Do Solars Cost 2.8 GURPS Basic Set Dollars?

[Baoghal]

On page 142 of GURPS Interstellar Wars, it mentions that prices in the IW book are in Terran Solars. It also mentions that each Solar has the buying power of $2.80 in 2000-era Dollars.

Since much of the equipment must be purchased out of other books, and I was under the impression that prices in the Basic Set, Ultra-Tech, etc. are all in 2000-era buying power Dollars, then this rule implies that I need to divide costs in all other books to convert them to Solars, or I need to multiply the costs in the IW books by 2.8 to inflate them the right amount.

Does anyone know what the writer's intent was with the second paragraph under "Terran Wealth" on page 142 of the Interstellar Wars book?

[sjard]

GURPS uses GURPS $, these don't equate exactly with any real money.

[walkir]

Originally Posted by Baoghal

Since much of the equipment must be purchased out of other books, and I was under the impression that prices in the Basic Set, Ultra-Tech, etc. are all in 2000-era buying power Dollars, then this rule implies that I need to divide costs in all other books to convert them to Solars, or I need to multiply the costs in the IW books by 2.8 to inflate them the right amount.

Starting wealth at TL10 is K$50 in both cases, so there's no conversion needed.

[Baoghal]

Well, I do suppose that makes the conversion simpler ;)

[ak_aramis]

Originally Posted by sjard

GURPS uses GURPS $, these don't equate exactly with any real money.

They do correspond closely to 1985 US $ in purchasing power at TL7. Not exactly, but closely.

(Likewise, for reference, the CrImp of CT and MT is roughly a 1977 US dollar.)

[Anaraxes]

(Likewise, for reference, the CrImp of CT and MT is roughly a 1977 US dollar.)

Roughly, indeed. Back in the day, I had worked it out to more like a dime. But it depends on what goods you choose as a benchmark -- especially since most of them don't exist! The TL15 1105 Imperial economy differs greatly from TL7 Earth, so it's hard to come up with one simple conversion factor.

[ak_aramis]

Originally Posted by Anaraxes

Roughly, indeed. Back in the day, I had worked it out to more like a dime. But it depends on what goods you choose as a benchmark -- especially since most of them don't exist! The TL15 1105 Imperial economy differs greatly from TL7 Earth, so it's hard to come up with one simple conversion factor.

I've checked various magazine adverts from 1977. Weapons are priced based upon 1977 prices, as are all the TL6-7 gear and the vehicles. NRA Rifleman, Popular Science, and Popular Mechanics gives you all the pricing info you need to rebuild the "real-world" prices. The correspondence is very tight, 1:1.