TIM Trader (Typical Interstellar Material Trader) is a ruleset designed to test some of the more advance parts of ruleset creation for Python Server's ruleset.
The game is relatively simple, the idea is to accumulate as much wealth as possible. You do this by moving goods around the universe. Your actions however effect the development of the Universe, you can cause systems to become a poor industrial backwater or wealth trading hub.
Some planets have "sources" which produce various raw goods. Some planets have "factories" which take goods and turn them into other goods. Some planets have "consumers" which just use up various goods.
Your movement of goods around the universe has certain effects.
- If all (required) goods are supplied to a consumer, the consumer will grow and demand more goods per turn.
- If all (required) goods are supplied to a factory, the factory will grow and be able to convert more goods per turn.
- If all (required) goods are purchased from a source, the source will grow and produce more goods per turn.
You need to be careful that you don't cause a planet to depopulate it's raw resources. Some sources such as fishing will get their resources from the planet's population of fish, depleting the number.
Planets in a system may take resources from other planets in the same system.
The pricing of things determine how much money you will get for each item. Each system has a local price which is effected by the demand/supply for objects in that system.
If there is more demand for goods then supply, the global price of items will slowly go up. If there is less demand for goods then supply, the global price of items will slowly go down.
The price is also effected by the number of goods available. The more goods available, the more price fluctations are reduced.
The price at each planet in a system is based on the global price plus a modifier.
Having goods an excess of goods will drive the price on that planet down. Not having goods will drive drive the price on that planet up.
If sufficent price differences between two close systems exists, "Independent Traders" will spring up. They will transport goods between systems thus reducing the difference.
"Independent Traders" can be deterred in a number of ways,
- Transporting the goods yourself.
- Attacked them.
Given a huge price difference between two close system, "Pirate Traders" will spring up. They will transport goods between systems.
- Fire, Destroys X factories on a planet
- Disease, Destroys X animals/crops on a planet
- Asteroid, Wipes out everything apart from X people
- Strike 1, No production on planet
- Strike 2, No unload/load on planet
- Mutiny, One ship becomes a pirate ship of the same armour/weapons (can not effect ships with no weapons)
This has to occur here, as it may effect the ability to unload/load from certain planets.
Unload has to occur before load so that in a single turn goods can be transferred from one ship to another.
Check person has more then negative 10,000 credits. Occurs here as this is the time the person will have the most credits.
First phase of loading, allows loading of goods which already exist before industry has a chance to use them. Useful for using planets as storage drop-off/pick-up points.
This has to occur somewhere after load (A) so a ship can do (unload current goods, load ready goods, move towards next location).
Converts goods from one type to another. This should occur before consumption as it could produce something consumption needs.
Number of consumers (including factories) increases if constant supply of goods for X turns. Number of consumers (including factories) decreases if no supply of goods for X turns. If number of factories becomes zero, industry moves to new planet at random.
Second phase of loading, allows loading of goods which were produced that turn.
The new cost of each item at each planet is calculated.
- Use slow ships for heavy raw materials.
- Use fast ships for perishables and passengers.
- Try to transport all supplies to a city to make it grow and thus demand new goods.
Attacking all ships which enter a system and only allowing your own ships drives prices up.
By supply industries with goods you can then transport the more lucrative output goods.