Business Guide
Posted: Mon Jul 05, 2021 2:17 pm
Business Guide
What is a Player Owned Business?
A Player Owned Business is when a PC invests heavily into a business structure (Typically in a building, but this isn't required) so that they can be their own boss and make all of the decisions concerning their business. With this extra control comes extra responsibility and risk. A PC Business owner may have to control inventory, production, the hiring and firing of employees and many other things. And a PC Business Owner is often the only investor, so their money is on the line if things go badly. But, they also can take the lion's share of the profit. A PC Business Owner can structure their business however they'd like, including the location layout, pricing on specific goods, and overall creative direction for the business as a whole.
Starting a Player Owned Business
Profession and Wages Guidelines
-Below are the rules and guidelines to wage calculations for all working PCs, including business owners.
Business Owner Job Thread Rules
Business Check List
1. Business Sheet
2. Business Location Write Up (Post in Development Forum)
3. Business Ledger
4. Submit Business for Approval
5. Submitting for Business Wages
Business Sheet Template
Submit this Business Sheet in the Business Sheets Forum
Business Location Write Up
Submit this write up in the Community Development Forum.
The writeup should follow the rules of the community development forum. Tag the title of the business with the city that it is located in. The writeup should be detailed enough to give players the ability to navigate and interact with your location without much difficulty. Pictures are always helpful, and other resources are available if you speak with the rest of the community. In addition to the location layout and description this writeup should also include the pricing of goods and services provided, and list the employees that one can interact with. In the case of a Business NPC then this is where their location writeup should be stored.
When the location is approved post the location in the city forum it belongs in, and PM the moderator team to have your location added to the Linkmap. This enables you to maintain full control over future updates or edits to the location as is needed.
Business Ledger
If you decide to keep your business ledger separate from your PC's ledger, then post the business ledger in a 2nd post in the location writeup.
Submitting Business for Approval
When your Business Sheet, Business Location and Business Ledger are complete you can submit all three for approval by posting the link to your business sheet in the Support Forum. The tittle of the support forum ticket should be tagged as follows:
[Business] Business Name Submission
You can use the following code when submitting your ticket:
Business Wages Submission
Business Wages are submitted in the same location as wages for all other non business owners. If your PC employees other PC's as employees then those employee PC's must also submit wage requests, but provide a link to the wage request for the Business as well.
Hiring Employees
All employees hired at a business must be paid a wage, with some exceptions given in special circumstances. The hired employee must have a skill related to the business to be hired, and their base wage must be equal or less than the base wage of the business owner's primary professional skill. Wages are calculated on a per-season basis just like other wages.
Employee Numbers
The number of employees is limited by the Primary Skill level of the business owner. Employees can only be hired once the Primary Skill has reached at least Expert rank, at which time the owner can hire 1 other expert-level employee, or 2 Journeyman level employees. A Journeyman can then take on 2 apprentices. When a business owner reaches Master in their Primary Skill they can hire up to 2 expert level employees, which can oversee 2 Journeyman employees and their apprentices.
Space is also a factor when hiring employees. If one wishes to hire 2 Journeyman employees, then there needs to be space for both to work effectively. Each needs a station, workbench, or whatever setup they require to do their daily functions. If you have only one simple workshop then only 1 Journeyman can work there effectively. If you have a Luxurious workshop, however, there is enough assumed space to fully support 2 Journeyman and their apprentices effectively, if not comfortably.
Businesses that are service-based, or have no physical location, may hire employees as well. These sorts of businesses may hire up to 2 employees one level below the skill level of the owner's Primary Skill. In the case of an expert, this means they are able to hire up to 2 Joureman employees. If more employees are needed then a physical location for the businesses 'base of operations must be established. What can count as a base can be a building, a shop, or even the home apartment of the business owner. Once a base of operations is established then the same employee numbers rules apply, as do the restrictions based on available space. Details of service-based businesses or similar will be discussed and approved on a per case basis during the approval process.
Master Level Employees
The Business Owner must be a master in their Primary Skill in order to hire a master-level employee. A Master is able to oversee 3 Expert level employees, and they are assumed to be able to run the business in its completeness in the absence of the owner. Because of this if an owner wishes to open a new business they must hire a Master to oversee the day-to-day in their current business first.
PC vs NPC Employees
PC Employees - PC Employees create more revenue for the business than NPC employees (Incentivizing using PCs). While their pay goes up as their Job Skill increases, so does the amount of profit they help turn for the business. However, these percentages only get applied if the PC did their job threads.
Tier - Percentage increase for the business
Novice +15%
Apprentice +30%
Journeyman +50%
Expert +60%
Master +80%
Business NPC Employees - NPC Employees create increased revenue for a business. While their pay goes up as their Job Skill increases, so does the amount of profit they help turn for the business.
Tier - Percentage increase for the business
Novice +10%
Apprentice +25%
Journeyman +45%
Expert +55%
Master +75%
Business NPC's belong to the location in which they exist. They can be requested when the business is initially created (if the PC is already at the Expert level in their primary skill), or they can be requested after the Business is established through the Support Forum. These NPC's sit somewhere between city and personal NPC's as they can be utilized by both other players and moderators as needed, but they are also under the direct supervision of the PC owner as employees. Because of this these NPC's have been relegated to their own unique type and thus have their own template:
Skill Modifier
Leadership is the skill associated with the management and retaining of employees for a business. With an increase in this skill, a business owner can be given the option to hire more than the max number of employees per business. Limitations based on skill and space still apply.
Tier - Leadership employee modifier
Novice - 0
Apprentice - Journeyman employees may take on 1 additional apprentice
Journeyman - 1 additional Journeyman employee can be hired
Expert - 1 additional Expert employee can be hired
Master - 1 additional Master employee can be hired for a single business
Owning Multiple Businesses and the Business Skill
A PC may purchase or establish multiple businesses, the number of which is limited by the PC's Business Skill. It is not required, but it is encouraged that the owner pays off the debts of their current business before establishing a 2nd. If they choose the owner may have the additional debt be added to their current debt, and the seasonal interest rate (SIR) will be adjusted appropriately.
The additional businesses must be distinct in some way from the original business. They may sell similar items and have the same Professional Skills associated with them, but the business itself must separate itself from the parent business in one way or another. This could be in purpose, materials used, or even specific end products that are created. The additional businesses must undergo the same process of approval as the 1st, and there is no guarantee that all of the same bonuses and modifiers will be awarded.
The PC wages are calculated the same for multiple businesses as they are for a single business. The wages are accumulative, and expenses for both businesses must be subtracted from the final total.
Tier - Number of Businesses the PC may own
Novice - 1 Business.
Apprentice - 1 Business.
Journeyman - +1 Business. For a total of up to 2.
Expert - +1 Business. For a total of up to 3.
Master - +1 Business. For a total of up to 4.
Job Threads and Multiple Businesses
If a PC owns a business they are required to do 3 job threads in order to receive their wages, and for every additional business the PC is required to submit a certain number of job threads as well. This means that the more businesses a PC owns then the more job threads they will be required to submit in order to gain their full wages for the season. Each business needs to be the setting for at least 1 job thread every season. If a business is not used for a job thread then the wages of that business are forfeited by the player for that season. Below is a list of required job threads dependent upon the number of businesses.
1 Business - 3 Job Threads Total
2 Businesses - 4 Job Threads Total
3 Businesses - 5 Job Threads Total
4 Businesses - 6 Job Threads Total
Credit to Areya for initial draft and concept.
What is a Player Owned Business?
A Player Owned Business is when a PC invests heavily into a business structure (Typically in a building, but this isn't required) so that they can be their own boss and make all of the decisions concerning their business. With this extra control comes extra responsibility and risk. A PC Business owner may have to control inventory, production, the hiring and firing of employees and many other things. And a PC Business Owner is often the only investor, so their money is on the line if things go badly. But, they also can take the lion's share of the profit. A PC Business Owner can structure their business however they'd like, including the location layout, pricing on specific goods, and overall creative direction for the business as a whole.
Starting a Player Owned Business
Profession and Wages Guidelines
-Below are the rules and guidelines to wage calculations for all working PCs, including business owners.
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Business Check List
1. Business Sheet
2. Business Location Write Up (Post in Development Forum)
3. Business Ledger
4. Submit Business for Approval
5. Submitting for Business Wages
Business Sheet Template
Submit this Business Sheet in the Business Sheets Forum
Code: Select all
[b][size=150][align=center]Business Name[/align][/size][/b]
[img]Image of your Business[/img]
[b]Title/Name of Business:[/b]
[b]Business Type:[/b] (Goods, Services, Goods & Services, Other)
[b]Items Sold:[/b] (Include items and prices from the [url=https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1tu_D9TDvStIfJ6YCsJOyqixiybJFGqSr_QcSYE9SU8s/edit?usp=sharing]Price List[/url]. If not available in the Price List, add your own pricing.)
[b]Services Provide:[/b] (Include services and prices from the Price List. If not available in the Price List, add your own pricing.)
[u]Income[/u]
[b]Base Income:[/b] (Pick a profession and wage from the Price List, Professions Tab)
[b]Skill Bonus:[/b] [Business Skill (Competency Tier) x (Competency Tier Multiplier)
[b]Total Income:[/b] (Base Income x Skill Bonus)
[u]Bonuses[/u]
[b]Sales Bonus:[/b]
[b]Ingenuity/Creativity Bonus:[/b] (Include the reasoning why your PC's business should gain this bonus)
[u]Hired Employees (If Applicable)[/u]
[b]Hired PCs Bonus:[/b] (PC 1 Competency Multiplier) + (PC 2 Competency Multiplier) etc.
[b]Hired NPCs Bonus:[/b] (NPC 1 Competency Multiplier) + (NPC 2 Competency Multiplier) etc.
[u]Costs[/u]
[b]Hired PCs Wages:[/b] (PC1 Wage) + (PC 2 Wage) etc
[b]Hired NPCs Wages:[/b] (NPC1 Wage) + (NPC 2 Wage) etc
[u]Assets[/u]
(List all assets and property being purchased for the business, including their prices)
[u]Debts:[/u]
[b]Total Debts:[/b]Total Costs of all property/assets used for business
[b]Seasonal Interest Rate:[/b] (Calculate your SIR using the percentages found in the [url=https://wiki.ransera.com/index.php/Currency]Currency[/url] Page.)
[b]Description of Business:[/b]
[b]Link to Location Writeup in Community Development Forum[/b]:
Submit this write up in the Community Development Forum.
The writeup should follow the rules of the community development forum. Tag the title of the business with the city that it is located in. The writeup should be detailed enough to give players the ability to navigate and interact with your location without much difficulty. Pictures are always helpful, and other resources are available if you speak with the rest of the community. In addition to the location layout and description this writeup should also include the pricing of goods and services provided, and list the employees that one can interact with. In the case of a Business NPC then this is where their location writeup should be stored.
When the location is approved post the location in the city forum it belongs in, and PM the moderator team to have your location added to the Linkmap. This enables you to maintain full control over future updates or edits to the location as is needed.
Code: Select all
[b][size=150][align=cent:er]Business Name[/align][/size][/b]
[img]Image of your Business[/img]
[b]Link to your Business Sheet:[/b] [url=]Business Sheet[/url]
[b]Description of your Business Location:[/b] (Be very detailed about this description. It is what PCs will be seeing and interacting with most)
[b]Goods/Services Provided:[/b] (Include each item/service available and pricing, as per the Price List, if applicable)
[b]NPCs:[/b] (Include full write-ups of NPCs in this location, using the template under Business NPC's later in this guide)
If you decide to keep your business ledger separate from your PC's ledger, then post the business ledger in a 2nd post in the location writeup.
Code: Select all
[size=150][align=center]Business Ledger[/align][/size]
[highlight=yellow][size=125][b]Assets[/b][/size]
[b]Debts:[/b] (List each item you're having to purchase through loans, including their price)
[b]Loan Amount (If Applicable):[/b] (The Sum total of all the purchases to start the business)
[b]Seasonal Interest Rate (SIR):[/b] (Calculate your SIR using the percentages found in the [url=https://wiki.ransera.com/index.php/Currency]Currency[/url] Page.)
[size=150]Running Ledger[/size]
[b]Starting Debt/Money:[/b] (-/+ amount) = Total
[size=125][b]Seasonal Interest Rates Ledger[/b][/size]
[b]Seasonal Interest Rate Cost:[/b] Loan Amount * SIR = Seasonal Cost
Season, Year Payment = Loan Amount - Seasonal Cost = New Seasonal Total
Submitting Business for Approval
When your Business Sheet, Business Location and Business Ledger are complete you can submit all three for approval by posting the link to your business sheet in the Support Forum. The tittle of the support forum ticket should be tagged as follows:
[Business] Business Name Submission
You can use the following code when submitting your ticket:
Code: Select all
Submitted by: (Character Name)
Location of Business: (What domain will the business be in)
Link to Business Sheet: (You can include links to all of your business links, but all the links should already be present in your business sheet)
Notes:
Business Wages Submission
Business Wages are submitted in the same location as wages for all other non business owners. If your PC employees other PC's as employees then those employee PC's must also submit wage requests, but provide a link to the wage request for the Business as well.
Code: Select all
Season, Year (Number of Days in Season)
[b]PC Name: [/b]
[b]Character Secrets Link:[/b]
[b]Profession(s):[/b] (From Price List)
[b]GP Per Day:[/b] (Base income x Job Skill Modifier)
[b]Business Link:[/b] (Link to your Business Sheet)
[b]Job Thread Link(s):[/b] (See 'Multiple Businesses' section to determine number of job threads required.)
[b]NPC Employee Bonus Links[/b] (Provide links to the threads which the employees were used. Each Employee must be used in 1 thread, either by the owner or by other PC's. If the NPC Employee use links are the same as your job thread links then simply put N/A here.)
[b]PC Employee Bonus Links[/b] (Provide link to either A) PC wage requests or B) threads where the PC was featured using your business as an employee. 1 thread per employee is required. If these links are the same as your job thread links then simply put N/A here.)
[b]Math:[/b]
Step 1: GP Per Day x Number of Days in Season = Y (or Net Pay)
Step 2: Y x (Sales Bonus Multiplier) = S (Sales Bonus)
Step 3: Y x (Ingenuity Bonus Multiplier) = I (Ingenuity Bonus)
Step 4: Y x (Loyalty Bonus Multiplier) = L (Loyalty Bonus)
Step 5: (Y x PC Employee 1 Multiplier) + (Y x PC Employee 2 Multiplier) + ...= PC
Step 6: (Y x NPC Employee 1 Multiplier) + (Y x NPC Employee 2 Multiplier) + ...= NPC
Step 7: Y + S + I + L + PC + NPC = Gross
Step 9: Y x 0.01 = Seasonal Expenses
Step 8: Gross - (PC Employees Total Wages) - (NPC Employees Total Wages) - Seasonal Expenses = Total Adjusted Income
Total Adjusted Income:
Hiring Employees
All employees hired at a business must be paid a wage, with some exceptions given in special circumstances. The hired employee must have a skill related to the business to be hired, and their base wage must be equal or less than the base wage of the business owner's primary professional skill. Wages are calculated on a per-season basis just like other wages.
Employee Numbers
The number of employees is limited by the Primary Skill level of the business owner. Employees can only be hired once the Primary Skill has reached at least Expert rank, at which time the owner can hire 1 other expert-level employee, or 2 Journeyman level employees. A Journeyman can then take on 2 apprentices. When a business owner reaches Master in their Primary Skill they can hire up to 2 expert level employees, which can oversee 2 Journeyman employees and their apprentices.
Space is also a factor when hiring employees. If one wishes to hire 2 Journeyman employees, then there needs to be space for both to work effectively. Each needs a station, workbench, or whatever setup they require to do their daily functions. If you have only one simple workshop then only 1 Journeyman can work there effectively. If you have a Luxurious workshop, however, there is enough assumed space to fully support 2 Journeyman and their apprentices effectively, if not comfortably.
Businesses that are service-based, or have no physical location, may hire employees as well. These sorts of businesses may hire up to 2 employees one level below the skill level of the owner's Primary Skill. In the case of an expert, this means they are able to hire up to 2 Joureman employees. If more employees are needed then a physical location for the businesses 'base of operations must be established. What can count as a base can be a building, a shop, or even the home apartment of the business owner. Once a base of operations is established then the same employee numbers rules apply, as do the restrictions based on available space. Details of service-based businesses or similar will be discussed and approved on a per case basis during the approval process.
Master Level Employees
The Business Owner must be a master in their Primary Skill in order to hire a master-level employee. A Master is able to oversee 3 Expert level employees, and they are assumed to be able to run the business in its completeness in the absence of the owner. Because of this if an owner wishes to open a new business they must hire a Master to oversee the day-to-day in their current business first.
PC vs NPC Employees
PC Employees - PC Employees create more revenue for the business than NPC employees (Incentivizing using PCs). While their pay goes up as their Job Skill increases, so does the amount of profit they help turn for the business. However, these percentages only get applied if the PC did their job threads.
Tier - Percentage increase for the business
Novice +15%
Apprentice +30%
Journeyman +50%
Expert +60%
Master +80%
Business NPC Employees - NPC Employees create increased revenue for a business. While their pay goes up as their Job Skill increases, so does the amount of profit they help turn for the business.
Tier - Percentage increase for the business
Novice +10%
Apprentice +25%
Journeyman +45%
Expert +55%
Master +75%
Business NPC's belong to the location in which they exist. They can be requested when the business is initially created (if the PC is already at the Expert level in their primary skill), or they can be requested after the Business is established through the Support Forum. These NPC's sit somewhere between city and personal NPC's as they can be utilized by both other players and moderators as needed, but they are also under the direct supervision of the PC owner as employees. Because of this these NPC's have been relegated to their own unique type and thus have their own template:
Code: Select all
[float=left][img](Insert Image Here)[/img][/float]
[b]NPC Name:[/b]
[b]Location Link:[/b] [url=]Location Name[/url]
[b]Profession:[/b] (What were they hired to be?)
[b]Base Wage:[/b] (Base Wage should also be appropriate to skill and profession of the NPC, but must be at or below the Primary Skill Base Wage of the Business Owner )
[b]NPC Skill Level:[/b] (The NPC Skill Level is the same as their highest level skill)
[b]Skill Breakout:[/b] (Up to 5 skills can be placed here. It is assumed the skills can be used effectively up to the NPC Skill Level unless other skill levels are assigned)
[b]Description:[/b] (1 to 2 paragraph description about the NPC and their personality.)
Skill Modifier
Leadership is the skill associated with the management and retaining of employees for a business. With an increase in this skill, a business owner can be given the option to hire more than the max number of employees per business. Limitations based on skill and space still apply.
Tier - Leadership employee modifier
Novice - 0
Apprentice - Journeyman employees may take on 1 additional apprentice
Journeyman - 1 additional Journeyman employee can be hired
Expert - 1 additional Expert employee can be hired
Master - 1 additional Master employee can be hired for a single business
Owning Multiple Businesses and the Business Skill
A PC may purchase or establish multiple businesses, the number of which is limited by the PC's Business Skill. It is not required, but it is encouraged that the owner pays off the debts of their current business before establishing a 2nd. If they choose the owner may have the additional debt be added to their current debt, and the seasonal interest rate (SIR) will be adjusted appropriately.
The additional businesses must be distinct in some way from the original business. They may sell similar items and have the same Professional Skills associated with them, but the business itself must separate itself from the parent business in one way or another. This could be in purpose, materials used, or even specific end products that are created. The additional businesses must undergo the same process of approval as the 1st, and there is no guarantee that all of the same bonuses and modifiers will be awarded.
The PC wages are calculated the same for multiple businesses as they are for a single business. The wages are accumulative, and expenses for both businesses must be subtracted from the final total.
Tier - Number of Businesses the PC may own
Novice - 1 Business.
Apprentice - 1 Business.
Journeyman - +1 Business. For a total of up to 2.
Expert - +1 Business. For a total of up to 3.
Master - +1 Business. For a total of up to 4.
Job Threads and Multiple Businesses
If a PC owns a business they are required to do 3 job threads in order to receive their wages, and for every additional business the PC is required to submit a certain number of job threads as well. This means that the more businesses a PC owns then the more job threads they will be required to submit in order to gain their full wages for the season. Each business needs to be the setting for at least 1 job thread every season. If a business is not used for a job thread then the wages of that business are forfeited by the player for that season. Below is a list of required job threads dependent upon the number of businesses.
1 Business - 3 Job Threads Total
2 Businesses - 4 Job Threads Total
3 Businesses - 5 Job Threads Total
4 Businesses - 6 Job Threads Total
Credit to Areya for initial draft and concept.