Oolite Bulletins

Posted: **Sat Oct 17, 2009 9:52 am**

Re price averages: The averages on the Trading Chart are calculated as (max + min)/2, max and min being the lowest and the highest price theoretically possible according to the price calculating algorithm. It might be that the theoretical range isn't actually fully used in-game, due to the distribution of economy and random (which are the two factors contributing to prices). Or it may just take a very long while until you actually see the very minimum or maximum price of any given commodity.

And, perhaps even more important: The averages are valid for official GalCop-pricing, in other words, for main stations only. Other dockable entities may alter the price range for each commodity at will. Therefore, if you put their prices in your average, you will alter it.

Posted: **Sat Oct 17, 2009 10:10 am**

Commander McLane wrote:
Re price averages: The averages on the Trading Chart are calculated as (max + min)/2, max and min being the lowest and the highest price theoretically possible according to the price calculating algorithm. It might be that the theoretical range isn't actually fully used in-game, due to the distribution of economy and random (which are the two factors contributing to prices).

This is indeed the case. For The Traders Almanach I ran a complete simulation over all the possible prices an economy can have, so I have the real min, max, and average (over the range of the random number generator) prices. If you are interested I could mail you my findings, just drop me a PM.

Yours, Christian Treczoks

Posted: **Sat Oct 17, 2009 1:59 pm**

Interesting.

This would suggest that MARKET_RND isn't as random as it should be. But it also does not seem to be always the same in the same system (in that case it would be superfluous completely).

And yes, I am interested in your findings.

Posted: **Sun Oct 18, 2009 12:07 am**

Frontier allowed you to look at prices before docking via the F4 comms stuff...
...didn't it?

In terms of the "how would you know" backstory, you could argue that a Jameson would do his research before getting his pilot's license, and would have a copy of an almanac with last year's prices in. (Or more likely, would have the iGroan app installed with same.)

Or you could make a piece of equipment available that logs prices as you visit systems and then does the math for you... "Trading Computer" or some such. That way you won't have some kind of eldritch knowledge outside the Ooniverse, you'd only be using data you yourself had gathered.

Posted: **Sun Oct 18, 2009 1:16 am**

zevans wrote:
In terms of the "how would you know" backstory, you could argue that a Jameson would do his research before getting his pilot's license, and would have a copy of an almanac with last year's prices in. (Or more likely, would have the iGroan app installed with same.)

Do the station prices change after you've docked? No? Then perhaps your ship obtained those prices beforehand, when it entered the system itself.

I would think that the witchspace beacon automatically repeats such base system data that your ship picks up on when it enters the system.

This then neatly explains how and why all ships have that data available.

Posted: **Mon Oct 19, 2009 11:11 am**

But still all of this would only be applicable for the main station prices. And those were always available system-wide.

Posted: **Mon Oct 19, 2009 11:18 am**

zevans wrote:
Or you could make a piece of equipment available that logs prices as you visit systems and then does the math for you... "Trading Computer" or some such. That way you won't have some kind of eldritch knowledge outside the Ooniverse, you'd only be using data you yourself had gathered.

I should mention here that I am developing a trading computer for purchase, which will record the main station prices as you enter a system and let you know of best profits available from the historical data of nearby systems that you have traveled.

Such an OXP isn't treading on anyone's toes, is it?

Posted: **Mon Oct 19, 2009 11:19 am**

Commander McLane wrote:
Interesting.

This would suggest that MARKET_RND isn't as random as it should be. But it also does not seem to be always the same in the same system

I think that random number that generates the price variations is generated when entering the system. Its base is also stored in some way in the saved game (found_system_seed ?) so even after loading an old game the prices stay the same. Only jumping out and back in should change them.

Posted: **Mon Oct 19, 2009 11:39 am**

Eric Walch wrote:
I think that random number that generates the price variations is generated when entering the system. Its base is also stored in some way in the saved game (found_system_seed ?)

Code: Select all

	<key>market_rnd</key>
	<integer>85</integer>