How would having Closed Loop Trade Nodes adversely affect gameplay

[sub-woofer]

This! Precisely what I wanted to say, with a nice, juicy touch of absorbing Markov chains Still, recalling my own learning curve, I don't think trade node system needs any more complications.

 

[aitaituo]

Another way to have loops would be to add a lot of under the hood complexity by making actual trade goods go through the trade network instead of abstract ducats alone. Value could still be increased by distance and further modified by local node demand, then when the good is collected it leaves the trade network entirely.

...it's always bugged me that those little ships are just for flavor.

 

[Phibs]

Really, gaining money from outgoing trade is something that ought to be in the game anyway. In game, goods leaving (say) one of the Indian trade nodes is bad news for any nation located there, whereas, in reality, many realms in the area gained far greater wealth from Europeans buying and taking their goods than they would have if trade had remained local.

I'd already be happy if the penalty for collecting in non-main trading nodes were cut in half.