The distribution of items in Calradian shops makes no sense.

[dominicnzl]

There is a slight bias in the availability of goods in different towns. In the Nord towns at the coast you can buy fish at a cheaper rate for example. But that is where the logical supply argument stops. I'm always wondering why there are loads of warhorses and heavy chargers available in Rhodok and Nord towns. Similarly, why do I find crossbows and plate armor in Khergit towns? Every shop I look at seems too generic. I'm about to suggest something that might already be in the planning but I would like to see it sooner than later anyway:

Availability of items should be biased towards the nation the shop is in. For example, Nord helms / shields should not be available in Khergit and Swadian towns. They should be available in normal quality in all Nord towns and be available in exceptional quality in one particular town that would be famous for that item. So, if Tihr is famous for the quality of their axes, we should find a higher distribution of exceptional axes in Tihr than in any other town. Occasionally, you should find items of bad quality in towns of a different culture: perhaps a battered Nord helm would show up in Praven now and then. The same principle could be applied to just about any item: Heavy and Spirited Steppe Horses should only be available in Khergit towns. Thick and Reinforced "Western" armor variants in Swadian towns.

I realize that placing these restrictions on item availability would annoy some players. Here is what I think are the implications of my suggestion:
1.) It would finally make sense to travel to a particular city if you want a particular item, rather than stopping at every town to see if the stock has refreshed.
2.) Choosing an allegiance would shape the accessibility of easily acquired items and therefore be a more strategic choice.
3.) Sneaking into an enemy town to acquire the item you want would be a more common thing.

I realize you can get around #2 by not swearing allegiance until you have all the equipment, but it would still make it necessary to travel around a bit - which I think is the whole point.

 

[bobstar_24]

Completely agree

 

[Grunwalder]

I agree with you, but I don't know how much they'll look into that. Towns in native have historically had a random selection in shops.

If you want that, I do advise you play BfS.

Arab towns sell Arab weaponry. Greek Towns sell Greek Weaponry.

Same for Normans, who sell Norman and Lombard style goods.

That, and the economic system is so crazily good, it makes it a viable method to play the game as a full on merchant. Making money can be a challenge.

 

[matneo27]

the shops are also selling battle loot, taken from enemies...so it makes sense, i guess...

 

[€hris]

I agree 100%.

 

[Toxicity]

I agree with it being a little weird. Although I does make sense, it's there for gameplay, not realism.
For example: Players loyal to the Khergit Khanate have the same chance of being decked out with their
favorite items just as Nord players.

BUT... I would like it to be the way you suggested. 

 

[Destichado]

You do realize the trade goods system is still in place, right?  That there are towns which produce an item at lower cost and towns which lack the item and will buy it at a higher one?  The merchants just don't TELL you in this release, you have to remember or have high trade skill to figure it out.

Now, on arms and armor, I agree with you.  I said the same back on something like .68, but it obviously hasn't happened yet,

 

[Aridus]

Really, I'm not surprised that they would have foreign items, considering the amount that I alone sell to them. Kidding aside, signature items for each town could be a nice addition though.

 

[dominicnzl]

You do realize the trade goods system is still in place, right?  That there are towns which produce an item at lower cost and towns which lack the item and will buy it at a higher one?  The merchants just don't TELL you in this release, you have to remember or have high trade skill to figure it out.

That I do. Fish can be acquired cheaply at the port towns, and Spice can be sold with a healthy profit in Praven. It would be nice if there were more in-game clues as to which trade routes are lucrative. One way I think it could be done, is the currently unused dialog option of "What are the latest rumours?" for merchants. If you have a high CHA and/or Trade skill they could reply with "I hear they are celebrating Oktoberfest in Wercheg, but merchants have been waylaid by bandits.", which could mean that Ale and Sausages might sell for a good price in Wercheg. Or even: "The dry season has ruined the fall harvest in the areas near Jelkala. Grain shortages are feared.". The nature of my examples are event based, but other dialog options could be tailored to fixed traderoutes of course. Similarly, they could tell you that "I hear the best Great Lances are made in Suno".

As for the comment(s) that the shops are selling scavenged items from battlefields: I actually never thought of that. However, it seems to me that such items should not comprise the majority of the stock.

 

[18Zulukiller]

I agree with you, but I don't know how much they'll look into that. Towns in native have historically had a random selection in shops.

If you want that, I do advise you play BfS.

Arab towns sell Arab weaponry. Greek Towns sell Greek Weaponry.

Same for Normans, who sell Norman and Lombard style goods.

That, and the economic system is so crazily good, it makes it a viable method to play the game as a full on merchant. Making money can be a challenge.

Whats BFS ?

 

[mrcrotch]

Yeh I agree. And Zendar should contain battered, bent etc. stuff as it's a place for trading IMO.

 

[WhoCares]

Yeh I agree. And Zendar should contain battered, bent etc. stuff as it's a place for trading IMO.

I humbly disagree, as with Zendar being a free harbour I'd expect to find some rare goods like spices, or unique items from unknown counrties faaaaaaaaaaar away (e.g. Katana  )

Regarding the general discussion I tend to disagree as well - with all the caravans, trade and selling loot (assuming that other parties could do it the same way as the player) going on, I don't find it that unusual to find all the stuff spread across the country.

 

[Dryvus]

Good idea, but I'd rather it wasn't totally rigid, that you could find a healthy dose of random equipment everywhere. I disagree on the specific town having the positive weapon modifiers. I don't want to have to go to the same place to get a particular thing, and would make designing your own equipment combination more restrictive.

 

[Mr Pokeylope]

Whats BFS ?

I think BfS is Battle for Sicily.

 

[RayvenQ]

I agree, but maybe as Dryvus said, maybe faction specific items in faction towns should be added ontop of what's there already, though I'm all for items being stronger in their "home towns" (I.e You can get Nordic stuff anywhere, but the higher quality stuff would be found in the respective cultures towns so higher quality Nord stuff would be in Nord Cities,higher quality plate stuff in Swadian Cities etc

 

[Adorno]

BfS is Battle for Sicily. The most innovative of ALL the mods. Many of the features in that mod are being imported into native and hopefully the trading system will follow soon. So:
PLAY BATTLE FOR SICILY and learn what is in store for native!
I completely agree with Dominicnzl 

 

[allthesedamnnamesaretaken]

The BFS economic system is horribly bugged at the moment though. All the towns go bankrupt in a few weeks. There's also not a lot of combat

 

[Sanzo84]

I agree with you, but I don't know how much they'll look into that. Towns in native have historically had a random selection in shops.

If you want that, I do advise you play BfS.

Arab towns sell Arab weaponry. Greek Towns sell Greek Weaponry.

Same for Normans, who sell Norman and Lombard style goods.

That, and the economic system is so crazily good, it makes it a viable method to play the game as a full on merchant. Making money can be a challenge.

Whats BFS ?

Battle for Sicily. Nijs's (sp?) awesome mod for M&B. It's so awesome that even Armagan Himself decided to bring Nijs on board the dev team and incorporated lots of Nijs's ideas like actively warring factions, banners, fiefs, etc.

 

[18Zulukiller]

I agree with you, but I don't know how much they'll look into that. Towns in native have historically had a random selection in shops.

If you want that, I do advise you play BfS.

Arab towns sell Arab weaponry. Greek Towns sell Greek Weaponry.

Same for Normans, who sell Norman and Lombard style goods.

That, and the economic system is so crazily good, it makes it a viable method to play the game as a full on merchant. Making money can be a challenge.

Whats BFS ?

Battle for Sicily. Nijs's (sp?) awesome mod for M&B. It's so awesome that even Armagan Himself decided to bring Nijs on board the dev team and incorporated lots of Nijs's ideas like actively warring factions, banners, fiefs, etc.

Cool as **** man ill have to install it then and give it a bash, thanks for all the replys fellas .

 

[Darian]

Personally, I'm more confused by the fact that traders will take anything. If a town's merchant runs out of cash I can simply go to the horse merchant to sell off my pottery and cabbages and whatever else there is.

Ideally, traders would only take the goods they actually deal in.