Are ruin locations over valued?

[GHerr]

I'm trying to understand why, when negotiating a trade, locations of some ruins have values that are very high. In a supply and demand system, my understanding , these things are only as valuable as one's ability to exploit it. I am quite happy to take their money to know where something is, but I would never pay that much to get it. Am I missing something?

[zgrssd]

You can only work towards exploiting it, if you know where it is.

And a least the Zenox have Ruins as their Victory Condition.

[AKicebear]

Yes, I do think the sale price of mere locations (which you don't even control) are far overpriced.

[zgrssd]

Yes, I do think the sale price of mere locations (which you don't even control) are far overpriced.

Normally you have to find the ruins first. Which usually requires surveying dozens of planets, before you even find one. They are the proverbial "needle in a Haystack".
And quite a lot of my Scenery and Science Stations are from ruins.
Plus any trade with Pirates is the way to get Non-Agression pacts with them.

Maybe they are overpriced for a lot of cases - but they seem priced right when you actually want them.

[Jorgen_CAB]

I have not decided if they are or not... my question is if the AI can use the information or not. Me as a player can certainly use the information to my advantage. If the ruin gets me a science station, that is a huge bonus, resort locations less so... but can eventually be useful.

But the problem is usually where these ruins are. You are buying them completely blind. You should be able to know at least how far they are from your closest colony or something to put a proper worth on them. The closer they are to your colonies the more you would be willing to pay for them.

I'm not paying 300k for something that is on the other side of the galaxy Likewise it is like a swindle if that ruin is inside someone else's influence, probably even used. All of these things should be part of the price and then you could create a market for them. Buy the knowledge of a cheap ruin on the other side of the galaxy and sell it expensive to a local faction close to it. The AI could also make a market out of them this way too.

[GHerr]

I have not decided if they are or not... my question is if the AI can use the information or not. Me as a player can certainly use the information to my advantage. If the ruin gets me a science station, that is a huge bonus, resort locations less so... but can eventually be useful.

But the problem is usually where these ruins are. You are buying them completely blind. You should be able to know at least how far they are from your closest colony or something to put a proper worth on them. The closer they are to your colonies the more you would be willing to pay for them.

I'm not paying 300k for something that is on the other side of the galaxy Likewise it is like a swindle if that ruin is inside someone else's influence, probably even used. All of these things should be part of the price and then you could create a market for them. Buy the knowledge of a cheap ruin on the other side of the galaxy and sell it expensive to a local faction close to it. The AI could also make a market out of them this way too.

i guess i was thinking you had to actually colonize the location to get the bonuses. didn't know about the science stations.

[AKicebear]

i guess i was thinking you had to actually colonize the location to get the bonuses. didn't know about the science stations.

I believe your assumption is right - the bonus only applies if you have a colony or base at the orb, depending on the bonus type.

[frankycl]

Yes, I do think the sale price of mere locations (which you don't even control) are far overpriced.

No, I don't think so - because you never know what you may find or how valuable it is (like e.g. when you find the tech to build planet-destroyers or other very important artifacts, etc.) - I think it's supposed to work as a kind of game of luck - for the gambling-natures of the players.