In my experience, trade to capital stations typically provides lower profits than to other station types. Coupling this with certain capital stations now having capship docks, I suggest that the dynamic trading be expanded from Latos N2 (or replaced) to each of the capital stations. This would actually provide some value to trident owners beyond just having a safe harbor and place change trident configurations.

+1 Another good idea.

+1

Why not? Apart from the odd broken trade mission (some are a lot shorter now) nothing major broke when Latos N2 was changed.

+1; having more dynamic stations would also provide more insight into what people like to buy in different areas.

+1.

+1

+1

Interesting. I'm a bit distracted lately (down with a cold, and various orthogonal work-chaos), but aren't there still some issues with the Latos N2 economy?

Like, isn't it possible to sell some items and have them vanish from existence? Or did we fix all of that?

Basically, widgets that sell to stations with a value of 0 credits disappeared.

https://www.vendetta-online.com/x/msgboard/3/31324

Is it that big of a deal that 0-credit items have issues? You likely just shouldnt sell them, since npcs wont give you anything for it.

Are there really NPC capship caravans going to N2 regularily right now?

Not so much no. After a server restart you tend to find random escort missions that run without player interaction to _everywhere_; these convoy cargoes seem to count towards the N2 inventory. After a week or so, they tend to stop running without player interaction then escort missions tend to thin out even for players, possibly because of the speed of which some of us run escort missions. The smart ones among us will just abort missions that contain crap, so I guess it does make the mission bot a little bit dizzy!

Anyway, regardless of that and as others are probably thinking; is it a big deal if 0 credit items do vanish? Unless there is a buyback system in-place you could still lose an accidentally sold none-0 item anyway.

Part of that issue is that the goods are not actually being used up by the stations and spurring the need for replenishment. Each station should be using food, water and various other material on a regular basis simply as a matter of existence.

AND... stations that run out of basic supplies should shutdown and refuse docking to any ship not delivering the needed supplies. If the situation lasts long enough then rioting and so on should also ensue.
Each level of need should cause an increase in the amount and frequency of the mission to the station along with an increase in the escort payment and the cost of all goods sold on the station - Even 89's should eventually begin to show a cost for purchase.

Surely the simplest solution is to change all items that report a 0c sale price to actually offer 1c. Make 1c a symbolic zero, and the n2 disappearing stocks error will disappear itself.

Job done.

Personally, i think the dynamic economy should be spread to all stations as soon as possible, with a possible change - make it so that locally produced items never deplete their stocks. Maybe they have a symbolic stock of 0-1000, to vary the costs, but once they hit 0% the price just stays at max to allow the economy a little strength. I mean, if you roll out the economy across the universe, how many *hours* do you think it will take before some unsavory player decides they should buy up all the silksteel in the verse to create a monopoly on the commodity?

Anyways... This finnicky delay of finding out for ages if n2 caused a problem is slow and pointless. If the change to the whole universe was completed, and resulted in a huge error, then a rollback would be a definite option. But more will be learned by the attempt to try than by the wait to preconceive errors.

Whats the worst that could happen? Trading goes awry for a couple of weeks, and then some players might get stocks of stuff they shouldnt have gotten so easily...

Seriously tho, if anyone really understands anything about an economy, the one thing that should be known is that you cannot predict it with clarity. Metaphorically speaking, and literally, starting a game wide dynamic economy is gonna be like kickstarting an engine so old it has lost its groove. It will either start, and work ok, or it will not, and will need more work. This means a rollback... so why the cold feet! Hehehe

+1
As far as I can see, N-2 has had a few minor issues, but nothing game breaking. Meanwhile, regular (non-mission) trade from station to station is borked as hell (or at least, near constantly tanked to uselessness).

Personally I believe it's well past time the N-2 dynamic market was expanded to the rest of the verse.

+1

+1. Why aren't we funding this?

+1

was about to post this but after a search I see it has already been suggested -- so I'm bumping it.

In particular I'd like to see a market for elite nation ships. It's such a giant pain in the ass to haul down valks to Latos and I'd happily pay someone else to do it if it weren't also such a giant pain in the ass to sell them. Capital ship access to a grayspace dynamic economy station would open up this market.

Serco characters would enjoy the benefits of this in Edras or Pelatus, and Itani characters would enjoy the benefit of this in Ukari or Latos. UIT Characters would enjoy the benefits of this in the future when the purpose of the UDV is better realized in grayspace.

Weird bomber or contaband police? Or load it with two megaposis to get a weirdly armoured medium-weight fighter?

Or use it because its got the best honk of all ships? Nwaaaaaaaark!