Idea: Marketplace Widget

[Jazcash]

This isn't a request, just an idea I thought would be quite fun.

Basically, it would act like a virtual marketplace where the currency is Energy and Metal, and the stock are units and other such confectioneries.

It would allow players to buy units from one another from set amounts of energy or metal specified by the players. You would be able to haggle over how much metal for a T2 Con or sell Atlas's for 50 M a pop.

You could add options such as bidding or auctioning units and the highest price buys the unit. The possibilities are pretty wide.

It would of course only work with other ally players with the same widget, and shouldn't affect gameplay too much apart from increasing team play and community spirit!

It could replace the 'H' menu which not many people use any more with the arrival of more efficient widgets to achieve the same functions.

As I said, this isn't a request, and I don't expect anybody to actually make something like this as it would probably require quite a bit of coding. Regardless, I may even come back to this in the future if I decide to further my Lua knowledges.

And remember kids, sharing is fun!

[hoijui]

hmmm.. cool idea! :D
though.. with bidding and all that, it would only make sense for really slow games and very expensive units, as otherwise you'd loose way to much time.
What i could imagine would make sense for *A games:
you finish a T2 factory, register it with the widget, specify a percentage (eg, 20%), and from that point on, your allies can use this factory as if it was theirs, just that they had to pay 20% more for the units. Each one can set his own rally point, and when the unit is build, the widget auto shares it to the ally that requested it. add maybe an option to prioritize your own/allies build order request, and it would make T2 con sharing much easier.

guess this has to be a gadget, or everyone would need the same widget(-version).

[CarRepairer]

This is a really good idea for FFAs with ceasefires. I'll consider it.

[Pxtl]

This is a really good idea for FFAs with ceasefires. I'll consider it.

Hell, you could take it a step further and put out bounties on enemy units/areas (clear all enemy units from region X and I will give you Y resources), buy limited-term ceasefire agreements (breaking our ceasefire costs you X metal), etc.

[Drone]

+1

[manolo_]

cool idea for some games, but wouldnt be good for normal fast games

[Jazcash]

cool idea for some games, but wouldnt be good for normal fast games

I dunno, it could work if their was a quick way like auto-presents or a quick marketplace trading panel which is easily accessible at all times or w/e. You could say make your own presets like auto-buy T2 Cons if they're in the marketplace for less than 300M. Or you could have that system with a confirmation box like "Buy" and "Ignore" options that popup unannoyingly.

[CarRepairer]

This is a really good idea for FFAs with ceasefires. I'll consider it.

Hell, you could take it a step further and put out bounties on enemy units/areas (clear all enemy units from region X and I will give you Y resources), buy limited-term ceasefire agreements (breaking our ceasefire costs you X metal), etc.

Dude you totally one-upped this idea. I'm not keen on the "area" one, but bounties on units? Woo that would be really cool. There's a Krog headed for my base!! $1000 bounty to whoever kills it!

[manolo_]

wow u top the idea, i smell a CAd (aka ZKd)

[KaiserJ]

yeah, this sounds awesome for FFA

sort of reminded me of the starbase airpad thinger in dune2... you could order units from space instead of building them yourself, and sometimes could get a good deal as the price was dictated by overall demand (you buy a peewee, and the price slightly increases for everyone... peewee isn't purchased for a long time, and the price slightly decreases)

and of course those with access to the market first get dibs on the primo prices... early birds getting worms etc etc

[CarRepairer]

I already have the basis to set this up in CA where you can space-click on a unit and a menu pops up. You'll be able to offer your own units for sale and buy enemy units with ease. I'll start with this because it'll be simple. Then I'll move on to the bounty system.

[Jazcash]

Bounty system would be awesome, one player plays as a freelance assassin and people can hire him to take out a target

But then, I suppose you'd have to write a fair amount of code to stop tricking and buggering of the system. For example, a bounty may be offered on a unit kill, then everybody else on that team goes to kill it and it ends up being a team effort. I guess most damage done to that unit would have to be taken into account in such cases. Although, it all does sound rather fun ^_^

[CarRepairer]

Bounty system would be awesome, one player plays as a freelance assassin and people can hire him to take out a target

But then, I suppose you'd have to write a fair amount of code to stop tricking and buggering of the system. For example, a bounty may be offered on a unit kill, then everybody else on that team goes to kill it and it ends up being a team effort. I guess most damage done to that unit would have to be taken into account in such cases. Although, it all does sound rather fun ^_^

Oh noes kill stealing! Yeah I considered that immediately as well as the "who does the most damage" thing but it might be unnecessary. It's still too much fun of an idea not to try it.

[Niobium]

Good idea.

Really need to have the registering/rewarding of bounties done via a simple gadget. then using widget front-end(s) to show current offers / send your own offers to the gadget, in some common format.

[Pxtl]

@CarRepairer

The bounty is defensive. The area is offensive: "Clear all enemy units from this zone for 3000 metal".

[Regret]

In widget form it would be so easy to con your allies and have them give you metal for nothing in return.

[JohannesH]

Yep, it isn't clear enough currently that you shouldn't trust your teammates.

[CarRepairer]

Of course it's in gadget form. I've already begun it.

@CarRepairer

The bounty is defensive. The area is offensive: "Clear all enemy units from this zone for 3000 metal".

Too complex. How do I determine who cleared the area? What if enemy units walked out of it on their own? What if some enemy units were killed but some walked out? What if temporary ally A killed 3 units and temporary ally B killed 3 units and 4 enemy units walked out and 2 walked back in?

Individual unit bounty is much more straightforward.

Edit: Added image.

[Jazcash]

Awesome! Although, I shall have to take one cookie away from you as it isn't BA

[Hobo Joe]

BA or bust