Problem Statement
To replicate the real-world challenge in DCIM of finding the best price-to-performance ratio for hardware, a dynamic market system will be integrated. The player will not simply buy from a monotonous global catalog, but rather interact with different vendors selling components from various manufacturers. Dynamic pricing and regular sales events will encourage the player to shop strategically.
Proposed Solution
Vendor & Manufacturer System: * 3 to 4 independent vendors exist in the game.
Items (servers, switches, etc.) are assigned to specific fictional manufacturers.
Inventory & Specialization: Vendors can carry the same inventory or specialize in specific manufacturers/categories (e.g., Vendor A is a premium partner for Manufacturer X).
Dynamic Pricing (Sales Events):
A system generates sales at random intervals (e.g., every X in-game days).
Discounts are applied to individual items, specific manufacturers, or entire categories for a specific vendor.
Sales have a clearly communicated, limited duration.
User Interface (UI): * An intuitive shop interface allows for quick switching between vendors.
Active discounts and the manufacturer of a component are visually distinct and highlighted.
Technical Notes:
Data Structure: Hardware items require metadata for Manufacturer and a BasePrice. The shop logic calculates the final price via CurrentPrice = BasePrice * VendorModifier.
Event System: A timer tracks the sales phases, updates the shop UI, and resets the modifiers once the sale ends.
Scope
"As a player, I want access to 3 to 4 different online stores offering hardware from various manufacturers. These stores should run sales at random intervals so I can compare prices and find the best deals for my data center."
Problem Statement
To replicate the real-world challenge in DCIM of finding the best price-to-performance ratio for hardware, a dynamic market system will be integrated. The player will not simply buy from a monotonous global catalog, but rather interact with different vendors selling components from various manufacturers. Dynamic pricing and regular sales events will encourage the player to shop strategically.
Proposed Solution
Vendor & Manufacturer System: * 3 to 4 independent vendors exist in the game.
Items (servers, switches, etc.) are assigned to specific fictional manufacturers.
Inventory & Specialization: Vendors can carry the same inventory or specialize in specific manufacturers/categories (e.g., Vendor A is a premium partner for Manufacturer X).
Dynamic Pricing (Sales Events):
A system generates sales at random intervals (e.g., every X in-game days).
Discounts are applied to individual items, specific manufacturers, or entire categories for a specific vendor.
Sales have a clearly communicated, limited duration.
User Interface (UI): * An intuitive shop interface allows for quick switching between vendors.
Active discounts and the manufacturer of a component are visually distinct and highlighted.
Technical Notes:
Data Structure: Hardware items require metadata for Manufacturer and a BasePrice. The shop logic calculates the final price via CurrentPrice = BasePrice * VendorModifier.
Event System: A timer tracks the sales phases, updates the shop UI, and resets the modifiers once the sale ends.
Scope
"As a player, I want access to 3 to 4 different online stores offering hardware from various manufacturers. These stores should run sales at random intervals so I can compare prices and find the best deals for my data center."