[PvK]

Originally posted by LintMan:

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Originally posted by PvK:
I still like my idea to have clams draw on a limited worldwide supply of pearls - say one per sea province on the map. Once there are more clams than pearls, a random selection equal to the surplus of clams, don't produce pearls that turn.

The problem I see with this is that the hoarder would still get the lion's share of the pearls (since they'd have forged them sooner, before the limit kicked in, and would have a much greater percentage of the total), while "casual clammers" who only forge a few would get beat. So the incentive to hoard them would be diminished but still remain, while at the same time, it would be borked for the occasional clam forger. That would then lead to a "either make a whole ton of them, or don't bother to make any" type philosophy.
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A clam hoarder could get the lion's share of the pearls available, but that amount would be a fixed amount, and they would have to invest a lot more to get that edge - there would be a natural limit, meaning it would not be cost effective to make tons of clams - only to make a limited number of them, and other players have the ability to limit the rewards of the hoarder's clam investment, by making their own clams. Excessive clam hoarding would not be worth the investment. If everyone realizes that, and so makes only a few clams, stopping when they start to not always produce pearls, then casual clam makers get the same rewards as they do now. Only hoarding strategies get messed up. Seems like an interesting and self-balancing mechanic, to me.

PvK