Free Trade

[Captain Jack]

At this point, I would like to share some of the insight that we hope to achieve in the future.

At this moment, every port sells up to two resources (1 basic + gold bars) and buys up to 7 (6 basic + gold bars).

Ports have long stopped producing resources. The only reason that there are still more than enough resources for everyone to trade, is because of the huge stocks that have been created (and are still maintained) by the voodoo curse (that is no longer generated but still available) known as Fertile Lands (you can find it in the encyclopedia if you do not have it).

In the future, we foresee some great natural disasters that will wreck these stocks (perhaps you should think twice before spending this very important and ultra rare card). These natural disasters will NOT come before all resources can be produced by players. Right now, only Gold Bars are produced by players and soon, food.

The production of all resources by players will signal the end of the market as we know it. All ports will produce everything (at bigger or smaller quantities) and as a result they should be able to sell everything. In the same time, they should be able to buy everything. At this moment, the market system already records all sales on every port. This means that every port, already has a stock of resources, based on which the prices are defined. The only thing that will in fact change, is that players will get to access this market at its full.

The road till we can achieve this, is going to be long and I am in no position to make estimates on when this will happen. I only know that we have 7 more resources that need a way to be produced. Therefore, I am just giving you a long term insight here. This piece of information is not valuable in terms of strategy yet. But it still worths sharing.

[Most Lee Harmless]

I am all for this development : one factor which has always bugged me slightly is that resources are too easily gained and that, due to the pricing structure, its nigh on impossible to make a loss when trading (unless 'antagonized' is cast on you).

I think we should have to struggle a bit more to gain resources and thus then to build-up our fleets and infrastructure.

Before the more naive and short-sighted piratical elements start whining about more being done for traders ; if resources are harder to come by, or scarcity pushes prices way high, then skirmishing cargo's takes on a new depth beyond a quick cash boost. I would suggest the way gold-bars are moved to the adjacent w/h of the victor should be applied to all cargo plundered (if space is available, otherwise it is sold in that port at the prevailing market price) : in this way, the skirmisher who considers which port on which trade route to operate in will gain much additional benefit for their more careful planning.

I'd also suggest that a similar style of cargo plunder from 'normal' combat wins becomes a more vital feature in such a 'free trade' environment : then the reason for war becomes not just for coin and ransom, but for resource wealth too.

[Sir Johnny English]

I'm in!

However, please intorduce better control methods. The Huge Trade empires of yesteryear will gain upperhand soon of you do not equalize this. I know you do your work carefully and give exact benefits and disadvantages, but i'm just giving a second thought.

[Most Lee Harmless]

I'm in!

However, please intorduce better control methods. The Huge Trade empires of yesteryear will gain upperhand soon of you do not equalize this. I know you do your work carefully and give exact benefits and disadvantages, but i'm just giving a second thought.

They are already of yesteryear. The removal of the low-fame bar saw to that, which was the last line of defence to prevent total fleet loss for the mega-traders. With the introduction of player-generated resources, the means to build those massive fleets will not come as easily to hand : they might have the coin, the turns, the will... but if there are less resources to build them with, resources that they have to compete with others to win, then that will stymie them. Add in the already announced plan to add gold bars to ship-build costs and officer recruitment and I doubt we will ever see more than a few plucky traders running more than 500 ship fleets and that will be mainly because they already had them built and officered. Currently, there are only 3 who do so, the tenth biggest fleet is at 311 ships. I'd suggest that if any of those traders lose a chunk of them, they wont rush to replace them either.

I fear we become obsessed with sheer numbers at times : the true measure is how efficiently we work the ships we have. 50 fleets running a route which makes 2-3 coin per crate per round trip might generate an impressive daily income : half that number of ships on a 5-6 coin per round trip margin is a much better investment and just as, if not more, profitable, so which is the 'better' trader? There are traders out there who earn great profits from quite small fleet numbers, you just don't notice them as easily in port gossip, scattered amongst the 30 entries from the 'big trader' who earns half as much...

[Sir Johnny English]

Too true, Danik....but I think I can't stop my head from spinning, sorry; But I understood ye, I beleive. Quite the weigher ye are.

As a player, anyone will be able to produce resources, so as long as investment is done alright, resources will not be a problem at all. Actually, market will be only for trading, not for buying, if this happens.I composed a program, look!

Function JohnnysMessage(Thoughts)
If(cost of investment>=profit || many resources are produced by players themselves)
{
alert("AnyBody Can Create resources);
game++
}
else
{
whatever arguement another player comes up with;
}
}

[Captain Jack]

Running the trade market should still be more profitable than producing it. Traders should make more than producers.

[Mohammed]

maybe another player based market would be possible but i think that is too much work really