Some years ago, before 2013, there used to be an active economy. At that time regular wool and thin wool was around 102%-105% markup and residues something like 108% markup sometimes more, I think I even remember them at 110%. There was a initial advantage of 5% in burning all that wool, pushing the markup on hunting loot and at same time providing metal residues for bigger item crafters. This is what an economy is. Obtain product from one area of game (hunting), transform it and sell it to other distinct part of players in game (crafters). It was identical with some ores from mining. I remember caldorite for example being used to craft weapon scopes and sights just to farm BPs and residues, every time caldo reached a certain markup you could see some players globaling on those scopes and sights BPs. Of course 5% initial advantage when you can get 75% return run isn't much but sure it helped and was an incentive to burn those material. Now you just buy nanocubes from trade terminal and produce any amount of residues you want!
While some limited items are way cheaper now than they used to be, also the markup you obtain with those items is way less. I could get limited guns at TT value that I would never see more than 101% markup hunting Atroxs for example. And not a single item from them the last 5k kills anyway. I would prefer if I could sell the liver oil and the soft wool at 105% at least. Just auctioned 500ped tt of liver oil for around 101.5%. Taking the rule of 95% tt return long therm, you are doomed even before you start. But people still hunting them mostly because of the skill rewards from missions. And to remember there were no mission when I started, yet the game was so appealing.
The actual state of the game is just a crazy dysfunctional economy. Players log in buy ingredient from trade terminal, craft it, most of the time throw the products on trade terminal again and feed the auction orders at under 101% for residues. We all know that even if we gained 10% in markup most of the session we would still losing.
Actually everything revolves around seasonal events and the placement tokens. That provide even more unlimited items for the economy. Making even more players completely independents of all the other players. With the exception for the auction those players could play alone because they don't need anything from anyone, what make no sense in RCE where the E stands for economy.
The errors were made. The introducing of missions, making certain mobs over hunted even if the average markup loot from them is under 101%. Introducing of pure gambling blueprints (we even have 4 levels of slot machines depending of the size of your wallet, EP 1, 2, 3 and 4).
The new crafted armatrix line was good introduction and even revitalize some other components craft that were dead but it's only a drop in the ocean, like the OP very well said we need the same for armors and FAPs.
The auction orders for event were nice but it kinda felt a bit like cheating because it's and artificial demand for those components besides it's over now.
make it so nano cubes can be bought with ores or enmatters only, then it will make people use up some of the lower % ores and enmatters.
This is a great suggestion, it would work like constant auction order for ores/enmatters and why not for residues also? There is 4 types of residues but mostly of the times only one is in demand. Why should I throw animal oil residues in the trade terminal all the time? Place a NPC in every planet for the exchange of nano cubes or add a new tab on trade terminal where you can only pay the nano cubes with loot, being it ore, enmatters, any kind of residue, oils etc. I'm sure that it wouldn't hurt the game more than some decision already did.
Mayhem events and the introduction of even more unlimited items is bad too. They made it a bit more difficult with some items needing 2 placement tokens. It also seems that some uber items are just available in limited quantities what I think it's good already. Introduce other things worth the placement tokens, like vehicles, cloths with buffs, apartments maybe even land areas with a fair exchange of tokens of course.
The economy need to be a lot more stimulating. Other than mayhem events and spleen oil grinders.
