Why won't the traders/merchants visit my city?

[teebodk]

As the header suggests, I have a problem with the merchants or traders (whatever you call them) - they never come by. I'm 30 years into my current game and the trading post was built within the first 5 years, but not a single trader has come by! The station is well stocked (tons of meat, some firewood, some tools, warm coats, wool, ale... practically anything except for coal, stone and iron), it's staffed and located by a lake connected to the main river of the map:

http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=234818926

I've traced the river all the way to the edges of the map in all directions, looking for things that could be blocking access, but all looks fine and I can't figure out what's wrong.

My city is doing well otherwise, and because this is easy level I have sheep as well as wheat, pumpkins, pears and a couple of other orchard-seeds, so I'm not in desperate need of a trader visit so far, but I figure in the long run it could be a good extra lifeline to have.

In the meantime I'm making the best of a bad situation: instead of using the trading station for actual trade, I use it for storing (the aforementioned) tons of food as an extra backup in case of famine, but I'm quite puzzled by the traders not turning up.

Anyone?

[Ottomic]

It can take a lot of time for them to reach you. I had to wait 5 years once. It's just how it works.

Just build a trading post and wait. More trading posts will attract more traders, too, but it will still take each of them 1-5 years to attract a trader.

[teebodk]

But I've waited 25+ years? I know they won't show up instantly, but over 25 years is a bit long, don't you think? 25 years in and 25 years back, that's 50 years spent on one 'business trip' - I hope he was young when he started the journey or he'd die of old age before arriving. Oh, and can you imagine me dismissing him when he finally gets there.

"Hello, good sire! I heard of your magnificent city and decided to dedicate my life to reaching it, and trading with you. Please take a look at my goods and let us trade."

"Hmmmm" (takes a 5 second glance) "don't you have anything except for that junk? I'm not interested, goodbye!"

Trader commits suicide.

[Ottomic]

Oh wow, sorry, I didn't catch the "25 years old" bit.

I dunno man, try building another one on the river. And try closing and reopening your current trading post, too, just in case the game derped out on you.

[SeaBee]

Trading post needs to be in the river, not the lake. Build one on the river just East of the current one.

[teebodk]

Hmmm, I'm almost positive I read that the trading posts should be either by a big (main) river OR a lake connected to such a river, but I'll try your suggestion. If it doesn't work the trading post can always be used as an extra storage like the first one.

Thanks.

[CoLS Firestar]

Mine is in a huge lake connected by river. Does your river have an entrance AND an exit point?

[teebodk]

Yes, if you check my screenshot, there's an exit to the east and another one to the south.

[GrumpyDragon]

Lake trading posts work fine for me. I have two on the same shore of one river fed lake and I get one merchant per year for EACH post. Looking at your screenshot i cant see any reason why you are not getting anything, perhaps its a function of difficultly and climate? what are your game settings?

[teebodk]

My game settings are easy, mild climate, large map, valleys. And I'm almost certain I've also had trade posts by lakes in my previous games without any problems.

But I gues it never hurts to try the suggestions offered, deactivating-then-reactivating the current trading posts and building one by the river.

[Elegant Caveman]

From what I've read, trading posts on lakes can be tricky. They can work, but if they're too far from the river, traders won't come. I'm not sure what counts as "too far", exactly, as I've never tested it myself.

If you can spare the resources, I'd suggest building a new trading post on the river itself, and one on the lake close to the river, see what happens. If you want to keep resource expenditure to a minimum, destroy the one you have (you'll get some of the building materials back) and build one on the river.

[Pocky Stomper]

Make sure the trading post has a ton of stuff in it to trade. At least 2,500 value of stuff. Not sure if that is exactly it, but I noticed once mine was stocked up well... I got Trader's quite often.

[teebodk]

That would explain it, if distance to the river is a factor. I think I'll keep my current station as well as a new one on the river. Both because it can be used for backup storage and because it's so full it would take forever to empty :)

Thanks.

[teebodk]

I think mine has about 5000 venison and 5000 'sheep meat', 1000 firewood, 1000 wool, 500 warm coats and so on, so there should be more than enough.

[Elegant Caveman]

Yup, storage is always good. :)

And I don't believe amount of stock in the trading post means anything. And even if it does, you don't need much at all (merchants still visit my trading posts after I've made big trades and have almost nothing left).

[Voodoojedizin]

You're too far from the river if you're not getting traders.

You can build on a lake but only if you're close to the mouth or exit of the river that runs into it.