Originally posted by Uranium235:

That would mean that there had to be a sudden explosion of new TF2 players since Oct 2012. I find that hard to believe too. Especially for a game many years old.

http://steamgraph.net/index.php?action=graph&appid=440q570&from=0

As one can see, nothing really special happened concerning the number of players / idle accounts at the end of October 2012, when the Key price in Metal began to skyrocket.

This is at the center of the crazy point's Ive been trying to make. There is no data to show that there is enough new players/idlers (or full idle servers) to be a factor in the key trading price increase (we could just call it "the event"). Niether is there data to show a dramatic weekly increase in ref is occuring.

I can also say that, as a low to mid level trader, there is not enough ref to suggest that it is flowing either.

The event has little to do with its relationship to a volume of refined.

Visit "the key rise is at an end" in the outpost forums.

The trading price increase for the key has come to an end. The exact price is......

Wait for dramatic effect........

4.05 refined

The reason you ask. That's how much refined it takes to equal the dollar value of the key. Its just that simple.

After much discussion, the primary reason for the increase was due to the secondary market sales of the key but at current prices (1.46 for key and .36 for ref) you can sell 4.05 refined or the key and make the same $$$$$.

There it is folks.

The exact trading price for keys will stop at 4.16 ref

Originally posted by norby89:

It appears it's come to a halt, being relatively stable @ 4.00-4.11.

this price was just accepted two days ago, too recent to call stable

(hi norby)

Originally posted by ≜ ex ae|quo ≜:

A key is still a key....if you buy higher priced items its still a key ;)....just in relation to metal its rising like shit....

it just means it hard to trade for the key, making those items harder to get

Three quick points;

1. We have established the rise in the trading price of the key is not connected to an increase in available ref.

2. If so than its increase is based upon factors related to itself.

3. These factors in no way translate to any other item in the game.

So it can be argued that the rise in value of the other items, priced in keys, is fraudulant. That bills and buds retain value is a function of entrenched thinking and not do to those items innate desirability.

Originally posted by norby89:

Originally posted by F | CHARLIE:

I pulled u in Norby. Luv the passion.

Sorry I'm out again, I only posted because I found the idea of having "russian farmers" flooding TF2 with metal amusing. :P

I know, u can almost see them in some warehouse surrounded by servers.

"Anyway, a couple things to take into consideration. stats.tf gives you a close estimate"

You work with what u got. Its going to be good enough to run percentages on. This weekend Ill check again to graph it.

I pulled u in Norby. Luv the passion.

"I chuckled at the "russian farmers" part, where do you get this info from?"

Dude, keep up on the myths. There r supposedly these russian programer with hundreds or thousands of Linux accounts somehow running 24/7 simultanously. LOL