t1k:designer:economy:core
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Module | economy |
| Version | 1.7.2 |
| Effort | medium |
| Tools | — |
Keywords: currency, design, economy, monetization
How to invoke
Section titled “How to invoke”/t1k:designer:economy:coreGame Economy Design
Section titled “Game Economy Design”When This Skill Triggers
Section titled “When This Skill Triggers”- Designing currency systems (soft, hard, premium)
- Balancing economy sinks and faucets
- Designing shops, pricing, or item costs
- Implementing gacha, lootbox, or pity systems
- Designing battle pass or subscription models
- Preventing inflation or economy collapse
- Tuning IAP pricing tiers or ad integration
Core Economy Concepts
Section titled “Core Economy Concepts”Currency Architecture
Section titled “Currency Architecture”- Soft currency (earned in-game): gold, coins, XP — unlimited earn, moderate spend
- Hard currency (premium): gems, crystals — scarce earn (daily only), expensive actions
- Dual-currency rule: soft → consumables/upgrades, hard → cosmetics/time-skip/gacha
- Exchange rule: never allow hard→soft (hyperinflation); soft→hard ok at punishing rate (100:1)
- Player feel: “rich” in soft, “careful” with hard — both visible in HUD at all times
→ See references/currency-systems.md for earn rates, display patterns, segmentation
Sink/Faucet Balance
Section titled “Sink/Faucet Balance”- Faucets (earn): quests, loot drops, daily login, achievements, ad rewards
- Sinks (spend): shop, upgrades, gacha rolls, timer skips, crafting
- Balance rule: total_sinks_per_session ≥ total_faucets_per_session × 0.8
- Inflation check: if average player gold grows >5%/week, add sinks
- Session targets: earn 100-200 soft/session, spend 80-150 soft/session
→ See references/sink-faucet-balance.md for event economy, progression gates, equilibrium
Monetization Models
Section titled “Monetization Models”- Battle pass: free track (10 rewards) + premium (30 rewards), 60-90 day seasons
- Gacha: pity timer (guaranteed rare after N pulls), displayed rates, no paid duplicates
- Starter packs: 5× value, one-time-only per account (conversion hook)
- Pricing tiers: $0.99 (impulse) / $4.99 (value) / $9.99 (commitment) / $49.99 (whale)
- Conversion targets: 2-5% IAP, 15-25% rewarded ad, <3% churn from ads
→ See references/monetization-models.md for ad integration, subscriptions, starter packs
Quick Reference
Section titled “Quick Reference”| Design Decision | Rule |
|---|---|
| Soft vs hard currency | Soft = grind reward, Hard = premium scarce |
| Exchange direction | Soft→Hard ok (punishing), Hard→Soft NEVER |
| Session earn/spend ratio | Spend ≥ 80% of earned per session |
| Gacha pity | Guaranteed rare after 30-100 pulls (display the number) |
| Battle pass length | 60-90 days, 30+ premium rewards |
| IAP conversion target | 2-5% of DAU |
Anti-Patterns
Section titled “Anti-Patterns”| # | Anti-Pattern | Problem | Fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | No pity timer on gacha | Players quit after long streaks | Guaranteed rare at N pulls, show counter |
| 2 | Hard→Soft exchange | Premium currency devalued instantly | Block this direction entirely |
| 3 | Mandatory purchases for progression | Pay-to-win kills competitive | Hard currency = cosmetics + convenience only |
| 4 | Currency confusion (3+ types) | Players paralyzed by choice | Max 2 currencies; 3rd only for seasonal events |
| 5 | Sinks don’t scale with late-game | Hyperinflation, prices feel meaningless | Scale sink costs to match earn rate per level |
Cross-References
Section titled “Cross-References”- engine monetization skills (auto-activated via registry) — IAP, ads SDK integration
rpg-game-design— Economy sinks/faucets in RPG progression contextpuzzle-game-design— F2P economy patterns for casual/puzzle gamesgame-mobile-design— Session design that integrates with economy rhythmgame-ux-design— Currency display UX, shop layout, FOMO design
Reference Files
Section titled “Reference Files”| File | Coverage |
|---|---|
references/currency-systems.md | Currency types, earn rates, display, segmentation |
references/sink-faucet-balance.md | Economy equilibrium, event economy, progression gates |
references/monetization-models.md | Battle pass, gacha, starter packs, ads, subscriptions |
Gotchas
Section titled “Gotchas”- Inflation is a math identity, not a balance question — if faucets > sinks for N days, currency value collapses by N% per day. Audit the integral, not the rate.
- Gacha pity is a perception lever, not a payout lever — visible pity changes spending behavior more than the underlying odds.
- Currency proliferation kills monetization — past 4-5 distinct currencies, players lose track and stop spending. Consolidate ruthlessly.