I am making an mmo with a totally player driven economy. I have most of the game down, but I am working out some ways to make the game world more persistant.
Essentially the game has multiple worlds, which can interact via gates. Materials and items flow freely, but there is a risk for characters. The 2 choices are either, permanent death as a random chance, or higher level characters having an increasingly large chance if being refused entry through the gate.
The goals of the game are either extended round, where one group of players must conquer all the worlds, or eternal round where its too difficult for players to enforce their will because the leader characters can't travel to worlds and must rely on subordinates to rule those worlds for them. In this version empires will be rated on size and length or survival on a highscore chart.
It is very difficult for armies to assault older worlds with established power structures and minimal intra world warfare. In order for these worlds to be conquered players must have access to the resources or multiple worlds which allow them to utilize more powerful spells, items, potions, and so forth. Because trying to expand to a new world is risky, what if your leader defects to another faction or just to found his own empire, power players on old worlds may be hesistant to invest, but if they don't and another old world does and succeeds they could face an insurmountable invasion.
Further because the game is entirely player driven with a few minor exceptions, older worlds must fight to draw new players to their worlds and to retain current players. If the top level of players abuses their power players might migrate to other worlds or stop joining their world or both. So older players must provide incentives to newer ones. Otherwise they will be forced to fill more roles themselves dividing up their time. This makes it easier and easier for vital worlds, even less advanced ones, to succeed in an invasion.
The game involves a complex crafting system which is integral to gameplay since you cannot buy items from npcs. Further monsters drop only crafting materials and not gold or items. The economy is not faucet and drain where you can farm monsters and buy all gear from NPCs. You must interact with other players at some point. You could do all your crafting yourself, but this will slow your advancement compared to social players.
Do you guys think this sort of gameplay would be interesting? Don't tell me it is or isn't viable, that isn't my question.