Any relation to between what AI traders are carrying

[Farrago]

Is there any relation between what AI traders are carrying and the ports they are near?

If not, @admin, there should be. AI traders seem to mainly be making short hauls. It would make sense if they were carrying goods consumed or produced at the nearby ports.

I apologize if this is already in game and I just haven't noticed it.

[SwydeBarca]

Economy warfare and blockades of ports is an interesting feature, I hope they consider it. Of course, there's the wipe coming, but it might be a cool addition in 3-4 months.

[Hethwill, the Red Duke]

21 minutes ago, SwydeBarca said:

Economy warfare and blockades of ports is an interesting feature, I hope they consider it.

This is age of sail, beginning and end, in a nutshell.

[van der Clam]

I can't remember my actual results, nor where I posted it, but capturing traders leaving St Lucie yielded about 30% chance of silver. Capturing the same number of traders entering St Lucie yielded 0 silver. Sadly, I didn't pay any attention to other ports nor other resources. I spent about 3 days hitting traders outside there just to try it and hoped for better silver results. heh

[Hethwill, the Red Duke]

3 hours ago, van der Decken said:

I can't remember my actual results, nor where I posted it, but capturing traders leaving St Lucie yielded about 30% chance of silver. Capturing the same number of traders entering St Lucie yielded 0 silver. Sadly, I didn't pay any attention to other ports nor other resources. I spent about 3 days hitting traders outside there just to try it and hoped for better silver results. heh

Good idea to have a ledger with this NPC info. +1

[Sir Texas Sir]

8 hours ago, van der Decken said:

I can't remember my actual results, nor where I posted it, but capturing traders leaving St Lucie yielded about 30% chance of silver. Capturing the same number of traders entering St Lucie yielded 0 silver. Sadly, I didn't pay any attention to other ports nor other resources. I spent about 3 days hitting traders outside there just to try it and hoped for better silver results. heh

Yah I tested this some and you get a good chance of that ports resources if you capture them heading out of the port so I think there is some system to it or for once the RNG gods just don't hate me as much as I think they do.  When I'm looking for a certain resources and feel like trader hunting I'll pick ports they leave from with that resources.

That way odds are even if I don't get good RNG with the NPC's the odds are in my favour I might just catch a player coming out of that port with the mats I need lol

[Remus]

8 hours ago, van der Decken said:

I can't remember my actual results, nor where I posted it, but capturing traders leaving St Lucie yielded about 30% chance of silver. Capturing the same number of traders entering St Lucie yielded 0 silver. Sadly, I didn't pay any attention to other ports nor other resources. I spent about 3 days hitting traders outside there just to try it and hoped for better silver results. heh

 

37 minutes ago, Sir Texas Sir said:

Yah I tested this some and you get a good chance of that ports resources if you capture them heading out of the port so I think there is some system to it or for once the RNG gods just don't hate me as much as I think they do.  When I'm looking for a certain resources and feel like trader hunting I'll pick ports they leave from with that resources.

That way odds are even if I don't get good RNG with the NPC's the odds are in my favour I might just catch a player coming out of that port with the mats I need lol

Good info from both of you - thank you. And it is the answer I wanted to hear.

I only just set up my account on Testbed and am rather daunted by the 0 craft xp and no NPC-sold resources. This will be ... ahem ... interesting to get going. A foretaste of April 20th. Some people will be in for a very great shock - they'd better look after their four starter ships because there won't be any player-made replacements for a couple of days, and crafters will have to learn again what buildings to put up.

I wonder if NPC cargo quantities are related to building capacities, so you'll find ships carrying 2000 coal leaving a coal port but never get more than 100 stone from a ship leaving a stone port.

[AngryPanCake]

I think it's a good idea to link AI trade with what is produced/consumed in any given port. Not sure how easy it is to code and manage all the variables inherent to trade, but it would add so much to the strategic side of the game. As far as PvP is concerned, clans can organize blockades of enemy clans and may even prevent them from acquiring the goods necessary to produce ships. This will be an incentive for players to go out and become blockade runners, which will increase player vs player interactions/combat. So while a player keeps raiding a particular trade route, capturing most of, let's say, the sugar produced from port A which will cause some shortage in the rest of the surrounding ports, thus driving prices up, another player may take advantage and sail his own produced sugar in those ports at a premium. As a side note, it could be worrisome about large nations completely paralyzing smaller ones, which after a while of being unable to do anything, it would take the fun out of it...I think this option might be too much!

Of course, a dynamic economy like this is probably extremely difficult to develop and maintain if it is easily influenced by the player base, but if it is feasible it would be a very nice touch. If the general game mechanics are done, the combat mechanics refined and the much needed content is added, an improved/dynamic economy would be the icing on the cake.