Rares are great, but there is a lot more that can be done with the idea of goods that are different than normal commodities. Here are the two most interesting twists on the idea I have come up with, both with quite a bit of gameplay potential.
Exotics are sort of like rares...but on steroids. These items can be acquired at quantity, but they will be hard to get to (like rares, although they may be available from several places) and will only be purchased by stations interested in the type of exotic.
Most importantly, exotics don't need to be bought. Many of the most valuable exotics will come from undiscovered systems where you find interesting and unique lifeforms - scanning the planet that is the source of the exotic gives you the option to fill your hold with it. (Some specialized equipment may be required for some exotics)
The supply of exotics is effectively unlimited... but the demand is not, which is where things start to get very interesting. Many stations will desire these exotics, but they may be far apart, and they will only ever desire so many. Life forms may be analyzed at specific high tech research stations, rare crystalline structures at specific industrials. Once the demand at a given station is met, it is met forever - players must discover a new exotic, or deliver to their remaining supply further afield where the researches or collectors or enthusiasts have not yet had their fill.
This is the rare trade good of the explorer - a trader, sure, but primarily a wanderer, hoping to discover something of value and then a buyer willing to pay for it, tossing the dice and traveling across the galaxy looking for the perfect score.
The second type of trade good I would propose is sort of an inverse rare. Some of the current rare's would make more sense as a Collectors Item. Collectors Items may available in practically unlimited quantity but only from specific places (although a ton of two of supply could spontaneously appear at other stations just to spice things up as people decide to hawk their items). Feel free to load up your entire type 9 with these valuable items. But demand for collectors goods are exceptionally low - a wealthy system with a huge population might be willing to be only three tons, and it might take weeks for that demand to return after someone makes a sale there. Working a collectors good route is about trucking to the places that aren't as popular, touring around the galaxy like a door to door salesman, moving from town to town... or rather station to station, unloading a few items at each stop.
Exotics are sort of like rares...but on steroids. These items can be acquired at quantity, but they will be hard to get to (like rares, although they may be available from several places) and will only be purchased by stations interested in the type of exotic.
Most importantly, exotics don't need to be bought. Many of the most valuable exotics will come from undiscovered systems where you find interesting and unique lifeforms - scanning the planet that is the source of the exotic gives you the option to fill your hold with it. (Some specialized equipment may be required for some exotics)
The supply of exotics is effectively unlimited... but the demand is not, which is where things start to get very interesting. Many stations will desire these exotics, but they may be far apart, and they will only ever desire so many. Life forms may be analyzed at specific high tech research stations, rare crystalline structures at specific industrials. Once the demand at a given station is met, it is met forever - players must discover a new exotic, or deliver to their remaining supply further afield where the researches or collectors or enthusiasts have not yet had their fill.
This is the rare trade good of the explorer - a trader, sure, but primarily a wanderer, hoping to discover something of value and then a buyer willing to pay for it, tossing the dice and traveling across the galaxy looking for the perfect score.
The second type of trade good I would propose is sort of an inverse rare. Some of the current rare's would make more sense as a Collectors Item. Collectors Items may available in practically unlimited quantity but only from specific places (although a ton of two of supply could spontaneously appear at other stations just to spice things up as people decide to hawk their items). Feel free to load up your entire type 9 with these valuable items. But demand for collectors goods are exceptionally low - a wealthy system with a huge population might be willing to be only three tons, and it might take weeks for that demand to return after someone makes a sale there. Working a collectors good route is about trucking to the places that aren't as popular, touring around the galaxy like a door to door salesman, moving from town to town... or rather station to station, unloading a few items at each stop.
