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Post by HateSolstice on Nov 7, 2013 18:59:49 GMT -5
Eh, those are both kingdom/empire building games that don't have almost any similarities, I think comparing it essentially to a drastically more complicated sims game (dwarves have moods, happy and bad feelings, need to have their "needs" met be that with drink, food, proper sleeping arrangements, etc..) with extras (all the combat type stuff and so on). But for two games that are very similar to DF (though much simplified) and are all graphical, Towns or A Game of Dwarves. The first is more focused on the town building, whereas the second is more focused on the dwarves themselves, but both are very similar in the areas they focus on if much less complicated then DF. Like I said, it was the closest I could think of. There aren't very many games like it out there, save the few mentioned here. My exposure to these games is heavily limited.
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Post by HateSolstice on Nov 7, 2013 18:33:19 GMT -5
I'm trying hard here to think of any other games similar to this. The closest I can think of are the Sid Meier's Civilization and Alpha Centauri games.
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Post by HateSolstice on Nov 7, 2013 18:07:37 GMT -5
Good point. Double embargoes suck, and it feels like a complete waste selling records to Indies. There's no rep to be gained for it, which is all I use records for anyway. They rarely sell for much unless you're manipulating a shortage.
Weapons, electronics and artifacts don't feel like as much of a waste, since you may not always have a trade permit. Besides that, they're pirate magnets, and you don't always want that hassle.
Something I think could work, and would rely solely on your already obtained info, is perhaps adding the highest known value, and lowest known price for each commodity type.
For example, let's say you have visited 20 different exchanges and gathered the current prices. On the cargo screen, there can be an extra line of text telling you what the best deals are for each item, and at which exchanges. Because this is based purely on info you have had to personally gather, there are no extra calculations that are required.
This, I think, would help save some time and effort for captains looking to get in on the trade business.
Another addition to help could be just a simple reminder icon on/next to items that are attached to a known surplus/shortage rumor.
Yeah, I know, this is the wrong section.
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Post by HateSolstice on Nov 7, 2013 11:27:25 GMT -5
Nope. I've had Arcanum since release. The last game Troika released before shutting down. Probably one of the coolest steampunk games ever made. Also insanely overwhelming, at least at first.
I tried fiddling with the game maker that came with it, but it was a little too steep for me. Having no actual experience modding or map making made it pretty hard. Still, love the game.
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Post by HateSolstice on Nov 7, 2013 11:20:48 GMT -5
Like I said, I don't know why I couldn't figure anything out. At least the second time I had a graphics pack that made it easier on the eyes. Hadn't played ASCII rogue-likes in years, so I guess my brain just wasn't used to that anymore. Completely understandable if the game isn't playable anymore/drives someone crazy with its graphics or interface. If you do want to give it another go sometime, I really would recommend the guide I linked before ( complete and utter newbie tutorial or slightly easier and downloadable pdf form), it does a very good job of explaining things step by step, how everything works, the menus, etc.. It also has a pack available for it that uses a graphics pack and the same map and old version the guide was written for so you can quite literally follow along with the guide. I may pick it up again. I have a enormous bucket list of games to play, and literally no time to play them all.
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Post by HateSolstice on Nov 7, 2013 11:16:49 GMT -5
HateSolstice - All of them. And normally I can close out of the game any number of ways, even force-close, come back 3 days (RL) later and it has the list.. that's why it was so odd and annoying If it gas only been the one time, I would just chalk it up to being a fluke of some sort.
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Post by HateSolstice on Nov 7, 2013 11:14:22 GMT -5
HateSolstice - yes, and was trying to do some of that. But not always easy to remember which planets I got stuff from, and then had that bug that I posted where the list got cleared on me, which didn't help. Oh yeah, that was you. Completely forgot. I still don't fully understand what you are asking for though. Like I said, the already tracks buy/sell prices for each good type and from which exchange. In my experience, remembering which planets had which goods for what prices isn't entirely necessary. Again, the in-game economy fluctuates so much, keeping price reminders helps very little. On top of that, there is no trending to speak of, so estimation and manipulation is nearly impossible. Regardless, I don't find it too hard to keep track of planets visited. Maybe because of how long I've played. In all honesty, though, you as a merchant should be following surplus/shortage rumors almost exclusively.
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Post by HateSolstice on Nov 7, 2013 9:19:53 GMT -5
The game tracks each market's price of the item in question since your last visit to said market. I do not know if there is a limit to how many markets the game will track for you, but I know it will keep quite a few.
The biggest problem with keeping individualized values is that the game's economy shifts constantly. What you paid for spice on Cadar Prime 20 AU ago won't necessarily(and highly unlikely) be the same price on your next visit.
Honestly, just using the already included tracker should be sufficient. It may not be optimal, but then again you are playing a huge numbers game as a trader/merchant.
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Post by HateSolstice on Nov 7, 2013 9:03:42 GMT -5
Good ol' Baldur's Gate. Some of the best gaming in my 25 years in the hobby. Total agree !! +100000 When it first came out, I think I had just started high school. I wasn't very good at the game, and never beat it. But I sank so many hours into it. I now own all the Black Isle/Bioware D&D games from that era on GOG. There are a few I never played, but they look cool. Do you remember the "Gold Box" games from the late 80s and early 90s? Pool of Radiance, Ravenloft, Eye of the Beholder...so many good memories. I can't remember the last time I had so much fun with a game, just adventuring through dungeons and caves and forests. Err, no offense Cory.
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Post by HateSolstice on Nov 7, 2013 6:53:55 GMT -5
I find blockading/surveying Steel Song settlements makes everyone happy. Even other Steel Songers.
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Post by HateSolstice on Nov 7, 2013 6:49:48 GMT -5
Unfortunately? I like ST -- but we have heard loud and clear that people want stories, and more stories in games. It will probably be a long time before we try to build another pure sandbox simulator in ST. Like Flight Simulator, you're ALWAYS winning in ST if you are still alive Don't listen to these heathens! Star Traders is about surviving against impossible odds, eliminating all Steel Song scrapheaps- I mean spaceships, and then majestically being vaporized by some random merchant ship that somehow outclasses that hunk of junk you bought/borrowed/found with Steel Song thieves trying to make off with.
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Post by HateSolstice on Nov 7, 2013 6:39:08 GMT -5
Jacob - More of a Baldur's Gate reference as that is probably the first place I have heard the sentence. But it is quite popular saying . BTW: Were you able to get the list just fine? Good ol' Baldur's Gate. Some of the best gaming in my 25 years in the hobby.
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Post by HateSolstice on Nov 7, 2013 6:34:38 GMT -5
Like slayernz said, its possible something cleared temp game cache, causing you to lose that info.
The only other thing I can think might be that those prices were really out of date, but I don't even know if that is a feature or not.
Otherwise, your game glitched on you. Was it only one commodity that lost price values, or all of them?
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Post by HateSolstice on Nov 7, 2013 6:27:09 GMT -5
This seems to happen primarily at Independent Spacer locations. Go to the Stardock at an Indie planet. 'XXX upgrades available'. Ok.. fair enough. But I see a list of 20 or so upgrades all grayed out for the 'view', with the two lit up that are 'available'. If only 2 are available (or however many the number is), then why not JUST show those two, instead of a list that you cannot get? Seems silly the way it is right now. Do you meet the requirements for said upgrades? Usually if you haven't unlock the appropriate award it will grey out. The other option is what the others said. The game by default shows all upgrades in the list, but that stardock will only have select ones available. To remedy confusion, go to the Options screen and scroll like half-way down and you should find "Hide Closed Upgrades" or something similar. Just check that box and you're good to go.
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Post by HateSolstice on Nov 7, 2013 6:20:43 GMT -5
Like I said in my original post, DF is just too much for me, and I like simulation games a lot.
Now that I think about it, I did pick it back up last year for a second go. There was a bundle pack you could get with it, which may be the newbie pack you guys mentioned earlier. I still had serious trouble with it, and eventually just frustrated and quit. I couldn't figure out any of the menus, or how to build anything once I did manage to get in. I dunno why I had such a hard time with it. I tried for several days before giving up.
Like I said, I don't know why I couldn't figure anything out. At least the second time I had a graphics pack that made it easier on the eyes. Hadn't played ASCII rogue-likes in years, so I guess my brain just wasn't used to that anymore.
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