Matrix Games Forums

Trade is not clear at all for me. I never know what I should buy/sale because I find the screen not very clear and I lack decision tools. Any tips to conduct trade efficiently (without advisors) ?

For my part, I just look at what I'm short of, then note what I have a surplus of and try to set up trades with nations that are relatively nearby to try to balance those situations. I scroll through looking for the best provinces to match up, then send out the trade proposal.

Except the economic reporting system makes it difficult to know what is in surplus and what is deficient

Blind leading the blind but:

Look at the national (not Province) production. If you are +12 in wood you don't need wood. If you are +0 in wine you need wine. Etc. Except I think you may always want lots of food to promote population growth.

And don't make a trade with a province that is a long way away overland (I gather sea zones are "free") because the cost of transport will negate any advantage of the trade (Russian and Spain is a bad trade).

How do I know how much wood or any commodity I will be producing the next turn (or maybe, what was my average wood production for the preceding year?)

I agree it's difficult to know how much money is surplus. Generally, though, one can rely on the Nation screen from the Economy Advisor. Keep the net income positive.

Timber and Iron are easy: you only use them to build things, so if you don't need to build anything at the moment, it's surplus. If these are growing pretty fast, trade a bunch to those who need it.

Textiles are never surplus except for Turkey, who has oodles of them. Horde textiles ferociously.

Wine, Spices and Luxury items are all surplus as long as your population is staying happy for other reasons. If things go sour, though, you will want them to boost happiness. That's all they are used for: consumed each turn per the manual's formula in exchange for a happiness boost. Textiles do this too, but only amounts above 150 I believe.

Look at how many you are getting of Timber, Iron, Wine, Spices and Luxury items from any Province management page (upper right section). That will show you what you make the most of. Trade those goods for what you make the least of....or money.

I think if you read the Economic report, that gives you the 'net' figures (i.e. after waste and other factors are figured in, your actual production numbers.

Of course, I could be wrong....probably am. [:'(]

I like the rest of you are baffled by the economic figures presented to me.

I am looking forward to the 'COG Economics for Dummies' manual that is being put together [&o]

Don't get me wrong...I (ever the optimist) believe the system is wad and fine...I don't want to control every last detail nor am I overly concerned when my checkbook doesn't balance to the last cent. Variables are great and I greatly appreciate the way the developers have added uncertainty into the game (not just in economics). Much more fun.

I just would like a cleaner reporting system so I can deduce cause and effect little more easily and make reasonable guessed for the future, not just for trade but for resource allocation as well. Also, I would like to see averages per turn over the course of the past six months or a year.

ORIGINAL: Jordan

Don't get me wrong...I (ever the optimist) believe the system is wad and fine...I don't want to control every last detail nor am I overly concerned when my checkbook doesn't balance to the last cent. Variables are great and I greatly appreciate the way the developers have added uncertainty into the game (not just in economics). Much more fun.

I just would like a cleaner reporting system so I can deduce cause and effect little more easily and make reasonable guessed for the future, not just for trade but for resource allocation as well. Also, I would like to see averages per turn over the course of the past six months or a year.

Oh I agree completely. I think all that we are looking for is clarification and certainly not condemnation

Another question on the subject of trade--do you actually get better deals from countries that think well of you? In my limited time, I have not noticed anything. Is there any other impact of national relations on trade (other than that trade improves your relations with others)?

ORIGINAL: Alex Gilbert

Another question on the subject of trade--do you actually get better deals from countries that think well of you? In my limited time, I have not noticed anything. Is there any other impact of national relations on trade (other than that trade improves your relations with others)?

I've yet to notice it having any effect. As France, I've tried many times to fleece the Spanish (almost literally as I'm trading wool[;)]) by trading less for more, but if the Advisor says it's an 'unreasonable deal' it doesn't seem to matter whether they like me or not - the deal is still rejected.

I would hope that it does have some effect at some point, or that the reverse is true and those nations that dislike you are more difficult to trade with.

bidness is bidness

real world, your allies would probably be trying to fleece you all the time. [X(]

ORIGINAL: marc420

bidness is bidness

real world, your allies would probably be trying to fleece you all the time. [X(]

Shirley (don't call me Shirley) you jest [X(]