I just want actual trade ships added to the game so I have something else to blow up honestly.

I think trade routes represent more mundane consumer goods. After all, you can have trade routes with other empires even if neither of you possesses any strategic or luxury resources.

Evil4Zerggin wrote:
I'm talking about trade routes, not resources.

But if it's within your own empire, isn't it those "resources" that you'd be "trading"?

guzmantt wrote:
Doesn't it already do that?



I mean, when you find resources on one planet, they become available to all the others. It seemed to me that if a planet with a critical resource, like titanium for building ships, is being blocked in the early game, you know about it right away, because you lose whatever ability it was giving you until you flushed the attackers out of the system. I'm guessing that if you can drive a wedge through an enemy empire, cutting one side off, with resources unevenly distributed, that it'd affect their productivity, but I don't know for sure how it works.

I'm talking about trade routes, not resources.

I don't mind automatic trade routes. What I dislike is the fact that you have systems with free trade routes that don't create them, even if you're at peace with everyone T__T

Or just a way to choose how the trade route are created.

Evil4Zerggin wrote:
I think, like in Civilization 4, that you should be able to trade within your own empire, just at a lower rate than outside your empire.

Doesn't it already do that?



I mean, when you find resources on one planet, they become available to all the others. It seemed to me that if a planet with a critical resource, like titanium for building ships, is being blocked in the early game, you know about it right away, because you lose whatever ability it was giving you until you flushed the attackers out of the system. I'm guessing that if you can drive a wedge through an enemy empire, cutting one side off, with resources unevenly distributed, that it'd affect their productivity, but I don't know for sure how it works.

Evil4Zerggin wrote:
I think, like in Civilization 4, that you should be able to trade within your own empire, just at a lower rate than outside your empire.

Which could become more comparable depending on how big your empire is, should be an option for sure.

I think, like in Civilization 4, that you should be able to trade within your own empire, just at a lower rate than outside your empire.

Ketobor wrote:
There are buildings opened by researching in various places on the top half of the left side of the tech tree. You need to build one or more of these to increase trade route numbers (above 0).



That said, don't worry about it too much. Trade is laughably bad. After attempting to maximize my trade one game I increased my total monetary production by less than 10%, and maybe less than 1% in net and probably improved by neighbors well-being by more than that, before they grew hostile to me for 'weakness', because my fleets could only take every other faction in the game on simultaneously.

The average number of trade routes I have available in each system is 2.

ShadowWolf wrote:
In order to begin trade with an opponent you need to know the locations of some of their planets. You will not initiate any trade if your ships have no clue where to go. The other thing that can stop this is if enemies are attacking or blockading vital trade hubs or trade line chokepoints. If there is only one path from A to C and the enemy of your trade body has their ships blockading B, then you may want to think about lending a helpful hand to them to lend a helping hand to your economy.

Ah, that would be why. I don't know any of their locations. Looks like I will have to do more scouting! Thanks for the tip. I have a pretty big military presence and able to able to keep enemy ships out of my empire.

Beaker

I think that would end up in too micromanaging and click feast, try to figure out how many trade ships you'll have in mid-late game, and to give specific order to each of them! Anyway is just my opinion, we're still in alpha, so every change for the best is welcome of course! (maybe make it possible to assign priorities or just one order that trade ships will continue to do unless you tell them to stop or do something else, with also a trade window to check)

Agreed but overall it's just kinda unreal for ships to just come to and from and not get raided by some very lousy pirates.

MT4K wrote:
Trade routes are automatically created between you and another empire you are at peace with. You cannot see them active and just have to check each system to see its trade. Which brings up a point actually. The game could use a "trade" window where you can see all your systems that are currently trading with another empire. Would also be cool to maybe make trade embargoes on empires.

I would love a trade window as well as a visual cue when two empires are trading. That would save me a lot of grief and time.

VulpesWalker wrote:
I just want actual trade ships added to the game so I have something else to blow up honestly.

I think that would end up in too micromanaging and click feast, try to figure out how many trade ships you'll have in mid-late game, and to give specific order to each of them! Anyway is just my opinion, we're still in alpha, so every change for the best is welcome of course! (maybe make it possible to assign priorities or just one order that trade ships will continue to do unless you tell them to stop or do something else, with also a trade window to check)

In the Star System panel, in the upper right corner is a listing for number of trade routes in use and max trade routes for that system.



Then I got a tech and started a "Open borders" relationship with a neighbor, then after that I noticed my home system had 1 trade route active. It says "Antares 3 Dust 0 Research"



What does this mean, and how do I make use of trade routes?

I.. I just am not impressed with that story. Corporate heroes can increase trade pretty absurdly, but and additional +700 Dust isn't that great if you are in the early 100s. Don't get me wrong, they are at all valuable if you are trying to make the game hard for yourself, but I just don't find this anecdote impressive compared to the many thousands of Dust you can be making if you care.



That said said, this might have been useful if you did it before late-game. Was at it least more than a few hundred at turn for this location before turn 100?

Ketobor wrote:
Trade is laughably bad.

I would respectfully beg to differ. If you are the United Empire with a Corporate governor sitting on the back end of the galaxy with the upgrade to increase the money by distance and all the other little trade nuances, you can make a fair bit of coin. I believe I had five routes coming out of a back end sector in one game and each was making 130+ credits a turn. It was certainly an important part of my economy.

There are buildings opened by researching in various places on the top half of the left side of the tech tree. You need to build one or more of these to increase trade route numbers (above 0).



That said, don't worry about it too much. Trade is laughably bad. After attempting to maximize my trade one game I increased my total monetary production by less than 10%, and maybe less than 1% in net and probably improved by neighbors well-being by more than that, before they grew hostile to me for 'weakness', because my fleets could only take every other faction in the game on simultaneously.

alexjbrandt wrote:
I just started playing this game, right now I have zero trade routes on all my planets/systems. How do I fix this? I have two open border agreements, friendly with two AI's and still no trade routes.



Any suggestions/tips would be great!

In order to begin trade with an opponent you need to know the locations of some of their planets. You will not initiate any trade if your ships have no clue where to go. The other thing that can stop this is if enemies are attacking or blockading vital trade hubs or trade line chokepoints. If there is only one path from A to C and the enemy of your trade body has their ships blockading B, then you may want to think about lending a helpful hand to them to lend a helping hand to your economy.

I would almost think they'd add trade ships that you can build, but that's just me, I haven't bothered too much with trade routes.

I just started playing this game, right now I have zero trade routes on all my planets/systems. How do I fix this? I have two open border agreements, friendly with two AI's and still no trade routes.



Any suggestions/tips would be great!

Wouldn't hurt for a "map mode" that shows trade routes, it would be an excellent feature to show strength of systems, production capabilities, etc as well.

AngleWyrm wrote:
Most of my planets have 0/0 trade, so there's no way it will "get used" by the computer. Also, there's a technology that increases trade range, which suggests that trade upgrades should be done near borders.



But my homeworld is no where near a border, and it has an active trade route. I'm so confused.

Your homeworld has trade routes by default, colonies haven't. To increase the number of available trade routes, you have to build some buildings out of the left side techtree.

Most of my planets have 0/0 trade, so there's no way it will "get used" by the computer. Also, there's a technology that increases trade range, which suggests that trade upgrades should be done near borders.



But my homeworld is no where near a border, and it has an active trade route. I'm so confused.

As far as I'm aware, the trade route mechanic is automatic the only way i believe you can take advantage of it is to use the technology system improvments on the systems thay have trade routes in use.



For example if the trade route is showing as 1/1 you can increase that cap to allow more trade routes through that system. changing it to 1/2 or 1/3



other ones i know increase the bonus of various aspects of trading.



If you like to know if it's making you Dust check in the empire menu and hover your mouse over the dust section in the top left corner the part in brackets will show a list of all sources of dust you will gain (or lose) end of turn

Trade routes are automatically created between you and another empire you are at peace with. You cannot see them active and just have to check each system to see its trade. Which brings up a point actually. The game could use a "trade" window where you can see all your systems that are currently trading with another empire. Would also be cool to maybe make trade embargoes on empires.