Not sure if this has already been suggested (am sure it must have been), but there's a critical thing missing in the future for traders.
That is a trading computer (which would be added and take up a hull slot).
The Trading Computer would do the following:
1) Allow you to copy the prices/costs for the station you're currently landed at and store in a ship bound database.
2) Provide a view of other stations commodity data and demands, provided you own them (purchased or previously saved).
3) Purchase demand data for other systems/stations (lower cost,varies based on age & therefore accuracy of data, and the economy/govt of the station)
4) Purchase full commodity for other systems/stations (higher cost, varies based on age & therefore accuracy of data, and the economy/govt of the station))
4) Sell full commodity data for other stations to current station (value dependent on age of data, distance to other system etc. and the economy/govt of the current station)
5) Plot route from A to B and suggest buy/sell options for route based on known data, including options to stop en-route at viable stations.
6) Backup data to the "cloud" (is there a cloud in space?) at a cost so it can be restored when:
a) You purchase a new ship and install a trading computer
b) You rebuy your ship after destruction
Trading Computers would be rated G-A in terms of functionality and 1-6 in terms of storage capacity.
Functionality would be as follows (Higher grades include lower grade functionality):
Grade G : Basic storage of raw commodity data and demands from current station
Grade F : Ability to buy demand data at stations
Grade E : Ability to sell demand data at stations
Grade D : Ability to backup & restore data to the "cloud"
Grade C : Ability to buy full commodity data at stations
Grade B : Ability to sell full commodity data at stations
Grade A : Ability to assist with trade route planning and navigation
Storage is based on the size of the computer (the bay in which it is stored). This is in the no. of data units ((size^size) + 5). A data unit is 1 stations data (both demand & prices)
Size 1 : 5 units
Size 2 : 9 units
Size 3 : 32 units
Size 4 : 261 units
Size 5 : 3130 units
Size 6 : 46661 units
When/If your ship is destroyed the data core is dumped (like cargo) and can therefore be stolen and merged with the new "owners" dataset, and therefore available for sale (on the black market)
Data sets are tagged with the GUID of the commander who stores the data (from purchase or discovery), therefore stolen data would be identifiable by a security scan. Any ship with stolen data would be fined. Data sets can be cleaned at the black market and updated with the commanders GUID at significant cost! or they can be purged (at cost) from the black market.
Just a thought, but something I feel is missing from the game at the moment. Would also introduce another element for making money, buying & selling trade data.
That is a trading computer (which would be added and take up a hull slot).
The Trading Computer would do the following:
1) Allow you to copy the prices/costs for the station you're currently landed at and store in a ship bound database.
2) Provide a view of other stations commodity data and demands, provided you own them (purchased or previously saved).
3) Purchase demand data for other systems/stations (lower cost,varies based on age & therefore accuracy of data, and the economy/govt of the station)
4) Purchase full commodity for other systems/stations (higher cost, varies based on age & therefore accuracy of data, and the economy/govt of the station))
4) Sell full commodity data for other stations to current station (value dependent on age of data, distance to other system etc. and the economy/govt of the current station)
5) Plot route from A to B and suggest buy/sell options for route based on known data, including options to stop en-route at viable stations.
6) Backup data to the "cloud" (is there a cloud in space?) at a cost so it can be restored when:
a) You purchase a new ship and install a trading computer
b) You rebuy your ship after destruction
Trading Computers would be rated G-A in terms of functionality and 1-6 in terms of storage capacity.
Functionality would be as follows (Higher grades include lower grade functionality):
Grade G : Basic storage of raw commodity data and demands from current station
Grade F : Ability to buy demand data at stations
Grade E : Ability to sell demand data at stations
Grade D : Ability to backup & restore data to the "cloud"
Grade C : Ability to buy full commodity data at stations
Grade B : Ability to sell full commodity data at stations
Grade A : Ability to assist with trade route planning and navigation
Storage is based on the size of the computer (the bay in which it is stored). This is in the no. of data units ((size^size) + 5). A data unit is 1 stations data (both demand & prices)
Size 1 : 5 units
Size 2 : 9 units
Size 3 : 32 units
Size 4 : 261 units
Size 5 : 3130 units
Size 6 : 46661 units
When/If your ship is destroyed the data core is dumped (like cargo) and can therefore be stolen and merged with the new "owners" dataset, and therefore available for sale (on the black market)
Data sets are tagged with the GUID of the commander who stores the data (from purchase or discovery), therefore stolen data would be identifiable by a security scan. Any ship with stolen data would be fined. Data sets can be cleaned at the black market and updated with the commanders GUID at significant cost! or they can be purged (at cost) from the black market.
Just a thought, but something I feel is missing from the game at the moment. Would also introduce another element for making money, buying & selling trade data.