Extrem undercutting?

[littleyi]

Very accurate analysis, as usual Genjoe. Agree with you.

I have always been wondering what is going on on the opposite side of the bridge. And it's really fun reading the feedback here. Really helps to open some insights ^^

IMHO, from what i have observe in the market in ARR, there are 5 type of crafters: (just my 2 gil, hold that flame thrower first : P )

1. People who craft for just for the gil, a.k.a number game. Its like an arcade game machine where you are trying to hit the high score board.
2. People who craft for the sake of their brand name. To have their name on the gears (Battlecraft, fieldcraft, wweapon, accessory etc) that ppl wear.
3. People who craft for the well being of people around them and themselves - making gears and vanity for themselves, FC communittee, friends, spouce, granny etc.
4. People who are addicted to MB pvp. Lets admit it, the adreanaline and thrill u get from being able to do MB better than your competitors : p
5. Others - Big world out there. My sample size is only from the peole i see in game. So there is always the "others"

First let me start off with there is nothing wrong with any of the above approach. This is just reality being put on the table. Like it, hate it, this is just how majority human think and the psychology reasons behind that drives them. Among the similiarities in the above profile might be the economist part. We will all work in our most effective manner to plan, make, and micro-manage our sales. The only difference is the % ratio of the above 5 characteristics. I will be honest to say im more of a high score chaser. Like everyone else, I just like to see number grow. The most challenging crafters for me will be those with high dosage of No. 2. These people will massive undercut anyone (50k or 200k each time x multiple time a day) to a point near cost price and sometime below just for the sake of wanting others to wear their name. When dealing with profile no.2, be ready to make loses sometime. Sometime i had to exit a category after seeing no further benefits going head on with this genre of crafter. I prefer gil than a brand name that expires over patch. Unless a person enters into profile no.4

Crafter no 3. This is where most of us crafters started from. Back in the beginning when everyone was lvling from a newly creafted character fighting monster to lvl 50 being broke, someone comes to you to offer a battle gear or currency to buy potions/weapons. You are just happy to be able to provide something to you and the people you play with. This motivational feeling goes a long way. However often forgeten by many top tier crafters. Even myself took a few feedback here to realize i almost forgotten about this part, and start giving again.

Crafter type 4 - The MB PVPers. Nuff said. Feedback like MB rage, extremme undercut are nothing new in the gaming community. We have feedbacks like "why do people have to...", "I dont understand why they etc etc". And we have people who gets the adreanaline rush and thrills competing with people in the open world. No sugarcoating, no safety blankets down below, no guaranteed HQ, no guaranteed success, high risk high return world. Like it or hate it, this is just how the open world works. If everyone and everything they do is a guaranteed success, then being success is just a norm, plain and boring. As the adage goes, "without a smart and challenging opponent, your learning curve is flat". I will admt that pvp and competition, is actually something that gets people thrilled, excited.. I love competition. The bigger they are, the stronger i become. They undercut massively to piss/drives you off, you counter pursuit to piss em off. The "Go big or go home" arena.

Its good to understand what type/combination of crafters that you are competiting at times. Like Sun Tzu's Art of War: translate "knowing yourself knowing your opponent. Thousand war thousand win"