Traditionally in space sims, supply and demand are simply based on station's stock with suppliers being freelance freighters that buy and sell wares between different stations.
I want to discuss the systems of trade and how they work:
My initial idea of the trading would be a hybrid of contracts (between suppliers and demanders, transported by the supplier most likely) and freelance buying and selling.
Contracts could potentially be a set amount of specific wares delivered at intervals (I.e. an Ore Mine with a contract to a Solar Farm for 100k Energy Cells delivered weekly) with supplier behaviour varying based on player setting.
For example the settings could include things like:
- Stockpile for contract before sale to public is available
- Stockpile % of produced goods for contract, sell the rest
The issue I see with the contracts is that it potentially dries up the market for free trade, if all stations have their needs fulfilled by contracting others. Alternatively, free trade also offers a sort of 'contract-like' system where the player could simply close their station to anyone else and ship their goods out for sale manually.
What do you guys think? Are contracts actually an important or helpful feature or would they just complicate needlessly and damage the overall gameplay?
Post
Thu Jan 18, 2018 3:31 am
#1
Supply, Demand And Suppliers
<Detritus> I went up to my mom and said "hey... do you feel like giving five dollars to black lives matter?" and she laughed and said no :v <Black--Snow> my life does matter though ~~ added by Hema on Jun 11 2020 (2770)