Trade Hubs |
Remember how you could create interceptable trade routes with other empires in GalCiv? Well, I came up with an idea for how to implement something similar in SE5!
Create a new unit type called "trade goods" which can be loaded onto freighters as cargo - you could have one type of trade goods for each resource if you wish - borrow some trade goods names from Starfury 
Give the trade goods unit a Resource Generation ability which affects all players in the system (not sure if this will affect them once per space object or once per player, will need to test this!)
This Resource Generation ability, however, should have a script call in it which checks the number of Space Ports in a system belonging to a player. If a player has any space ports in a system, the ability should provide zero resources for him - this will prevent "stockpiling" of trade goods in your colony systems! (You will have to move them out to the frontier where aliens could benefit from them as well for them to work!)
You won't quite have "trade routes" as the trade ships won't necessarily have to move between colonies - but you WILL end up with "trade hubs" where when one player builds a lot of trade goods, other empires will want to enter that system as well!
Re: Trade Hubs
Yeah, you could easily warp point block a nebula system and park this trade good in the nebula system.
Re: Trade Hubs
The concept itself is somewhat interesting, but the implementation details would need a lot of thought. For one, as Mylon said, what if your Trade Hub is a Nebula in the corner of the Quadrant that your entire empire is blocking? I also think these "Trade generators" must not be able to move - i.e. bases or facilities. Factor in the "Natural Merchant" racial trait.
IMO, having fairly placed (this means carefully chosen starting points as a minimum requirement, more likely a map editor) Neutral Trade Hubs that players can invest in to make better, but ultimately have no direct control over. Maybe make it a feature of Neutral Empires and add in some script to make sure such Trade Hubs don't spawn at the edge where nobody else can get to.
The idea itself has merit. Needs more work to make it look balanced, then a whole nightmare of how to implement it.
---Sig---
Playing Touhou games (Go here if interested . No, nobody else is that good/insane as that replay). No rush for SE V bug fixing.
Re: Trade Hubs
Trade Hubs do sound interesting but why not create an AI empire that specializes in trading instead. Give them some Progenitor tech that keeps them safe from the aggressive empires and adjust their anger levels and racial traits so that they wonder around looking for trade opportunities?
Re: Trade Hubs
Hmm, that could be interesting... sorta like the Melnorme from Star Control - they were really peaceful and friendly towards everybody and just wanted to trade, but don't try attacking them or you'll wind up on the business end of one of their mega charge plasma busters!
edit: anyone ever played Nethack? Remember the shopkeepers-of-doom?
You zap a wand of digging. Asidonhopo gets angry! The Keystone Kops appear! Asidonhopo hits! Asidonhopo hits! The Keystone Kop throws a cream pie. Yech! You've been slimed! It hits! It hits! It hits! You die... Do you want to have your possessions identified? [y/n]
~~~
The power of the ancients is now yours to command. You are truly the Master... of the obvious
Re: Trade Hubs
or like the wandering traders in Stars! - what a game that was. I don't think I ever successfully traded with one.
Re: Trade Hubs
Or of course, they could smash you with Intel instead of a military attack. You know... I seriously am considering a "let's not build any research centres" strategy whenever I next start playing SE V again (currently waiting for new patch and then new mod versions that improve AI).
---Sig---
Playing Touhou games (Go here if interested . No, nobody else is that good/insane as that replay). No rush for SE V bug fixing.
Re: Trade Hubs
Bof, not an interesting concept. This looks too much like something the human will abuse and leave the AI out in the cold. We already have enough advantage as it is against the poor AI, let's not bring more to the table.
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There are only 2 things that are infinite: The Universe and Human Stupidity and i'm not certain about the Universe...
Re: Trade Hubs
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There are only 2 things that are infinite: The Universe and Human Stupidity and i'm not certain about the Universe...
Bonerusher...my intent with this line of thought was that a trading race would be AI only. Not something humans could control. That would make it impartial and allows any race to barter with them. I am playing with it now but am still such a novice with the AI scripting that it may take some time. Essentially you have to nest in additional cases and if statements that check to see if this AI is for the Nomad or Trading race so that for example...they create no colony ships or troops. They don't need to explore which means you have to jump around some of the lines of code in the AI_StateChange file. Ditto for the treaty, political and anger adjustments. I am not sure I will be successful but it will be fun trying.
Re: Trade Hubs
sounds very interesting, however with no way of enforcing a "trade" ship limit it will be horribly broken.