Ugh... 5-Day Contracts + Business Trip = Gigantic Pain

[PLB82 0]

It's so frustrating when you have to travel for business and you're gone for 5 days, and now that I'm back, I have to wait to get some contracts picked up & find some deals on tokens before I can load my cities back up.

I tried to maintain them online but it said trading online was disabled?  Anyone know when that will be fixed?

I really wish we could go to 10-day contracts... your entire economy shouldn't collapse because you go on vacation for a week.

[Androv 6]

I agree with that sentiment There needs to be some way of setting up auto-contract management, or having longer contracts.

[sadorno 0]

I say skip the business trip.

Just sayin!

:-)

[Rakeesh 0]

Quick fix is just to sell it all to omnicorp to get back into play, then cancel and sell at regular rates gradually a little at a time as it sells.

I've had to do the same with my large supply of food. People cancel it so often if they find a better price. :\

[USA_Pride 49]

I think the game would have more depth if they wouldn't allow the canceling of contracts. It would force decisions to be more strategic and less short-term.

I think MC has an opportunity to experiment with different rules sets that could implemented on different planets. For example, there could be a planet that does longer contracts that you can't cancel unless you pay a penalty. There could be another planet with looser rules like we have today.

[Rakeesh 0]

If I remember right they did mention that they'll have planets with different rulesets in the future but no information beyond that. There's quite a bit they could do with that. From limiting players to number of cities on the planet, fixed contract lengths, etc. I'm quite intrigued with the possibilities. :3

[PLB82 0]

Originally posted by: sadorno

I say skip the business trip.

Just sayin!

:-)quote>

Well, somebody has to make the money to pay the damn PO subscription fee...

[RegisterST2 0]

Originally posted by: USA_Pride

I think the game would have more depth if they wouldn't allow the canceling of contracts. It would force decisions to be more strategic and less short-term.

I think MC has an opportunity to experiment with different rules sets that could implemented on different planets. For example, there could be a planet that does longer contracts that you can't cancel unless you pay a penalty. There could be another planet with looser rules like we have today.quote>

The CEO in an interview said it's purposefully done that way.  He wants people to cancel contracts and have players exchange "angry" emails.

[USA_Pride 49]

Originally posted by: RegisteringSucks

Originally posted by: USA_Pride

I think the game would have more depth if they wouldn't allow the canceling of contracts. It would force decisions to be more strategic and less short-term.

I think MC has an opportunity to experiment with different rules sets that could implemented on different planets. For example, there could be a planet that does longer contracts that you can't cancel unless you pay a penalty. There could be another planet with looser rules like we have today.quote>

The CEO in an interview said it's purposefully done that way.  He wants people to cancel contracts and have players exchange "angry" emails.

quote>

....

Hmm...  I think I'd rather see an Ebay-like system where Mayors have certain ratings, and if you cancle a contract you get a negative rating.  That way wouldn't be locked into a contract but would have a large incentive to keep contracts so that people will do business with you in the future.

[Androv 6]

I think a 'city reputation' for contracts is a great idea, would let you know who it's worth selling to

[Sainty 0]

I always buy stuff from the market that has a resonable price - not to cheap - that way I know that the trader wont cancel on me.

I havent figured out the other way around yet, but best thing is to look out for the journals I guess and make friends with the serious players.

[Ocram's Razr 964]

The problem, Sainty, is that all contracts (except those with OmniCorp) expire after 5 days so it does not matter how reliable someone is.

[pipvac 0]

Given that we are where we are, and change is as yet not scheduled...

I am in exactly the same boat, this week, travelling to Spain on business for five days.

My counsel would be to get the best contracts you can prior to departure. On return, DO NOT ENTER YOUR CITY. Open the trade window for that city on the planet screen and secure what supplies you need BEFORE you enter your city. If there are items not available in the market, check in chat to see if anyone is willing to help with the shortfalls, or use Omnicorp as a temporary top up until cheaper comes along.

This has worked for me on two occasions since launch where I have had to travel. I hope that helps.

[morriswalters 16]

The answer to this problem IMO is a trading group.  With sufficient number of players a it should be possible for people to take breaks or be away.  For instance I have 300 or so tokens of agriculture.  None of it on the open market.  My map is in good shape with no possiblilty of a bad trade fouling it up, and I'm through developing on that map.  I could put say, 150 tokens into play with very little notice by pulling tokens out of Omnicorp.  If the right  number of players followed a similar strategy then it should be possible to always have tokens when people in the group need them. I intend on doing something similar on a water map, an oil map, and a holiday map.

And I have the  same question that PLB82 did.  When is web trading coming back up? Or is that another attempt by Monte Cristo to push the game in  another direction?

[Mathew_MC 0]

morriswalters wrote:

And I have the same question that PLB82 did. When is web trading coming back up? Or is that another attempt by Monte Cristo to push the game in another direction?quote>

We had to suspend trading from the website while we were adapting it to the changes made to the ingame trading system, but it will be back up soon. It is an important part of the game for us too

Before the end of the week, you should be able to trade again from the website, as well as allocate tokens to your blueprints.

[Craig-Abcvs 1,595]

Mmmm, a candy ducky, thanks!  --Liv