DocHolladay said:I change over to online as a rule when I build the GBT. Before that the economics are much better in offline mode for some reason. After the GBT becomes available it seems to reverse the economics although I have yet to figure out what the reason is.
I admit I seem to be constantly restarting for one reason or another. So there are probably other factors that I haven't noticed yet.
When you build the GBT and switch to online as I have done several times, it appears to change the Mass Driver/Bazaar/Cannon prices to be more in line with the GBT prices. ONCE. I admit that I have not dug into this deeply, as you only get to see this occur after putting hours into the fledgling colony. This is kinda what I was asking
@bastecklein for.
If we can have the export/import prices stay more stable, or at least in a specified range, then there is no need for an offline colony to switch to online just to keep their economy running smoothly. Heck, even if the transaction fee for the bazaar goes from 5% to 25% ( i.e. the increased cost to go through backchannels) as you ship more of a certain commodity, that still allows a colony to function without devaluing the gathered resources.
On my most recent colony, just to keep what started as 4 squares of synthetic crystalline from completely filling a 13x13 pen I constructed, even building as much as possible, I ended up using the bazaar to dispose of the excess crystalline and reduced the selling price to 1% of initial by the time I was able to build a civic center. ( I learned from my previous colonies and now I don't let the spreading resources escape from an enclosure.)
Not trying to grouse, but in order to buy 250 units of steel ( one click in the bazaar), I have to sell 1.5 times my storage capacity of Crystalline. This makes it nearly impossible to build anything without producing it myself, and that is not the easiest thing on many of the worlds. Originally, I wanted to use the GBT to sell larger quantities per click, but the recent changes makes that more difficult until I produce a ridiculous amount of research and civics. SO, looking back at root causes, I think that the prices should be more stable.
Depending on which segment of gamers is targeted, then certain aspects of the gameplay should be emphasized. I can't run My Colony on my phone for more than 30 minutes without my new phone heating up to the point of being uncomfortable to hold. Even if I was idling, I still have to stay on top of the colony, so that I don't run out of regolith or food, both of which will literally kill my production and/or my colonists. For mobile gamers, the ability to play for a few minutes at a time is key to not being bored, and loading your colony several times just to find you can't do anything is not a great experience. Making the prices more stable in an offline game should have no effect on other players or the GBT once you are only allowed a single switch. And the benefits for gameplay and engagement, especially during the early phases of colony building, make it worth it.
--Lurker