Meaningful trading which influences port growth

[Cetric de Cornusiac]

Here is some new meaning for traditional trading with goods. Some people claim it has been ruined by easy money earned by economy missions. It's partly true, however their nerf has reduced this impact and still it is a very good tool for bringing money to new players in considerably short time. But I am digressing...

This as usual ignored cherry-on-the-tree suggestion (sorry, it's just a habit of this fan boi trying to offer new ideas) has, when applied, following effects:

- new significance for trade goods, hauling long distance, and low-priced food

- stimulus for trading in general

- stimulus for port owners, their clans and friends to prefer certain ports and not just sell where profit is highest

- dynamic port investment situation and related aspirations to improve ports

- more focus on food merchandise which is not taken due to max-profit focus by most traders

Details:

Turnover produced in a port has now an important effect, not just income for port owner. If certain defined levels are daily surpassed in generating income, in a given number of consecutive real life days, the port/town enjoys economic prosperity which leads to its growth. Businesses succeed, new colonists are coming to found homesteads and have a better life, and thus workforce in port is increasing with new hands. As a result of continuous growth port investment points are slowly increasing. Port owner profits by good care for his port by having more port investment points to spend, leading to new ressources and more importance of that port. Let's not reduce the port boosting effect to maximum priced goods but give food type goods a bonus in the calculation for this purpose, as population in target ports profit directly from more and better food, with a variety, and not from a thousand "madagascar jewels" or "parisian furniture" over and over again. This will lead to more trading in considerably low-price goods which are now rotting in ports as everyone loads the luxury stuff.

But there is also the opposite side. A port can suffer from neglect and poor turnover. If this happens for a number of consecutive real life days, port investment points are decreasing one by one, to the minimum a port of its class has now. Means, a port can never detoriate to zero and thus become totally unattractive. If there are already built port investments and the number of points falls below the number necessary to maintain all existing port improvements, a random improvement will be destroyed (think of abandoned buildings collapsing or equipment getting stolen as nobody takes care). For a time, a worrying port owner can meet that trend by paying more port costs, which rise with the degree of neglect (for repairs, measures to secure threatened structures, hiring contractors, guards...), but it won't work forever and decline is inevitable. These costs, given the abundance of reals in our treasuries, should also include doubloon costs as the situation gets troublesome.

Example for a 10000 BR /15 investment points port:

First upgrade level: having met the basic 4000 reals cost x 2 for 14 consecutive days will add one new investment point. Food items count not only in reals but give a hidden stimulus due to the fact they are food. Like, when they are higher in number than other merchandise, will reduce the number of needed days for completion of upgrade by 2.

Second upgrade level: 4000 reals x 4 for 21 consecutive days will add a second new investment point.

Third upgrade level: 4000 reals x 6 for 28 consecutive days will add a third new investment point.

etc

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Conclusion:

Basically with this system it will be possible, over long time and continuous catering, to bring any port to the 55 point top level the premium ports enjoy now. That is dynamic port management, gentlemen. And opens new strategy options to smaller nations/clans not being competitive for existing super ports.

The decline mechanism will follow a similar pattern.

Economy Warfare will have a new importance on PvP war server as enemy nations have an interest in some ports not getting too strong. They will try to intercept traders around that port which could contribute to the wellbeing of that port. Denying the port trade stimuli means impacting its ecnomic growth and after long time will mean its decline. Pretty much like in real life.

For PvE peace server there is not the strategy for players to intercept traders, but we could insert NE raids here for a similar effect.

Edited October 31, 2019 by Cetric de Cornusiac

[smurf304]

i wold like the idee

 

[Teutonic]

Adding to your suggestion, because I believe it's going in the right direction.

those missions we had back then where you could buy trade goods - bring it to the port and "redeem" the mission for cash were really nice.

imagine a mission that asks you to bring 80 sevilla muskets to baracoa and the reward 1,500,000 reals and 10,000 doubloons.

This mission would do a number of things.

1. gets the player or a group to be in trade ships and go off on a trade "route" generated randomly by a mission at the port that produces the trade good (sevilla muskets)

2. Players have to "buy" the trade good which stimulates tax revenue/economy for all ports (every port would have a mission)

3. creates incentives other than PvP, but PvP could happen while you're on your trip.

 

The risk is the cargo you purchased - the point of these missions would be "higher risk, greater rewards." They should be vastly "better" than cargo/passenger missions and the reward is a large lump sum to make the trip all worth it.

A player should be able to do it solo, but adding other players into a group (like 1-4 players) they could split the reward and all be safer together.

[Cetric de Cornusiac]

 

[Quiet Assassin]

The trading system in place now is NOT working...at all.

 

I'm up for anything new that works.

[Macjimm]

I must be missing something.

I buy and sell goods and resources from the shops and make lots of money.  Seems to still work.  I don't do Delivery Missions often, but many players seem happy with them and the fact that players enjoy them doesn't seem to affect me much.  The most fun is trading with players, all other trading is less interesting.  Shop trades allow me to fill my hold on trips where I would be fishing only.  I recently bought some Cedar and made 350,000 reals on the trip out to pick up the logs in my TBrigs.  I'd paid for the trip before I started the journey toward the buyer who wanted the Cedar.

Also.   Seems that Active Trade Ports (those with a high volume of trade ) drop resources and goods, and the Low Trade Ports don't produce anything but local goods.  So, in a simple way trading does affect the overall national prosperity and it helps players to buy and sell lots of stuff through ports: in the shops or with contracts.  I heard that it was local goods that stimulated the resource production (drops) but I haven't seen it happen and I suspect it is just overall exchange of goods and resources.  Tax income seems to be a good indicator.

We used to have more interesting port trade/crafting mechanics but players complained that they wanted very simple ways to make lots of profit.    I would love if the trading was more detailed and complex, but it seems that there are lots of players who want it simple, dumbed down, and easy.  ... I'm still having fun.  I trade alot.  Fish lots.  Cargo and Passengers are boring for me but others love them for easy wealth, and I really can't understand how having Econ Missions completely wrecks trading for me.

[Cetric de Cornusiac]

23 minutes ago, Macjimm said:

I heard that it was local goods that stimulated the resource production (drops) but I haven't seen it happen and I suspect it is just overall exchange of goods and resources. 

As I remember it is the "local goods" food category which is supposed to trim a port (only major ones, from regional capitals upwards) in such way that it spawns a few extraordinary things like Naval College Gratuates or the Artillery Diplomes etc. That's fine. And I have seen it happen.

However, my idea goes beyond that. It's about dynamics in port size and importance according to commerce being done there and with effects commerce brings with it - which is growth or on the negative side, decline.

So ports do not stay the same xx points ports but develop, reflecting how good or bad a clan manages the port and trade there. This we don't have, and to my knowledge never had in an earlier stage of game development.

Edited November 3, 2019 by Cetric de Cornusiac

[Cetric de Cornusiac]

Dynamic port development would make lord protectors feel more responsible for the well being of their port, as it depends on their management and traders' services if the port increases or declines. A new role for players who like to manage things. Meanwhile, if nobody in the clan feels like taking care of the port, why do they own it? And in that case, they still keep a port which is just staying behind, on his minimum investment points class. Nobody is forced to make progress...

We would see a competition not only on RvR battlefield but also in economy, in so far, as it will become important who has the best ports (not only who wins the static super ports). who works the best as lord protector.

Wars are not only won by battles, but by infrastructure and economic power behind the navy (or armies). My idea reflects this. And offers new aspirations within game.

[Macjimm]

2 hours ago, Cetric de Cornusiac said:

Wars are not only won by battles, but by infrastructure and economic power behind the navy (or armies).

I like the way you think.  Not sure competive casual PvP types would like very much of that stuff.

I don't know about extra ordinary drops.  Haven't seen an increase in those anywhere.  Would like to hear more details.

[Quiet Assassin]

4 hours ago, Macjimm said:

I must be missing something.

Correct. You are missing it