Trade Routes - Too overpowered

[Preserved_Fruits]

After stumbling across the trade routes with the "Improved Trading" system upgrades, I've made 50 million credits (up from a measly 100-200k) in just a few hours. This is probably somewhat more than was intended by design...

 

I feel that this function is currently too overpowered and defeats the spirit of mining and salvaging. Why mine/salvage when I can simply flip 10 million with one trade and then purchase all the blocks I need?

 

I think there are two issues that make trading routes too overpowered.

1. The overall profit margin is too big with too little risk involved

2. The current refunding system of blocks, while very convenient, can lead to abuse. I can create a gigantic block of cargo storage, fill it with items, flip it for an extravagant profit, then refund all my blocks without any punishment. (On second thoughts, I have not tried this game on any modes harder than 'normal', so I'm possibly unaware about more punishing block-refund mechanisms.)

 

What have your experiences been with trade routes? Do you feel it is in a good place right now?

 

 

[Falkenherz]

I totally love it. Coming from Elite: Dangerous, I hate so much the time you have to spend in researching virtual trade data. The trade module is such a neat idea and convenience.

 

Concerning the profit spans, I am sure this can be tweaked. Sometimes, the RNG god gave me sector-internal trade opportunities in the millions.

[AstroOwl]

The problem, as for me, is not in trading upgrade being too powerful.

 

Problem is NPC haulers can't really handle supplying stations with goods. Most stations are in constant demand. Of course, in this case you can get gigantic profits by selling something like, for example, Gold: when NPC's don't buy it from mine, and it's flooded with cheap gold, and consumers have 0/25000, your profits are huge.

Overall complexity of production chain adds to that.

 

It's not the price maximum "delta" that should be tweaked, IMO. Instead, the ability of NPC to actually make factories live should be increased. I guess once the without-player-sector-calculation would be implemented, NPC's ability to supply stations will rise and revenues would not be so incredible.

[Adonis]

The problem, as for me, is not in trading upgrade being too powerful.

 

Problem is NPC haulers can't really handle supplying stations with goods. Most stations are in constant demand. Of course, in this case you can get gigantic profits by selling something like, for example, Gold: when NPC's don't buy it from mine, and it's flooded with cheap gold, and consumers have 0/25000, your profits are huge.

Overall complexity of production chain adds to that.

 

It's not the price maximum "delta" that should be tweaked, IMO. Instead, the ability of NPC to actually make factories live should be increased. I guess once the without-player-sector-calculation would be implemented, NPC's ability to supply stations will rise and revenues would not be so incredible.

 

I Agree, I don't want to be making 100's of millions instantly however demand is demand. Competition keeping supplies up and more active competition with the ai would reduce yields.

 

That being said, upkeeps on crews for larger vessels are expensive and I really don't find myself having that 150million+ credit for very long.

[rmooney01]

Of you built a large fleet, extra $ is helpful. But 50 mill... Wow!