retrading resources

sophist · December 6, 2001, 21:17

It would be pretty useful to be able to buy up excess luxuries and then trade them yourself. For example, if I as the Romans have made contact with the Greeks, but you (the Babylonians) have not, I could buy your extra spices and trade them to the Greeks, ideally making a tidy profit along the way. Or if you were landlocked and didn't have a sea route to another civilization. Or (the most interesting one) if you had an embargo against me, but through a third party you acquire my oil. That would be really cool.

No doubt Firaxis thought of this idea while in the design phase, but discarded it for some reason. I would be interested to know what that reason was.

Pyrodrew · December 6, 2001, 21:24

Quote:

Originally posted by sophist
No doubt Firaxis thought of this idea while in the design phase, but discarded it for some reason. I would be interested to know what that reason was.

Release date. We don't even have the ability to create scenarios or preset specific Civ start positions or units in the editor.

Ludwig · December 6, 2001, 21:24

Actually, since brokering resources in this way is one of the things the Trade Advisor tries to tell you to do ["We should get more spices and trade them with our friends"], I guess we can be pretty certain that Firaxis considered making this part of the game.

What surprises me is that they would leave the Trade Advisor text in there as part of the Advice loop, but then grey out resources you already have on the diplomacy screen so you can't follow the advice.

Mr. Socks · December 7, 2001, 03:12

I think it's better the way it is -- it means that having those resources in your territory actually means something. It also is one of the ways in which luxuries are prevented from being just another form of currency. In short, the game is way more interesting with this limitation.

ElBone · December 7, 2001, 04:29

I agree with Socks. Ya gotta get it. Plus, the AI would benefit from this too massively, potentially.

bone

sophist · December 7, 2001, 07:22

Why wouldn't it be useful in this case? I mean, you can choose not to sell your luxury. And besides, all these treaties run out eventually. If you find out (how, I don't know; you should be able to find out who's getting what from whom) that the Greeks are buying your incense from the Persians, well, after the 20 turns are up, your obligation ends and you can cut out the Persians. Meanwhile both you and the Persians are getting money you wouldn't have gotten otherwise.