NPC Trading completely nerfed?

[clavain]

So, I just came back from a long exploration trip, more than 24 days out and back. I have my own database of trade info, some 50 systems worth. I expected it all to be badly out of date, with major and minor changes. Well, guess what - the only systems whose commodity info changed in any way whatsoever were those that had been visited by players. Many of "my" systems are on the fringes of known space, and I am often the only non-NPC visitor to them. None of those systems changed at all, in any way. Not buy or sell, not demand, not supply. Exactly the same as when I left almost 30 days ago.

Well this might be great for the trade grinders, it is pretty boring for me. I thought there was supposed to be a living breathing economy as part of the living breathing background world? Or is the plan for it only to be player-driven from here on out? Disappointed (again).

 

[Brucolac]

So, I just came back from a long exploration trip, more than 24 days out and back. I have my own database of trade info, some 50 systems worth. I expected it all to be badly out of date, with major and minor changes. Well, guess what - the only systems whose commodity info changed in any way whatsoever were those that had been visited by players. Many of "my" systems are on the fringes of known space, and I am often the only non-NPC visitor to them. None of those systems changed at all, in any way. Not buy or sell, not demand, not supply. Exactly the same as when I left almost 30 days ago.

Well this might be great for the trade grinders, it is pretty boring for me. I thought there was supposed to be a living breathing economy as part of the living breathing background world? Or is the plan for it only to be player-driven from here on out? Disappointed (again).

How do you know it didn't change and then change back in the 24 days you were away?

AFAIK the problem with NPC traders changing trade prices is that all profit then tends to flatten out, making player trading even less exciting. What appears to be in game is a system where players can change trade (which is good) and events like Famine can change trade. Both of these changes are temporary.

 

[Defacto]

A lot of people have seen prices vary between players on the same market at the same time.
People have loaded up their ships with hundreds of tonnes of gold from a small mining outpost, and when they return, the stock is at exactly the same level as when they last arrived.
In some places like Beta Sculptoris, people purchase thousands of tonne sof performance enhancers in mass for selling to the seeking luxuries ship, and it doesn't seem to affect the supply very much.

 

[clavain]

How do you know it didn't change and then change back in the 24 days you were away?

AFAIK the problem with NPC traders changing trade prices is that all profit then tends to flatten out, making player trading even less exciting. What appears to be in game is a system where players can change trade (which is good) and events like Famine can change trade. Both of these changes are temporary.

Yes - at every single station along my 500ly trade route... ;-)

I hope it is temporary - I knew they had adjusted NPC trading, did not realize they had killed it completely.

Defacto, I have seen that too but I am referring to stations where the only player visitors on the list is me, over a month long period. Shurely there should be some economic variation over the course of a month, even if FD's "tick" for the background simulation only occurs once a day?