Trade Federation Role Play for Neutral non AI Player

Gryphin · #1 June 7th, 2002, 08:27 PM

The purpose of this thread is to discuss the various aspects of a non AI player acting as the leader of the "Trade Federation"
This Role would be as:
Swiss Bank, Broker, Negotiator, Scrap Dealler, Resource Storage, Arms Dealler, and who knows what else.
I posted an early Version of my ideas in the "extremely silly quesiton" thread.
Above is a refined Version. Here is a link to the same one at my web site. I will update it as ideas come in here or email.

http://www.windingstream.com/se/trade_federation.htm

I'd like to thank dmm who came up with the idea for the "Trade Federation". Since it was his idea, I asked him if he would like to start the thread or if he minded if I did.

Gryphin · #2 June 7th, 2002, 08:28 PM

Trade Federation? Ideas for SE
I. Purpose:
a. To trade / sell Resources, Technology, Intel, Ships etc to / with other races.
b. To store Resources at a fair, ”Storage Charge”
c. To be “Gifted” ships that have run out of resources.
II. Racial Makeup:
a. Ancient Race
i. Would give knowledge of the Quadrant.
ii. Would give knowledge of “Ruins”
1. These could be Exchanged
b. Traders = Gives 5 percent more Trade Revenue
c. Political Savvy - As many points as possible
i. Would Increase Revenue from Trade
With those settings and 5000 Racial Points there are 1500 points left over. This allows some customizing for the FT player
III. Possible Rules:
a. May not initiate war
b. Can cancel treaties with other races for any reason
c. Can refuse to deal with races
d. Can refuse any Trade
e. Can apply a ”Storage Charge” up to 2 percent per month. (Just a random number pulled out of thin air) Ideas Anyone? On what the “fair ”Storage Charge” would be?
f. Would be allowed to colonize and develop any planet that had Ruins on it.
g. It could not claim the system. FT could Sell the planet if it chose to.
i. An agreement to return the existing population to the FT or pay for their “Consulting services” on a planet.
ii. Restrictions to this may be: Planets in question could not contain: Mining, Intel, or…. Ideas Anyone?
h. When Gifted ships that have run out of supply
i. An additional “Covering Cost” may be charged to cover the expense of Retrieving or destroying the ship in question.
ii. Ship could also be Traded or Sold to another race “As Is” or after repair.
i. FT could act as a “Broker”, (for a charge of course), in trades between two untrusting races.
i. It would be gifted the items in question
ii. Only pass them on if it was correct.
j. FT could maintain a “Repair / Refuel” fleet of “Tenders”
i. They would go to a “Gifted” ship
ii. Repair or refuel
iii. Gift it back.

Some thoughts:
This looks like it will be a lot of actual “Spread Sheet” work for the FT player.

More ideas anyone?

Batman · #3 June 9th, 2002, 11:00 PM

Sounds like the Bentusi from Homeworld/Homeworld Cataclysm.

The Bentusi were nomadic (I think); maybe your Trade Fed should be too.

Also, the Bentusi were near unattackable but had a very detached, serene demeanor. Maybe something that should be encouraged for the TF?

dmm · #4 June 10th, 2002, 08:43 PM

Lots of good ideas. Would allow very quick exploration of galaxy if you could pay the TF to allow your ship to refuel at TF planet/base. Maybe you would have to "gift" it to TF (along with payment), who would fleet it with a base to refuel it, then "gift" it back.

Actually, I wish you could make agreements with a player to allow refueling or safe passage for a specific ship/fleet. This would be more realistic. As it is, you have to get a Military Alliance, which gives total access to each other's space -- something you both are usually opposed to. So the TF helps with this.

dmm · #5 June 10th, 2002, 08:48 PM

I think only the "storage charge per turn" would lead to spreadsheet. You could make it instead a one-time charge per storage transaction. Then you just have to add and subtract from player and TF accounts, which you could do with pencil and paper.

The main thing that TF needs is galactic email to set up deals.

Gryphin · #6 June 11th, 2002, 02:23 PM

dmm and folks,
A one-time charge would be easier.
It would still be nessasary to track who gave how much.
I guess it would be up to an agreement between the FT and all of the players how much detail to track.
I will implement this and see how it works.

Update:
So far with my “Assistant” playing the FT and 1 Race while I play two races the FT is able to stay ahead of the curve. For the most part she is learning a lot about the game and how to use a spread sheet.