In this post I suggested a new Galactic Market system. The problem is, it wasn't very fleshed out. So in this, I want to further flesh out my ideas.
Why a new system?
Of course, right now, the market functions as intended. It is a way to balance out your economy -especially in times of economic turmoil- and to capitalize on and utilize the economic advantages that your empire possesses that others lack. For example, a Megacorp will likely have a relatively larger energy income than a normal empire. If said Megacorp tried to produce resources the same as normal empires then they would produce research and unity less efficiently. So, what Megacorp loses in expansion potential (in regards to maintaining efficient research and unity production), it makes up with the ability to buy resources with its massive income in energy.
Another example is a specialized empire that I made: a subterranean lithoid hive mind. I specialized in the empire to maximize the production of minerals. Since lithoid pops consume minerals, have massive habitability, and colonize with colony ships that require minerals. Also, hiveminds use minerals for research, and I applied the subterranean and industrious traits to the pops. So, by the midgame, I was swimming in worlds and in minerals. Consequently, I was able to use the galactic market to leverage my above-average mining capabilities to trade in resources I had lower production of (but not necessarily a worse capability to produce).
While both of those examples prove the system works as intended, those are often fringe cases. As most empires are non-hive and non-corp. Furthermore, the effects of traits, ethics, factions, diplomatic circumstances, and more on resource production, and specifically, on unequal resource availability, get diminished over time by the effects of technology. Now, whether or not that is the basis for a change in the effects of technology is not what I want to discuss. Thus, we can see that all empires, over time, trend towards equal resource availability to them under normal circumstances.
The biggest point to mention is that the market, as it is now, diminishes the geoeconomic strategy and play possible in the game. For example, let's say there is a galaxy in which two empires are waring. Of course, each empire has a goal: to win the war. Generally speaking, the empire with the largest industrial base and the greatest capacity for ship production will win a long protracted war. If it is not a long, drawn-out war, then the empire with the greatest number of fleets and ships will likely win the shorter war. Now, what fuels war? Minerals and alloys. In the long war, minerals became more important in the war economy. In a short war, minerals are less important. This is because, in a long war, the full might of each empire's economy will be brought to bear. If manageable, new alloys will be squeezed out of every source. Civilian industry will be converted, surplus basic resource districts will be converted, and forge buildings will be upgraded. In either case, to maximize their chances, the empires will be purchasing from the market. So, in the current system, these empires can buy from the market with no problem. The only geoeconomic tactic other empires can use is also purchasing from the market to increase the price. And, without the strain of war, this could be effective. However, it could be more in-depth.
Example of a new market system being used for achieving grand-strategic economic objectives.
In order to demonstrate ways a new galactic market system could facilitate a more in-depth economic-oriented strategy, some basic principles have to be outlined. First, the prices of the resources in this new system would actually be determined by the sale and purchase of resources on the market. If, for example, only one empire is selling minerals on this market, then the stockpile will slowly go up until its cap. however, if another empire is also purchasing minerals at an equal or greater rate, then the price will remain constant or increase, respectively. Second, The size of the stockpiles of resources would be determined by the total economic power of the galactic community. It would be ridiculous if the stockpile for food was say, 10k, in the midgame. At that point in the game, some empires would be trading an amount of food per month that, if there was no other empire to counter, would too quickly throw the price way out of a reasonable target. Third, to add even more depth and strategy to it, a new set of galactic community resolutions would determine the minimum and maximum proportion of the base of the stockpile the stockpile can go. A possible example of such a resolution is fractional reserve marketing (limits the stockpile to go no lower than 10% of its base)
Now, onto possible strategy. Let's say there are two empires at war. One empire is cordial and friendly with other empires. While the other is more isolated. We can say the isolated empire is trying to break out of its isolation and establish a sphere of influence for itself. As a result of its isolation, it has a highly developed economy, but consequently, a relatively low production of basic resources. So to fund a war it needs to expand its fleet, but because its economy is developed, it has no new good sources of minerals it can get domestically without waiting for advances in technology. Obviously, then, this empire turns to the market to import new raw goods to fund its war economy and to develop more ships. The more diplomatic empire has a less developed economy but it is larger than it's opponents. This means it has plenty of resources to expand its industry. So in the meantime, the isolated empire focuses on breaking out, and the more normal empire focuses on defending itself until it can develop more. Thus, a stalemate.
What can each empire do? The isolated empire is developed but vulnerable; the normal undeveloped but not vulnerable. For the empire with a smaller economy, it can utilize its starting fleet advantage. For the empire which is less developed, it can hold on, but, it can also target the vulnerabilities of its enemy. There would be a few ways to cripple the war industry of its opponent. 1) The empire could call on its allies to begin buying minerals en masse from the market. This would do two things: 1) it would skyrocket the price of minerals, and 2), it would eventually cause a halt in mineral shipments until the market can recover (if there are no market protections of course). 2) it could control the price more directly by purchasing a lot of minerals, but, not all of them. This would force the other empire to consider either a) bleeding money buying minerals, or b) saving energy and losing vital minerals. If the first empire managed to pull off either strategy, then the latter empire would be crippled. It would either not be able to support its war industry -thus losing its fleet advantage quicker- or it would not have the economic means to upkeep its ships in a protracted war.
A closer look at possible specifics of a new system.
In this new system, there would be new concepts to be introduced into the game. 1) Market resource stockpiles, 2) Stockpile regeneration, and shortage, and 3) more in-depth market laws. The prices of the resources on the market would be determined by invisible stockpiles of resources on the market. When the galactic market is first formed these stockpiles would be set to something reasonable, or, determined by the economic strength of all the members of the galactic community. Let's say, for the sake of plotting out this new market more specifically, that the base stockpile at the founding of the galactic market is 10k divided by the base prices. The base prices of all the resources are 1 energy credit for food and minerals, consumer goods are 2, alloys are 4, strategic resources are 10, and rare resources are 20. This means each base stockpile would be 10k, 10k, 5k, 2.5k, 1k, and .5k. Of course the initial stockpile number of 10k could be good or it could be bad. Actual implementation and testing would be required, however, I'll be using it as a starting point.
As I mentioned, the prices of the resources would be determined by the stockpiles divided by the amount of resources that need to be stockpiled to equal the base price. Because P(price)=B(base amount)/S(stockpile), then, for example, if the stockpile of minerals in the market was 5,000 and the base was 10,000, then the price would be 2 energy credits. If it was 1,000 and 20,000 then the price would be 2O energy credits. Now with all of this exchange of resources, there needs to be a medium. Of course, in Stellaris, this medium is Energy credits. So this new market system would also need to have an energy credit stockpile. This stockpile would be equal to the stockpiles of the resources converted to energy credits. So, this energy credit stockpile would be a total of 60k when the base stockpile is 10k for a 1:1 ratio.
What happens when a stockpile reaches zero? If a stockpile suddenly reaches zero, either because a seller left the market, or because buyers entered too fast for a seller to enter in time, then if buyers don't leave en masse due to extremely high prices, there will be a market shortage. In a market shortage, no one empire will be able to purchase any of the resources and all empires will get locked out until the stockpile regenerates. What determines the unlocking threshold? Without any resolutions, the threshold would be very low. It needs just enough time for sellers to begin restocking it, and, taking advantage of the price. Otherwise, this would be determined by the new Market resolutions within the galactic community. What determines the regeneration rate? The regeneration rate would be determined by the economic strength of the members of the galactic communities.
Now, what are these resolutions? Well, at least one new resolution branch would need to be added to the galactic community. Many names could work, but as a starter, "financial security" could work. These resolutions would determine the unlocking thresholds and the minimum stockpile limit. For example, the first resolution in the branch could set the unlock to 5% and the minimum stockpile limit to 10%. I do want to mention though, that the necessities of these resolutions might not be very high due to the extremely high prices of such a low stockpile (at a base of 10k, a 10% stockpile of 1,000 would be a price of 10. Would any empire pay such a price?). Of course, these numbers are just examples though. Any concrete numbers would be best determined by experimentation and game testing.
Example Graph
let's say there is a decline of minerals in the market as there is a big war going on. We can say this decline is at a rate of -500 per month.
Conclusion
In conclusion, I believe this new market system would be a better system than the one in the game now. It is more realistic, more immersive, more strategic, and more fun! Of course, however, there may be problems. I have worked long and hard typing this all out but there may be things I missed that cause problems. I haven't even touched on market fees or on resource caps. However, I believe even if this system isn’t perfect and implementation-ready, it could be a great starting point. Thank you.
Why a new system?
Of course, right now, the market functions as intended. It is a way to balance out your economy -especially in times of economic turmoil- and to capitalize on and utilize the economic advantages that your empire possesses that others lack. For example, a Megacorp will likely have a relatively larger energy income than a normal empire. If said Megacorp tried to produce resources the same as normal empires then they would produce research and unity less efficiently. So, what Megacorp loses in expansion potential (in regards to maintaining efficient research and unity production), it makes up with the ability to buy resources with its massive income in energy.
Another example is a specialized empire that I made: a subterranean lithoid hive mind. I specialized in the empire to maximize the production of minerals. Since lithoid pops consume minerals, have massive habitability, and colonize with colony ships that require minerals. Also, hiveminds use minerals for research, and I applied the subterranean and industrious traits to the pops. So, by the midgame, I was swimming in worlds and in minerals. Consequently, I was able to use the galactic market to leverage my above-average mining capabilities to trade in resources I had lower production of (but not necessarily a worse capability to produce).
While both of those examples prove the system works as intended, those are often fringe cases. As most empires are non-hive and non-corp. Furthermore, the effects of traits, ethics, factions, diplomatic circumstances, and more on resource production, and specifically, on unequal resource availability, get diminished over time by the effects of technology. Now, whether or not that is the basis for a change in the effects of technology is not what I want to discuss. Thus, we can see that all empires, over time, trend towards equal resource availability to them under normal circumstances.
The biggest point to mention is that the market, as it is now, diminishes the geoeconomic strategy and play possible in the game. For example, let's say there is a galaxy in which two empires are waring. Of course, each empire has a goal: to win the war. Generally speaking, the empire with the largest industrial base and the greatest capacity for ship production will win a long protracted war. If it is not a long, drawn-out war, then the empire with the greatest number of fleets and ships will likely win the shorter war. Now, what fuels war? Minerals and alloys. In the long war, minerals became more important in the war economy. In a short war, minerals are less important. This is because, in a long war, the full might of each empire's economy will be brought to bear. If manageable, new alloys will be squeezed out of every source. Civilian industry will be converted, surplus basic resource districts will be converted, and forge buildings will be upgraded. In either case, to maximize their chances, the empires will be purchasing from the market. So, in the current system, these empires can buy from the market with no problem. The only geoeconomic tactic other empires can use is also purchasing from the market to increase the price. And, without the strain of war, this could be effective. However, it could be more in-depth.
Example of a new market system being used for achieving grand-strategic economic objectives.
In order to demonstrate ways a new galactic market system could facilitate a more in-depth economic-oriented strategy, some basic principles have to be outlined. First, the prices of the resources in this new system would actually be determined by the sale and purchase of resources on the market. If, for example, only one empire is selling minerals on this market, then the stockpile will slowly go up until its cap. however, if another empire is also purchasing minerals at an equal or greater rate, then the price will remain constant or increase, respectively. Second, The size of the stockpiles of resources would be determined by the total economic power of the galactic community. It would be ridiculous if the stockpile for food was say, 10k, in the midgame. At that point in the game, some empires would be trading an amount of food per month that, if there was no other empire to counter, would too quickly throw the price way out of a reasonable target. Third, to add even more depth and strategy to it, a new set of galactic community resolutions would determine the minimum and maximum proportion of the base of the stockpile the stockpile can go. A possible example of such a resolution is fractional reserve marketing (limits the stockpile to go no lower than 10% of its base)
Now, onto possible strategy. Let's say there are two empires at war. One empire is cordial and friendly with other empires. While the other is more isolated. We can say the isolated empire is trying to break out of its isolation and establish a sphere of influence for itself. As a result of its isolation, it has a highly developed economy, but consequently, a relatively low production of basic resources. So to fund a war it needs to expand its fleet, but because its economy is developed, it has no new good sources of minerals it can get domestically without waiting for advances in technology. Obviously, then, this empire turns to the market to import new raw goods to fund its war economy and to develop more ships. The more diplomatic empire has a less developed economy but it is larger than it's opponents. This means it has plenty of resources to expand its industry. So in the meantime, the isolated empire focuses on breaking out, and the more normal empire focuses on defending itself until it can develop more. Thus, a stalemate.
What can each empire do? The isolated empire is developed but vulnerable; the normal undeveloped but not vulnerable. For the empire with a smaller economy, it can utilize its starting fleet advantage. For the empire which is less developed, it can hold on, but, it can also target the vulnerabilities of its enemy. There would be a few ways to cripple the war industry of its opponent. 1) The empire could call on its allies to begin buying minerals en masse from the market. This would do two things: 1) it would skyrocket the price of minerals, and 2), it would eventually cause a halt in mineral shipments until the market can recover (if there are no market protections of course). 2) it could control the price more directly by purchasing a lot of minerals, but, not all of them. This would force the other empire to consider either a) bleeding money buying minerals, or b) saving energy and losing vital minerals. If the first empire managed to pull off either strategy, then the latter empire would be crippled. It would either not be able to support its war industry -thus losing its fleet advantage quicker- or it would not have the economic means to upkeep its ships in a protracted war.
A closer look at possible specifics of a new system.
In this new system, there would be new concepts to be introduced into the game. 1) Market resource stockpiles, 2) Stockpile regeneration, and shortage, and 3) more in-depth market laws. The prices of the resources on the market would be determined by invisible stockpiles of resources on the market. When the galactic market is first formed these stockpiles would be set to something reasonable, or, determined by the economic strength of all the members of the galactic community. Let's say, for the sake of plotting out this new market more specifically, that the base stockpile at the founding of the galactic market is 10k divided by the base prices. The base prices of all the resources are 1 energy credit for food and minerals, consumer goods are 2, alloys are 4, strategic resources are 10, and rare resources are 20. This means each base stockpile would be 10k, 10k, 5k, 2.5k, 1k, and .5k. Of course the initial stockpile number of 10k could be good or it could be bad. Actual implementation and testing would be required, however, I'll be using it as a starting point.
As I mentioned, the prices of the resources would be determined by the stockpiles divided by the amount of resources that need to be stockpiled to equal the base price. Because P(price)=B(base amount)/S(stockpile), then, for example, if the stockpile of minerals in the market was 5,000 and the base was 10,000, then the price would be 2 energy credits. If it was 1,000 and 20,000 then the price would be 2O energy credits. Now with all of this exchange of resources, there needs to be a medium. Of course, in Stellaris, this medium is Energy credits. So this new market system would also need to have an energy credit stockpile. This stockpile would be equal to the stockpiles of the resources converted to energy credits. So, this energy credit stockpile would be a total of 60k when the base stockpile is 10k for a 1:1 ratio.
What happens when a stockpile reaches zero? If a stockpile suddenly reaches zero, either because a seller left the market, or because buyers entered too fast for a seller to enter in time, then if buyers don't leave en masse due to extremely high prices, there will be a market shortage. In a market shortage, no one empire will be able to purchase any of the resources and all empires will get locked out until the stockpile regenerates. What determines the unlocking threshold? Without any resolutions, the threshold would be very low. It needs just enough time for sellers to begin restocking it, and, taking advantage of the price. Otherwise, this would be determined by the new Market resolutions within the galactic community. What determines the regeneration rate? The regeneration rate would be determined by the economic strength of the members of the galactic communities.
Now, what are these resolutions? Well, at least one new resolution branch would need to be added to the galactic community. Many names could work, but as a starter, "financial security" could work. These resolutions would determine the unlocking thresholds and the minimum stockpile limit. For example, the first resolution in the branch could set the unlock to 5% and the minimum stockpile limit to 10%. I do want to mention though, that the necessities of these resolutions might not be very high due to the extremely high prices of such a low stockpile (at a base of 10k, a 10% stockpile of 1,000 would be a price of 10. Would any empire pay such a price?). Of course, these numbers are just examples though. Any concrete numbers would be best determined by experimentation and game testing.
Example Graph
let's say there is a decline of minerals in the market as there is a big war going on. We can say this decline is at a rate of -500 per month.
| Month | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
| ec stockpile | 60,000 | 60,500 | 61,025 | 61,615 | 62,240 | 62,865 | 63,530 | 62,425 | 65,015 |
| mineral stock | 10,000 | 9,500 | 9,000 | 8,500 | 8,000 | 7,500 | 7,000 | 6,500 | 6,000 |
| mineral price | 1 | 1.05 | 1.11 | 1.18 | 1.25 | 1.33 | 1.43 | 1.54 | 1.67 |
| monthly spent | 500 | 525 | 555 | 590 | 625 | 665 | 715 | 770 | 835 |
| total spent | 500 | 1,025 | 1,580 | 2,170 | 2,795 | 3,460 | 4,175 | 4,975 | 5,780 |
Conclusion
In conclusion, I believe this new market system would be a better system than the one in the game now. It is more realistic, more immersive, more strategic, and more fun! Of course, however, there may be problems. I have worked long and hard typing this all out but there may be things I missed that cause problems. I haven't even touched on market fees or on resource caps. However, I believe even if this system isn’t perfect and implementation-ready, it could be a great starting point. Thank you.
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