Drug Distribution

[Vince 276]

Already it looks as if drugs will be a lucrative business for many criminal organisations in Identity, but there is surprisingly little information about how it's going to work. 

I see two potential ways: 

1) Different drugs have different positive effects which serve as incentives for people to use them. This would be ideal, as it would mean that there is a market for drug manufacturers to sell to. You could have, for example, 5 different organisations dealing drugs to the public. Not only would this be the best for roleplay, as you'd have to hire actual drug dealers to unload the product on the streets, but it could lead to wars between organisations trying to dominate the market and remove their competition.

This would, however, hinge on drug-use being beneficial. For example, methamphetamine could provide a minor speed-boost and make you slightly more impervious to damage. Maybe marijuana could make it so that you level up your various skills slightly faster. Obviously the effects of taking drugs couldn't be so good that they would make PvP one-sided, but good enough that the effects are noticeable and drive people to buy drugs. Obviously, to stop people from simply manufacturing their own drugs for personal use (as opposed to selling them to others), it would need to be made so that getting into the drug manufacturing business requires quite a bit of start-up. 

The reason I haven't suggested giving drugs negative-side effects is because then why would people use them? The negative side-effect would be that using the same drug enough times builds up a resistance, which means you need more of it to achieve the same effect. Also, using more addictive drugs (think methamphetamine, cocaine) would get you hooked, so that if you go long enough without taking them you start to feel withdrawal symptoms which initially aren't so bad, but get quite a bit worse unless you get your fix. Obviously, there would need to be a way to cure your addiction, so you might be able to pay a large amount to go to rehab, which would completely cure you of your addiction (though maybe you would still retain your tolerance in the event of a relapse) but obviously drain your bank account.

2) Ideally, there wouldn't be an NPC system for drugs (as explained before, NPCs really hurt roleplay), but in the event that there was, the other option is a way that would potentially spice things up. Instead of NPC dealers having an infinite supply of each drug, it could be made so that each dealer in each city has an 'inventory'. Every time a player drug-manufacturer sells meth to a dealer in Roseport, for example, they suddenly have meth which other players can buy from the NPC for their own use. The more meth an NPC has, the lower the price for meth as the demand would be lower. Only if a manufacturer had actually sold a particular drug to the NPC drug dealer could people buy that drug from him. If this was tied in with the addiction system, it could lead to addicts travelling into another city just to find a particular drug (if there wasn't any on the local market). Thanks to @PaulieMariano for help with this one.

[Ubbe 59]

What they could do is so that you sell the drugs to the local drugdealer, which is pretty much confirmd will be an NPC.

Quote

Will there be AI (Artificial Intelligence)/ NPC's be roaming the map?

No, this game is a player run game, but will have a few NPC's filling up the boring jobs which you and I would not do for hours on end e.g. standing at the tills of a shop, also they will be in the un-ownable shops too and they will be around in back-alleys to represent a (Black Market Dealer and Drug Dealers).

It would certainly be cool if you would be able to gain certain possitive effects from drugs when using them, but I don't think that would encourage enough people to buy them. So to still make the drugmarket a valid source of income they could just make it so that the NPC drug dealer buys most of your drugs.

Edited December 11, 2016 by Ubbe

[The1TheOnlyGonzo 184]

I think that the drug system should be something can be player to player, or player to NPC.

Player to player would be very interesting because trust and how well one knows their contact will be a major factor in trafficking. Plus it would give players the option to either work with one another, or try to size a gain form one another. I get any concern regarding players setting up deals just to kill the dealer player, however I believe there would be or should be consequences for possibly killing or mugging a dealer for the advantage. 

The consequence could be police involvment, or possibly an addict player getting involved, or even criminal organizations. With NPC's I feel we may lose some of this impact or realism, however NPC involvment could work for a more lighter RP. 

As for drug use and its impact, I think they should take a realistic approach to effects as well. Some drugs could make you stronger, faster, more alert, more awake, sleepy, etc. However I also believe there should be an addiction level, and a withdrawal system. 

It would make drug use more of a gamble then a benefit, because you may become stronger for a time, but you risk becoming physically addicted and suffering from withdrawal when not using.