Talk:Metal collecting

Woohooium
I've only found it in the Consignment shop so far, no idea if it can be found on the ground or only when using the miner invention. | Duskey | 09:48, June 14, 2010 (UTC)
 * Not quite sure, but at least it is found in Twinbrook. What about the other neighborhoods? -- Walker guy94 [  MyTalk  |  MyBlog  ] 09:55, June 14, 2010 (UTC)
 * I found it while sculpting in Sunset Valley. UBFunkaneer 22:01, June 14, 2010 (UTC)
 * Cool, now we just need to find out if you can find it on the ground or not. | Duskey | 22:03, June 14, 2010 (UTC)
 * You won't find it on the ground. There are no spawners for it, I've checked carefully. Perhaps in CAW, but that's broken. This gem and fluorite are found by sculpting, in the shop, and by using the board breaker, from what I can tell. However, I'm very curious as to the description text. Does it, somehow, boost romantic interactions. I've been looking for signs in the XML, but haven't seen any proof yet. (Kiwi tea 12:02, June 16, 2010 (UTC))
 * I think it's merely flavor. Soulpeace says it can cure curses and diseases. Duskey ( talk )( blog ) 12:51, June 16, 2010 (UTC)
 * Well yes, but Soulpeace does cure curses. 65.189.241.103 20:15, August 9, 2010 (UTC)

'breaking even'
Hi, I'm just wondering about this 'breaking even' equation you have here. I realise that 'breaking even' means that you make no profit, and no loss; you receive just enough to cover your costs. However, I don't understand why you subtract §54 - the cost of the ingot. Isn't the ingot collected from the ground? Meaning that there is no cost to you to simply pick it up.

I've taken your other calculations of the 1.75x value after smelting and the §40 cost, so isn't the equation:

§0 (to make no profit and no loss) = 1.75x(value of ingot - this is what we wish to find) - §40 (cost of smelting) ?

This results in a value of approximately §22.85. Thus the editor's value of §23 as a 'break even' point.

I believe that you're talking about the opportunity cost of selling the ore, right? As you cannot sell the raw ore for its original price once it is smelted. This should not be taken into consideration when breaking even though, as you bore no monetary cost in picking it up from the sim world.

Also, I do not understand this: "Many, many editors have contended that §23 is "breaking even". Plugging into the correct equation, §23 * 1.75 - §23 - §40 = -§22.75, and thus is losing money. If you were to sell the raw ore, you would have made §23 and paid nothing, for a profit of §23, whereas if you mail it to the smelter, you will have paid §40 and made §40.25, for a profit of §0.25. It is far more worthwhile to sell a raw ore up to §54, at which point it becomes worthwhile to smelt it."

Aren't the bolded sections contradictory? I do believe that you are giving good advice, as a profit of §23 is much better than that of §0.25 (in simple terms - after reading this, I will try to smelt everything to get a Mysterious Mr. Gnome haha!), but again, 'breaking even' means to make no profit and no loss. Therefore, the §0.25 profit (close to nothing) would be breaking even. There is no need to subtract the original value in your equation.

I apologise if I come across as attacking you or something of the sort; I am not trying to. In addition, thank you so much for your hard work on this Sims Wiki! It has been a great help.

114.76.30.135 13:59, July 23, 2010 (UTC)

I reworded it, hopefully it makes more sense now. In order to "break even" you have to consider ALL your costs. Smelting isn't the only cost, the value of the resource is also a cost. In order to "break even" you have to at least reach the both those values. Just because it was free to pick up doesn't mean its intrinsic value isn't an associated cost. You're still "paying" $23 in potentia, as well as an actual $40, in order to receive an actual $40.25. —ErzengelLichtes (Contribs) 22:36, November 28, 2010 (UTC)