For colonised or inhabited systems with enough population, it may be useful to determine what are the resources of the planet. This may be used in developing inter-systems trade exchange.
My system classifies the resources into six categories A, M, C, P, I, S, called Activity Factor (AF):
- Agriculture (including resulting low processed products) : Live Stock, Fruit & Vegetables, Dairies (Milk and Cheese), Cereals, Other Cultures (tea, coffee, cocoa, tobacco), Animal Textile (Wool, Fur and Leather), Vegetal Textile (Cotton, Linen), Wood, Flowers and Plants, Meat, Fishing Products, Hunting Products, Wine & Alcohol,...
- Mining, Metallurgy and Energy (including resulting low processed products) : Gas (Methane, Hydrogen), Oil, Coal, Non Ferrous Ore, Ferrous Ore, Radioactive Ore, Alloys, Rare Minerals, Rare Gas, Stone and Sand, Water, Electricity,...
- Chemistry (including biochemistry) : Plastics, Polymers, Textile, Petrochemicals, Drugs, Fertilisers, Explosives, Construction Materials (cements, glues, resins), Inks and Paints, Paper,...
- Processed and Manufactured Products : Vehicles (land, water, air, space), Clothes, Electronic Components, Electronic Equipment (computers, robots), Mechanical Components, Mechanical Equipment (tools and machinery), Processed Food, Weapons and Ammunition, Furniture,...
- Information and Arts : Software, Design, Engineering, Information, Fashion, Pictures, Books, Movies, Music,...
- Services : Health, Administration, Financing, Transport, Research, Instruction (University), Tourism, Sport, Gambling, Protection (army, police, security),...
Each attribute is calculated by rolling 1D6-1 on the table :
0 : None : the planet does not have this kind of resources on a major scale (the price of same may therefore be higher).
1 : Marginal : the planet has little of this resource. It needs to import most of it.
2 or 3 : Ordinary : the planet has enough of the resource for its own needs; however, depending on some periods of year, the need to import same, or the possibility to export a few may exist.
4 : Good : the planet has plenty of this resource and will export it (the price of same may therefore be lower).
5 : Amazing : this resources is probably the major exportation of the system, and most of the economy is probably related to it.
Note 1 : if the planet has is vacuum or not breathable or has unacceptable temperature ranges, A is automatically 0. If the planet is temperate and breathable, the digit A should be 1 or more (unless the GM wants a barren world).
Note 2 : If the GM wishes so, he may use the same system for each of the sub-categories.
Each system has also a global Economic Factor (EF) which is the sum of the six other ones. An EF below 10 indicates a poor world, while a EF above 20 indicates a rich world.
In addition, a system may be defined with a general classification. Here are some examples :
Games and Leisure/Casino/Sports Center
High Tech Research and Development
Starship Construction Yards
Central University
Military/Navy Garrison
District Prison
Natural Reserve/Protected World
Central Hospital
Central Archives
Museum
Administrative and Financial Center
District Capital
Forbidden Zone
Each planet may have one or more major astroports.
The quality of the installation are :
None : no major astroport.
Marginal : some concrete plates with a few offices. Generally private, open to other ships on a case by case basis.
Ordinary : standard astroport facilities. Ship repair facilities available.
Good : above average facilities. Includes starships construction yards.
Amazing : All facilities are available. Generally includes appurtenances and orbital space station docks. Such an Astroport is generally a full city.
A rich world (see System Resources above) has at least an Ordinary level Astroport, while a poor world cannot normally have an Amazing one.
Astroport Fee :
Each ship using the Astroport facility must pay a fee according to its size.
The fee per day in Ordinary Astroports is 10 C$ per 10 compartments of the vessel, per day (a minimum fee of 5 days is charged).
Half this price for Marginal ones, multiply it by 1.5 for Good ones, and by 2 for Amazing ones.
Regular StarShips Frequency
The frequency of regular lines starships (merchandises and/or passengers) may be calculated as follows :
Add the Astroport digit of the two Star systems, and divide by the distance in Light Years. The result is the daily number of flights from one Star to the other.
Astroport digits :
None : 0
Marginal : 5
Ordinary : 15
Good : 30
Amazing : 50
To determine the price of a commodity, the GM may use the following formula :
The price of the goods in question on that planet is :
P = S + [(EF)-(AF*5)]%
where P is the price of the goods on that planet, S is the average price of the goods in that area (e.g. in the Verge), EF is the system's E Factor, and AF is the system's A Factor relevant for that commodity.
By calculating the price of the same product on another planet, the merchant can see if it worth to transport and sell such a merchandise to that other planet.
But the merchant must also take into account other factors :
- The price of the transport.
This figures depends on the type of goods and the distance of the other planet.
- The importation tax on the second planet.
This figure depends on the law level of the system and the Stellar Nation it is related to.
- The temporary economic situation.
This affects the quality of success that the merchant must achieve with its skill to sell the goods at the normal price. GM to decide (or random roll).
Surproduction : Amazing success required.
Strong demand : Ordinary success required.
Otherwise, a Good success is required.
- The skill of the merchant.
To sell the goods at the normal price on the planet, the merchant must roll at least the level of success required above.
The merchant may modify the levels by proposing a lower or higher price than the normal price.
+1 level per 10% more, -1 level per 10% less. If the merchant fails, he may try again but must lower its price of at least 10% (-1 level), and so on for each additional failure.
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