Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[UltimaGecko]

I'm thinking there might need to be a change to how trading works during at least the first year (and the fact that it doesn't seem to be explained anywhere how to trade effectively).

I'm talking about the fact that 'poor trades' tend to make merchants leave without trading, which can potentially damn new players (or even just new fortresses). The big problem here, is that: without appraisers you're not going to know the proper value of your goods, and even with appraisers if you give the merchant a profit he still get's pissed at you. Is there somewhere it's explained that I should give the merchant some sort of profit margin? If I'm giving him +50 value as profit I'd expect him to take it, especially if I'm only trading 7 things.

I'm thinking there should be an explanation of trading the first year (with no ability to anger the merchants), so that the player isn't potentially screwed by lack of appraiser skill (since one dwarf should get it from the successful trade the first year), and the profit margins expected by the traders can be explained to the player.

It seems to just make the cliff-like learning curve that much steeper (although, if you're on a very habitable plot area there wont be much trouble).

[edit]
I just read on the wiki that dwarven merchants aren't opposed to hours and hours of bargaining...the ones I just had gave me about 5 times (with each one giving them a +trade value), and they left.

[ November 02, 2007: Message edited by: UltimaGecko ]

[BurnedToast]

just spend 5 points to bump one dwarf's appraiser skill up to novice so you can see the prices, then make him the broker.

I've actually been bumping it up all the way lately, because a high skill level actually gives you a bonus (your stuff is worth more).

[UltimaGecko]

I had a dwarf up to Appraiser (which is why I knew the value of the goods in the first place, to wonder why my trades were being rejected). Apparently that skill is useless, though, because there's no way to tell when a trade will be accepted.

[frostedfire]

but at least you know when you're in the ballpark, eg how many <<fox>> have to be handed out to trade in for those stirling silver bars and the <<steel>> when you're on a map that is a HUUUUUUGGEE lump of limestone, with a nice block of magnetite in the middle and you want a couple (lighter) value items to work with  

[Trukkle]

Didn't want to start a new thread, so I'm stuffing this in here.
The Humans just made a counter-offer! That never happened before, did it?

Seems they REALLY like mini-forges, so they took those away along with the rock mugs I made specially for them. Looks like the kiddies back in the mountainhomes are going to have to make do with toy axes and puzzleboxes this year.

[THLawrence]

Just because the traders make a counter-offer doesn't mean that if you make the same offer they will accept it. I've had the dwarven traders make me a counteroffer, I made my own counter offer to this to include a nice axe they had, they refused, I removed the axe and offered it, the same offer they had made me, and they refused, then left.

[BurnedToast]

They want to make a profit (as opposed to the last version where if they broke even they were happy). I don't know how it all works, but I find usually between 10% and 25% or so profit and they are happy. it might depend on appraiser skill.

[THLawrence]

I think it depends on negotiator skill and the other ones that are gained from trading. Only those ones and all of them. That probably includes appraiser.

[Trukkle]

Perhaps counter-offer was the wrong phrase. I selected my mugs and their meat giving them 20* profit, they said "How about you throw in those mini-forges too?" The forges were then all listed on a seperate page that covered up the trade screen till I space'd past it. Those forges and the extra meat they added gave them a profit of 70*, but I figured if the AI's smart enough to barter, it's earned it.
Should've taken a screenshot really, damn.

[Tracker]

Just know that you have to give them a good profit. I usually just offer them value+20% profit, and they usually accept or counter-offer.

[pushy]

quote:Originally posted by Tracker:
<STRONG>Just know that you have to give them a good profit. I usually just offer them value+20% profit, and they usually accept or counter-offer.</STRONG>

Jammy git. I was looking to buy goods from the caravan for around 1,020¤ and sell goods for 1,250¤ (22.5% profit to the caravan)...they gave me a counter-offer where, for the same 1,000¤ of goods I wanted to buy, they wanted anywhere between 1,800¤ and 1,950¤. I know my broker is pretty useless, but those selfish bastards looking to make nearly 100% profit is a joke.

[sluissa]

They probably know you're strapped for choices as to who you can trade with. It's not like we can send out own caravans out yet.