Heya...
As I said before, I like this mod, adds very nice details to somebody bent on trading up to the eventual cash limit of 2.1B creds...
I especially like that it gives you cargo data to have in order to fully mine that traderoute up.
And it also allows you to look at the sectors of both ends of the trade route.
Although, as was mentioned previously, the mod does not recheck the values every time the sector is opened or closed, leaving the routes up there, even though they've been already utilized to some, or full extent.
Further more, in playing with the mod on, I came to think about it, and I realized, that it could be improved even more, making it more useful, helpful and fun to use...
Let's divide it into some chunks...
1. Possible improvements on existing functionality
--- The mod already has the function to tell you, the amount of cargo required for 100% utilization of a certain trade route. I would suggest coloring the trade routes in such a way, that it'd show, with the X of cargo space available at the moment, that This particular trade route is claimable to the fullest extent.
If not, then it'd be useful for the mod to do a simple calculation, of the minimum amount of % in cargo modules one needs to put up.
--- Trading routes, that involve carrying dangerous cargo, such as Fluorine, warheads, war robots and so on, could be highlighted as well, and I feel they should, so that one would zoom about as quickly as possible, not to stop anywhere on the way. Very important info, this.
--- Also, somehow denoting the factories/trade spots in current sector might be helpful, as well as in-sector, local, trade-routes....
--- When one sees the map link to see the factory position, and one would then spot, that the place of business is not in the current sector, then maybe putting up a direct "Set jump coordinates" button could be an interesting option... and should the sector be out of reach, then.. see further points.
2. Cargo trading
--- I think that the ships' cargo should be taken as essentially sellable also.
An entirely new sub-window suggests itself, where the cargo of your ship can be ticked off as "to get rid off / to sell" for whatever reason, either for best profit, or ASAP.
--- Already held cargo could have the Dangerous/illegal element to it also, meaning that the ship's just a sitting target for a destroyer to fly about and ... kaboom. I would suggest, the trading overview could put up warnings, if dangerous cargo is spotted, either as trade item in a route, or as an cargo inventory.
Further cargo trading, see Fleet management.
3. Fleet management
--- Many players do employ fleets, which on occasion tend to pick up cargo and carry it about...
I'd suggest a possibility (under some circumstances, such as when multiple legendaries are put up..) of surveying player's in-sector or in scanner range (or something) other ships' cargo, so that it could be also put up in the cargo trading window.
--- Also, free space in other ships' cargo bay could be added to calculations regarding if some trade route is possible to fully deploy at the moment, or whether additional cargo % modules are needed.
--- Once again, the dangerous cargo warning bleeper would be nice, so that one knows, that some of his other ships carries a dangerous cargo, that needs to be got rid of, traded, or otherwise kept in mind.
4. Jackpots
Also a useful point would be, for the mod to spot a notable loose ends, Jackpots. Such a jackpot, in my eyes, is defined as a request for the maximum amount of some item (25k .. meaning the standing inventory is at 0), at about the maximum amount of price % over spot, which for the 25k inventory is around 40%, if I recall. And the other way also, if there's in some mine/factory/post an item, which is at over 90% inventory, and selling at an unusual discount.
These Jackpots are quite often passed by, unnoticed, because the other end remains untied. But if one is a trader by nature, as I am, one leaves to himself some sector notes, say "20k wires at below spot" or something, so that he remembers seeing them around, and by reminding one, that such a Jackpot demand is present, would remind him to visit the sectors he was before he put the trading module in, to collect such items and therefore, in essence, intentionally create a trade route, instead of them being observed only passively.
5. Connections
Let us say, that one sets up to "mine" a trade route, meaning, that one commits oneself to a journey from station/mine/ship-cargo-item A, situated in sector S(A), to a station/mine B at S(B).
Couldn't the mod atop the cargo requirements and jump distance, suggest to him Other connected choices? Such as
- To get the factory running, you also need: <items> (some thought could be spent on how to go about this point)
- To this factory, you can also bring following items, <items> from within the last X sectors
- If you're about to do this, then there are also other trades between S(A) and S(B), that you might be interested in: <routes, with profits, cargo, danger status and so on>
Essentially, calculating the most profitable use of the trade route above the present cargo space, but possibly even suggesting that if one put up an X(1,2,3)% cargo boost, this route could get even more profitable by Y(1,2,3) million credits.
6. Routing
Should it prove impossible or undesirable to jump from S(A) -> S(B) directly, the mod could allow one to plan a route. Let's say, that from the last X (depending on module) sectors, you'd commit to a certain trade route (S(A), S(1), ... S(B) ), either by clicking on one suggested, or by simply selecting sectors. Based on available cargo and supply/demand in sector, the mod could then provide the most profitable (the most cargo-space utilizing) shopping list to adhere to. Go to station S1: buy/sell <item>, S2: b/s <item>, ... jump to S(2) ... etc, all the way to S(B).
Keeping in mind the Danger/illegal factor of some possible trades.
7. Hitlist / Valuable Items detected
Given missions, accepted missions, or self appointed missions sometimes contain a list of items to be gotten. I feel that it shouldn't be all that hard to set up a hitlist of items that one needs/wants to get, or is at the lookout for, such as a list of items to be obtained to get one's weapon of choice.
And such as the Object detector does, the trade mod could give a warning, when sought-after items become purchasable. In combination with the cargo survey, it could easily hold the info about how much of each item one needs/wants, and not to stop looking until the sought limit within the cargo hold is reached.
Note: on adding wished-for items, the recent sectors history could also be surveyed...
8. Notes
Would it be hard to set up a function, that could export trading notes, such as <station> <item> <No. of units for sale/to buy> <unit price>... either to sector notes, or to a separate database/note-space?
They could easily be kept in a more manageable fashion, than the ones in the map, because they could be looked through en mass, not just on mouse_over, and they could be very easily searched, which is currently just about impossible for sector notes (or so I've been told).
<Upon second though, point no.9 could be a bit disruptive for multiplayer scenarios. If you want to hear it, message me....>
10. Traveling salesmen?
This may be unobtainable, but it'd be nice, if the inventory of traveling salesmen could also be surveyed, processed and involved in data available in previous points, such as hitlist, and so on..
I never recall seeing the items from these people in the trading overview.
There's a nagging suspicion in my mind, that I forgot some point, but it'll come to me in some time...
To sum it all up: Your mod is very fine in helping people to get themselves well off as far as money goes. I like it very much, as I said.
The additional points, that I tried to explain here, are aimed at helping people with other aspects of gameplay, not only with reaching the wealth limit..
I'm not a modder, so I have no idea how any of the points may be difficult to implement, but if at least some of them are in time put in, the mod will start being even more over-all useful to the players.
Thank you very much for making the mod, Geostar.
