Trading/Shipping Companies

[Captain Jack]

Players will now be able to create Shipping Companies.

Features will be presented in headlines.

1)The Company

It will be regarded as a player in terms of voodoo. Voodoo casted on a company will be visible to all shareholders beyond a certain percentage (ie 5%).
The company itself will not be able to use voodoo.

-The construction of a company requires a starting investment (ie 100M). This amount will act as the Company starting balance and insurance.
-The Shipping Company is controlled by shares, held by players.
-Players can buy/sell their shares at a newly created stock market.
-The CEO is the one holding 51% of the shares.
-If none has 51% of the votes, then CEO is elected from the rest of shareholders.
-CEO runs the company and decides when to issue more shares to the market (some time limits will apply).
-Earnings are distributed only through shares and only if company has more than 100M balance.
-If Balance drops below 10M, all contracts at the end of the day, are terminated.
-Companies will have 1 nation as base. Change will need a hefty fee by the company.
-Companies will have 1 headquarters and will also be able to create branches at every port.

The companies will have access to banking system and all markets except voodoo market.

More types of companies will be introduced in the future.

2)The HQ

-The HQ will hold the initial 100M investment and will have an extra cost to be built.
-The HQ treasury will be independent and will do all its transactions with the players through the banking system.
For example, when stocks are sold, the income will be placed with a Bank transaction to the HQ treasury.
When a dividends payout is made, this will be carried through the banking system, as it currently works for resources market for example.
-The HQ will also act as a branch.

3)The Branches

The branches will have their own treasury as well. At this case, their treasury will only be updated with fleets.
The branches will also have a warehouse where they will store goods.
Finally, the branches could get more buildings in the future( like private marina or specialized buildings like shipwrights or whatever the game direction goes to, if we choose to expand to companies different than trading/shipping)

The branches treasury, just like HQ treasury will be untouched by everyone. However, the CEO will be able to transfer gc between fleets and the branch as he wishes. This will cost some time per transaction though (perhaps 1 hour, we will see). The CEO will be able to call for periodical such actions (for easy management).


4)The fleets
-The company will purchase ships from the Ship Market (only from there) which will later be put on fleets, as per normal rules (Officers will still be needed - we will see the pricing case here).
-The fleets will again have their own treasury, which will use for all activities. They will update it only with branches as described above.
-The company CEO will manage all the fleets.
-There will be business as usual for fleets regarding rules, with the below exceptions:
*The fleets will belong to the company. It will be able to sell them for gold at shipwright or credits at the player market.
*Turn based activities will cost time instead. For example company fleets will attack, but this will cost hours instead of turns (like Shipwreck hunting).
*Any ships found by the company, will belong to the company.
*If a fleet cannot pay for plunder, it will start losing ships. It's chance for such cases will be to reach a branch where it will receive coin.
*However, since every fleet will have its own treasury and common DR rules will apply, it will need an inactive or careless CEO before ship losses will start. There will be room to improve this for attackers later.


5)Shipping Company Pacts
Do you remember national pacts? This could not be processed after all, for a lot of different reasons. Trading Companies will fill this gap.
Namely, the very important Duke bonus will be a deal between nation and company, for a price.

[PhoenixKnight]

+1

[DezNutz]

+1


Does being a pirate have any effect?

[Captain Jack]

I don't think it should play any role. Initial idea by PhoenixKnight btw, who wanted a Company with shares. We took it a bit further in how this will work.

[Corlo blanco]

I don't know whether I'm just being daft, but I don't see that this would be a particularly profitable venture for players - if the Trading Company is paying a fixed amount to players for use of their fleet for company trade routes, surely it would make no sense for anyone to rent out their fleets since they could make a greater individual profit instead of being paid a portion of the trade income. Have I interpreted this correctly and is this the case? The way I see it, the only profit is being made by the Trading Company itself, not that the players are operating at a loss but at a reduced rate.

If that's the case, is the incentive merely to band together with others for mutual protection and deterrence from attack from others or are there more features yet to be implemented that would provide a greater incentive to make these profitable ventures?

EDIT: However, I do see potential profits to be made between nation agreements.

[PhoenixKnight]

I don't think it should play any role. Initial idea by PhoenixKnight btw, who wanted a Company with shares. We took it a bit further in how this will work.

Thank you for the recognition CJ!

[Captain Jack]

I don't know whether I'm just being daft, but I don't see that this would be a particularly profitable venture for players - if the Trading Company is paying a fixed amount to players for use of their fleet for company trade routes, surely it would make no sense for anyone to rent out their fleets since they could make a greater individual profit instead of being paid a portion of the trade income. Have I interpreted this correctly and is this the case? The way I see it, the only profit is being made by the Trading Company itself, not that the players are operating at a loss but at a reduced rate.

If that's the case, is the incentive merely to band together with others for mutual protection and deterrence from attack from others or are there more features yet to be implemented that would provide a greater incentive to make these profitable ventures?

EDIT: However, I do see potential profits to be made between nation agreements.

Here are a couple of points that can play a role in how a company will be able to make more on a fleet, than its owner:
1)Nation agreements of course
2)Less Skirmishes
Companies could work deals with people not to attack their flag. We might even script such
3)Better Routes
Companies might be able to use the fleets in a better way. After all, they will have the bonus point of managing a large number of fleets.

It is not just profit though but also purpose. A company may work on purpose, not profit. Plantations can be an example. Of course, purpose will be able to also sold.

For example, William one Eye wanted contract shipping. It was a nightmare to code such for players. There were many loopholes and difficult to make arrangements. With Companies, such will be easier to code and implement.

There can be further options we can consider:
-Companies could possess warehouses (perhaps at different price than players).
-They will not be able to used voodoo of course on this warehouse.
-However, this warehouse will not be targetable by Official List of Demands
-Company paymetns will be with the send payments system. Which will not mess with the player hand. Right now, it can be hard for someone to manage his hand in a fine way.
-Someone might want to run trade fleets but not have the time for it, finding right routes, etc.

I am sure we can always come with extra ideas to make this not only worthwhile but also immersive.

[William one eye]

Posted mixed markets,

A combination of contract shipping with the currently adjusting market prices, With a market system suggested by captain dungeness in response to contract shipping.

Some similar ideas to this suggestion.

viewtopic.php?t=4651&p=80589#p80589

[Vane]

So from what i read, and correct me if i am wrong, the fleet remains with me, i maintain all risk involved in the fleets regarding my own purse if its plundered and risk the loss of ships.

Scenario:
If my fleet earns 50k per day average, and i maintain the risk, i want atleast 75k or more per day for the company to hire it. If that is the case, and the fleet earns the company the original 50k, what company would ever hire my fleet?

Will companies get a discount on crates purchased to increase per fleet profit? How will this be managed?

[Lachlan]

hmm yes I guess