Trade Union

[Emelio Lizardo]

I would like to argue that the Trade Unions be removed and that all characters be placed in specific buildings at one influence cost per placement.

Further, that once the player posessses a placable character that they be available everywhere, though with travel times.

[Sarsgamer]

The airship platform allows you to add items to it and then transfer it to any other airship platform (you just need to add the item module) though only old and new world. There's a mod in the game mod browser that extends it to Enbesa and Arctic.

There's also a mod that sets all trade unions or town halls to cover the whole island. That's too powerful though IMO.

[Emelio Lizardo]

The airship would be nice to speed things up but they should still be able to travel to any place needed and the difference is amount of time and risks. The point being to make the management of the critters less annoying and time/effort consuming.

[Gregomoto]

What would be the benefit of point 1?
For the second point: it’s kinda of already possible in the game via the “item transfer depot” at the airship platform, but tbh i never use/used this machanic.

[Smokerbait]

Originally posted by Emelio Lizardo:

I would like to argue that the Trade Unions be removed and that all characters be placed in specific buildings at one influence cost per placement.

I understand the idea behind this as Trade Unions cover a wide area, cannot overlap, and can only equip a limited amount of specialists to boost whatever industry is in the area, and some some industries can get left out, but there is an issue with this proposal.

I can also use one Trade Union to affect multiple structures of the same type, which I often use for things like Coffee and Rum. So one Trade Union with one set of Specialists like Marco de la Mocha who boost productivity by 50%, can boost multiple Coffee Roasters. But now I'd have to get multiple copies of Marco to place in each separate Coffee Roaster to boost them all.

[Sarsgamer]

Originally posted by Emelio Lizardo:

The airship would be nice to speed things up but they should still be able to travel to any place needed and the difference is amount of time and risks. The point being to make the management of the critters less annoying and time/effort consuming.

I think you missed my message. You can add the item transfer module to airship platforms that makes it available to any other airship platform rather quickly. You don't need a ship or airship to send it to an island.

[Sarsgamer]

Originally posted by Gregomoto:

What would be the benefit of point 1?
For the second point: it’s kinda of already possible in the game via the “item transfer depot” at the airship platform, but tbh i never use/used this machanic.

The item transfer is extremely useful imo though it's more of a QOL thing. Your research institute is on one island, but the item is likely not the island you need it on. Even without research institute, buying from a trader and dropping the item at nearest island is still easier than having your ship sail to an island, or even to a different region, to provide the item.

[Emelio Lizardo]

Originally posted by Sarsgamer:

...
I think you missed my message. You can add the item transfer module to airship platforms that makes it available to any other airship platform rather quickly. You don't need a ship or airship to send it to an island.

I didn't miss your point. I'm suggesting an alternative. with the present mechanic one would have to wait for the airship technology. My suggestion is that the transfer be possible at all levels as long as some kind of transportation and port exist. You would have the total items selectable at all ports but there should be some delay based upon the speed of the fastest transport. There should also be some calcualted risk of loss during transit depending on circumstances.

[ElPrezCBF]

What's wrong with trade unions? Range effects are very common in this game like foresters, markets, pubs, warehouses etc. Trade unions just add to this list.

[Emelio Lizardo]

I think that it's simply better to put the critters/items in the individual buildings. There are otherwise so many wasted. And so many buildings not in the radius of effect. It just seems a more rational use of these things.

As an alternative, some critters/items should be eiher area effect or building specific.

[ElPrezCBF]

Some critters/items are truly valuable and unique, which actually makes them more worthwhile to put into an AoE building like a trade union than individual building. You just need to plan and strategically place your most valuable buildings within the AoE. I've tried placing the trade union in the middle of a figure-8 road layout and that covers a very large number of buildings.

As for building-specific critters, I've seen one that only improves the attractiveness of loggers within the AoE. Such critters would work well for specialized building clusters.

[Tregon]

Originally posted by Emelio Lizardo:

I think that it's simply better to put the critters/items in the individual buildings. There are otherwise so many wasted. And so many buildings not in the radius of effect. It just seems a more rational use of these things.

As an alternative, some critters/items should be eiher area effect or building specific.

They are not wasted. They would be wasted if excellent item could only apply to one building, instead of creating concentration of relevant buildings and boosting them all. Specially with complementary items along with them. For example single trade union can boost large number of smelters and steel mills, pushing production up massively with right items.

It makes you plan and focus, because best items make sense to have them affect as many items as possible.

Also, items are used on expeditions.