Implemented Improve shops

[Oebelysk]

@AdamCF’s suggestion of increasing rent might force players to be active in their stores, but certainly doesn’t make them want to be active in their stores. And I don’t really blame stores from being inactive either. It consists of standing in front of a counter for essentially hours on end, every so often having to switch through a few menu tabs to buy things. I have a few suggestions to make life more enjoyable for both shop owners and people who buy from them.

Custom items: I suggest each store be given a few unique items that only their store can sell, with additional unique items costing a certain amount of credits to acquire (100 credits per unique item or something). I’ll leave balancing up to the CMs, but to incentivize their sale, some of them should have actual buffed properties. Maybe a specific tool store sells a knife that has 12 durability instead of 8, or a food store sells a kebab that has both leech and headcrab (legalize it already) on it and provides both perception and agility buffs.

Ingredients and food: This specifically applies to stores with the food permit. Ingredients and food share the same supply - I can either sell 4 bagels, or I can sell a single loaf of bread that requires 4 ingredients. Considering you have a maximum of 16 food in stock, that means I can literally sell 4 loaves of bread until I’m completely sold out until my stock slowly replenishes. Ingredients should either have their own increased stock or the food permit should have more stock.

Freedom?: This is really an IC issue so I can’t say much. All I know is that it feels like the CWU and the MoC try their hardest to make running a shop extremely difficult. Perhaps I’ll try again to make an IC case but the last time I did I was punished quite severely for questioning authority

 

[Silver]

I don't own a shop personally but from hearing what those that do deal with, it sounds really boring, tbh if I want to stand around for hours I will flag on as OTA. This suggestion seems to add more appeal to owning a shop via allowing unique items, and overall sounds cool.

 

[BUSH WOOKIE]

Laughs in 300 Credits fine that Sleiter was issued.

 

[Oebelysk]

Laughs in 300 Credits fine that Sleiter was issued.

I negotiated it down to 150 still was fined 200 by MoC as well

 

[Noodle]

We will look into unique items, if anything split items into different sections allowing for only one "permit" for those unqiue items. Thank you for providing constructive criticism but it does hurt when you say that we are trying our hardest to make running a shop difficult. We are working on making shops equal, fair, and overall not overbloated with inflation regarding credits.

As for unique items for only one shop is most likely not going to be passed around considering that would be monopoly over a single item. Shop owners should try and make own shifts, schedules and be aggressive in their marketing towards actually trying to attract customers by going outside and seeking customers.

We have had a few suggestions and rants lately which we are handling by either individually replying them or forming a document and releasing it.
The economy and its factors are always changing and we are willing to try different things. We wait around a week before "trying" something else if that is needed. So we are doing the same here. Either way, thanks for letting us know we will look into the possibility of adding more unqiue items, sadly though we are not able to offer monopoly.

 

[Conundrum]

Freedom?: This is really an IC issue so I can’t say much. All I know is that it feels like the CWU and the MoC try their hardest to make running a shop extremely difficult. Perhaps I’ll try again to make an IC case but the last time I did I was punished quite severely for questioning authority

I could agree with everything but that last point.

Your store is in Victory. The most loyal part of the city, in the loyalist capital on Earth. You will be scrutinized for every failure. But OOC we'll try our best not to shut you down until we're absolutely required to. I fought for you to be spared your PK from our store being burned down. Don't ignore that just because you were fined a bit.

We're trying our best to excuse oopsies while still making them sting with consequences.

 

[Oebelysk]

it does hurt when you say that we are trying our hardest to make running a shop difficult.

Again, IC issue, but is there any compromise that you have made that actually benefits shops? Nothing has been actually changed that makes the life of storeowners easier. I'll list some things that have been added this past week or so:
1. Xenian meat is now illegal and cannot be sold
2. Items can only be sold within the confines of your store
3. Indigent stores cannot sell tools/electronics
4. Indigent stores cannot have distribution terminals in their store
5. Store managers are completely responsible for their own employees actions
and more

Not to mention the fact that my store has been shut down twice already when I wasn't even online, and when that happens all of my employees automatically get fired - their keys become unusable, they lose all their permits, and they have to be completely reintroduced into the system

As for unique items for only one shop is most likely not going to be passed around considering that would be monopoly over a single item.

Having unique food items isn't going to cause a monopoly. If someone sells a piece of buttered toast that gives you +2 strength instead of +1 strength you're not going to ruin the economy. Same goes with if a store sells a knife that's somewhat stronger. If you consider any form of buff too gamebreaking, then I'm fine with just allowing stores to sell renamed items with custom descriptions at the very least

I could agree with everything but that last point.

Your store is in Victory. The most loyal part of the city, in the loyalist capital on Earth. You will be scrutinized for every failure. But OOC we'll try our best not to shut you down until we're absolutely required to. I fought for you to be spared your PK from our store being burned down. Don't ignore that just because you were fined a bit.

Not even just talking about my store. Am I quite surprised at how much punishment I've had? Sure, but it's IC at the end of the day. My store doesn't have a problem with inactivity. I'm bringing up points that are likely reasons why other stores aren't active. All the things I mention above can be applied to every storeowner

 

[Conundrum]

Xenian meat has always been illegal, the CWU didn't change this. We just updated our guidelines to make it painfully obvious to everyone involved. Civil Protection nuked you, the CWU was just aloofly going along with it and panic shut you down when your employee continued to sell the meat the next day.

Yes there's been numerous changes, but trying to improve a system always involves that. It was clear the current market was not working, even before Indigent was 'cut off'. Afterwards some alterations to the services we provided were needed.

No more luxury goods.
No more pickup terminals (to force employees to step outside of the slums periodically)
No more tools/electronics (to make it more difficult for miscounts to survive in an enclosed ecosystem. It forces them to get supplies from the main streets.)

Overall you were punished the second time solely because you didn't leave a note for your employee not to sell headcrab meat.

I'd advise making a personal discord for you and your staff so you can easily push requests to them.

 

[Noodle]

1. Xenian meat is now illegal and cannot be sold
2. Items can only be sold within the confines of your store
3. Indigent stores cannot sell tools/electronics
4. Indigent stores cannot have distribution terminals in their store
5. Store managers are completely responsible for their own employees actions
and more

Please take some time and read the business handbook.
Accordingly Xenian meat has always as far as I know been illegal.

Store managers are no longer *competely* responsible, but partial for their employees, depending on the area where your business is your employees can get under scrutiny for having too many or recent violations with no clear motive to improve as an anti-citizen. (ref. business handbook)

Indigent stores shouldnt be able to sell tools/electronics as it is against any form of common sense. Indigent will only be provided basic necessities. Example: Sustenance, clothing and writing supplies (Audiobooks are included). But any other needs are to be procured from more reliable jurisdictions.

The Pickup terminal has been discussed multiple times. You are expected to procure what you need in bulk from the Ration Distribution Center.

 

[Oebelysk]

Overall you were punished the second time solely because you didn't leave a note for your employee not to sell headcrab meat.

I was told by Civil Protection I had 24 hours to stop selling meat at around 6:00 PM. At ~7:00 AM the next day, a little more than 13 hours afterwards, my entire stock is burned, I'm shut down, and I'm fined. Perhaps you should give stores a little more notice before you raid them?

Please take some time and read the business handbook.
Accordingly Xenian meat has always as far as I know been illegal.

Store managers are no longer *competely* responsible, but partial for their employees, depending on the area where your business is your employees can get under scrutiny for having too many or recent violations with no clear motive to improve as an anti-citizen. (ref. business handbook)

Indigent stores shouldnt be able to sell tools/electronics as it is against any form of common sense. Indigent will only be provided basic necessities. Example: Sustenance, clothing and writing supplies (Audiobooks are included). But any other needs are to be procured from more reliable jurisdictions.

The Pickup terminal has been discussed multiple times. You are expected to procure what you need in bulk from the Ration Distribution Center.

Okay. I'm simply telling you why I believe stores are not active. These are issues that have been raised by many in the business discord chat. Businesses frankly don't have any say, or vote, or have their opinion taken into consideration whatsoever in terms of changes that get made. I get it's le dystopia but considering how many people complain about inactive stores, perhaps it's time to actually cater to the needs of the businesses instead of continually impose restrictions and regulations.

 

[Noodle]

These are issues that have been raised by many in the business discord chat. Businesses frankly don't have any say, or vote, or have their opinion taken into consideration whatsoever in terms of changes that get made. I get it's le dystopia but considering how many people complain about inactive stores, perhaps it's time to actually cater to the needs of the businesses instead of continually impose restrictions and regulations.

Thanks for telling me.

All the changes that have been applied have come from the fundamental suggestions proposed IC and on the discord chat. We have worked on a lot of reforms lately but they all spring out based on the suggestion received, comparisons and general statistics. We are working on the changes and we have to give them time to work. We have yet to have a situation where voting was needed for the cause of all instead of some individuals.

So by that there could be a channel in the discord where we can post policy changes that affect everyone, where users can approve or disapprove. Giving us a better insight into your dilemma.

 

[Oebelysk]

So by that there could be a channel in the discord where we can post policy changes that affect everyone, where users can approve or disapprove. Giving us a better insight into your dilemma.

As these are IC issues, it would honestly be kind of cool to have some sort of diplomatic organization with the business owners involved that allow us to push forth legislation/changes and vote, kind of like a senate. Would be far more interesting and immersive than just voting using emojis in the discord.

 

[Conundrum]

I was considering the idea of a Store Owners Association where we could meet once in a blue moon to discuss concerns in a venue. But for an added layer of tyranny only those in the Collaborators Party would be invited to suggest legislation. But not too many tier 4 store owners around.

 

[Oebelysk]

I was considering the idea of a Store Owners Association where we could meet once in a blue moon to discuss concerns in a venue. But for an added layer of tyranny only those in the Collaborators Party would be invited to suggest legislation. But not too many tier 4 store owners around.

Something like this would be pretty awesome, basically exactly what I was thinking. This would solve all of my IC problems - the only other things that stores need is more diversity with the custom items as I said and maybe improve how permits work

I would suggest not gate it to only T4+, but simply make those with higher loyalist status have more vote power. Having indigent store owners in a discussion with victory store owners would be a great scene

 

[Atle]

It's a tricky one because a lot of it is IC, we're operating in a mixture of a fascist / communistic government type that does not allow free market policy which results in a failing economy. It's like a puzzle that you endlessly try and patch up because in the end the system itself is as corrupt and broken as it can be.

However as mentioned a lot is IC and for example due to the food shortage we may allow shops to sell and buy xenian meat (in HL:A russel has a headcrab in his fridge indicating its allowed). Ministry of Commerce can also enter talks with CWU to spread responsibility and not have everything on the shop owner

Further on, Ministry of Commerce will introduce a reward scheme for shops that reward active open shops with cash, sc for all employees, etc (only applicable in victory and triumph)

 

[Oebelysk]

However as mentioned a lot is IC and for example due to the food shortage we may allow shops to sell and buy xenian meat (in HL:A russel has a headcrab in his fridge indicating its allowed). Ministry of Commerce can also enter talks with CWU to spread responsibility and not have everything on the shop owner

Further on, Ministry of Commerce will introduce a reward scheme for shops that reward active open shops with cash, sc for all employees, etc (only applicable in victory and triumph)

Excellent idea rewarding shops that are open is 100% the way to go, not solely punishing those that are inactive

 

[Atle]

Setting this to implemented, we've since added some food items to the food permit as well. However custom items will not be made for shops as that is a whole complicated issue.