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Archived from groups: alt.games.vgaplanets4 (More info?)
Since a recent hostchange the contraband market profits by buying
contra cheap and selling it again next turn got decreased to about
nothing. Before, the profit was about 20% every turn for the right
goods. Granted, that had been a bit much, all the more so because only
a minority of the players had the knack of finding the right contra
(although this was quite simple). A great disadvantage for newbies or
players who didn't care for their turns enough.
When I remember correctly Tim only planned to half the profit margin
with the hostchanges. Well, the changed variable didn't quite behave
as expected. The question is, is this a good thing or not?
I see the main effect of the diminished contraband market in the start
of the game. Previously I invested most of my money in contraband if
possible (to the limit of my population), and invested the surplus
money into tech and ships. Now I have to be content with the money I
get at the start, and whatever meager income is provided by cities and
taxes and race special rules.
That isn't bad per se and I actually enjoy it (and it greatly cut
down my late game micromanagment), but it changes the balance of the
races quite a lot.
Stormers have to hunt for prisoners to boost their economy, but have to
succeed in this with their meager starting capital and their single
Death Specula now. Risky. Birds, Lizards and Aczanny likewise. The EE
have the great boon of their additional 8k cash gift by the emperor.
The Feds, previously a victim race, now can invest into aggravators
(about as profitable as the previous contraband market), allowing them
to bring in money faster than most prisoner races can at the start,
giving them the upper hand in any early border conflict initiated by
the others in a hunt for said prisoners.
The Dracs with their gov center income have probably become a real
early game power (but will likely still be trashed in the late game).
The UEA, not anymore economically challenged by their inability to
trade with contraband but fully enjoying their double city income and
absurd redistribution centers (once implemented as a trade-off for
their inability to profit from the contraband market I think) have
become an early superpower that has to be adjusted.
And so for every race the setup at game start is quite different now.
If the deflated contraband market is here to stay, we need to adjust
these balance questions (most noteably probably the UEA and the Robots,
but there will probably be others).
So, what's your opinion? Should it be possible to use the contraband
market to enhance the economy or not? Do you prefer to change the
market system, or do you like it and prefer to rebalance the economic
traits of some races? Or do you think I am judging this wrongly and all
is perfect as it is? Opinions are welcome .
Since a recent hostchange the contraband market profits by buying
contra cheap and selling it again next turn got decreased to about
nothing. Before, the profit was about 20% every turn for the right
goods. Granted, that had been a bit much, all the more so because only
a minority of the players had the knack of finding the right contra
(although this was quite simple). A great disadvantage for newbies or
players who didn't care for their turns enough.
When I remember correctly Tim only planned to half the profit margin
with the hostchanges. Well, the changed variable didn't quite behave
as expected. The question is, is this a good thing or not?
I see the main effect of the diminished contraband market in the start
of the game. Previously I invested most of my money in contraband if
possible (to the limit of my population), and invested the surplus
money into tech and ships. Now I have to be content with the money I
get at the start, and whatever meager income is provided by cities and
taxes and race special rules.
That isn't bad per se and I actually enjoy it (and it greatly cut
down my late game micromanagment), but it changes the balance of the
races quite a lot.
Stormers have to hunt for prisoners to boost their economy, but have to
succeed in this with their meager starting capital and their single
Death Specula now. Risky. Birds, Lizards and Aczanny likewise. The EE
have the great boon of their additional 8k cash gift by the emperor.
The Feds, previously a victim race, now can invest into aggravators
(about as profitable as the previous contraband market), allowing them
to bring in money faster than most prisoner races can at the start,
giving them the upper hand in any early border conflict initiated by
the others in a hunt for said prisoners.
The Dracs with their gov center income have probably become a real
early game power (but will likely still be trashed in the late game).
The UEA, not anymore economically challenged by their inability to
trade with contraband but fully enjoying their double city income and
absurd redistribution centers (once implemented as a trade-off for
their inability to profit from the contraband market I think) have
become an early superpower that has to be adjusted.
And so for every race the setup at game start is quite different now.
If the deflated contraband market is here to stay, we need to adjust
these balance questions (most noteably probably the UEA and the Robots,
but there will probably be others).
So, what's your opinion? Should it be possible to use the contraband
market to enhance the economy or not? Do you prefer to change the
market system, or do you like it and prefer to rebalance the economic
traits of some races? Or do you think I am judging this wrongly and all
is perfect as it is? Opinions are welcome .