Credits and Payscales

[Marlon P.]

 

Type (e.g. Planet, Faction, System):

Wiki page.

Economy / hyperlinked from other key words like "Credit" or whatever else keywords people would look up this information.

Short Description:

This page returns the removed Economy page and Finances pages but consolidates all their information in a more accessible way. The values should still be the same from the first time they were added; the modifiers weren't removed I believe but just renamed. The formatting of wiki pages on the forum looks atrocious so each section is spoiled. However I did change the Credit entry because its original implementation was very messy.

How will this be reflected on-station?:

This tracks what is mechanically present, and will help people characterize the abstract concepts of our in-game money system and how it relates to lore.

Does this addition do anything not achieved by what already exists?:

It documents what exists and adds the lore to it. I do not have access to my old resources and data and so I can't extrapolate a Living Expenses list. That will have to be done by others.

Do you understand that the project may change over time in ways that you may not foresee once it is handed over to the Lore Team? 

Yeah.

Long Description:

== The Credit ==

Spoiler

The Sol Alliance Standard Credit, or just The Credit, is the standardized unit of currency across known space. The Sol Alliance early in its history required all trade by private interests between solar systems to be done with Credits. This lead to all major races and factions in known space eventually adopting the credit in some capacity in order to gain access to the wider Alliance market.

A single Credit represents five hundred kilowatt-hours (KWh) of energy. This means that the credit cost of a commodity or service, in theory, represents the amount of energy required to produce it, In practice, there is an abundance of cheap energy and the costs of goods and services is more dominated by the power of monopolies.

== Payscales ==

Spoiler

The payscales provided are the median starting salaries of each department. Specific jobs and alt-titles may receive more or less, and additional modifiers to the starting value of your bank account come from the level of wealth you select for your character in character creation, as well as age, and others. They are listed lowest to highest.

=== Internship Salary ===

Internship level positions receive 525 a week. These roles include [[Assistant]], [[Security Officer#Security Cadet|Security Cadet]], [[Medical Resident]], [[Scientist#Lab Assistant|Lab Assistant]], and [[Station Engineer#Engineering Apprentice|Engineering Apprentice]].

=== Civilian Salary ===

Civilian level positions receive a salary of 1295 a week. These roles include [[Bartender]], [[Chef]], [[Botanist]], [[Quartermaster]], [[Cargo Technician]], [[Shaft Miner]], [[Janitor]], [[Librarian]], and [[Chaplain]].

=== Security Salary ===

Security level positions earn 1701 a week. These include [[Warden]], [[Detective]], and [[Security Officer]].

=== Engineer Salary ===

Engineering level positions earn 1904 credits a week. These include [[Station Engineer]] and [[Atmospheric Technician]].

=== Medical Salary ===

Medical level positions earn 2002 a week. These positions include [[Medical Doctor]], [[Chemist]], [[Psychologist]], and [[Paramedic]].

=== Research Salary ===

Research level positions earn 3003 a week. These roles include [[Scientist]], [[Xenobiologist]], and [[Roboticist]].

=== Command Salary ===

Command level positions earn 4004 a week. These roles include [[Head of Personnel]], [[Chief Engineer]], [[Chief Medical Officer]], [[Research Director]], and [[Head of Security]], and [[NanoTrasen Liaison|NanoTrasen Liaison]].

=== Captain Salary ===

The [[Captain]] level position of a station or vessel earns 4207 a week. 

 

[KingOfThePing]

Finally. This is needed (again). It would also be great if this would be put into context. What does a car cost, what does a flat cost, what does day-to-day life nessecities like groceries or clothes cost. And so on. It is borderline impossible to roleplay this part of life properly since everyone has a different headcanon. At least that is what it feels like. 

Returning the old economy page is a good start at least.

[Marlon P.]

35 minutes ago, KingOfThePing said:

Finally. This is needed (again). It would also be great if this would be put into context. What does a car cost, what does a flat cost, what does day-to-day life nessecities like groceries or clothes cost. And so on. It is borderline impossible to roleplay this part of life properly since everyone has a different headcanon. At least that is what it feels like. 

Like DnD's Lifestyle Expenses?

 

[Triogenix]

Oh god please. Our setting is based around corporations but we such a tiny amount of lore for the thing corporations care the most about, money.

Easy +1

Edited December 29, 2021 by Triogenix

[Caelphon]

The page is outdated and I'd rather rebuild it from the ground up. We'd need to analysis many factors and whatnot to explain things and I'd rather have a new foundation than a pre-existing one. 

[Marlon P.]

41 minutes ago, Caelphon said:

The page is outdated and I'd rather rebuild it from the ground up. We'd need to analysis many factors and whatnot to explain things and I'd rather have a new foundation than a pre-existing one. 

This submission only documents what exists mechanically, except for the credits being explained. I'm not sure I understand what you mean.

 

[KingOfThePing]

8 hours ago, Marlon P. said:

Like DnD's Lifestyle Expenses?

 

Basically, yes. But as far as I remember the Players Handbook also only covers this relatively rudimentary. But at least it comes with a list of some prices of some important things. 

What I mean is that it's good to know how much you earn but if you can't out it into perspective on how much I can actually but doesn't help too much. 

[Hunt]

I would greatly appreciate a return of the/any economic system, such can only benefit roleplay and interaction with the environment. However, I personally note a misconception with what careers pay more, especially when it comes to that of engineering and medical careers. I am aware there is some discontent when someone uses real-world values to try and better grasp the economic situation within the Aurora lore universe, but such is our best foundation for making a 'system' which works and more importantly, makes sense. Obviously this is my opinion, based upon info gathered from sources like Indeed which averages career paths and just general Google searches for the average costs per product within the United States, since that is also where I kept the Indeed search limited to.

 

First, I am aware the vending machines are awfully designed/implemented with their costs per product, but I just wanted to make note of such compared to present day US costs per item.
 

Spoiler

Item: In-Game Vending Cost | Average real-life USD Cost

Cola: 15 | 2.750
Bottled Water: 12 | 1.50
Milk: 18 : 1.50
Cup of Coffee: 20 | 2.70
Donut: 6 | 0.80
Candy Bar: 15 | 2.75
Beef Jerky: 20 | 9.28
Twinkie: 15 | 0.5
Can of Pineapple rings: 20 | 3
Rice Ball: 15 | 1.74
Pack of Cigs: 67 (holds 6) ; 11.6 per cig | 0.35
E-Cig: 200 | 25
Lighter: 12 | 1.79
Flavor Cart: 30 | 10

 

Furthermore, the average cost per living for a single individual in the United States including rent, food, clothing, and other monthly necessities is $2,816. So in-real if you were to buy a bag of 3oz beef jerky, it would cost you on average $9.28 of the total monthly average noted above. Do take note the cost of living in the United States is roughly 76% higher than the rest of the World.

While that is of note, my 'primary' concern with this and obviously such can be worked on after a standard economic page is even created or worked from the ground up, the pay scales and rates per the careers above is off. Within the US as per indeed,

 

Spoiler

Job: Annual Income in USD | Weekly Income in USD
General Physician: 232,446 | 4457
General Surgeon: 299,258 | 5739 
Pharmacist: 120,128 | 2303
Civil Engineer: 82,900 | 1589
Aerospace Engineer: 107,294 | 2057
Environmental Engineer: 80,367 | 1541
Mechanical Engineer: 82,427 | 1580
Biologist: 76,848 | 1473
Robotics Engineer: 91,145 | 1747
Corporate Security: 50,720 | 972
Research Scientist: 79,267 | 1520
Cargo Handler: 36,070 | 691
Detective: 86,122 | 1651
Bartender: 41,887 | 803
Chef: 46,786 | 897
Janitor: 35,583 | 682

 

With this and going off of your numbers provided, I would encourage a change that the pay scales and ladder actually goes,

Intern -> Civilian -> Security -> Research -> Engineering -> Medical -> Department Administration -> Etc.

Obviously such is up for debate and most of my opinion is presently based on the numbers gathered, which are more than likely heavily skewed due to demand for employment. One of the argued reasons within the US alone for why those in healthcare make such is the demand for them to work in the US compared to other nations, so the healthcare industry pays more to attract more. There is also the costs of student loans, malpractice insurance, etc. Most of this is just food for thought, but at the end of the day, you usually seem to get paid more for the skill you are required to execute constantly, the stress of the job, and the danger. Medics and Engineers being the two which are either holding the life of someone in their hands or working with machinery that could crush them like a bug, seem to be worthy of making more than the general scientist, which can be anyone from undergraduate to graduate individuals, since they are not technically being put under that much risk? Granted, one can then argue that corporate security should get paid more for the risk they put forward. But since such a career does not require a degree, it is fairly easy to find a meatshield. Ex. Real Life corporate security

Such of course is simply my opinion and I am just interested in seeing what you all do with the economy overall, especially if you build it from the foundation up. Once again, apologies for using the U.S. currency/economic system, I know someone will be upset at me for such.

Edited December 29, 2021 by Hunt
Security Edit

[Marlon P.]

2 hours ago, Hunt said:

Et al

In the past trying to tie credits to the real world caused 10/10 bare knuckle brawls. 

Disclaiming again: these payscales show more or less the median values of what exists mechanically. Changing the payscales would be a seperate suggestion thread. But having the info here on the wiki would help informing those kinds of decisions!

How it worked in the past: As remarked in the credit suggestion, the prices of goods dont follow supply/demand curves. Because of the monopolies companies charge what they want and it drives up prices. And with the price being energy consumption it tracks how much effort it takes to get it here. The twinkie is so pricey because it gets FTL'd here and then its given a 10,000% markup.

Personal opinion: the logistics of space being that 1 asteroid is enough to make almost all ore like gold and silver worthless in value, there's no real way to peg credits to contemporary currency. A single asteroid could be worth 15 quadrillion dollars. It's like trying to convert the US dollar to roman denarii. It would be better to build an internal market with gameplay and lore themed pricing and pay concerns. 

Edited December 29, 2021 by Marlon P.

[ImmortalRedshirt]

32 minutes ago, Hunt said:

Intern -> Civilian -> Security -> Research -> Engineering -> Medical -> Department Administration -> Etc.

One thing to bear in mind is that engineering on the Aurora is a significantly different job than the overhyped desk job it is in real life. In-game, their responsibilities lean much closer to a blue-collar technician or mechanic. For an example, let's consider something like a diesel technician. Like the Aurora Engineer, they work around hazardous equipment, perform maintenance, repair damage, all that good stuff, and both areas are complicated enough to require a period of education before even being allowed to so much as touch what you're working on. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average wage for the former is about $24.13 per hour, or roughly 50 thousand a year. Huge difference between that and an IRL engineer. Even when splitting the difference, meeting partway, and calling that the typical pay for a station engineer, that still results in, on average, a lower pay than anyone in Research.

Edited December 29, 2021 by ImmortalRedshirt

[Caelphon]

This is being denied to the following reasons:

We are going to be focusing on the development of the NBT Lore. Writing and expanding on the economy of the Auroraverse would require a lot of manpower, and would likely have to alter many different aspects of the economic code present within the code. 

I am not against this in the future, but currently we simply do not have the manpower to spare, nor is it a necessity that is required.

Thank you for your efforts. Locking and archiving within the next 24 hours.

[Marlon P.]

17 hours ago, Caelphon said:

This is being denied to the following reasons:

We are going to be focusing on the development of the NBT Lore. Writing and expanding on the economy of the Auroraverse would require a lot of manpower, and would likely have to alter many different aspects of the economic code present within the code. 

I am not against this in the future, but currently we simply do not have the manpower to spare, nor is it a necessity that is required.

Thank you for your efforts. Locking and archiving within the next 24 hours.

I understand, even if I am confused.

This documents existing mechanics, unless there were changes to the formulas.

Edited February 21, 2022 by Marlon P.