realistic payouts from campaign work is not relayed to online work which then becomes a grind. Though, in this instance, it's immediately noticeable that online work is already a grind to make any decent money versus the slow transition of GTAO to grindy status.

 

Example: We've cleared out bandits and captured high value dudes alive, but get paid approximately $5 where $50 was the average payout in campaign for similar missions. Even divided amongst the group of four, our pay should still be significantly higher. Payouts for other modes pay approximately the same which is enough to restock but not to truely save. Even loot such as jewelry at fences pay approximately  $1 to $2.

 

Between the base money being poor and the introduction of secondary currency that's also extremely difficult to come by, I'm betting it'll translate into ingame currency microtransactions for both types upon full RDRO release. No one minds them existing but we do mind when they end up being the only viable option to improve inventory. Grinding a weekend and feeling like we got nowhere has already left that rotten taste in the GTAO community's mouth. 

 

The last thing that bothers many is the fact that with all weapon/horse upgrades costing exorbitant amounts of money could mean a potential pay-to-win. Specifically the non-aesthetic upgrades directly affecting weapon/horse stats, puts that PtW potential in there on competitive modes.

 

We know it's a Beta, but recent videogame history proved time and time again that the quality does not truely improve upon release. Your online economy needs a change or your community won't want to get behind you. Love the campaign but shakey grounds out online so far.

[h1r0ll3r]

Let's not forget that R* is for profit like any other game developer. Yeah they hit a billion in sales the first week or so but they'll want more. Seeing the route they took in GTAO, pretty sure they'll take the same route in RDRO. Don't feel like grinding for 2 weeks to get enough gold bars to buy a weapon? How 'bout you fork over some real money and you can buy it now  This is what really turned me off on GTAO. I played the hell out of that game at launch. But with each update and making things more and more expensive, it was pretty pointless for me to keep grinding and grinding and grinding. I didn't play GTAO for almost a year and when I came back, everything was 2/3/4 million dollars. Screw that. 

 

I REALLY hoped that they would make it less money grabbing in RDRO but I'm thinking it's not going to be like that. $1,000 bucks for a handgun/shotgun? All the stupid camp upgrades are expensive. Lord knows what else they'll come out with to buy. I'd imagine we'll be allowed to purchase a home/ranch or something and that will be like $50k or some other ridiculous amount. Story mode was fantastic but Online is probably going to kill RDR2 if they don't make changes to their economy. 

[saintsrow]

I agree with the OP.  

 

I'm going to go out on a limb, and credit Rockstar with making an Online economy that is intended to be a biting commentary on the present piss-poor real world gig economy, that millions of people are already suffering through, and the rest of us to headed for, as we all lose our day jobs, one by one.  RD Online is the cautionary tale of our future feudal society.  Rockstar is showing us how bad it can be, while there's still time for us to rise up, and make a better world for ourselves.  

 

 

PS:  On the other hand, naw, forget that intellectual "biting commentary" BS.  Forget about "rising up," especially against Rockstar.  Rockstar is just being the same friggin' trollmasters they've always been.  They hate their fans.  No fun allowed.