Trading

To anyone familiar with X3: how do/will the trading/economy models compare?
I'm enjoying X3 despite it's many flaws purely because of it's empire building potential.

Regards

Misja

well,
first torn stars is NOT a dynamic economy
prices are fixed
the only thing that limits abusing the same route over and over is that goods are produced and in limited quantity.
but demand is infinite

torn stars trading is enjoyable though,managing a fleet is way more simple in torn stars

Oh well, it's the space flight and combat that makes I-War and Torn Stars so enjoyable. It's ultimately the proverbial carrot that gives a game it's longetivity and a dynamic economy is a way of making the path to your next vegetarian purchase a bit more interesting but it's by no means crucial. Since TS still offers a good diversity of products coupled with avaialbillity there will always be good and bad deals to be made.

I was once a 'dynamic economy' junky...until I realised that it wasn't really making any difference in terms of how much I enjoyed the trading experience. I came to similar realizations for MMORPGs. The holy-grail 'real' economy made absolutely no positive contribution towards my enjoyment of the game.

Back to Misja's question..I have no experience with X3, but with X2 the flight dynamics and space simulation drove me away from the game long before I could really get a taste for the economy. I also wonder whether X3 would be the same.

I agree with Cambragol that the “dynamic economy� in most games does not add much to the experience; when you deliver a load of the item the price drops a bit – big deal. What would make a dynamic economy more interesting is the use of what economists call “shocks.� For example, the player could receive a news report that the Brethren in Rippon are blockading the L-points and the CMC has tripled tariffs in the Watts system causing a supply “shock� for neutronium at the New Constantinople neutronium processing facility since the supply route from Bumpy’s Star has become more expensive– the sell price for neutronium has quadrupled in New Constantinople. Well, good profits to be made for someone brave enough to risk the AMP’s in Epitath

Kitsune

And I agree with you Kitsune. GrandpaTrout and I have already discussed exactly the kind of situations you described. And there is no need of a dynamic economy to make them work.