I realize this might be a rather radical idea, but the very organic nature of "dappers" and materials seems to suggest it.
The very concept of "planned money decay" is based on the idea of "money growing on trees" - which is, incidentally, a major problem for every MMORPG thus far. It's way too easy to earn money, it's as if game itself threw them at you. Thing is, there's really nothing to spend them on. The nature doesn't really work this way, though: most biological resources you gather will eventually decay, losing their value in the process. Why should the dapper be any different?
The point behind "nature economy" and decaying money is to incite people to spend and invest their money, to let them circulate instead of hoarding them - thus setting the economy in motion, while also creating a natural "dapper sink". It encourages activity: Don't let your dappers dry up, invest them. Don't let your materials rot, craft gear for resale instead. Keep those vendors stocked up all the time!
For further study, I suggest http://www.joytopia.net/ (German), English summary is available in PDF: http://tinyurl.com/naturaleconomypdf (edited to fix broken URL due to the system including random spaces in it)
The game would of course require some way to facilitate easy and painless money transfer between characters, as well as some way to invest our money. Perhaps a stock market, with a possibility of buying outpost shares? An option to start player-run businesses, like courier services, mercenary agencies or trekking escorts - businesses that'd actually HIRE other players as workers? Or perhaps even a store or market of your own, with a hired NPCs to sell your crafts? Privately-owned, NPC-ran stables with mounts for hire, paying up dividends to their shareowners? Buying land, investing into city development? Global projects, requiring the cooperation and investments of many homins in order to complete?
The very concept of "planned money decay" is based on the idea of "money growing on trees" - which is, incidentally, a major problem for every MMORPG thus far. It's way too easy to earn money, it's as if game itself threw them at you. Thing is, there's really nothing to spend them on. The nature doesn't really work this way, though: most biological resources you gather will eventually decay, losing their value in the process. Why should the dapper be any different?
The point behind "nature economy" and decaying money is to incite people to spend and invest their money, to let them circulate instead of hoarding them - thus setting the economy in motion, while also creating a natural "dapper sink". It encourages activity: Don't let your dappers dry up, invest them. Don't let your materials rot, craft gear for resale instead. Keep those vendors stocked up all the time!
For further study, I suggest http://www.joytopia.net/ (German), English summary is available in PDF: http://tinyurl.com/naturaleconomypdf (edited to fix broken URL due to the system including random spaces in it)
The game would of course require some way to facilitate easy and painless money transfer between characters, as well as some way to invest our money. Perhaps a stock market, with a possibility of buying outpost shares? An option to start player-run businesses, like courier services, mercenary agencies or trekking escorts - businesses that'd actually HIRE other players as workers? Or perhaps even a store or market of your own, with a hired NPCs to sell your crafts? Privately-owned, NPC-ran stables with mounts for hire, paying up dividends to their shareowners? Buying land, investing into city development? Global projects, requiring the cooperation and investments of many homins in order to complete?