Trade Data, Devs Answer Please

[Grinchy]

For as long as Ive played this has been my number 1 issue. I need to know if either it is being looked at, or if it is not a priority and wont get round to being fixed for ages?


Trade data misleading/wrong.

Screenshot A shows the system imports gallite.

Screenshot B shows data is screenshot A is wrong and I make a loss? The system doesn't import any minerals!

Yes there are ways to trade without using in-game tools etc, but I want to know if at the very least it's being looked at.

One love,
CMDR Grinchy

 

[satrycus]

It's historical data and the demand has been satisfied.

 

[Raf von Thorn]

OMG, the trade data shows you one very important thing: where they market will buy the commodity and where the market is selling the commodity. It does NOT and is NOT supposed to show how profitable is it to move the commodity along the line.

 

[Grinchy]

OMG, the trade data shows you one very important thing: where they market will buy the commodity and where the market is selling the commodity. It does NOT and is NOT supposed to show how profitable is it to move the commodity along the line.

So the system that's importing it is ripping of the system exporting it?... i just assumed the galaxy would run on the basic trading principle, export to make a profit....

 

[ElleShaped]

No, the system importing it has enough to fill their storage, adn now will only buy it at a very low price because they have nowhere to put it. Hence, 'The demand was satisfied.' Either find a new commodity that they aren't satisfied with or a new destination for your current load.

 

[Grinchy]

So the best way to make a profit is not to follow the line of usual import export as it's past data, insted see what the system demands (high) and use the data to find it.

I guess that makes sense, thanks guys


Question, if you mined a mineral or found some... or bought some accidentally, whats the best way to find where to sell it? For a profit.
Just stop at every station -_-

 

[ElleShaped]

Exactly. You can use the import/export information as a guide, to determine the sort of things they -usually- need, but to be -certain- you need to check on their current demand.

 

[Grinchy]

hmmm, does buying trade data give you up to date info, or is that past info also?
If it is past data whats the point of that? it's on the galaxy map...

 

[eeimben]

I can easily understand the OP's frustration. Why provide information if its going to be misleading or even factually incorrect. I know that the info-map view is supposed to show historical trade routes between systems, but from the Commodity market clip above it seems that there is absolutely no demand for Gallite. Perhaps there needs to be a rethink of the algorithms beings used to drive the economic data reporting. I mean we're all used to hearing about trade and stock indices on the lunchtime and evening news - they report a general trend and have an empirical basis (mean, median, moving average, weighted average etc, etc). If information being displayed is historical, then that also needs to be represented. For example, if the trade lines are displayed on a map, then you should be able to hover over and see the basis for that line such as the volume of goods transported and other relevant trade indices. This is what we get today - pick up a copy of The Economist and ave a leaf through the last 3-4 pages. Its this type of information that constitutes economic data and what should be available when you click that Buy Trade Data button.

Thoughts?

 

[Shadowdancer]

Also note that trade routes don't apply to all stations in a given system. You may have better luck selling your gallite at another port.

 

[Raf von Thorn]

So the system that's importing it is ripping of the system exporting it?... i just assumed the galaxy would run on the basic trading principle, export to make a profit....

Of course it does. Look, imagine that there is a furniture factory in a town. They make furnitures using wood. Its safe to say that the town imports woods and exports furnitures. It doesnt mean that if you will come with lorry filled with wood that the factory will buy it, making sure youre profiting from it. They dont care about your profit. They pay more if they need more wood, they pay less if they have already a lot of it. There is more than one place to provide them wood. You cant expect to go to another town, which has a sawmill, buy some wood, transport it to the town with factory and enjoy automatic profit. That would be silly.

And yet, the town imports wood and exports furnitures.

 

[Grinchy]

Of course it does. Look, imagine that there is a furniture factory in a town. They make furnitures using wood. Its safe to say that the town imports woods and exports furnitures. It doesnt mean that if you will come with lorry filled with wood that the factory will buy it, making sure youre profiting from it. They dont care about your profit. They pay more if they need more wood, they pay less if they have already a lot of it. There is more than one place to provide them wood. You cant expect to go to another town, which has a sawmill, buy some wood, transport it to the town with factory and enjoy automatic profit. That would be silly.

And yet, the town imports wood and exports furnitures.

In the real world you can ring up without traveling there... without this in elite I just assumed every line would lead to a profit, even if it was just 10cr... something needs to be added or changed, I feel like a mindless trader guessing to make a profit (unless you go there physically and make notes...)

 

[Grinchy]

Edit - Double post, ignore.

 

[flint read]

In the real world, you can ring them up and find out... no such thing in Elite... that's why I expected every line would lead to profit, even if it was 10cr. Without such a feature as a phone to find out, I feel like a really mindless stupid trader just guessing away trying to make a profit... something needs to be added or changed...

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In the real world you can ring up without traveling there... without this in elite I just assumed every line would lead to a profit, even if it was just 10cr... something needs to be added or changed, I feel like a mindless trader guessing to make a profit (unless you go there physically and make notes...)

your not wrong and yes it's infuriating that they give us trading but no way to trade without guess work so the fantasic looking galaxy trading map is worse than useless

i keep hoping it's bugged but im getting to the point of thinking this is actually what it's suposed to be just eye candy and trading is just all guess work and random station visiting.

the only way i have made this work is to play with a friend on skype and we (ring ahead) to find out what the actual demand is in the systems we are in.

this works well but is obviously no good at all for the single player.