RPGs and Markets, and the effect on Play

There are two types of gaming groups. Those that notice that they can make more money by the relatively safe method of stealing and fencing cars in Shadowrun than they can by running those very risky missions, and those that don't. Those that don't are easier on campaigns, but they also give me the impression that they're very tunneled vision- basically ignoring the world their characters exist in.
 
But let's talk about the first type. Put in other terms, these are the people who take notice of the in-game markets. What sells for what, how easy the item in question is to acquire, and the comparative risks involved.

All nice and well, except for the fact that such attention can derail the intent of the campaign from its original intent. One wonders for example if Luke would have been all fired up to leave Tatooine if the family business was actually making huge sums of money, or if he could have become rich by blasting wamp rats. With the right return, perhaps Luke would have ended up as rich as Jabba with his own slave girls- and the Empire would have crushed the rebellion.

Games often insert such alternative goals by setting prices for certain things very high in comparison to the desired game activity. Be it the value of cars in Shadowrun, or for example the price of herbs in ICE Middle Earth Role-Playing Game (MERP).

The later example is actually the one that sparked this post. Herbs in MERP could run hundreds of gold per dose. The intent seemed simple, make healing herbs (magical in their effectiveness) expensive and thus a drain on player resources. The actual result is entire game sessions where players forge for herbs to sell in order to finance both their own herb usage and whatever else they think they need. And given that ICE price lists are generally silver based and not gold- this is very wise thing to do indeed.

The correct approach to such things is to price items and services in the setting to match the desired play activity. Shadowrun missions should return more than the fence value of cars for example. The selling price of foraged Healing Herbs should offer a lesser return than adventuring.

There are two ways of achieving this end.

You can up the return on adventuring, but aware that his might spark widespread inflation (although that inflation will met your goal in this respect). Typically the better way is to reduce the price of the unbalancing activity. Yes herbs are useful, but maybe hundreds of gold for something that can be found with a few days foraging by a skilled character is too much even so. Maybe Shadowrun cars are overpriced compared to the much more sophisticated Cyperware and Magical formulas in the setting.

Perhaps the goal is best reached by increasing some things (adventure return) and decreasing others (cost of herbs and cars) as the same time.

Remember however that the adventures side of the question often has non-monetary returns. Those count as well on the final 'player balance sheet' and should be kept in mind. Everything in the end must take into account the mindset of your players as they will have different thresholds.