Galactic Trading Bureau

[GluttonyFang]

Hello,

With the upcoming update of the Engineer, commodities will be essential in applying upgrades to one's ship. In the part 3 stream of the road to beta, Sandro mentions how players can swap commodities with one another, a primitive notion of player trading.

Of course this comes with problems.

What if there's deception? What if one side does not hold up their bargain?

Thus, why don't we introduce a player group that reinforces commodity trading?

For example, we have simple stipulations:

• Commodity traders must not equip any collector limpets nor hatch breaker limpets.
• Enforcers of the trade will equip cargo scanners.
• People are free to post what they have and what they wish to trade for on a thread, and others can take up their offer. Once the two sides agree upon terms, they may exchange with one another either by themselves or by the supervision of enforcers.
• There can be trading agents that will carry one's cargo and trade in his or her place for the exchange of some regular or special commodities as the third party expense fee.
• If there is any loss, the Bureau will compensate appropriately.

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I wonder will this generate any interest for the community?

Looking forward to feed back on the matter.

Sincerely,

Gluttony Fang

 

[Phil^]

What if there's deception? What if one side does not hold up their bargain?

I'd hope there was some form of in-game escrow for it to avoid precisely this situation on a per-transaction level. We'll see in beta though

 

[Hell Razor5543]

Properly managed, P2P trading could work. This looks like a well thought out management system. It should work, and should also prevent exploitation. Repped.

 

[GluttonyFang]

Properly managed, P2P trading could work. This looks like a well thought out management system. It should work, and should also prevent exploitation. Repped.

Yep, now we just need some testing in the Beta to make sure things can work out, then there can be a player group that grows out of this, as helpful as the fuel rats to the community.

 

[Navigare Necesse Est]

Why would someone announce their trade and data of the settlement publicly?

 

[GluttonyFang]

Why would someone announce their trade and data of the settlement publicly?

No, I mean people posting that "I have x amount of y commodity, and is looking for v amount of w commodities." The location of the trade is decided after an agreement, which is made private.

 

[49rTbird]

For simple trading it could act as in the old Freelancer game, both sides must push an accept option before the "Trade" happens. Just an option.

 

[GluttonyFang]

For simple trading it could act as in the old Freelancer game, both sides must push an accept option before the "Trade" happens. Just an option.

Yes, that would be nice, but FD doesn't seem to be interested in creating an interface for that kind of trading. They are very insistent about dropping and picking up cargo.

 

[Navigare Necesse Est]

No, I mean people posting that "I have x amount of y commodity, and is looking for v amount of w commodities." The location of the trade is decided after an agreement, which is made private.

Would require to have some means of enforcement to keep them credible. I see some potential for mexican stand-offs. And a real black market. Are PP goods and claims transferrable? You know piracy doesn't necessarily mean taking assets physically. There's also market manipulation, illicit goods, racketing. Crime and shady business needs some variation besides sitting in a cockpit, imo.

 

[GluttonyFang]

Would require to have some means of enforcement to keep them credible.

Yea, that's why there's a need of an organized Bureau like the one I'm proposing that is player ran and will build its reputation.

I see some potential for mexican stand-offs. And a real black market. Are PP goods and claims transferrable?

PP claims can't be transferred, though I think commodity can be, but there's more effective ways to undermine a power, so it's pointless.

You know piracy doesn't necessarily mean taking assets physically. There's also market manipulation, illicit goods, racketing. Crime and shady business needs some variation besides sitting in a cockpit, imo.

Of course there will be black markets and market manipulation, but that is irrelevant to the exchange of commodity we are currently discussing. Your worries are applicable only to a developed economy based around these special commodities, which I believe is healthy to have its own economy that is truly player driven.

That I think adds to the game instead of taking away.

 

[Navigare Necesse Est]

Yea, that's why there's a need of an organized Bureau like the one I'm proposing that is player ran and will build its reputation.



PP claims can't be transferred, though I think commodity can be, but there's more effective ways to undermine a power, so it's pointless.



Of course there will be black markets and market manipulation, but that is irrelevant to the exchange of commodity we are currently discussing. Your worries are applicable only to a developed economy based around these special commodities, which I believe is healthy to have its own economy that is truly player driven.

That I think adds to the game instead of taking away.

I'm thinking a bit ahead, beyond the exchange function. Like making smuggling and illicit goods more player driven. More commodities players want - not just because of profit potential. Stuff that influences mechanics or status, cosmetics - stuff like that.
If we actually had some kind of dynamic economy, flow of goods - such an organisation could work to reap great profits. Lore wise and PP wise it somehow combines the somewhat one-dimensional pirate dude with the info-techno corp guy.

You could set up lots of activity around that.

-Hire Mercs to hit trade lanes. Steal cargo. The "arrrr!" stuff. Buy up the goods stacking in the warehouses because they don't get delivered. Hire cargo space to sell to high bidders.

-Buy up stuff secretly, hit mercs to destroy assets to create more demand for your stuff.