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"Fair Trade" completely unfair. True fair trade calculator

That does not tell much to me.
How you convert missing/extra happiness to goods/tile ratio? I mean for LNG you need culture building/decoration that gives 350 happiness and for Algae the other way round? Should it be 1.5 and -3 respectively or do you use current age happiness buildings?
Why in AFE and OFE you have modificators when building do not have happiness effect? (figured out)
What does "Unrefined population" mean and why its the same for all buildings? (figured out)

p.s. Still this ratios does not take into account GB and special buildings and their advantages. And lets be honest 95% of players have those in their cities. I mean this calculator, in spite of its complexity, still does not represent the real situation on servers and thus can't be used reliably.

The answer to all your questions is the same as the top answers. It uses ethalon. For cultiral buildings - we know the amount of happines per polished tile of that era cultural building. So it's very easy to know the exact amout of tiles we gain or lose because of this particular production building.

As for the GBs. You are right. Every city is unique. But the base remain the same for every city no matter how it's done there. Because the base is grounded on the unchanged production buildings.

"unrefined" means how much you need to power the unrefined chain to get the goods to your current era productions building.
 

dimondus

Captain
But the base remain the same for every city no matter how it's done there.
I can't agree with you here. The "base" in this game is space on the map and time player can spend in the game, everything else constrained only by an imagination.
For example I don't have any cultural buildings or decorations in my cities (N and O worlds) and still have hefty excess of happiness. So in my case your calculations will be incorrect. I'll get big bonus in trading goods with proposed ratios because they cost me cheaper to make (less tiles) than for the player following your city building recommendations (using cultural buildings for happiness and not building any GBs).
Your formula won't work, unless you made every player in the guild (and guild only) build city the way suited for your calculations.
 
I can't agree with you here. The "base" in this game is space on the map and time player can spend in the game, everything else constrained only by an imagination.
For example I don't have any cultural buildings or decorations in my cities (N and O worlds) and still have hefty excess of happiness. So in my case your calculations will be incorrect. I'll get big bonus in trading goods with proposed ratios because they cost me cheaper to make (less tiles) than for the player following your city building recommendations (using cultural buildings for happiness and not building any GBs).
Your formula won't work, unless you made every player in the guild (and guild only) build city the way suited for your calculations.

It just means you know how to build city correctly. Also that means every your tile bring more to you that 1 tile of the player who don't spend time optimizing the city. So in the end it's fair that you get more for the intellectual capital you invested in your city for every tile.
 

Emberguard

Legend
LOL Can we all remember one simple fact. This is a game, a means of relaxation, lets not over complicate it.
Aww, but some people love to make things crazy elaborate :p

(But yes, a simple calculator for goods makes for a much better system. Besides, who's going to buy goods from the new guy ever if the established guy has a far more efficient city due to events/lvl 80-100 GB?)
 

dimondus

Captain
established guy has a far more efficient city due to events/lvl 80-100 GB?
And I bet those guys aren't leveling Arc and Chateau just for relaxation :)

I like the idea of a new trade ratio but it require far more complicated math than proposed here to work on live servers.
 

- Ellie -

Sergeant
I am trying to find out what the rarest VF good is and what the rates are trading down efficiently, any ideas please?
 
I am trying to find out what the rarest VF good is and what the rates are trading down efficiently, any ideas please?

Agent is correct. Rarity is something occuring during only few players getting to certain era. It works only for new servers and new ages. With time it balances out so that efficiency is on the first place.

As for efficiency I'll think about adding VF to the document. As I see it now, not too many people are using it so I'm not that motivated before I get to VF myself :)
 

- Ellie -

Sergeant
If you read one of the Pawelp guides, some players put on a higher value on some goods than others in every era, if I cannot get any joy here I may just have to ask him myself but I left their guild.
 
If you read one of the Pawelp guides, some players put on a higher value on some goods than others in every era, if I cannot get any joy here I may just have to ask him myself but I left their guild.

Yes. And you can see exactly what are those resources in my calculations. Because of 1:1 trade most people build the smallest chain and in the end there is the shortage of the most expensive goods in the era.
 

DeletedUser110503

If you want to know trading basis you can read here: Goods buildings explained

At the moment most of players call 1:1 in the same age and 2:1 to one era dirrefence "fair".

What I call fair? Fair is when you can generate the same resource rather than trading it to your guildmates with the same efficiency. So fair includes no profit but only cost of manufacturing. Simple example of true fair is trading Wine (3x3) for Lumber (3x3). But when we start trading Wine (3x3) to stone (4x4) in the 1:1 proportion - we simply use our guildmates or we are being used by them because we can produse more wine than stone and in the end get more resources than our partner - that's a good example of unfair trade.

As for cross-era trades. Fair traid is calculated by comparing the amount of squares you need in your city to produce 1 good. For example to produce 1 ebony in Iron Age you'll need:
1) 48 minutes
2) Ebony Woodworks (4x4) - 16 tiles
3) 3.8 tiles of Bucher to produce the requred 40 supply in 48 minutes. (160 per hour for 4x3 building). Formula is = 3.8/(4*3)/(60*48)*160 = 40
4) 12.6 tiles of Populations building for production. Cottage gives 73 population per 4 squares. 74/4*12.6 = 230 requred for production
5) 1.1 tile of Population building to supply 3.8 tiles of Butcher from 3rd bullet.

TOTAL SPACE required to produce 1 Ebony in Iron Age in 48 minutes is = 16 + 3.8 + 12.6 + 1.1 = 33.5 tiles.

Let's do the same calculation for Ebony but in Erly Middle Ages (EMA). To produce 1 Ebony in EMA in 48 minutes you'll need:
1) 48 minutes
2) Ebony Woodworks (4x4) - 16 tiles
3) 2.1 tiles of Shoemaker to produce 40 supply in 48 minutes. (210 per hour for 3x3 building) Formula is = 2.1/(3*3)/(60*48)*210 = 40
4) 8.3 tiles of Population building for production. Clapboard house gives 111 population per 4 squares. 111/4*8.3 = 230 required for production
5) 0.7 tiles of Population building to supply 2.1 tiles of Shoemaker from 3rd bullet.

TOTAL SPACE required to produce 1 Ebony in Erly Middle Ages (EMA) in 48 minutes is = 16 + 2.1 + 8.3+ 0.7 = 27,1 tiles

*we don't count gold cost because it's being produced with the population buildings as a bypass product.

Now let's do the same calculation but for producing Honey in EMA:
1) 48 minutes
2) Beekeeper (3x3) - 9 tiles
3) 4.3 tiles of shoemaker
4) 12.3 tiles of population building for production building
5) 1.3 population building tiles to sustain Shoemakers

TOTAL SPACE required to produce 1 Honey in Erly Middle Ages (EMA) in 48 minutes is = 9 + 4.3 + 12.3 + 1.3 = 26,9 tile

This example means that when trading 1 honey for 2 Ebony from the guildmate the person gets an 200% profit. Which is extremely far from term "fair".

To cover the current system to all guilds are persons who want to make and sustain a TRUE FAIR trading system I've developed a automated calculator which shows the ratio when you type in what do you want to trade and for what. Also I've developed a matrix to those who don't want to use the document.

Calculator can be found via this link:

LINK TO THE TRUE FAIR TRADE CALCULATOR
*for it to work you have to copy as your document. Broken too many times to give access :)

You can alternatively use rates from spoilers.

Let's change this un"fair" system into a real true fair together!

My other works:
PRO - Arc swap group automatic equal donations calculator
Great Building Donation Strategy Calculator (Optimal FP to GB donation now automated!)
GE video tutorial (Guild Expedition) with minimal resource loss
Special goods buildings. What era to build? (Tribal square, Terrace Farm, Sunken Treasure etc...)



Bronze Age (BA) goods true fair trade rates
Offer\NeedStoneLumberMarbleDyeWineLimestoneEbonyIronClothJewelryCopperGraniteAlabasterGoldHoneyBrickRopeSaltDried HerbsGlass
Stone1.01.31.31.31.30.70.70.90.80.80.70.60.70.70.80.60.80.60.60.6
Lumber0.81.01.01.01.00.50.50.70.60.60.50.40.50.50.50.40.50.40.40.4
Marble0.81.01.01.01.00.50.50.70.60.60.50.40.50.50.50.40.50.40.40.4
Dye0.81.01.01.01.00.50.50.70.60.60.50.40.50.50.50.40.50.40.40.4
Wine0.81.01.01.01.00.50.50.70.60.60.50.40.50.50.50.40.50.40.40.4

Iron Age (IA) goods true fair trade rates
Offer\NeedLimestoneEbonyIronClothJewelryCopperGraniteAlabasterGoldHoneyBrickRopeSaltDried HerbsGlassBasaltBrassSilkTalc PowderGunpowder
Limestone1.01.01.31.11.10.90.80.90.91.00.80.90.80.80.80.60.60.70.70.7
Ebony1.01.01.31.11.10.90.80.90.91.00.80.90.80.80.80.60.60.70.70.7
Iron0.80.81.00.90.90.70.60.70.70.80.50.70.50.50.50.40.40.50.50.5
Cloth0.90.91.11.01.00.80.70.80.80.80.60.80.60.60.60.50.50.60.60.6
Jewelry0.90.91.11.01.00.80.70.80.80.80.60.80.60.60.60.50.50.60.60.6

Erly Middle Ages (EMA) goods true fair trade rates
Offer\NeedCopperGraniteAlabasterGoldHoneyBrickRopeSaltDried HerbsGlassBasaltBrassSilkTalc PowderGunpowderPaperCoffeeWirePorcelainTar
Copper1.00.91.01.01.10.81.00.80.80.80.60.60.70.70.70.60.60.60.50.5
Granite1.11.01.11.11.30.91.10.90.90.90.70.70.80.80.80.80.70.70.60.6
Alabaster1.00.91.01.01.10.81.00.80.80.80.60.60.70.70.70.60.60.60.50.5
Gold1.00.91.01.01.10.81.00.80.80.80.60.60.70.70.70.60.60.60.50.5
Honey0.90.80.90.91.00.70.80.70.70.70.50.50.60.60.60.50.50.50.40.4

High Middle Ages (HMA) goods true fair trade rates
Offer\NeedBrickRopeSaltDried HerbsGlassBasaltBrassSilkTalc PowderGunpowderPaperCoffeeWirePorcelainTarRubberCokeTextilesWhale OilFertilizer
Brick1.01.21.01.01.00.70.70.80.80.80.80.70.70.60.60.50.40.50.50.4
Rope0.81.00.80.80.80.50.50.70.70.70.60.50.50.40.40.40.30.40.40.3
Salt1.01.21.01.01.00.70.70.80.80.80.80.70.70.60.60.50.40.50.50.4
Dried Herbs1.01.21.01.01.00.70.70.80.80.80.80.70.70.60.60.50.40.50.50.4
Glass1.01.21.01.01.00.70.70.80.80.80.80.70.70.60.60.50.40.50.50.4

Late Middle Ages (LMA) goods true fair trade rates
Offer\NeedBasaltBrassSilkTalc PowderGunpowderPaperCoffeeWirePorcelainTarRubberCokeTextilesWhale OilFertilizerAsbestosGasolineMachine PartsTinplateExplosives
Basalt1.01.01.21.21.21.11.01.00.80.90.70.60.80.80.60.50.50.50.60.6
Brass1.01.01.21.21.21.11.01.00.80.90.70.60.80.80.60.50.50.50.60.6
Silk0.80.81.01.01.00.90.80.80.70.70.60.50.60.60.50.40.40.40.50.4
Talc Powder0.80.81.01.01.00.90.80.80.70.70.60.50.60.60.50.40.40.40.50.4
Gunpowder0.80.81.01.01.00.90.80.80.70.70.60.50.60.60.50.40.40.40.50.4

Colonial Age (CA) goods true fair trade rates
Offer\NeedPaperCoffeeWirePorcelainTarRubberCokeTextilesWhale OilFertilizerAsbestosGasolineMachine PartsTinplateExplosivesFerroconcreteConvenience FoodFlavorantsPackagingLuxury Materials
Paper1.00.90.90.80.80.60.60.70.70.60.40.40.40.50.50.30.30.30.30.3
Coffee1.11.01.00.80.80.70.60.70.70.60.50.50.50.60.50.30.30.30.30.3
Wire1.11.01.00.80.80.70.60.70.70.60.50.50.50.60.50.30.30.30.30.3
Porcelain1.31.21.21.01.00.80.80.90.90.80.60.60.60.70.70.40.50.40.40.4
Tar1.31.21.21.01.00.80.70.90.90.70.60.60.60.70.70.40.40.40.40.4

Industrial Age (InA) goods true fair trade rates
Offer\NeedRubberCokeTextilesWhale OilFertilizerAsbestosGasolineMachine PartsTinplateExplosivesFerroconcreteConvenience FoodFlavorantsPackagingLuxury MaterialsRenewable ResourcesSteelSemiconductorsIndustrial FiltersGenome Data
Rubber1.00.91.11.10.90.70.70.70.80.80.50.50.50.50.50.40.40.40.40.4
Coke1.11.01.21.21.00.80.80.80.90.90.50.60.50.60.50.50.40.50.50.5
Textiles0.90.81.01.00.80.70.60.70.80.70.40.50.40.50.40.40.30.40.40.4
Whale Oil0.90.81.01.00.80.70.60.70.80.70.40.50.40.50.40.40.30.40.40.4
Fertilizer1.11.01.21.21.00.80.80.80.90.90.50.60.50.60.50.50.40.50.50.5

Proggressive Era (PE) goods true fair trade rates
Offer\NeedAsbestosGasolineMachine PartsTinplateExplosivesFerroconcreteConvenience FoodFlavorantsPackagingLuxury MaterialsRenewable ResourcesSteelSemiconductorsIndustrial FiltersGenome DataElectromagnetsGasPlasticsRobotsBionics Data
Asbestos1.00.91.01.11.10.70.70.70.70.70.60.50.60.60.60.50.50.50.50.5
Gasoline1.11.01.11.21.20.70.80.70.80.70.60.60.60.60.60.50.50.50.50.5
Machine Parts1.00.91.01.11.10.70.70.70.70.60.60.50.60.60.60.50.50.50.40.5
Tinplate0.90.80.91.01.00.60.60.60.60.60.50.40.50.50.50.40.40.40.40.4
Explosives0.90.90.91.01.00.60.70.60.60.60.50.50.50.50.50.50.40.40.40.4

Modern Era (ME) goods true fair trade rates
Offer\NeedFerroconcreteConvenience FoodFlavorantsPackagingLuxury MaterialsRenewable ResourcesSteelSemiconductorsIndustrial FiltersGenome DataElectromagnetsGasPlasticsRobotsBionics DataTranslucent ConcreteSmart MaterialsPapercretePreservativesNutrition Research
Ferroconcrete1.01.11.01.11.00.80.80.90.90.90.80.70.70.70.70.60.60.70.60.7
Convenience Food0.91.00.91.00.90.80.70.80.80.80.70.70.60.60.60.60.50.60.60.7
Flavorants1.01.11.01.11.00.80.80.90.90.90.80.70.70.70.70.60.60.70.60.7
Packaging0.91.00.91.00.90.80.70.80.80.80.70.70.70.60.60.60.50.60.60.7
Luxury Materials1.01.11.01.11.00.90.80.90.90.90.80.80.70.70.70.60.60.70.60.7

Postmodern Era (PmE) goods true fair trade rates
Offer\NeedRenewable ResourcesSteelSemiconductorsIndustrial FiltersGenome DataElectromagnetsGasPlasticsRobotsBionics DataTranslucent ConcreteSmart MaterialsPapercretePreservativesNutrition ResearchBiogeochemical DataPurified WaterAlgaeSuperconductorsNanoparticles
Renewable Resources1.00.91.11.11.10.90.90.80.80.80.70.70.80.70.80.60.60.60.60.6
Steel1.11.01.11.11.11.00.90.90.90.90.80.70.80.80.90.70.60.60.70.6
Semiconductors0.90.91.01.01.00.80.80.80.80.80.70.60.70.70.80.60.50.50.60.5
Industrial Filters1.00.91.01.01.00.90.80.80.80.80.70.60.70.70.80.60.50.50.60.5
Genome Data1.00.91.01.01.00.90.80.80.80.80.70.60.70.70.80.60.50.50.60.5

Contemporary Era (CE) goods true fair trade rates
Offer\NeedElectromagnetsGasPlasticsRobotsBionics DataTranslucent ConcreteSmart MaterialsPapercretePreservativesNutrition ResearchBiogeochemical DataPurified WaterAlgaeSuperconductorsNanoparticlesNanowireTransester GasA.I. DataPaper BatteriesBioplastics
Electromagnets1.01.00.90.90.90.80.70.80.80.90.60.60.60.70.60.50.60.50.60.5
Gas1.01.01.00.90.90.80.80.90.81.00.70.70.70.70.70.60.60.60.60.6
Plastics1.11.11.01.01.00.90.80.90.91.00.70.70.70.80.70.60.60.60.70.6
Robots1.11.11.01.01.00.90.81.00.91.00.70.70.70.80.70.60.70.60.70.6
Bionics Data1.11.11.01.01.00.90.80.90.91.00.70.70.70.80.70.60.60.60.70.6

Tomorrow (TE) goods true fair trade rates
Offer\NeedTranslucent ConcreteSmart MaterialsPapercretePreservativesNutrition ResearchBiogeochemical DataPurified WaterAlgaeSuperconductorsNanoparticlesNanowireTransester GasA.I. DataPaper BatteriesBioplasticsPearlsArtificial ScalesCoralsBiolightPlankton
Translucent Concrete1.00.91.11.01.10.80.80.80.90.80.70.70.70.80.70.60.60.60.60.7
Smart Materials1.11.01.21.11.30.90.90.91.00.90.80.80.70.80.70.70.70.70.60.8
Papercrete0.90.81.00.91.10.80.70.70.80.70.60.70.60.70.60.60.60.60.50.6
Preservatives1.00.91.11.01.10.80.80.80.90.80.70.70.70.80.70.60.60.60.60.7
Nutrition Research0.90.80.90.91.00.70.70.70.80.70.60.60.60.70.60.50.50.50.50.6

The Future (TF) goods true fair trade rates
Offer\NeedBiogeochemical DataPurified WaterAlgaeSuperconductorsNanoparticlesNanowireTransester GasA.I. DataPaper BatteriesBioplasticsPearlsArtificial ScalesCoralsBiolightPlanktonTea SilkData CrystalsGolden RiceNanitesCryptocash
Biogeochemical Data1.01.00.91.10.90.80.90.80.90.80.80.80.80.70.90.60.70.70.60.7
Purified Water1.01.01.01.11.00.91.00.81.00.90.80.80.80.70.90.60.70.70.60.7
Algae1.11.01.01.11.00.90.90.81.00.90.80.80.80.70.90.70.70.70.70.7
Superconductors0.90.90.91.00.90.80.80.70.90.80.70.70.70.70.80.60.60.60.60.6
Nanoparticles1.11.01.01.11.00.90.90.81.00.90.80.80.80.70.90.70.70.70.70.7
Arctic Future (AF) goods true fair trade rates
Offer\NeedNanowireTransester GasA.I. DataPaper BatteriesBioplasticsPearlsArtificial ScalesCoralsBiolightPlanktonTea SilkData CrystalsGolden RiceNanitesCryptocash
Nanowire1.01.11.01.11.00.90.90.90.81.00.80.80.80.70.8
Transester Gas0.91.00.91.00.90.90.90.90.81.00.70.80.70.70.7
A.I. Data1.11.11.01.21.00.91.01.00.91.10.80.90.80.80.8
Paper Batteries0.91.00.91.00.90.80.80.80.70.90.70.70.70.70.7
Bioplastics1.01.11.01.11.00.90.90.90.81.00.80.80.80.80.8

Oceanic Future (OF) goods true fair trade rates (data from wiki untested)
Offer\NeedPearlsArtificial ScalesCoralsBiolightPlanktonTea SilkData CrystalsGolden RiceNanitesCryptocash
Pearls1.01.01.00.91.10.90.90.90.80.9
Artificial Scales1.01.01.00.91.10.90.90.80.80.9
Corals1.01.01.00.91.10.80.90.80.80.8
Biolight1.11.11.11.01.20.91.00.90.90.9
Plankton1.00.90.90.81.00.80.80.80.70.8
Virtual Future (VF) goods true fair trade rates (data from wiki untested first patch data)
Offer\NeedTea SilkData CrystalsGolden RiceNanitesCryptocash
Tea Silk1.01.11.01.01.0
Data Crystals0.91.00.90.91.0
Golden Rice1.01.11.01.01.0
Nanites1.01.11.01.01.0
Cryptocash1.01.11.01.01.0
There are too many additional factors that would have to be taken into consideration for mathematically “fair” trade to be practicable. For example, smaller buildings require proportionally more roads; and military units, and therefore buildings, are required to reach goods deposits on the map, to name just two. Even if cost could be accurately calculated, value is still dependent upon circumstances, even when trying to help out a friend. To use your example, ebony is of very limited use to any player who has advanced far enough along the tech tree to build clapboard houses. For instance, Mr Ebony Producer wants honey to build a Cathedral of Aachen, and trades at 2:1 with Ms Honey Producer, who leaves it hanging around her inventory; who has got the better deal?
 
There are too many additional factors that would have to be taken into consideration for mathematically “fair” trade to be practicable. For example, smaller buildings require proportionally more roads; and military units, and therefore buildings, are required to reach goods deposits on the map, to name just two. Even if cost could be accurately calculated, value is still dependent upon circumstances, even when trying to help out a friend. To use your example, ebony is of very limited use to any player who has advanced far enough along the tech tree to build clapboard houses. For instance, Mr Ebony Producer wants honey to build a Cathedral of Aachen, and trades at 2:1 with Ms Honey Producer, who leaves it hanging around her inventory; who has got the better deal?

Yes and No.

Yes there are additional factors like GBs, special buildings, rarity and roads.

No, the don't matter that much. In most cases roads are distributed equally among buildings. Too close to equal distribution to have it as a valuable factor. Rarity is something that ends while lots of people reach certain age. After then, only the size of the building makes a resource scarce.

Where did you get the 2:1 ebony honey? True fair for ebony - honey is 1:1. And as for "hanging in inventory" - that's exactly why there is a true fair calculator. Where there is a true fair rate for trades he will easily be able to swap this unwanted resource for any other resource up or down era.

For your ebony example. You need 249 ebony to reseach all tech: 140 of which are in LMA.
 

Emberguard

Legend
For your ebony example. You need 249 ebony to reseach all tech: 140 of which are in LMA.

and you need 350 honey, 160 of which are used in Colonial Age.

However, that doesn't mean players are going to wait until they need it to be producing which is why I don't think it's fair to bring into your calculations higher era supply buildings then the good is from. I'd be surprised if once you get to Colonial Age there's many players still producing much EMA goods. Most of that work would have already been done in EMA itself.
 
and you need 350 honey, 160 of which are used in Colonial Age.

However, that doesn't mean players are going to wait until they need it to be producing which is why I don't think it's fair to bring into your calculations higher era supply buildings then the good is from. I'd be surprised if once you get to Colonial Age there's many players still producing much EMA goods. Most of that work would have already been done in EMA itself.

Thank you for the clarification.

I was answering to particular eaxmple of "I get unwanted goods for helping friend". Still the goods have the price you need to pay (number of tiles used to produce them * time). Doesn't matter what you need now or tomorrow. Every good has it's own space * time value. And trading based on this value is true fair.
 
Don't forget to calculate the time it takes for the trade to actually get traded - some trades can happen in hours, whiles others may take days.
If I need a trade to go fast, I post one so that it has a great market value. So, if I trade 100 goods from my current age for 185 goods for the age below - It trades fast.

The time it takes for me to get the desired goods also accounts for how fast I can progress toward a particular task! Compute that into the fair trade computation.
 
Don't forget to calculate the time it takes for the trade to actually get traded - some trades can happen in hours, whiles others may take days.
If I need a trade to go fast, I post one so that it has a great market value. So, if I trade 100 goods from my current age for 185 goods for the age below - It trades fast.

The time it takes for me to get the desired goods also accounts for how fast I can progress toward a particular task! Compute that into the fair trade computation.

Brilliant notice. That's exactly what I use now. The current "fair" system is 1:1 and 2:1. So I produce the cheapest good from the "true fair" and trade it much better than 2:1 but still much more profitable for me that producing it by "true fair". My trades fly extremely fast.
 

Zeratul 2.0

Lieutenant Colonel
Gnerally speaking, there are too many inputs and too many non-linear relations... and it does not compute

-----------
IF I am allowed to contradict the original post without first fully comprehending it (too compolicated, too cubersome) or without even first fully reading it (too long, some factors too trivial) THEN:

The calculation is not valid UNLESS "all supplies are totally used for goods production (no other purposes)"

Think about it: the author neglected the cost of coins thinking "it is only a byproduct and costs nothing" well then as time goes on, players tend to have more supplies than they can ever spend (therefore the unbirthday) and the supplies, too, cost nothing and should be neglected from the calculation.

The only influential factor remaining would be the footprint, which is simple and does not change, for example, Rope (3x2) / Herbs (3x4) = 0.5... wait... that can't be right... what is the fault in this reasoning? No matter, let's not contradict ourselves but go on to contradict the original poster :D

As above said, coins and supplies are crossed off from the list of independent influential factors... what if, somehow, population also devalues? For exmaple, Inno and Habitat -- it is hard for lower age players to lay a hand on these. It is easier for advanced age players. If lower age players did build an Inno (like I did) they'll find they have MORE population than they can ever spend. Just like that, population is also crossed off from the list of inputs.

Other than footprint, the only true input left, it seems, is the amount of time to produce the goods, which is 8 hours for 10 goods, which is the SAME REGARDLESS of the age.

Conclusion: same age goods, 1:1, or 1:0.9, or 1:1.2, whatever, negligible. The 1:2 different age ratio is a TRUE problem. As time goes on, it should also approach 1:1, at either a faster or slower rate. The 1:2 ratio is only the INITIAL ratio, valid/applicable perhaps only to Bronze Age and Iron Age, since the number of players in that age is of the same "order of magnitude". In extreme analysis, say only one player made it to OF and only one player made it to VF. Should they trade goods with each other 1:2, or 1:1? when both have to spend 8 hours to produce 10 goods?

So, the inputs taken into account by the author have different weighing factors applied to them. In the long run, the weight of most inputs diminishes. And those inputs become negligible. First coins, then supplies, perhaps then populations, and then footprint size. All become worthless, except, it seems, the 8 hours for 10 goods. Still with the extreme example of only 1VF player and only 1OF player, it will then depend on how many goods building you build. If one player built one buildings for Goods OF(A), while the other player built two buildings for Goods VF(B), then the ratio should be reversed, from 1:2 to 2:1 (or the other way around). This also leads to another major fault to the reasoning of the original post, as follows:

You can't calculate the ratio like that because not all players in the world can trade with one another. Tax-free trade is limited within the guild. Even with tax, trade is limited within neighbors, guildies, friends. And they spread through different ages. The number of goods buildings becomes a very important influential factor WHEREAS, I think, the original post's calculation is based on the assumption of "there are equal total number of good buildings among different types" -- this assumption can be correct in the whole world for it gets evened out -- but perhaps not the case within a specific limited circle of friends, neighbors, guildies.

(I'm ranting on at the same time of forgetting what I wrote previously but maybe there is some sense in it. An important point is "the ratio of 2 for cross-age trades is unfair! All ratios should approach 1 in the long run!")

Correction: Not 1; but approaching 1. If the ratio is exactly 1 then 1 BA good for 1 VF good -- that is radiculous. But if let's say the ratio is 0.9. Then 0.9*0.9*0.9*0.9*0.9*0.9... the number becomes very small, so that you still can't trade 1 BA goods for 1 VF goods.

Continue to append: the game's "guidance ratio" (renamed from "fair ratio") is an "initial ratio" -- thoughtful for new players only; for old players (IDT "in the long run"), the system is messed up :D therefore old players leave :D

(Anyone who thinks the above makes sense please go into the game and trade 1 developed age goods for 1 undeveloped age goods with me 8-) )
 
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