If I am correct I heard in the live streams that trading will be done with gold as ‘money’. I have the idea that direct trade fits more into the setting.
You trade your abundant goods with the trader and get other goods in return. Of course goods will still have a value on them similar to gold, but it can be hidden.
For example you want 5 stone from the trader and offer 5 grain in return. The trader then says something like: “I need more for the stone” or “That deal sounds fine” or “You are generous sir”. And can offer something in return. Similar to the system in Civilization.
Goods can be valued according to their rarity for the specific trader. Stone has less value to mountain-people then grain for example.
Discuss.
It can also create some nice situations. You want some rare stone from an exotic trader. But he does not want your abundant grain, cause he has already enough grain. Do you offer him your rare goods, or do you go steal his grain and make him willing to trade for your grain. But if he detects that you stole from him he likes you less and as a result you have to offer more goods to him.
While I like the idea, I don’t think the “exchange rate” or relative gold value needs to be hidden. The Heroes of Might and Magic series always let you see what the exchange rate was between all the different types of resources and it made for much easier calculations when trying to determine what to trade.
For example, in Heroes VI (and these are completely made up numbers), you’d have a wood to ore ratio of 4:1 but the wood to gold ratio could have been 2:1. That way you could tally up all the different ways of manipulating your resources to get what you need.
Just a thought. I agree that for a realistic marketplace you want a good bartering system, but a hidden exchange rate tends to play out in a more cumbersome than fun fashion.
why not have both scenarios, as that would give the player more options… you can conduct trades via direct gold exchange, or via bartering goods… that way those players who are more proficient at amassing raw materials (farming, etc.) can be just as trade worthy as those who acquire gold (insert nefarious, and even non nefarious means here )…
@Miturion maybe this method of trade only works with certain traders like other race traders because they may not use the same currency that way people who want this method and people who want a currency both get what they want
@SteveAdamo I’m not naysaying the idea of being able to trade anything for anything, I’m simply against having a hidden exchange rate. From a flavor perspective, it may be fun to try and guess what amount the merchant wants, but ultimately, if you’re doing a lot of trading, then hidden exchange rates are painful.
And to cross-pollinate threads a bit, I think the exchange rate would be dependent upon the skill and level of your trader/merchant class (as well as the current economic trends).
@Geoffers747 I cant tell if your agreeing or disagreeing with me but anyway right now its saying my post was 54 minutes ago and @SteveAdamo’s was 56 minutes ago
Different traders with some only goods, some only gold/money might do it for me, if the gold/money is a physical item, just like stoneblocks for example. Not some invisible item with a number in the top right corner.
I don’t feel that a combination of the two systems would work.The main way you will get gold is probably by selling goods, so when both systems are combined it would always be best to keep your goods and only sell when u need money, and only just so much money as you need.
The same goes for just the gold system. The money system is basically the same as the trade system, the trading system will just be better.
Of course you can still get gold via treasures, this gold then becomes either a crafting good or a high value trading good. This way gold will become fairly scarce and traders don’t necessarily need it. I understand that this systems seems like a combination of the two, but i feel it leans strongly to the trading system.
I’d also like to see trade more barter-centric, that seems to make more sense to me than abstract money. Though if you could mine silver/gold and then had a coin-making class that worked the precious metals in a mint to turn into coins later that would be quite cool… In this case the money would be ‘just another’ trade good but a more easily portable one.
i would love a barter system as well, but you have to be cautious about precluding those players who might not enjoy the processes for obtaining trade goods (farming, deforesting, etc.) what would they use as a source for trading?
im not saying you have to have both systems… just that whatever system is in place needs to be balanced (i know, painfully obvious, but still worth mentioning )…
The concept of Money is useful in the real world but not necessary in a game.
e.g. If you are a car factory worker you would get paid with a new car once a year. Then exchange the front door to your butcher for a year worth of meat. etc… Too impractical.
But in a medieval type of game Barter is a better way of trading.
e.g. Your carpenter has made a stack of tables to sell and your smith needs iron.
With money you would need to take the tables to a merchant and receive gold. Then take the gold to exchange for some iron.
It is easier to take the tables and exchange them straight for a suitable amount of iron according to an internal abstract value in one single transaction.
Note that banking and virtual money (cheques, money orders, etc…) were invented during the crusades when people would deposit their valuables for safe deposit while traveling a long way and cash out at the other end.
Well, physical money might solve that problem . Although I think that if you dont like resource gathering, then you might not like the game. Because it is a large part of the game.
)…
. Although I think that if you dont like resource gathering, then you might not like the game. Because it is a large part of the game.