Elerion raises a good point about actual peasants. While you're taking away the advantage of a low cost loadout for high level players, you're also making it much more difficult for peasants to accumulate the gold to buy new gear, compared to the current system. Perhaps if the gold put toward insurance started low, and increases with level?
Maybe, but then things are getting a bit more complicated. The argument is something like this:
<TearsofDestiny> this would make saving up for items take longer
<TearsofDestiny> It would solve the Strategus turning everyone into peasants though :/
<Tydeus> shouldn't make saving up for items too much longer. I mean, it
could. When a peasant saved up for his first expensive weapon or armor, using it wouldn't be counted against him. He could still use it without an income loss as the upkeep for the item wouldn't be subtracting from his gold earned or at least not entirely. Before when I made alts or started out, I would save up for my first big weapon, then not even use it till I got my armor and gloves as well, so the upkeep of a 10K+ weapon and 6K armor wouldn't be counted against me.
<TearsofDestiny> True, the alt shielder I am trying to level I am having to buy everything I want before using it, which is irritating.
I vote no.
I thought you were an NA player? Since when do I not already wear plate EVERY round. I have probably more gold and heirlooms than just about any single individual that plays crpg on NA. I don't need gold nor am I concerned about upkeep. Furthermore, I'm about to buy a Champion Mamluk from Xol for just over a mil gold on which I will be wearing my plate and bringing my bec every round with a lance as well. I really couldn't care any less about upkeep. As far as I'm concerned, upkeep was rendered useless when the market came out.
The single best reason to implement this, is to ensure that when strategus comes out, crpg won't be plagued by fake peasants. Gold farming wouldn't really exist which would make managing the economy and preventing either inflation/deflation a lot easier.