Author Topic: Rates of Exchange, outside the game  (Read 1972 times)

beachhead1985

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Rates of Exchange, outside the game
« on: 11 December 2019, 14:35:30 »
Has anyone ever figured out rates of exchange for in-game currency with real world equivalents, such as Gold or Silver?

How about the in-game value of adjusted materials like Germanium?

Thanks.
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monbvol

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Re: Rates of Exchange, outside the game
« Reply #1 on: 11 December 2019, 15:20:31 »
People have made the calculations before but it has been some time.

Exactly where that will come out will depend on what items you decide to use as your point of comparison.  In over all average a C-bill is probably worth somewhere between $5-$15 US.

dgorsman

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Re: Rates of Exchange, outside the game
« Reply #2 on: 11 December 2019, 15:58:30 »
I prefer my current level of (in)sanity, thanks.
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Daryk

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Re: Rates of Exchange, outside the game
« Reply #3 on: 11 December 2019, 16:42:36 »
I think it was MW 1e that first said 1 C-Bill was $5.  You could use inflation since then to depreciate the value, and if you're looking for gold or silver, you could track the metal prices since then too...

victor_shaw

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Re: Rates of Exchange, outside the game
« Reply #4 on: 12 December 2019, 14:32:34 »
As Daryk stated, the game has always worked on the idea that 1 C-bill was valued at $5 U.S. Dollars.
This tends to breakdown with some of the more low cost mundane items, but is close enough for government work. :thumbsup:
All the Era books have the breakdowns for the house per time period after that.
The general idea seems to be that money is based on the C-bill/SL dollar standard from there.
If you are looking for a direct conversion, I would find an item that is as close as possible to something we have today and compare prices.

skiltao

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Re: Rates of Exchange, outside the game
« Reply #5 on: 12 December 2019, 16:35:47 »
The first two RPGs used $5 per C-Bill, the third used $3, and I think the fourth priced daily goods individually instead of naming a simple conversion. The first three editions pegged their conversion against the current in-game and real world year, which may not hold true for the fourth edition or the era books.

MW1e: 1 C-Bill ca. 3025 ~ 5 USD ca 1986
MW2e: 1 C-Bill ca. 3052 ~ 5 USD ca 1991

MW3e: 1 C-Bill ca. 3061 ~ 3 USD ca 1999

aToW: ????

The value of gold and such will vary from location to location in the same ways and reasons it does in the real world. Germanium might be steadier (and pricier than in the real world) but I don't think I've seen a reliable benchmark for it.
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beachhead1985

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Re: Rates of Exchange, outside the game
« Reply #6 on: 12 December 2019, 21:53:38 »
Thank you! This is great stuff! Totally missed the 5 USD mention in my MW1 book
Epitaph on an Army of Mercenaries

These, in the day when heaven was falling,      Their shoulders held the sky suspended;
The hour when earth's foundations fled,         They stood, and earth's foundations stay;
Followed their mercenary calling,               What God abandoned, these defended,
And took their wages, and are dead.             And saved the sum of things for pay.
     
A.E. Housman

beachhead1985

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Re: Rates of Exchange, outside the game
« Reply #7 on: 13 December 2019, 18:15:56 »
What started this was thinking about that new story; Golden Rule included in the Beginner set. I wondered how much that Gold was worth.
Epitaph on an Army of Mercenaries

These, in the day when heaven was falling,      Their shoulders held the sky suspended;
The hour when earth's foundations fled,         They stood, and earth's foundations stay;
Followed their mercenary calling,               What God abandoned, these defended,
And took their wages, and are dead.             And saved the sum of things for pay.
     
A.E. Housman

 

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