We used to have the black market on the old game, and for those of you who did not have a chance to participate there, it was a pretty amazing part of the game. Lots of activity included the wheeling and dealing of stolen goods, ships, and services; including some rather unique items like the good ol' Veron-T Disruptor (the one that ripped the target from the inside out) and of course, everyone's favrotie cloaking device. Even the Starfleet starship USS Vincennes went for a fair price on the black market. A healthy portion of it was run by the cuddly teddy bear-like Orion Syndicate, complete with mafia-like control and reach. However, in spite of the dangerous nature of that aspect of Where No One (or perhaps because of it), a lot of players that got involved had fun while it lasted. In the second game, we intend to continue the tradition of black marketeering, this time with full econ code support. So, without further adieu, the article you've all been waiting for...
V. The Black Market
In economic terms, the black market is termed so because it deals primarily in illegal economic dealings. The black market allows people to purchase and sell merchandise out of the view of the law, hence the term. Transactions are conducted 'in the dark' or 'under the table.' Black markets or black economies often give a lot of economic power to organized crime; the Orion Syndicate wielded a tremendous amount of power in the previous game due to the wealth found in black market dealings. on WNO2, black markets will be found in every corner, complete with the people who run them. Because of the intense nature of the black market, role-play is required in order to even get in the door.
Black marketeers will not be advertising themselves at each port or planet; role-playing with associate of the black market will be required, and you may not know who that is. If you inquire loud enough, chances are you may attract the right attention, but knowing who to trust is part of the bigger picture. The market does not welcome everyone with open arms, especially with Starfleet and the Klingons wanting to put a stop to illegal trafficking in their territory (yes, the Klingons have honor). To get the ball rolling with your career in the black market, one has to cultivate a white market reputation, first. Accepting white market contracts and hauling legal goods on time and on schedule bolsters your probable involvement with the black market.
Black market pricing is going to be less stable than its legal counterparts; prices are determined by supply and demand, but in the black market you have to also factor in risk and reward. White market prices are set reasonably due to the standard of supply and demand, however, the black market has to take in the risk of getting the product or service to its customers, as well as the reward for doing so. A bottle of Rihannsu Ale on the white market may sell for a standard of 10 credits on the white market, but inside the Federation, that bottle might go for as much as 50 credits due to the illegal nature of the ale within the borders. It's the same with all contraband in the real world, and we are going to duplicate that on WNO2.
The major difference between the black and white markets is the price. Prices on the white market will be set by the economic cycle, as it did on the first game. Black market prices will be set by the players involved, rather than letting it be calculated by the economy cycle. We'll use an example exchange between two players: Purple, who is the marketeer, and Orange, who is the contractor. Purple runs a little piece of the market out of Terok Nor, a Cardassian tub in orbit of Bajor. Orange owns and operates a Minuteman-class medium freighter with some special features.
Mister Purple has a customer on Earth who has requested a shipment of Rihannsu Ale for a social event. The customer is a good customer, always pays according to Purple's requirements and even offers a small gratuity if the goods are shipped early. Mister Orange has a reputation on the white market for delivering early consistantly, and is looking to make a name for herself on the black market. Purple decides to dangle the contract in front of Orange with the prospect of a tip from the customer, but she gets paid when she returns from Earth. Orange's ship is decent, complete with a hidden hold, so she could take the case and slip through the Federation border as she has a license to travel between Cardassian and Federation territories. Earth is an easy two week jaunt from Bajor, and the customer needs the case inside of four weeks. Luckily, Purple has a case ready to go and once Orange accepts the contract, Purple has it loaded among other crates onto her freighter.
If Orange makes the deadline, the customer is happy. If she doesn't, Purple puts the word out that Orange is not reliable. If Orange gets caught, Purple doesn't even know her name. If Orange gives Purple's name to the authorities, Orange's life might be in danger... even in a Fed rehab colony.
Risk versus reward is the key to the black market. So, let's continue the case above by talking about the mechanics. The black market will use the same market consoles that the white market uses, except that the contracts will be discussed or role-played in advance, and then the marketeers will enter the specifics of the contract into the console for the contractors to accept. During the role-play between Purple and Orange, Purple would be manning a control console for his little marketplace, detailing the source and destination of the contracted route, along with the promised payment upon successful completion. Once the contract's reward is agreed upon, he'll place that amount in the contract before Orange mans the console and accepts it. Also within the contract's information is the type of cargo and deadline.
All black market contracts are obviously going to be Type IV contracts, where all details are variable. All black market contracts will require role-play, as well. Since the black market has a little more control over its econ cycle, the administration will be keeping a close eye on all black market dealings, so when you participate, be sure to make sure you log that role-play!
Coming up next on the wild world of economy, Part Six: Gambling!
