Key Points in Designing Game Economic Systems

The economic system in game design plays an important role, not only restricting certain aspects of the game experience but also supporting character development, rewarding players, promoting social interaction, and introducing difficult choices. However, designing an efficient economic system is a daunting task. This article will introduce the basics of economic systems from the perspective of game design and explore some potentially useful tools, techniques, and design points to help designers create better economic systems.

What is an Economic System

The economic system in the game is similar to the supply and demand market in real life, revolving around currency and resources. Some game economic systems are very complex, even employing economists to publish economic reports. The benefits of an economic system include the distribution of power, support for specialization, and the promotion of player interaction and role-playing. However, not every game requires the same depth and complexity of economic systems. Currency and resources are core components of various economic systems.

Currency and Resources

In simple terms, currency is a conventionally accepted medium of exchange used to purchase goods or services. The key is “exchange.” However, in games, so-called currency is not always real currency, but rather resources used to obtain extra lives or protection. The essence of currency is not related to its rarity or value, but to its function as a medium of exchange. Currency typically has multiple uses, but it can also have limited uses. Resources play a critical role in the currency system, while currency acts as a bridge connecting different parts of the player experience. At the same time, resources can exist completely independent of currency or can act in the role of currency. Resources have their inherent value, which is usually given by converting them into currency. Although currency and resources are often viewed as the same concept in game design, distinguishing between them can lead to a better understanding of their relationship and the creation of more robust systems.

Source and Consumption

Essentially, these two terms are very straightforward: income is the means of acquiring currency, such as selling items, opening treasure chests, or defeating enemies, while expenditure is the way to spend currency, such as purchasing items, dying, or repairing and upgrading equipment.

Economic designers need to focus on two important aspects of these resource sources and consumption: how many sources and consumption points each currency will have, and the balance between these sources and consumption, which we refer to as “generosity.”

Source and consumption quantity

In the game, there are no strict regulations on the number of sources and consumption points. There can be multiple sources funneling into a single consumption point, or only one source (, for example, loot obtained by defeating a boss in a Roguelike game ), which can unlock the late-game system by providing consumption points with the corresponding currency. The required sources and consumption points for each currency depend on the game system and the expected player experience. Multiple ways to obtain currency can promote players’ freedom of choice and personal expression (, provided that the sources are balanced ). If the game encourages participation in a specific system or rewards certain actions, designing a dedicated currency will immediately stimulate player motivation ( or create critical bottlenecks in the main process ).

Having multiple consumption points provides players with meaningful choices and priorities (, such as “What to buy?” or “What to buy first?” ), while having only one consumption point focuses player actions and gameplay on an essential target.

Generosity

Generosity is crucial to player engagement in the economic system, depending on the balance between sources and consumption points. Excessive generosity may lead to players losing interest, while insufficient generosity may cause players to abandon the game. Balance is key.

Excessive generosity may yield short-term benefits, but in the long run, it can lead to disaster, weakening the game system and affecting player motivation. Both extremes can cause players to leave the game. Therefore, finding the appropriate level of generosity is crucial to maintaining player interest and engagement.

Trying two extremes at different stages of player experience is a viable suggestion. At the beginning of the game, being overly generous with source ( compared to consumption ) can give players a strong sense of control and progression, enticing them to continue playing. This taps into the psychological need for people to hoard, bringing instant feelings of victory. As the game progresses, players’ desires and needs become more specific and defined. In this transition, reducing sources and increasing consumption will better satisfy these desires, improving player retention and the demand for mastery of the game.

To balance sources and consumption, designers can use a global metric: currency earnings per minute. This metric tells us how much currency players can earn within a certain timeframe, allowing for adjustments to consumption points. Applying this metric across the entire game can provide clear design direction, while applying it to each system can create opportunities. Slightly giving more currency in a particular system relative to the global average is an effective way to incentivize players to engage in that system.

Economic Pillar

Before designing an economic system, it is very important to determine the application areas of the currency. It is not just about listing different game systems. Instead, we should consider how to enhance aspects or pillars in the game through the economic system, and whether there are connections between them. For example, the exploration pillar can be achieved by rewarding players for discovering scarce resources in the area. The cooperation/social pillar can be strengthened by the circulation and appreciation of currency among players for purchasing community goods, enhancing cooperation and interaction. The endgame phase can provide a new concluding experience by unlocking unique shops and upgrades with micro currency obtained after defeating the highest challenges in the game. In the design, we can prioritize these ideas based on the importance and connections of the pillars.

Currency Amount

When designing a game economy system, determining the required amount of currency is a complex issue with no exact answer. One extreme is having only one currency, associated with all systems, which may lead players to lose the sense of game limitations. The other extreme is having multiple currencies, with each micro-system having its own currency, but this may undermine player initiative and the coherence of the game.

A good design should find the right point of balance. For example, Hades divides currency into three main pillars, each with its own source and consumption. This design aligns with the core mechanics of Rogue-Like games, providing a foundation for an efficient game loop, encouraging players to try again, and offering the best gaming experience.

Therefore, designers need to comprehensively consider factors such as game type, player motivation, and system interaction to find the economic system balance suitable for the game.

Suggestion:

Currency is the most basic reward: in each game loop, rewards are core, whether external or internal. The simplest and most basic reward to give players is some currency. It is recommended to use sufficiently subdivided currency to provide these small rewards.

Be cautious with currency exchanges: Many systems have failed due to situations like this: gems can be exchanged for equipment, equipment can be exchanged for gold, gold can purchase tokens, and tokens can… Ultimately, all these currencies are interconnected, forming a unified monetary system that brings many potential issues. It is important to be careful with the exchanges between these currencies or to restrict them based on the situation. The poor broker in “Hades” provides a means of currency exchange, but at a very high cost.

Design currencies to meet the needs of different player styles: There are various ways to create currencies to achieve specific goals. One efficient solution is to integrate it with the game economy and core gameplay. Another approach is to consider how players engage in the game: rewarding their time investment ( for example, by killing monsters ), rewarding their skill performance ( for example, by defeating bosses or achieving accomplishments ), or even rewarding their loyalty ( for example, by giving gifts daily or universal currencies across games ).

currency semantics

For each currency, list the relevant verbs as follows:

Coin: Plunder/Sell/Buy/Repair/Win/Get Diamond: Discover/Exchange/Reward/Steal/Protect Iron Ore: Smelting/Trading/Negotiation/Bargaining/Upgrading Others

This approach can highlight the interactions between different currencies and help you focus on specific currencies, deleting or creating new ones. At the same time, this will bring forth brand new system ideas that may not have been considered before, further enhancing the gaming experience. For example, storing diamonds might make you a target for thieves, and the more diamonds you store, the more protection measures you will need.

Player Value and Evolution

Before concluding the discussion on currency, there is one last aspect to talk about: the changing value of currency over time. This does not refer to game value, but rather to the value for players: the value of the game’s currency in the eyes of the players and how it changes over time.

In simple terms, this value will fluctuate continuously in the player’s gaming experience and game progress. Here are two fairly common examples.

In games, there is usually a type of soft currency, such as gold coins, that serves as the primary currency. In the initial stages, gold coins are the most valuable resource, and players can use them to purchase almost anything. However, as time goes by, players become increasingly wealthy, the items available for purchase decrease, and the value of the currency gradually declines. Eventually, players reach a state where gold coins lose their value to them, and the related systems gradually disappear. This is a common situation in many games.

At the end stage of the game, there exists a currency that has no use for players in the early stages of their gaming journey, such as a “Dungeon Pass” similar to team challenges. However, as players approach the end stage of the game, they gradually become aware of the existence of this currency and start to recognize its importance and the increase in its value! Ultimately, when the game systems associated with this currency are truly opened up, such as unlocking dungeon events or reaching the required level or achievement, it will become one of the most valuable currencies and one of the main driving forces in the players’ gaming experience!

Besides these classic examples, what is even more interesting is what happens when you combine them together:

Over time, one currency will naturally replace another, and this evolution will create a chain reaction in the overall gaming experience of players, including different objectives, motivations, rewards, and systems. By carefully predicting the mapping relationship between each currency and player value, not only can their relevance be ensured, but the game systems associated with each currency can also be controlled, as well as the motivation for players to engage with these systems. The decline of a certain currency can be a good thing, and it can be planned for!

Inflation, Deflation, and Destructive Economics

When discussing economic systems, it often involves a troubling issue.