East of Erindale: A new set of share prices

Welcome to a new world! Today we rolled out our 3rd Generation of Market Makers. As we previously noted, we have opted to make your stock price more dependent on your activity and influence, as represented by your influence scores. The reasons are simple: we want Empire Avenue to be about your Social Media Influence and your stock price should reflect that, but still increase or decrease based on buying and selling of your shares.

Any major adjustment, however much we try to cushion it, will result in pain for some and joy for others. Unlike the 2nd Generation Market Makers, where the high end users enjoyed the greatest gains in stock price while far more mid-range users endured drops, today 96% of our users were adjusted upwards. Unfortunately, 4% of you saw falls and a handful saw some significant falls, most of those amongst the leaders! On a positive note, top stocks are now more affordable, and might make good long-term investments due to increased dividend payouts (read below).

Please remain calm! Check your bank balance for a refund!

Unlike the real markets, we decided that since this adjustment was all *our* doing, any shareholders of people that fell were refunded the eaves caused by the adjustment! So if you had 10 shares in (e)DUPS and (e)DUPS fell by 20e then you were refunded 10x20 or 200 eaves.

We have also rolled out changes to the earnings and dividends payout system. Earnings (eaves from your own activity) will still reflect your activity, however dividends (eaves from other users you own shares in) will now be adjusted based on how influential the user is (see those influence scores again). Finding people with good dividend payouts will therefore help you discover influential content creators and we'll be making that easier in the coming weeks and months. As well, instead of being penalized by ever-diluting payouts from leaders who have upgraded to have more available shares, these influencers will now pay out significantly more in overnight dividends.

These adjustments in share prices will allow the site to scale to a much larger user base, and encourage users to buy and hold shares in great influencers and content creators. Yes, we expect some consternation, concern and confusion today, but the markets will settle down soon!

Buy and Selling Changes

Sorry folks, the other announced changes didn't make it in today, we hope to get it in for Thursday's updates! The 100 Share-sell-every-twelve-hours rule remains in effect for today at least, but it should be gone by the end of the week.