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Is there a logical reason that I can't make an unfair trade?

Vonderbach

Vonderbach

Member
Have any developers explained why we cannot offer unbalanced trades in favor of the recipient?

For example, if I want to trade a BA material for an EMA material, I can offer a very imbalanced 1:1 trade. This is essentially a 3:1 when factoring ages. But the inverse trade isn't possible, because the game doesn't factor Ages. For example, if I want to trade EMA material for BA, if I offer a 1:1 trade I would essentially be making a 1:3 trade factoring Age difference... that wouldn't make any sense, right? So given this imbalance, for every Age there should be an increase in allowable ratio by a factor of 1. This would allow for fair trading between different Ages, right? But it would also allow me to offer an unfair trade in the event that I'm desperate for materials. Maybe I want to make a 1:2 trade offer because I have an excess of one higher Age material. Why shouldn't I be allowed to make a bad deal? What's the reasoning behind this mechanic limitation?
 
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Agent327

Agent327

Well-Known Member
Stone Age materials do not exist.

You can trade between all ages within the limits of 2:1 or 1:2.
 
Vonderbach

Vonderbach

Member
Admittedly that's a bad example, I've amended the Ages to better reflect my argument.

And yes, you are correct on your second point but that's not my concern. I am suggesting that 1:2 and 2:1 can vary greatly in terms of true ratio (factored for Age difference) and this inequity is permitted if trading up from a lower age, but denied when trading down.

Example

  • I can trade Wine for Honey at 1:1 but when factoring Age it's actually a 3:1 trade in my favor.

  • I can trade Honey for Wine at 1:1 but when factoring Age it's actually a 1:3 trade to my detriment.
So you see that trading up will always have the advantage but trading down is handicapped badly the further away you are from the traded Age good. It doesn't seem to me that there is a reason to handicap one end of the spectrum over the other. So my solution would be to factor Age when making trades, so that all trades, up and down, are equiatable.
 
Agent327

Agent327

Well-Known Member
Why do you think 1:1 trades are 3:1 when you factor age? What do you consider to be true ratio?
 
Sheriff Of Rottingham

Sheriff Of Rottingham

Active Member
There is the ability to take advantage of players with the trading system. Making it so you can make even more unfair trades makes the possible damage worse. -1
 

Plain Red Justice

Active Member
Why be insistent about hardcapping market ratios when it doesn't work bec. there's a free but tedious workaround around it? That is one of the most boggling facts in Forge of Empires for me
 

wolfhoundtoo

Well-Known Member
Vonderbach said:
If that's true, then why does the cost to produce materials double for every Age?
Click to expand...


They don't double every age though. It works that way in the earlier ages but at some point (LMA to Colonial I think?) the costs don't double anymore.

As for the logic of it the only things you are going to get are individual opinions on why it works that way. .
 
Kranyar the Mysterious

Kranyar the Mysterious

Well-Known Member
The system works, though it is a bit clunky. As SoR said above, modifying it would make it even easier for newer players to mistakenly make mistakes that might impact them greatly.

Besides... Who uses goods buildings?
 
Kranyar the Mysterious

Kranyar the Mysterious

Well-Known Member
Vonderbach said:
Can you elaborate on that? How else do you acquire materials?
Click to expand...
Cycling through recurring quests, including doing Unbirthday quests in between.

Once you build a Chateau Frontenac and level it up decently you will get all the goods you ever need quite quickly. In my main city (MK, Iron Age) I have a level 100 Chateau. That gives me 35 goods every time I get goods from a recurring quest (not to mention almost 1 million coins every day from collecting). I have almost 150k of each Iron Age good right now from using that method. One 5x6 building that gives far more goods than many goods buildings combined could ever dream of doing, and saving a ton of space to boot.

Read this thread to learn about recurring quests (some of the info is quite dated, but overall the guide can boost your game tremendously):

Cosmic Raven's Guide to HQS (Condensed)
 
MeowKat

MeowKat

Member
Vonderbach said:
Can you elaborate on that? How else do you acquire materials?
Click to expand...
Plunder proof ways include some great buildings (Tower of Babel, Lighthouse, etc.) and wishing wells. The Temple of Relics can yield some nice rewards. I've gotten 200 whale oil from a relic before. You can level up buildings from cultural settlements that yield 50 goods a day, but that takes some time.

I usually use goods buildings to either trade a lot, or to break through a stall in my research. Goods buildings are slow, yielding 30 goods /day if you use 4 or 8 hour settings, and are vulnerable to plundering.

Fair trade may be a 1:1, but it depends on demand. If I am prevented from building a Great Building I want by needing 200 Wine, I'll offer 400 gasoline for it, and be thankful for the trade.

Many special event buildings offer goods returns and are available at random through the antique dealer. Of course, you can always go the plunderer route, and prey on your neighbors, but once you enter the food chain, don't be surprised when a bigger fish preys on your goods buildings. Best of luck.
 
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