Topic: Improving movement in the market
I suggest two new Extensions that should be considered. These skills would be for market driven characters and I think would assist in moving stagnant sell orders from remote locations while encouraging game play on more of the map.
Current issues:
1. If you gather resources at an area that does not have sufficient traffic, you will find the need to move your products to a high traffic area or to reduce the cost significantly to have your wares bought and transported from your location.
2. If you are in need of resources and are in the market to purchase, you might find the goods you are after but due to the amount of time it takes to gather them from a distant outpost or an inability to have a skilled character to move such goods, you have to settle for your specific areas offerings or tediously move small quantities at a time.
Extensions tab: Finances
*Extensionl: Basic purchasing logistics (3ish)
Each level of skill grants a buyer 3k range for purchases to be delivered (an in game mechanic) up to 50U/per level per 6 hrs. with the time between purchases with the deliver feature reducing 1 hr. per skill level – In Island only. There should be a delivery fee of 5% per delivery purchase but that diminishes at ½% per Basic purchasing logistics level. So maxing the basics gives you a 0 fee for this skill path. At level 10 a player could also enjoy the ability to have 10 logistic purchases in any 6 hour period.
Note: it could work like this. The player buys 100U of (insert raw material here) from a station 6k away from the outpost that he is currently in. He has the skill at 2 so it falls within the 3k x 2 skill formula. He also falls into the maximum Volume of 50U per skill level as the buy with delivery is 100U maximum for his level. The transaction is completed from his location and the goods are delivered to the station that he made the purchase from. Now the delivery should be delayed the same amount of time that it would take for an average hauler to make the trip, let’s say 50kph x 6k distance in this case. So the goods would show up in his hanger (again from a game mechanic) in 2 min.
At level 6 the advanced skill opens up
Extensions tab: Finances
*Extention: Advanced purchasing logistics (7ish).
Allow for off island purchases to be delivered. Volume per purchase continues to increases at 50U per purchase per skill level. The distance of purchase continues to increase at 3k per skill level and is calculated with real distances from terminals of purchase to terminal where goods are located. The speed of the logistics between the terminals remains as basic. So goods are somewhat delayed.
At level 10 the buyer unlocks Beta purchases. He can then purchase from an alpha island to a beta terminal if the range equals his skill level. Only at level 10 does the logistics skill allow for a Beta island purchase to take place off or onto a Beta Island.
Notes:
*This skill set would allow gatherers to do so at more remote locations and still have the opportunity to sell their goods at a fair price.
*This encourages players to spread out and use all the terminals as they can bring goods in to the desired location and not be penalized for spreading out by having to pay more for goods and charge less due to lack of interest in hauling items from remote locations.
*The game needs a more vibrant market, and this could help stir interest in market movements and allow goods to move up and down more freely based on demand and not just their location.
*This also allows a player to move goods from or to a Beta island and opens up rare goods to the entire player base.