The Points Conundrum

The removal of the price floor provided by the Pawn Shop last May has seen points in continual decline, seemingly propped up by new additions in recent months such as being able to use them for honors, the one-off Keepsake store, increasing the refill cost to 30 points, and most recently the implementation of Targets to a lesser extent.

This seems only to be slowing the decline rather than reversing it. Ched has stated that he wishes to increase money output, which indicates this is not an isolated decision.

Will we keep getting new uses for points to prop up their value? Or will they find a new steady equilibrium? This feels like the elephant in the room.

A few possibilities emerge:

1. Let point value fall to the wayside: this would be great for new players but wouldn't align with the intention for increased money output (trade-off: monetary deflation > point value).
2. Devalue individual points but increase/maintain costs: increasing point value costs e.g. refills from 30 to 40 (trade-off: overall point costs > individual point value).
3. Sustainable points sinks: A mechanism like refills that is a big enough sink to control the constant rate of points flooding continuously into the market, keeping a steady price (the 'maintenance' approach).
4. New measures for a win/win situation: individual point values are increased again somehow - both a vehicle for inflation management and maintaining/increasing the value of things like Donator Packs, the PTS stock block, etc. without a price floor like the Pawn Shop (isn't devalued with inflation but is easier said than done).

Suggest away I'm just a tard with some points (ha).

Allow for a second daily point refresh

Let us exchange points, to feet pics. Problem solved.

Will we keep getting new uses for points to prop up their value? Or will they find a new steady equilibrium? This feels like the elephant in the room.

This elephant had been discussed ad nauseam.

Also, let me add some pointed pointers to your points on points:

1. Let point value fall to the wayside: this would be great for new players but wouldn't align with the intention for increased money output (trade-off: monetary deflation > point value).

The opposite is true. Refills are only part of the expenses for new players, while flush running is the main source of income for new players (outside of RWs, at least). New players will be losing more money than saving.

2. Devalue individual points but increase/maintain costs: increasing point value costs e.g. refills from 30 to 40 (trade-off: overall point costs > individual point value).

It is debatable how much this would affect anything, as higher point cost of refills will inevitably result in reduction of refill use. The total amount of points used might even fall.

Finally!  A post that talks about the removal of the ability to sell points to the pawnshop.

I was concerned that nobody had noticed that this had been removed.  Been almost no constant complaining.

OH NO my point income

HERE WE GO AGAIN....

I don't make any money from points personally, donator packs aside.

Add a way to spend points in casino, prizes not being points. Great point sink imho

I have brought up this topic multiple times and so have many others, but they all get shit on by the torn community. 

I have now switched to the shitting team. Will just shit on all suggestions that are beneficial to the torn community if it's not beneficial to me. 

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Ched is thinking macro economics while you are thinking micro economics.  Point value decline is perfectly in-line with Ched's statement of "swapping out faucets" because Pawn Shop is in-fact a faucet.  In other words, the current point value is more aligned with the natural supply-demand market force; therefore, you can think of the difference between the current point value and the value prior to the change is how much the Pawn Shop faucet is pumping into the system.

As part of the change, there are more ways to make money in Torn; for example, crimes now pay more than they used to.  Adjust your play style to make money, don't be like "Hem" in "Who Moved My Cheese" by Dr. Spencer Johnson.

1. Daily Refill of Health. Basically removes any hospital time and gives full hp ones a day. Although im not sure if you can use points page while in hospital
2. Daily Boost of Stats. Something like +10% or +15% across all stats for entire day. Passive increase.

Many other options can be discussed but im listing the simplest ones IMO.

One of the better ideas I saw flying around was energy/nerve refills. You have your standard 30 point one that refreshes every day but also one that refreshes monthly. There was no limit to the amount of times you could use the monthly one but it's price doubled every use.  On the reset it goes back to base. They would also start at something like 100 points

The idea being this would prop up the market and ensure flowers and plushie running is still profitable.

the decline of the points market has resulted in lower prices for plushies and flowers and incomes.
the further decline of the points and possible crash would destroy sales of Plushies and Flowers and income from flying.

allowing two Energy or Nerve refills a day might help but something new with points would be a better thing.

it was suggested to allow Ponts to be used to complete Dukes missions perhaps calling it hire a henchmen or something and completing a mission for you.
new housing that we can buy with points would be nice, we already have them in game so it would be easy to put them up for sale with points.

special weapons and armor that you can only buy with points might be an option.
laser weapons maybe that do burn damage or some special and some kinda of advance ballistic armor.

but the thing is we need more things to do with points so that they dont crash and the economy with it.

Yeah because continous graving and stuff. I have decided let points and plushies just crash.

Oh no my points and plushie plus new player fly income.

This has been discussed constantly.

Come up with ideas on what new sinks to introduce, cause this target list is handy but why would I use it over existing tools that I have built over the years? (Beyond needing to reorganize my enemies now so the people I have on there but don't chain on are where they need to be.

I keep saying we should add more customization behind points - Gun skins, especially since we got new models, the ability to layer your armour over clothing.

Points are too expensive anyway let em fall

Refresh items in the market shop up to 3 times daily for points, each time its a little more expensive. Problem solved. 

I've seen so many other good ideas as well. 

just add the "duck fights" that is in the suggestions forum, make the upgrades be bought with points

thats a point sink that in no way affects the game

Introduce a 'magazines' system alongside books specifically for temporary effects. Any book with an effect that lasts only 31 days becomes a magazine, and the effects of books stay permanent.

Then allow exchanging points for magazines which could be tiered for the effects to last anywhere from 1 day to 31 days at varying point-costs.