Purchasing shares in in-game companies

[LeeB]

Given that the Elite universe is a distinctly capitalist one and there already exists a mechanism for tracking the fortunes of the various mega-corps, wouldn't it be nice to be able to invest a few surplus credits into one or more of these companies? Every month, depending on how these companies' fortunes fared, you might get a nice little dividend. It's more incentive for you to run missions for that company and gives folks with pots of money something else to spend it on. You'd probably need another interface for the trading of shares, but there's plenty of room in that big ol' screen for another option for share trading!

I should point out that despite playing the game since early beta, I've only amassed a paltry 6-figure bank balance, so think it will be a while before I'm in a position to buy any shares

Just at thought,
Lee

(Commander Puddles)

 

[Skanvak]

The interface is not the issue here as it can be done only inside a station or even outside the game. The issue is the model. Elite is built on a mlodel developped for decades, you will need to device a model for playing the stock market, which need to find its place in the game. And I see a problem with creating the sheer number of company that exist. I think that player run corporation (but which work like a buisness game, not a guild, could fit in what you want with other player putting money in that corporation for dividend).

 

[Martin1956]

I quite like this idea, makes it more immersive longer term, however I can think of a few things I would like to see added first....

 

[Robert Maynard]

Given that the Elite universe is a distinctly capitalist one and there already exists a mechanism for tracking the fortunes of the various mega-corps, wouldn't it be nice to be able to invest a few surplus credits into one or more of these companies? Every month, depending on how these companies' fortunes fared, you might get a nice little dividend. It's more incentive for you to run missions for that company and gives folks with pots of money something else to spend it on. You'd probably need another interface for the trading of shares, but there's plenty of room in that big ol' screen for another option for share trading!

This would allow players to (potentially) profit while not even playing the game....

 

[Skanvak]

This would allow players to (potentially) profit while not even playing the game....

That's not necessarilly bad. After all dividend allow people to earn without working. The point is that when you invest in a company you take a risk in capital. That why I think that player run company where the risk of bankruptcy is real are better, but with a good system why not. After the flow of money can be limited, the OP speak of monthly dividend, we can use a longer term (yearly, this way only long term player will care about).

 

[Elgered]

I didn't like the implementation in "X", but I could imagine it here. But in a very far future.

We (the pilots) have a very little influence to the universe. To implement such a feature in a way we recoglize it, would have a deep impact on the economy.

I could imagine to have the option to invest my earned money via missions and increasing in Rank for that company. Later to have the option to get involved in available missions and expanding areas (cartographing new systems to plann outposts there, ...)

But this is far, far future. There has to be done a lot first

 

[Akkya]

this is a good idea

 

[mcdowect]

proposed this same thing in another post, I think it would be a great idea, to keep to the idea of being one person among millions you could model the dividends realistically, most dividends don't pay more than a few bucks a quarter, so have in-game dividends do the same, that way you reduce the ability to make money without playing, and to add depth have different types of shares, like common shares that you just buy/sell,then preferred shares that cost more and pay higher dividends (but still realistically low) then perhaps a higher level of shares that would provide the player benefits with that company and there stations depending on the number of shares owned.

 

[Simon Darkstep]

Rather than buying and selling stock and getting dividends, buying in to a faction could be a good way to gain reputation with them, and to unlock access to items they own and can deliver.