The balance of goods is not dictated by the size of the building but by the deposits that players find on the maps. There will be times in the game that a good is in high demand for the simple reason that the bulk of current players needing that good have not received that resource on the continent map. The game is set up to drive us to exchange goods and use social interactions to progress. Try playing an insular self sufficient game with no friends, no guild, its not impossible but it is very very difficult. Like real life the game has social rules and values and it is a lot easier to play if you conform to them.
To most of this, I am thinking, "yes but so what?"
However, I have to disagree with the statement that "The balance of goods is ... dictated by ... the deposits that players find on the maps." The balance of
goods deposits (e.g. quartz) is dictated by the deposists that players find on the Maps. The balance of
goods (e.g. Glass) is dictated by the number of players who make the relevant production building.
Taking HMA as an example, someone with a ropery needs, to start with:
- 6 squares for the production building
- (460/111) x8 = 33 squares for the population (densest standard housing, clapboard)
- (460/430) x9 = 10 squares for the happiness for the population
- Total 49 squares.
By comparison, someone with a brickworks needs, to start with:
- 12 squares for the production building
- (460/111) x8 = 33 squares for the population (densest standard housing, clapboard)
- (460/430) x9 = 10 squares for the happiness for the population
- Total 55 squares.
To produce 1 rope is the same nett cost as producing 1 brick, so for each day's production, the same space is needed except for the ongoing 6 squares difference. Those six squares as dwelling (standard housing, clapboard) not only help to pay for the daily output of goods but can add their population to production of supplies, providing about 140% of the needs for a contemporary supplies building. The output of 6 squares of dwelling (1½ clapboards) can be as high as 1080 coins every day. Or, to put it another way, for every glass that can be produced, someone can produce 1 rope
and 36 coins
and other benefits.
I hope that step-by-step illustrates why not all goods cost the same, regardless of whether anyone demands that other people under their control treat them as though they do or not.
In the laws of supply and demand, something that costs less to produce (in nett terms) but sells for the same, will be provided in greater quantity, as Augustavian pointed out happens in the game, in
one of his posts. I have little doubt that the designers of the game, in deciding to create some goods buildings smaller than others, were well aware that they would be creating a greater production of some goods, which apparently is not reflected by demand.