Just 10 planets?
 

Does the entire game take place in just one planetary system with 10 planets?

Thanks.

Re: Just 10 planets?
 

Yep, it does! But trust me, it will be enough considering each planet's supply and demand actually is different, and you need to keep track of that aspect of it yourself. Using dozens of planets under this system would be pretty much impossible, unless you're an accountant. Believe me, I tried it. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon12.gif

Re: Just 10 planets?
 

I think you are right about that.

I figured out that you need to start out with a fair sized fleet unless you want the pirates to attack you every turn.

But I'm still having trouble getting started. I'll click on a planet and see come info about trade conditions. Then, I'll click on the market to trade again. But I've forgotten what the trade conditions were and go back out of the market. But it's closed until I leave and come back to the planet. So, the pirates attack me again or I lose a lawsuit.

I wonder... am I just goofing up when I want to go back to the main planet view to check out market conditions again before I buy stuff?

The graphics are great, btw. The game seems really cool. But I'm just having trouble getting started. I wonder if maybe I should buy the first one and get the trainer? http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

I did an internet search for the first one and the game seems to be EVERYWHERE!

Re: Just 10 planets?
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Building a fleet early is good, but try to save some money for items and other things. Early pirate encounters aren't usually too tough (they're scaled a bit early on to be more fair to the player).

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Well...yes. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif You first read the market conditions/assessment on the main screen, put that in your head (yes, this game can require quite a bit of thought/memorization to be the most successful at it), and then go to the Market screen. What several people have told me they do is: write down each planet, and the prices next to them as you go, like: Low, Medium, High.

Mind you, prices and demand can change during the game, so write it in pencil. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Thanks! The key to getting started is common sense mostly; buy a few ships for defense early on, buy a few low items and find the higher priced planets and sell them, repeat a few times until you have some more money. Luck does play a little factor (if you get attacked a lot early on, it can hurt you quite a bit), but with careful planning, you should be able to get started.

The first Trader game is available on Shrapnel in the Thunder Pack, along with 3 other original games of ours, and it's on sale right now!

Any other Trader 1 or 2 players have tips for raynor as to how to get started easier?

Re: Just 10 planets?
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Well, in Trader 1, you can keep an eye on the stock market. I usually wait until a stock goes down to 1 or 2 and then I buy a lot of the stock. Since the stock can't go far lower, You are safe in investing and wait until an up market surge takes the stock up a few points. Sell the stock and wait for another stock goes low and repeat!

Re: Just 10 planets?
 

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Well, in Trader 1, you can keep an eye on the stock market. I usually wait until a stock goes down to 1 or 2 and then I buy a lot of the stock. Since the stock can't go far lower, You are safe in investing and wait until an up market surge takes the stock up a few points. Sell the stock and wait for another stock goes low and repeat!</font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Yep the stock market can be an imporant ingredient in a long-term plan. Even more so in Trader 2 now that the stock market has been adjusted slightly for stronger "trends", a news report on the stock companies added and a running, updated every 7-turn "ticker" has been added. Thought I wouldn't say it works well to begin with in the short term. Most players use the stock market as a place to put money when you have excess, i've found, though Taz's strategy certainly will work if you're patient enough.

That's what makes the game interesting; the various different strategies used to be successful. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/icons/icon7.gif