Ideal Trading Partners

[SummerAmbrosia]

I'm writing this post here because it involves trading sorta.
First I want to say, play the game however you like. It's a game, it's fun and it's up to the person to decide what to do and how to do it.
As far as my question, I choose to be a merchant/trader. I'm having so much fun I don't want to leave the chapter. I think I've been in the chapter for about 6 months and plan on staying probably another 6 months. I think that the higher chapters require that you have some sort of balance between fighting and goods. Is this correct? Can I still possibly be a merchant/trader in the higher levels? I'm in Constucts now, and the trading is easy peasy. I have not upgraded my trader so I'm just climbing the tower, participating in FA's and events etc... There are lots of you that know a lot more than I do...any help would be appreciated. I'm on Harandar. I do have another little elf town so that I could understand what's good as far as neighborly help.

 

[StarLoad]

First I want to say, play the game however you like. It's a game, it's fun and it's up to the person to decide what to do and how to do it.

Exactly correct.

Can I still possibly be a merchant/trader in the higher levels?

Yes but the costs of doing this get very expensive, depending on how much and how far you go. But if you ok with the costs then play as you please. your city is well laid out and looks very efficient.

Ed

 

[StarLoad]

If your inventory levels are comfortable, and you don't have any scary lows nor ridiculous highs, then whatever you're doing is fine

I do have "ridiculous highs" of inventory and I am fine with that, but by your idea/thought is its not fine, and in that you are wrong.

Ed

 

[SoulsSilhouette]

singing before I post.... Oh Lord, won't ya buy me a Mercedes Benz. My friends all drive porches, I must make amends. Worked hard all my lifetime, no help from my friends. Oh Lord won't cha buy me a Mercedes Benz......

Okay, I'm in chapter 15. I've never carried that much inventory in the past, I've always used it. NOW I'm wishing that I had accumulated a decent amount of bank. So, because of this, I'm sitting in my Khel city producing, producing and producing. I learned from this, for my other cities, that I have to have a bank of goods and then the trader goods.

I am glad you are in a neighborhood where trades are not a problem, but in every single world, my traders are full of trades that are cross-tier. I've had to build additional tier one and two's so that I can meet my own needs and those of my fellowships. I have discontinued posting cross tier trades unless I am truly desperate for that good. I will not take the one-star trades that people are putting up 'because someone will be desperate enough to take them' because I don't carry that kind of goods load.

Building trading partners is a great thing and I do have some active trade neighbors, but many of them are also short of the tier one and two goods and offer cross tier trades because they have loads of tier three. The goods imbalance was first created with the Great Scrolls Debacle created by the Moonstone Library set. Many scroll cities left the game. Trading is always a hot button issue.

Advertising trades would be lovely IF we had a neighborhood chat, but we do not. I don't see how it would even be feasible. We could have a world chat which would be nice, but beyond saying "hey if you've discovered me, check out my posted trades". What can you do other than post the trades and hope that others pick them up?

I don't produce goods that are not my boost because I can't afford the space or the pop which takes up even more space. I understand that you've done the 'math', but I'm not sure how it can actually help me with trades.

And as an aside, as you have to have a fair amount of gold producing builds because of the absolutely RIDONKULOUS amounts need to make one coin badge in the FA, there isn't enough space for builds I don't need.

 

[StarLoad]

Okay, I'm in chapter 15. I've never carried that much inventory in the past, I've always used it. NOW I'm wishing that I had accumulated a decent amount of bank.

Exactly the point.

I understand that you've done the 'math', but I'm not sure how it can actually help me with trades.

Agreed

Ed

 

[crackie]

As far as my question, I choose to be a merchant/trader. I'm having so much fun I don't want to leave the chapter. I think I've been in the chapter for about 6 months and plan on staying probably another 6 months. I think that the higher chapters require that you have some sort of balance between fighting and goods. Is this correct? Can I still possibly be a merchant/trader in the higher levels? I'm in Constucts now, and the trading is easy peasy.

You are probably fine if you’ve made it to Constructs already without issue. The fighting/hybrid chatter is mostly in regards to people who want really high tourney scores and want to finish in the top whatever for tourney rankings. People who do not care to do massive quantities of tourneys (aka most people) will not be affected. The cost of catering the really high provinces just get super expensive so it becomes very difficult to do the entire tourney with catering alone, esp needing to juggle all the stuff that decays in higher chapters. Hence, people shift to hybrid or fighting approach to be able to do it more sustainably.

I am glad you are in a neighborhood where trades are not a problem, but in every single world, my traders are full of trades that are cross-tier.

Again, this is where I would ask where are your teammates and what happens when you post your own same tier 2* trades though? Are they still sitting or no? For example, I also mostly have T3 down trades and rarely see scroll offerings as well, but the instant I post some crystal for scroll trades, it’s taken by a neighbor even before my fellowship can grab it. I don’t even need to discount it and can get scrolls fine. Since the Great Migration, there are now more active neighbors gobbling up the same trader listings. Big cities generally will go through and sweep traders too. If you don’t see the trade combo you need, simply list your own. Now it will be one of the few non-T3 trade downs being offered and therefore, more highly desired and will still go quickly. For fun, just post a really big same tier trade for scrolls (or whatever you are short of). I bet there are lurking giant cities with massive scouted regions that will scoop it up. You will be set for a while! These players have giant inventories. Even 100k is nothing to them. I have a few of them in my FS. Occasionally they post 1000k trades and I’ll mistaken them for 100k. I’ll take 3 trades but suddenly gain several million in goods. Most of the time, they lurk.

 

[samidodamage]

...and here comes a hoarder...
Parked at beginning of Ch18, primarily fighting city, so I have very little need for goods:

Thanks to the Moonstone set, this crystal boosted city is swimming in scrolls. Thanks to event quests/bracelets, it's also swimming in marble. I haven't had Standard Goods factories out for anything other than events/FA bracelets in forever. I get most of my other goods from set buildings and evolving bldgs. I rarely post trades. I only take same tier 2* or better trades from neighbors, but I take all of them every time I visit the trader (at least 3x's/wk though I try for once/day for neighbors; I look for and take FS trades more often). If you're in my neighborhood, I want you to see that trader full of useless T3 downstream cross trades and nothing else every time you come in. Maybe over time it'll sink in that no one needs your downstream T3's and you'll start producing more T1/T2. Will that help me at all? No. But, it will make for a more balanced trade environment in the neighborhood. It's slowly working, but the ability to cheaply produce unlimited T3's means that some folks will continue to try to make those downstream trades work for them.
If I wanted to post trades to do any real balancing within each tier, those trades would all be 1000K trades.
I refuse to spam the trader with trades that are useless to me. I have no psychic abilities to figure out what goods smaller cities need in what amounts, and I don't know what they have to trade for it. When I was small, I learned to post trades for what I needed instead of waiting for someone to offer it; they can do the same (or not; doesn't really impact me). I have conversations with my neighbors all the time. I describe how I prefer to trade and let them know I'll pick up anything they post that conforms to my preferences. I would never suggest they change how they prefer to play the game. I'd much prefer the neighbors who post 20x 10Kgoods trades would just post fewer larger trades so I didn't have to click so much, lol! I understand why they do it, so I live with it. I let them know sending me a msg when they have trades up will mean I'll take it faster. If they actually send me a msg, I'll take the goods and then respond with an offer to pick up some zero star same tier trades to help them bulk up their inventory.
I try to be as pleasant and as helpful as possible in the game. But, I am not playing the game for other players' entertainment or benefit. I'm playing the game for my entertainment and my benefit.

 

[shimmerfly]

Wow, I just scanned this whole thread and am sitting here still wondering what the Op's point is and how it is helpful....

 

[SoulsSilhouette]

@crackie In my fellowships there are quite a range of player levels, both in participation and in chapters. Most of them are having issues with the goods/trade imbalance as well. However, that being said, when I post tier for tier my trades get snapped up. I have no problem with them being taken, however I do like to return the favor. I have been strictly adhering to my new rules for myself. I am not taking cross-tier trades unless they are from my fellowship, and I can afford it or if they are from a newbie that I've reached out to. I take no unsolicited one-star trades. If someone asks me for help, I will gladly give it if I can, but will not just assume it is there because they need it. Too many people are out there profiteering in the trader which they have the freedom to do just as I am free not to take the trade. (Wish I could filter those right outta there). I love when I see the millionaire trades. They make me laugh and jelly at the same time because I doubt, I will EVER be in the position to take even one, much less trade like that.

Another note, I have noticed that since there are some really strong players that have taken up the call to arms over the tier for tier trades, the trader has improved a bit in some worlds. My not-so-silent aggression and call to arms has had an effect.

By the way, I wanna be in the Buddy Society. I hate that the fighter peeps seem to hate her. I love her. She's pretty. I am also a bit jelly that you have the space to create a banner in her honor.

 

[crackie]

By the way, I wanna be in the Buddy Society. I hate that the fighter peeps seem to hate her. I love her. She's pretty. I am also a bit jelly that you have the space to create a banner in her honor.

Anyone can join the Bud Sorceress Fan Club! You don't need my permission to join. I'm just her biggest advocate because we're BFFs. For the record, I do not have power to assign any titles (well, except to myself as the self-appointed President). If anyone would like to join the Bud Sorceress Fan Club, you can make your declaration in the All Hail Buddy! thread (looks like we're moving in, @samidodamage) so the powers that be (mods) can easily find your application/declaration and tag you accordingly. You can also read that post for the back story in case you're wondering what the heck is the Bud Sorceress Fan Club.

 

[helya]

anyone would like to join the Bud Sorceress Fan Club, you can make your declaration in the All Hail Buddy! thread

An @helya when requesting the title change would also be helpful

 

[Talaedraiia]

@SoulsSilhouette i think you were moved recently into my neighborhood in US 2 Windyandor and we are almost in the same spot in game. I just opened chapter 16 and am parked until the upcoming event is over. you are right about the cross tier trading as that is about all you see. The only time I do cross tier is when I’m desperate for scrolls which takes a long time for them to be picked up as no one seems to want magic dust, but my tier 1 and tier 2 trades are swooped up almost as fast as the are placed. You can private message me if you need anything and I will be glad to help if I can

 

[Talaedraiia]

I must be doing something very wrong with my chapter 16 city as I carry about low mid 300k to mid 500k levels. I’ve been trying to finish a chapter 15 expansion tech which needs 1.6M scrolls for a month. What with going to top of spire and 30 tourney provinces, I don’t know how long it’s going to take. So is problem with my setup or is it that I’ve just been playing two months short of two years? I would be happy if I could just carry 1M of each good

 

[SoulsSilhouette]

@Talaedraiia My chapter 15 city is in Khel. I'm taking it slow and easy in Win having learned that slow and steady will get me where I want to go and vacationing from advancement is a good thing.

 

[crackie]

I must be doing something very wrong with my chapter 16 city as I carry about low mid 300k to mid 500k levels. I’ve been trying to finish a chapter 15 expansion tech which needs 1.6M scrolls for a month. What with going to top of spire and 30 tourney provinces, I don’t know how long it’s going to take. So is problem with my setup or is it that I’ve just been playing two months short of two years? I would be happy if I could just carry 1M of each good

This is what we were talking about with @SummerAmbrosia about fighting/hybrid when doing lots of tourney. 30 provinces (to how many rounds?) is getting up there if you are trying to cater only. If you only cater, it will be harder to build up a war chest as weekly spending gets pretty high. Then of course, there is decay on a bunch of stuff. Fighting means mostly net profit on goods. I am around same chapter and thumb twiddling waiting on scouts/provinces. My inventory is flush since I mostly fight. I can do a military push and flood my city with more marshal buildings, build more factories to prep for next FA, communicate with UFOs on the importance of Buddy, or all of the above. Have flexibility because I have a war chest to play with.

Also wondering how sound a just-in-time inventory strategy is if someone does full Spire. That Lab section is a complete hit or miss trying to cater it because the math is against you. Some weeks will hit you harder than others.

 

[Katwick]

Also wondering how sound a just-in-time inventory strategy is if someone does full Spire. That Lab section is a complete hit or miss trying to cater it because the math is against you. Some weeks will hit you harder than others.

A surprising subtlety is that you should always use UNBOOSTED. goods in the fifth Spire slot, and any other time that you need a filler.

Extra boosted goods are easy to clear as you can use them to buy knowledge points. UNboosted goods, not so much.

 

[crackie]

That’s still not enough to overcome 7 items in 5 slots with 3 tries most of the time. Certain solution sets are easier than others. If you roll the unfavorable solution set, it’s diamonds or start over. To start over is a lot of gobbled goods, even if it is sometimes the better/smarter option. If I were a Lab caterer, I would not play with a just-in-time inventory, unless I want to be in time for spending diamonds each week instead of gaining them.

 

[StarLoad]

A surprising subtlety is that you should always use UNBOOSTED. goods in the fifth Spire slot

And this is based upon what? I do a lot of spire both fighting and Negotiating and have so since it started and I have never seen anything that even remotely suggests that.

Ed

 

[Talaedraiia]

This is what we were talking about with @SummerAmbrosia about fighting/hybrid when doing lots of tourney. 30 provinces (to how many rounds?) is getting up there if you are trying to cater only. If you only cater, it will be harder to build up a war chest as weekly spending gets pretty high. Then of course, there is decay on a bunch of stuff. Fighting means mostly net profit on goods. I am around same chapter and thumb twiddling waiting on scouts/provinces. My inventory is flush since I mostly fight. I can do a military push and flood my city with more marshal buildings, build more factories to prep for next FA, communicate with UFOs on the importance of Buddy, or all of the above. Have flexibility because I have a war chest to play with.

Also wondering how sound a just-in-time inventory strategy is if someone does full Spire. That Lab section is a complete hit or miss trying to cater it because the math is against you. Some weeks will hit you harder than others.

I cater the spire to the top each week and fight the full six rounds in tourney except for a few caters when I lose one

 

[Katwick]

And this is based upon what? I do a lot of spire both fighting and Negotiating and have so since it started and I have never seen anything that even remotely suggests that.

Ed

There are plenty of way to shed excess boosted goods, by buying kps or using the Wholesaler, for example, if Trading isn't enough

Doubling up on the fifth spire slot, when your options are Coins, Axes, and two types of Goods, is one of the few ways to bleed off excess Unboosted Goods when there aren't enough customers in Trade.

The requirements for each slot seems to be random, and Unboosted Goods are the least flexible.