Realistic Money

Talk about the mods you'd like to see in Daggerfall Unity. Give mod creators some ideas!
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C0rg1
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Realistic Money

Post by C0rg1 »

In daggerfall 400 gold pices is 1kg
Seen here https://en.uesp.net/wiki/Daggerfall:Banks
In real life the value of a Daggerfall gold coin is . . .
1kg of gold in July of 1996 is 13402.6. Which makes 1 coin = 33.5$ or dollar inflation up to 59.60.
1kg of gold in November of 2022 is 54900. which makes 1 coin = 137$
Although the above values is nice for fictional to real life conversion of GOLD it does not equate to the value of the money itself to the citizens of the Daggerfall game.

Within the game Gold may hold a vastly different value in a world where magic and dragons exist. To this end the value of the gold may be hinted at by the cost of basic everyday needs. Essentially finding the cost of an equivalent item in real life and compare it to the cost within Daggerfall.

I'm not going to suggest to rework the value system. Just to convert what was once only gold down to lowest denominator so there could be coins of a higher value. Example, 1 (old gold) is now a copper coin. 10 (old gold) is a silver coin. and 100 (old gold) is now equal to new value of 1 gold coin. This way the heavier weight of gold is applied to the most expensive coins.

The above system is whats called a base-10 system which is easy to grasp and use as USD and GBP use it.
Historicaly on the other hand a base-12 system is more appropiate but also rightly weird.

What do you think would be a proper replacment?
Last edited by C0rg1 on Thu Nov 10, 2022 4:27 am, edited 1 time in total.

Sappho20
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Re: Realistic Money

Post by Sappho20 »

A base 12 system makes the most sense, especially in a world without calculators.
In a base 10 system 10 can be divided evenly by:
1 = tenths
2 = fifths
5 = halves
Whereas a base 12 system can be divided evenly by:
1 = twelfths
2 = sixths
3 = quarters
4= thirds
6= halves
So the base 12 is easier as it gives you more options to divide evenly, and hence it was a common number.

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C0rg1
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Re: Realistic Money

Post by C0rg1 »

The in game gold coin value of items in Daggerfall is bonkers and all over the place.
At first I thought to do a value of products in "average" daggerfall shops to real life and the exchange rate is NOT stable.
Example 1 mug of ale is 1 gold. So 1 can of beer is around 1$. Thats a 1 to 1 rate.
On the other hand 1 night at an in is 5 gold and irl it is 75$. Thats is NOT 1 to 1.
Searching online someone claimed in Oblivion that 1 gold is equated to 20$ irl by in game value.
Then I searched up Dungeons & Dragons coinage for Second Edition.
Thats the edition that was available back in 1996.
Unfortunately without more than ONE COIN there is no exchange rate to compare it too.
So I made a list of a variety of common objects in shops. Shirts, shoes, pants, etc. It seems that there are two distinctly differnt rates. One that is (1 to 3) times the gold value and one that is (15) times the gold value. So that 5 gold pair of pants is 15$ irl. Or that 1 gold coin sandles is 15$ irl. See what I mean about messed up values.
-
This is why I suggest reducing the old gold to a new copper and making higher value coins.
It's either that or re-pricing EVEYTHING in the game to realistic prices which considering fantasy metals makes things WEIRD.

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jayhova
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Re: Realistic Money

Post by jayhova »

Sappho20 wrote: Wed Nov 09, 2022 5:18 pm A base 12 system makes the most sense, especially in a world without calculators.
In a base 10 system 10 can be divided evenly by:
1 = tenths
2 = fifths
5 = halves
Whereas a base 12 system can be divided evenly by:
1 = twelfths
2 = sixths
3 = quarters
4= thirds
6= halves
So the base 12 is easier as it gives you more options to divide evenly, and hence it was a common number.
Base 8 is also common as in doubloons being divided into 8 bits.
Remember always 'What would Julian Do?'.

regalritzy
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Joined: Mon May 08, 2023 10:49 am

Re: Realistic Money

Post by regalritzy »

jayhova wrote: Fri Nov 11, 2022 6:27 pm
Sappho20 wrote: Wed Nov 09, 2022 5:18 pm A base 12 system makesredactle the most sense, especially in a world without calculators.
In a base 10 system 10 can be divided evenly by:
1 = tenths
2 = fifths
5 = halves
Whereas a base 12 system can be divided evenly by:
1 = twelfths
2 = sixths
3 = quarters
4= thirds
6= halves
So the base 12 is easier as it gives you more options to divide evenly, and hence it was a common number.
Base 8 is also common as in doubloons being divided into 8 bits.
However, I find the base 12 system to be more appropriate and easier to use.

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jayhova
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Re: Realistic Money

Post by jayhova »

Isn't it odd that you are using a computer system whose basic unit is a byte made of eight bits to argue that a system of base 12 is better? :-)
Remember always 'What would Julian Do?'.

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