Chapter 9.2 Trading, Merchants, and Markets
Types of Trading
(This section was updated on 5/17/26 v1.1)
Bartering
Player to Player trades, are the default trading mechanics. Players can see spirit values, and local values of items if set by the outpost, and if players are in the outpost's radius of influence. Presented items in trades can be inspected, showing stats, and item descriptions, and other information if available. (If a soulbound item is in a trade, the entire trade will not continue or complete, and can only be canceled by selection or via movement.)
Store Service Trading
Players can craft a service counter as a workstation, and then craft a weighing scale tool. The weighing scale has two tabs, the storefront and payments made. When trading in the radius of the weighing scale tool, shopkeepers can optionally receive trades into their inventory, or automatically go to linked storages. Linked storages are linked to the weighing scale tool. It will default to the player's inventory when none is applied. More complex weighing scales will have larger trading radiuses. Players can tell which is active, by the fire lit at the top of the weighing scale, as well as a weighing scale icon in the trade. Owners can set names to their scales to make organization easier.
Auction Torches
Players can construct auction torches. A player activates the auction by lighting it. New items placed by the player in the radius, is linked to the player and the torch. Other players and NPC can offer tinder, and items for trade. Once the torch fire runs out, the auction ends. One player can occupy a torch a time. By default, exiting the radius, cancels the auction with a cooldown to try again. However, auctioneer skills will allow more. Torches can't overlap, and any repeat torches in a radius will duplicate functions. Auction torches must be placed far enough away to host a different auction. Owners of an auction house, and allowed outpost members can destroy items that are too large for inventory, if it is not moved in time, without infracting a crime.
Global Trades
There will be no global trade mechanics.
Merchant Legacy
All of the following increases merchant legacy. However, cooldowns and timeouts for legacy earnings can occur per item/transaction with consideration to not allow an infinite farm of rotation trading for artificial legacy farming.
Displaying Items
Merchants can set items for display, and while a shop is open, these accrue more merchant legacy over time. When a display sells, the merchant gets an increased legacy value for the trade. This increased legacy is counted as economic culture for outposts in it's radius of influence. Merchants can tag items as not for sale/display only if they want to increase the worth before selling it.
Foot Peddlers
These merchants carry equipment on them, and merely sell via player to player trades using the default trading mechanics. They can use skills to carry large backpacks and not be affected by over encumbrance, but will lose the ability to roll dodge.
Peddler Stall
Players can equip small market stalls. These stalls allow for service counter based trades and auctions. It may take a while to set up, and put away. This equipment automatically keeps players from being able to dodge, climb, carry, pull, craft, attack, and run quickly. Damage is taken to the player as normal based on other items they wear, but the market stall also takes damage based on its crafted complexity, strength, and upgrades.
Cart Stall
Players can craft small 2, 3, and 4-wheel carts that can be pulled or pushed by them, or a creature. These are not vehicles and cannot be driven, but can be led. They can have service counter features, auctions, or can be used as extra storage, or player/NPC transport. These will take damage based on its crafted complexity, strength, and upgrades. Players will run slower with them, and will not be able to jump or dodge while pulling, but can dodge away from a cart, abandoning it. Players are be able to place some storage on the cart, and a weighing scale, allowing them to store more goods into their cart.
Wagon Stall
Wagons are 4-wheel vehicles, that a player can drive, that can be upgraded to have service counter features. These are larger than carts and require a creature to pull. Depending on the setup, these stalls allow for service counter based trades and auctions. These will take damage based on its crafted complexity, strength, and upgrades. Items on display will easily take damage from monsters. Players are be able to hit more storage on the wagon than a cart, allowing them to store more goods into their cart. Combined with a weighing scale, it makes for easy merchant storage.
Market Booth Stalls
A static small construction, with a counter. Market booths may have prebuilt storages, or sections that allow players to place their own crates, barrels, chests, and other storages like shelves and weapon racks. Market booth stalls have more durability for monster attacks than a wagon, but cannot move. They are linked to related culture skills of an outpost which can slightly increase the value of their items. These spaces are often rented for a time.
Retail Store
A building with an interactable service counter. This functions the same as a market booth stall, but has more space for decorations, storage, workbenches, and potentially living quarters, and provides the most durability. They are also fully linked to related culture skills of an outpost which can increase the value of their items. These spaces are often owned.
Decorating a Merchant Stall
There are racks and hooks on carts, wagons, and stalls, that allow players to display items, signs, and runic creations for branding. Players would be wise to display items that would draw a player into their store for what they are looking for. Players can craft signs, that have common icons to help present their store type, without needing to have a custom runic creation.
Merchant Placement
When a shop is opened, players will be shown the grid area surrounding them before continuing. Overly crowded areas decrease legacy earned per sale, and will warn players if they want to continue, however this can be toggled off. Correct placement will allow normal legacy gained, but correct linking to other stores and zoning will give a slight increase to merchant legacy.
Creating Zones for Merchants
Claims may want to make a specific spot for merchants. For this, create a merchant zone sign. It contains a torch, and the founder or allowed players can paint tiles that will mark areas where merchants can set up shops, using the heat of the torch. Parking zones also indicate areas where merchant carts and wagons can be parked by users if there is space, with a toggle for either or both types allowed. These zonings offer extra protections and culture buffs.
Mobile Merchant Evictions
In outposts, and private areas, property owners can evict merchants regardless of legal zoning laws. The merchants have 30 minutes to leave the area. When the time is up, merchants are criminally trespassing, and can be moved, confiscated, damaged, or destroyed by land owners. It is best to work with players and outposts to ensure you’re not being in the way and lending yourself to issues. Player driven organized merchant guilds can help try to dispute disagreements, and can steer merchants away from poorly organized outposts and properties. Players setting up any shop can see the zoning rules in their store/counter hub.
You're getting the hang of this! Getting antsy though? Let's get moving and transport some of these goods.
Created by Jimmy Slaughter