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Modding / Re: Modding in valuable metals (Gold, Silver, Copper) for trade.
« on: January 20, 2019, 03:33:06 PM »
There is value for trade versus value of use.
A very common mistake in roleplaying games is to assume that higher costing materials perform better. Gold is the worst example. Weapons and armor made of gold are heavy, soft and ineffective. Iron carburized* into steel is tough.
Gold being soft is what makes it able to take a decorative shape.
Gold has another decorative property in that it stays shiny. It doesn't oxidize like iron turning into rust or copper getting the green layer.
Modern day gold also has use for its conductivity which combined with the non-rusting make it useful in the sockets, connectors and plugs where two electronics interface.
A random idea put forward was to have a gold pot. The pot itself would weigh more than an iron pot for some holding contents. It would look fancy, trade well but perform poorly.
* carburized : to have a small amount, 1-3%, of carbon worked into the material. Thus a steel sword is still 97% iron.
A very common mistake in roleplaying games is to assume that higher costing materials perform better. Gold is the worst example. Weapons and armor made of gold are heavy, soft and ineffective. Iron carburized* into steel is tough.
Gold being soft is what makes it able to take a decorative shape.
Gold has another decorative property in that it stays shiny. It doesn't oxidize like iron turning into rust or copper getting the green layer.
Modern day gold also has use for its conductivity which combined with the non-rusting make it useful in the sockets, connectors and plugs where two electronics interface.
A random idea put forward was to have a gold pot. The pot itself would weigh more than an iron pot for some holding contents. It would look fancy, trade well but perform poorly.
* carburized : to have a small amount, 1-3%, of carbon worked into the material. Thus a steel sword is still 97% iron.